Happy birthday, the “Way of Life”! (PHOTOS)

On October 3, 1999, after long negotiations and discussions, the first in the region institution for people with mental and physical disabilities was founded in Uzhgorod.

The creation of the then "Optimist" was initiated by the head of the Society for the Disabled since Childhood and Workers Vasylyna Marko and doctor Oleg Kyrylenko, who were supported by the city authorities, in particular the Mayor Stepan Sember, and benefactors from the sister city of Corvallis (Oregon, USA), including Carol Paulson. Later, the "Optimist" became an independent unit and received a new name – "Way of Life".

Since then, 18 years have passed. The Center has gone through ups and downs, but steadfastly endured all the hardships. It became stronger, thanks in large part to its team headed by the director Oleg Kyrylenko. And while at the beginning of its activities, the institution provided assistance to 9 children, now it’s 80.

Today the Center celebrates and looks back to what has been accomplished.

The most loyal friends came to the "Zolota Hora" complex to congratulate the institution, including: the deputy mayor of Uzhgorod Oleksandr Bilyak, the managment of the Society for the Disabled since Childhood and Workers "Optimist" – Vasylyna Marko and Lyubov Pcholinska, a well-known entrepreneur Andriy Sugay, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the JV "Duty Free Trade" Volodymyr Sulima, representative of the Rotary Club "Uzhgorod-Skala" Yaroslav Shafar, and, of course, the director of the institution Oleg Kyrylenko.

The celebration was not pompous and formal. It was warm and cozy. Children and adults were treated with various goodies, young artists from the Uzhgorod School of Arts performed for them, and they were having a good time.

In these minutes, the traditional march is taking place on Nezalezhnist embankment, by which children and young people with special needs once again remind that they are the same as everyone and need attention and respect from society.

You can see some moments of the celebration in the "Zolota Hora" in the photos, and the photos from the march will be posted later.