Kelt has changed fireplaces all over Slovakia

Thousands of voters, hundreds of volunteers, preffitied and redesigned fireplaces ready for meetings with friends, barbecues and picnics. Pilot volume of the project by “Kelt helps the nature” was launched by the most selling beer brand in Slovakia with The Ekopolis Foundation. Together they changed and made attractive places for sharing pleasant and common moments with friends and family. 

“In 2016, the brand Kelt released a database of fireplaces and picnic spots (www.ohniska.sk) for their fans and for all lovers of the nature, after that, the idea of the project “Kelt helps the nature” was a spontaneous development of how we want to support visitors of locations in the nature typical for barbecue or relaxing near flames of fire. We are glad that in the cooperation with The Ekopolis Foundation we succeeded to address a big amount of volunteers who care about the look of their favorite places”, says Andrea Malovcová, brand manager of the Kelt.

Overall 9 legal fireplaces were included in voting on the facebook page  Slovenské ohniská, whereby in each region (west – middle – east) there were chosen three fireplaces and their surrounding. More than 6 000 people decided with their votes that in the pilot volume of the program “Kelt helps the nature”, supported fireplaces will be fireplaces in Zálesie, Zázrivá and in Prešov. “During summer months, volunteering workcamps were organised in these locations and so together they created nicer, more enjoyable and safer environment for barbecues, picnics and spending free time in nature,” adds Martina B. Paulíková, program manager of The Ekopolis Foundation.

Zázrivá with a new attraction

In the village Zázrivá, situated near mountains, beside benches and trash bins, a new original element showed up near fireplaces and that is the construction used for the storage of wood, in the shape of the mountain dominant Rozsutec. Volunteers from the NGO Zázrivský aktívny spolok cleared up to three fireplaces and so they created a nice environment for tourists and locals. “We are glad that we managed to fill up and fix soil base with gravel and we created benches around the fireplace. Benches and tables made by skilled woodcarvers, were then decorated with natural motifs and prints of our palms,” says the volunteer Samuel Prílepok from the NGO Zázrivský aktívny spolok.

Almost 1300 people voted for Zázrivá. In the region of the middle Slovakia, other concurrents were Lučenec (822 votes) and Hiadeľské sedlo (449 votes)

Video from the volunteering workcamp in Zázrivá can be found  here. .

The lighthouse in Zázrivá was attacked by volunteers

Volunteers from the NGO Naše Zálesíčko together with local canoeists reconstructed already existing fireplace in Zálesie, cleaned and sawed fallen trees and prepared bores for two new summer houses on the bank of the Malý Dunaj. “Many volunteers participated in the workcamp in Zálesie, they came with the real get-up-and-go to enhance the environment of their village. You could feel that locals were synchronised group and that a volunteering is not unknown for them. We are glad that with the brand Kelt we could participate on a good thing that will help to improve and enhance our region, in which we all work and live,” said Andrea Malovcová, brand manager of the brand Kelt.

More than 2 000 people voted in the region of the west Slovakia. In the end, the winner was Zálesie with 861 votes with the successful workcamp. Main concurrents were the fireplace in Zátoka pokoja near the river Váh in Trenčín (770 votes) and Hidepark in Nitra (votes).

Video from the volunteering workcamp in Zálesie can be found here.

Forest park has changed thanks to the beer

In the eastern Slovakia, Kelt enhanced the recreational location Borkúty in Prešov, which has been since the 19th century favorite recreational place for locals and ideal place for walks in the nature, sport or active relax. “Thanks to the program Kelt helps the nature, up to three fireplaces has been repaired in the location of Borkúty. Next to the each fireplace you can find simple bicycle holders, trash bins, informational boards, playful components for kids such as swings or simple ropeway. Within the project, each fireplace was reinforced with stones, concreted and tables with benches around it were fixed,” adds Jana Klusová, Technické služby of the city Prešov.

Prešov won clearly (1 178 votes) in the voting on Facebook. Forest park of Prešov in the location Borkúty was competing for the favor with two other recreational locations. Stratená, generally known and outstandingly visited location – relax zone in front of the Dobšinská Ice Cave gained 402 votes. The next “rival” was educational route through the Bird Paradise near Ihňačovce and Senné, who gained 166 votes.

Video from the volunteering workcamp can be seen here.

Kelt has helped the nature

The pilot volume of the program “Kelt helps the nature” has brought new and reconstructed tables with benches, new benches and trash bins, panoramatic board, water well and the wood holder. Volunteer dug out and concreted fireplaces and set bases for summer houses. Excavators helped to arrange the surface, adjust the access road and jetty and to remote damaged pontoon. Volunteers also cleaned the surrounding from trash and greenery brought by wind. On workcamps in Zálesie, Zázrivá and Prešov, a hundred of volunteers worked dozens of hours to create a comfortable place for spending a free time with friends.

“We are happy about the interest in the project and we thank all the volunteers and The Ekopolis Foundation, that we could together enhance chosen places all around the Slovakia. Together we have managed to once again made a nicer place in the nature, which will serve the public,” adds Andrea Malcovová, brand manager of the brand Kelt.

 

More information: Martina B. Paulíková, program manager of The Ekopolis Foundation, paulikova@ekopolis.sk , 0915 811 195.