The traditional, imaginary end to summer is associated with a cheerful, summer day in the Sports and Entertainment Complex on Alejova Street in Košice for children from CDR Uralská and the Children's Home of St. Klement Hofbauer from Podolínec.

Approximately 150 children accepted the invitation to this popular event last week on Friday, August 28, 2026. They were welcomed at Alejová by the Director of Public Affairs Ján Bača (left) and the Japanese manager Shogo Mashine. Shogo introduced new T-shirts with the NIPPON STEEL logo for the first time. The winners of the competitions then became their first owners. Several competitions were prepared for children: gladiator, fishing for molds in the pool with pumps, running with a spoon and a table tennis ball, hitting cans, pedal car races, or creative workshops.

  For good performance, nice prices

The prizes for the wins in sports disciplines were handed over to the children together with Shogo by the wife of manager Yutaka Chioyomori, Natsumi, who came to the event together with their three girls. They like Košice very much, especially the city center and the Main Street, and they were also pleased to be invited to our event, where they felt very good.

The girls especially enjoyed the creative workshops, in which they made a lot of nice pictures and various creative trinkets.

Snežana Stefanovic – the wife of the Vice President for IT, who came with two of her three children, was at this event for the first time. She likes Košice very much and does not miss anything here. They use their free time for hiking and cycling. She came to the area on Alejová for the first time, and when she found out what opportunities this space offers for children, they become more frequent visitors. She is glad that the company supports such activities and helps children from children's homes in this way.  Allison Revello has met the children from Uralská and Podolínec several times and did not hide her surprise that every time she meets them, she sees how they have grown up again. She is happy that the children are happy, laughing and obviously happy.

  Coffee with directors

While the children were discovering what awaits them in the area, we had coffee with the directors. We wanted to know what their children were like and whether they were looking forward to our event.

Eduard Ferencko (in the photo in the middle) from Podolínec: "We had a very interesting summer. Most of the children stayed with us. They were in various children's camps and enjoyed the summer. We visited the surrounding towns such as Vyšné Ružbachy, Spišská Belá, various summer cinemas. The children were very much looking forward to your event. They had been "pestering" me with it for more than a week, that when we would finally go."

Jana Funderáková from CDR Uralská: "We had an amazing summer, also thanks to your contribution, because we could afford to send all the children to the camps. They enjoyed it there very much, they had an excellent program. When I went to see them, they were so enthusiastic that they didn't even notice me. The children we have in foster families went on various trips, to swimming pools. The children also spent holidays by the sea with our professional parents. And as usual, they couldn't wait for your event. Even though it's a farewell to summer, the children love it very much."

The invitation was also accepted by the director emeritus of the foster home in Podolínec, Štefan Straka, who enjoys a well-deserved retirement, sleeps better, his blood pressure has dropped... He doesn't go to the home very often, but when he comes, tears always come to his eyes. And to miss this traditional event of ours? He couldn't do that by any chance.

  Is a football career waiting for them?

In the afternoon, a football match took place, in which Shogo also participated: "It was a beautiful day, beyond my expectations, the children enjoyed it very much. I played football with them and our team won. I was surprised how the children communicated with each other, cooperated. I'm looking forward to coming to visit them."

Two boys from Podolínec, Kiko and Miňo, literally showed the art of football. In the summer, they participated in the FIA Akademy football camp in Stupava. It lasted two weeks and there were boys from all over Europe. They had professional trainings. The organizer of the camp offered both boys an extension, three-month program. Today they traveled to Stupava again. They will play for Devínska Nová Ves. Various scouts also come to watch the matches, so we keep our fingers crossed for the boys that someone will look for them and give them a good offer.

Kiko (fourth from the left in the top row in the photo, wearing an FIA Academy T-shirt): "The camp was great. We learned a lot of things. We have a difficult three months ahead of us now, we will have to "work". Football is my dream, it was really great here today. In addition to football, I also tried the trampoline, bicycles and the food was also very good."

Miňo: "It was very nice here today. I'm also going to go to a three-month football camp, I'd like to imagine my next life in connection with football."

Sebo: "At first, I didn't want to get involved in any competitions at all. And in the end, I also won a prize. I don't regret it at all, it was great here."

Emily and Jozefína: "We like to come here every year. We enjoy the competitions the most. Football was also fine, we went to see, the boys played well."

  It was a beautiful day

As the organizer, colleague Slávka Tvrdoňová, evaluates the event: "It was a beautiful day. The area is well equipped, the children had many opportunities to participate in various activities. The weather was great, the food was excellent, the mood was too. The children told me when they left that they were looking forward to the next year. We will definitely see some of them sooner, because they will stand at the start of the NIPPON STEEL FAMILY RUN on the first Saturday in October."

Photo: Ján Kisucký