Football fans from all over the Carpathian basin donated more than RON 18,000 (EUR 3,700) via their purchase of tickets to the virtual football match held on Maundy Thursday. The game was between the two best teams of Szeklerland: the top league Sepsi OSK and the FK Csíkszereda from the 2nd league. Organizers gave the donations to the Csíkszereda/Miercurea Ciuc and the Sepsiszentgyörgy/Sfantu Gheorghe hospitals.
The charity event was announced three weeks earlier by three Transylvanian fan groups. The virtual football match happened on April 9 between Sepsi OSK and FK Csíkszereda in the former’s new stadium, being presently constructed in Sepsiszentgyörgy. In this unique way, sports fans were thrilled to support the Csíkszereda and the Sepsiszentgyörgy hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic:
“The Lokálpatrióták (Local patriots) from Csíkszereda, the football and basketball supporters of Székely Légió (Szekler Legion) from Sepsiszentgyörgy, and the Transylvanian Fanatics together fight the invisible enemy, showing their joint strength. Extraordinary situations demand extraordinary solutions, so we are organizing the first virtual Szekler charity match between Sepsi OSK and FK Csíkszereda,” wrote the organizers in their announcement.
Donations were handed over to the Csíkszereda hospital on Wednesday by the Lokálpatrióták representatives. Csíkszereda Hospital Manager, Judit Konrád, was deeply moved and expressed her gratitude to all the fans who financially supported the hospitals in these hard times. “Our family also follows sporting events, and from time to time we cheer loudly in front of the TV for our favorite Szekler teams. We are going to buy protective equipment from the received donations. This is what is needed the most right now…”
According to the leader of the Lokálpatrióták fan group, László “Egér” Tamás, it is important to give feedback to those who donated as to where their money ends up and in what way it is helping. “I’m happy that the virtual match was successful. The participation exceeded expectations, and we are happy that we could help the hospitals in the fight against the invisible enemy.
It is incredible that we received donations from all over the Carpathian Basin, from Upper Hungary (south part of Slovakia), from Dunaszerdahely (Dunajská Streda in Slovakian), from Transcarpathia (western Ukraine), from the motherland (Hungary) and all other parts of the Carpathian Basin where Hungarians live. This unprecedented unity showed us that if we are in trouble, we can stick together and help each other.”
– said László “Egér” Tamás.
The standard price of a ticket was RON 15 (EUR 3), but of course you could pay a higher amount as well. As of the day of the match, a total of RON 15,661 (EUR 3,225) in donations had been raised. But due to the high interest, people were able to make donations until Easter Sunday, and the final amount as of that evening was RON 18,274 (EUR 3,765). This amount was divided into two equal parts of RON 9,137 (EUR 1,882) and sent to both the Dr. Fogolyán Kristóf County Emergency Hospital in Sepsiszentgyörgy and the Csíkszereda County Emergency Hospital.
Title image: Csíkszereda Hospital Manager Judit Konrád receives the donations from the representatives of the Lokálpatrióták fan group on April 15, 2020. (Photo: Attila Pinti/szekelyhon.ro)
