The Great Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

Since 1993, the first Sunday of the year has been the so-called “Great Finale” of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. The XV edition of the Finale falls on Sunday, 7 January 2006, when volunteers previously registered in the Foundation collect money on the streets of their hometowns. Though the Great Orchestra started in 1993 as a fundraising event to help buy equipment for the children's cardiology unit in the main Warsaw hospital, it has grown exponentially over the years, and the one-day finale is the apex of the Foundation’s yearlong money-raising efforts. The Foundation has raised over 9 million dollars in one day, and hopes to break even that record in 2007.

The event not only features volunteers all over Poland collecting donations, but also concerts, parties, auctions, and other events organized especially for the Great Finale. Since its inception, the Foundation has had many tangible results - the survival rate for pediatric surgery has doubled since 1993, due entirely to the Orchestra. So when some jolly youngsters dressed in red ask you for spare change, be generous – it’s for the children!