At the beginning of September, the Runway Run charity running race started off for the ninth time. Nearly 700 runners competed on runway I of the airport, closed for the occasion. The 3 845 486 HUF collected from entry fees were handed over to the SUHANJ! Foundation by the representatives of the airport operator.
Budapest Airport has been supporting the SUHANJ! Foundation for 7 years; the airport has donated half of the proceeds from entry fees to this organization since the beginning. Amongst others, the SUHANJ! Foundation uses the donation to develop the SUHANJ! Fitness, an integrated gym for disabled and able-bodied athletes, operated by the organization. Budapest Airport would like to contribute to improving the quality of life of visually impaired and physically and mentally disabled people, through the SUHANJ! Foundation, providing regular and integrative sporting opportunities.
Upon handing over the donation, Katalin Valentínyi, chief communications and government relations officer for Budapest Airport said: It has always been important for Budapest Airport to promote socially significant causes and to support initiatives and organizations, which help our fellow human beings who are disadvantaged for some reason. Besides providing the joy of running in a special location, an airport runway, the Runway Run is also a charity event, since every runner lining up at the starting line completes the distance for a common cause. We are especially delighted that we could continue this 9-year tradition during the years of the pandemic, and that the SUHANJ! Foundation could count on us this year as well.
Péter Gusztos, the founder and director of the SUHANJ! Foundation said about the donation: We are proud that Budapest Airport has placed its trust in the SUHANJ! Foundation for 7 years now, and supports its public benefit objectives. This initiative helped us to create and develop Hungary’s first and so far only completely accessible, integrative gym, the SUHANJ! Fitness.
He added: This long-term support helped us weather the difficulties of the COVID pandemic, develop further and start establishing a country-wide organization and the rural units of the SUHANJ! Foundation. Our goal is to share the joy of exercise with as many disabled and handicapped people as possible – and Budapest Airport is our key partner in this endeavor.
Similarly to previous years, the participants of the invitational Runway Run charity race included the representatives of the aviation industry, authorities, airlines and other international companies, notable athletes and the runners of the SUHANJ! Foundation.
