"The most beautiful time of the year is coming and I am glad to meet you and spend this evening with you. Surely you know that U. S. Steel Košice has started intensive cooperation with Japanese colleagues in recent months. We not only gain practical experience and theoretical knowledge from them, but also learn about their culture and way of life.
Our project has existed since 2013. More than 150 families were included in it, several for two years or repeatedly. We helped them financially, but they were also participants in several of our events, where they got to know each other, got to know each other and in many cases helped each other.
In the project We Are With You at the Right Time 2026, there will be 12 families who have a total of 22 children. The Christmas dinner was the first joint event where we had the opportunity to get to know each other and, most importantly – to give the children Christmas gifts, which were bought by the employees as part of another long-term project Wishing Tree.
The invitation to the dinner was also accepted by the company's representatives, who strongly support both projects: Mike Piekut with his wife Allison, Marcel Novosad with his wife Vierka and our vice-presidents Elena Petrášková and Silvia Gaálová. Several of the gifts that the children unwrapped before dinner were bought by them.
What gifts did the children receive and how were they looking forward to it?
Denisa Kassai's family
Both children and sister came to dinner with their mother. "Dorotka wanted a wooden kitchen, she is excited and would like to unpack it right away. Of course, we can't let her do that, after all, how would we take her home," said Denisa. Her son Florián was also very satisfied with the gift – headphones.
Petr Rusňák's family
The older son David wanted a CD player. He likes punk music. His parents do not share his enthusiasm for this musical genre and are glad that there are headphones. "Matúš is deaf, we chose a tablet for him. What he experiences in life, he also experiences in his plays. The tablet he had broke down and now he is happy that he got a new one and will no longer have full memory in his mobile phone," said Peter Rusňák.
Štefan Szepesi's family
These are three beautiful young ladies. Their "spokesperson" is apparently their eldest daughter Sofia: "We are pleasantly surprised, we like it here very much and we are glad that we got exactly what we wanted. I wished for a nail treatment set. Dominika chose a microphone with a speaker and Viki chose headphones." Sofia would like to gradually add other things to her equipment and will basically be able to open a salon at home. He has the basis – his mother and two sisters. Only with his father, as he told us, he won't be able to paint his nails.
Ján Pety's family
T he eldest daughter Natália likes to read and play board games. Therefore, she was very pleased with the gift and will certainly not be bored during the winter holidays. Brothers Ján and Martinko enjoyed Lego Minecraft and the World on the Farm kit. They came to dinner with their mother and her relative, because Ján Pety is still sick.
Family of Lukáš Petrus
Little Darko wished for skates and got exactly the ones he dreamed of. He can skate in them on the sidewalk and on the ice, and he was also excited that the skates were lit! When we stopped by him, of course, he had already unpacked them and was trying to convince his parents to try them right away. His parents did not allow him, he must first learn to skate.
Erik Sládek's family
E rik Sládek's family also attended the Christmas dinner. His daughter Tamara wanted a perfume and the donor bought her exactly the one she wanted.
Jaroslav Baroš's family
Zuzana got a hair dryer: "I'm going to style my hair myself. I enjoy it. I don't want to be a hairdresser, I want to sell in a drugstore because I like cosmetics." Her sister Julka was enjoying the binoculars. "We go to nature a lot, so he will definitely use it. She got a camera for her birthday, so she is already taking pictures. It is well equipped for trips to nature," said Jaroslav.
Erik Mlatiček's family
His daughter Eliška received a digital microscope and was very happy about it: "I am interested in nature, animals, I would like to be a veterinarian." Son Sebastián boasted of a helicopter with a camera: "Mom and dad didn't want to let me have a drone, so at least I have a helicopter. It's great, for remote control. I'll play it in a deserted place so that I can see well and not disturb anyone."
Dominik Szanisló's family
Little Dorian wished for a robot/transformer. "It's already assembled, which is a pity, I like to assemble Lego for Dorian. He will definitely like to play with him. He received plasticine for St. Nicholas' Day. He also likes to play with it. We are also happy, especially when we find pieces of plasticine pushed into the carpets. “
Family of Ľubomír Lovás
The project We Are With You at the Right Time 2026 also includes the families of Jozef Hunyady and Richard Janočko, who could not attend the dinner. They both have tiny babies at home. Jozef Hunyady even only a few days old son Leonard. We have already given them gifts for children.
Did you recognize the gift you bought in the photos? Thank you for that. Each one lit up the eyes of the children, who had a beautiful, early Christmas thanks to you.
Photo: Ján Kisucký
