The whole month of June at the University of South Bohemia was devoted to cycling. Students, employees, alumni as well as partners of the University got on their bikes. The ABC Cycling Challenge got them moving not only for themselves and their health but also for those who need help. With every kilometre they rode, they made a financial contribution to children with autism.
Throughout June, the challenge participants added up the kilometres travelled on their bikes, competing not only against each other and their teams but also against other European universities with whom they competed in a friendly way and together sought to improve their physical fitness. The University of South Bohemia wanted to give the event another dimension, and therefore repeated its appeal from previous years – for every kilometre ridden, it donated one crown to the Autis Centre České Budějovice. As a result, this year they managed to raise an impressive 88,800 CZK, which is more than double the last year's amount. One of the event's patrons, USB graduate Ondřej Šandera, also contributed to the Autis Centre by donating an extra CZK 10 000, raising the total amount to 98 800 CZK. The money will be used to pay for holiday stays for the children at the Autis Centre in České Budějovice.
‘Parents of children with autism don't have many ways to provide care for their child during the summer holidays. Some children with autism can't cope with regular camps. Therefore, in addition to the usual therapeutic activities, we organise two rounds of recreational stays for families of children with autism and three recreational suburban camps. Financing such specially prepared camps is not easy. Thanks to the ABC Challenge we will be able to purchase special equipment, provide a range of therapies and prepare individual support for each child. The funding will also go towards the training of assistants and the necessary supervision, and we would also like to equip the garden of the Autis Centre with outdoor seating among the trees, which children with autism are missing,’ added the director of the centre, Mgr. Milena Urbanová.
The University of South Bohemia has a long-standing successful cooperation between the Autis Centre and the Support Centre for Students with Special Needs at the University of South Bohemia in making studies accessible to people with autism spectrum disorders.
This year's event was not only exceptional in the amount of money raised but also saw increased interest from riders. Compared to last year, the number of riders increased by almost a hundred and a total of 346 cyclists took part in the event. Participants could ride individually or in teams, of which there were 23 this year. "I am extremely proud of everyone who took part in the challenge. Not only did we travel thousands of kilometres together, enjoy a full experience and contribute to our health, but we also helped those who need it most. Thank you to all the participants for their tremendous commitment and enthusiasm they brought to this unique event, whether they travelled a few dozen or an impressive 3 000 kilometres. Every kilometre counts,' appreciated the involvement of a large number of riders the Rector of the University of South Bohemia Pavel Kozák, who himself contributed almost nine hundred kilometres and thus ranked among the top thirty most active riders.
The ABC Challenge, which started a month ago with a joint ride led by Rector Pavel Kozák and two patrons, University of South Bohemia graduates Ondřej Šandera and Martin Řezáč, was officially completed today, 28 June 2024 at 13:00 on the University of South Bohemia campus. At the closing ceremony the best riders, riders and teams were presented with awards.
‘From my point of view, everyone who took part in the challenge and covered even a few kilometres more than usual is a winner today. Cycling as a form of sustainable transport and a healthy lifestyle gives us the opportunity to actively relax and contribute to good causes at the same time. I hope that this event will inspire other students, staff and alumni to continue to engage in similar activities. I see it as an important part of life at our University,’ added Rector Pavel Kozák.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the ABC Challenge, and we look forward to more sporting and charitable initiatives together. We would also like to thank our partners and sponsors, which are ČEZ Group, Budějovický Budvar, n.p., ČSOB and Kalas.
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