Members of Philenews, both Greek and English, responded to the call of supporting children’s causes and made a pretty decent effort of it at the AlphaMega Run as One 2026. Mind you, most, as I clearly see, were more youthful and fit millennials (good on you boys and girls).

They joined thousands of runners, families and friends in a unique celebration of giving back to the community-and having fun in the process.

It was an event which aimed to promote a culture of healthy life for our children, away from addictions and rising criminality. Not an easy task.

We were a strong corporate team and sent an equally vibrant message-run to sport kids, live your dreams. Nice one guys!

The Little Heroes Foundation is proud to partner with the upcoming Legion Inflatable Family Run, a new family-oriented obstacle event that will take place at MYMALL Limassol on April 25, 2026. The event will combine fun, movement, and community spirit while supporting children in need through a special fundraising initiative.

Charity partnership and donation initiative

Participants and supporters will have the opportunity to purchase special donation tickets for the event.

Each donation ticket includes a €5 contribution to the Little Heroes Foundation, and the event organizer Legion Run will match every donation, doubling the amount raised. This means that €10 from every donation ticket will go directly to supporting the foundation’s work for children and families in need.

More information about the charity initiative and donation tickets can be found here:
https://legionrun.com/events/legion-inflatable-run/little-heroes-foundation/

What Is an inflatable run?

Inflatable obstacle runs have become one of the most popular new formats in recreational sport events worldwide, attracting families, friends, and corporate teams looking for an active but accessible adventure.

Participants run, jump, slide, climb, and crawl through large inflatable obstacles placed along a fun course, creating a playful and safe experience suitable for a wide range of ages. The format combines fitness, teamwork, and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere that includes music, food vendors, and activities for spectators.

Media coverage and partners

The event will feature 2 hours live coverage from Kiss FM, bringing the atmosphere, energy, and highlights directly to listeners across Cyprus.

The Legion Inflatable Family Run is supported by key partners and sponsors, including Kiss FM, and Goal.com.cy , MYMALL Limassol, Dodo Pizza, Surprisy.com and Eisitiria.online.

Responding to families’ demand

“Throughout the year we are constantly asked by parents if their children can participate alongside them on the Legion Run course. While the traditional Legion Run is intentionally extreme, we wanted to respond to this demand. The Legion Inflatable Family Run allows parents and kids to experience the adventure together in a controlled and safe environment while keeping the fun spirit of obstacle running.”

— Ivaylo Matev, Managing Director of Legion Run

Event details

The Legion Inflatable Family Run will take place at MYMALL Limassol on April 25, 2026, bringing together families, friends, and supporters of the Little Heroes Foundation for a day of sport, entertainment, and charitable impact.

The organizers expect thousands of participants and spectators, making the event one of the most exciting new community experiences coming to Cyprus in 2026.

Traffic will be diverted through adjacent roads during the races. Police will be in the area to assist the public and regulate traffic, whilst temporary road signs will help drivers navigate the diversions.

The closures affect 24 roads and locations, including Rigenis Street, Pafos Street, Mikis Theodorakis Street, Markos Drakos Square, and major thoroughfares such as Georgiou Griva Dighenis Avenue, where one lane will remain closed between Lord Byron Street and the roundabout with Iroon and Kyriakou Matsi streets in Egkomi and Agios Dometios.

Other affected roads include Prokopiou Street and Archangelos Michael Avenue, where one lane will close between Georgiou Griva Dighenis Avenue and the junction with Lefkotheos Avenue and Makedonitissas Street, as well as Homer Avenue near Solomos Statue and Eleftherias Square, and Stasinos Avenue.

The races include various routes of different distances. Maps for each route showing closed roads and available parking are published at https://www.nicosiamarathon.com/.

With this year’s donations, Scott’s total lifetime philanthropic contribution since 2019 now stands at $26.3 billion, based on her public announcements.

Among the World’s Top Donors

According to Forbes data, MacKenzie Scott now ranks only behind Warren Buffett and Bill Gates in terms of overall lifetime charitable giving. Forbes still estimates her net worth at $29.9 billion.

Scott became one of the wealthiest women in the world following her 2019 divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. That same year, she signed the Giving Pledge, committing to allocate the majority of her wealth to charitable causes during her lifetime.

Where the Donations Went

The 2025 donations went to a wide range of non-profit organisations, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and groups active in the fields of poverty, social inequality, and climate change.

In an earlier post, Scott had explained that she places particular emphasis on organisations operating in communities facing high food insecurity, acute racial inequality, high poverty rates, and limited access to charitable funds.

“Charity Is Not Just the Big Amounts”

In her recent text, Scott sought to place her own giving in a broader context, citing data from Giving USA, which showed that Americans donated over $590 billion in 2024. She stressed that a large part of philanthropy happens on a small scale, often away from the public eye.

She even referred to personal experiences of generosity she had received before acquiring great wealth—from a dentist who offered her free treatment during her student years to a Princeton classmate who lent her money so she would not have to interrupt her studies.

Unconditional Giving

A feature that distinguishes MacKenzie Scott’s philanthropy is that her donations come without conditions, allowing the organisations to use the money as they see fit. She has written that her goal is to “remove her own privileged voice from the forefront” and leave space for those who “fight daily against inequality.”

She has stressed: “The people who create change deserve to be at the centre of the stories,” she has emphasised, “even—and perhaps especially—when their work is funded by great wealth”.

(information from naftemporiki.gr)

The four-day trip marks the beginning of a charitable initiative with a portion of proceeds allocated to support the Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics and the Cyprus Muscular Dystrophy Association. The funds will assist hundreds of individuals facing daily challenges due to myopathy and other neuromuscular conditions.

For over three decades, Telethon and its events have been a symbol of love and hope in Cyprus, providing essential support to individuals and families who continue to fight their own daily battles, according to the announcement.

“We are honoured to support the ‘Wings of Hope’ trip,” said Olivia Harangozo, corporate communications manager at Wizz Air. “We wish all participants a wonderful journey and hope this experience brings joy and strength. Wizz Air remains committed to actions that foster social solidarity and create a meaningful impact.”

Present at the handover were the CFO of Larnaca General Hospital Marios Michael, Stalo Mina Stylianou who is the responsible physiotherapist, Elena Nicolaou, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Petrolina (Holdings) Public Ltd and the Treasurer of the Cans for Kids Board, George Englezos.

Stylianou thanked Cans for Kids and Petrolina, noting that this equipment gives the children the possibility for a safer and more effective rehabilitation in their first steps towards more independence.

She described the donation as an act of real solidarity which contributes to the improvement of the daily life of the affected families. Stylianou expressed the wish for more cooperation with Cans for Kids in the future.

Handing the state-of-the-art machine over to the hospital, the charity’s Treasurer George Englezos said he was delighted that, just 9 months since the charity’s last donation, also worth some fifteen thousand euros, was given to the Limassol General Hospital – the continued efforts of dedicated volunteers at sorting sessions had enabled Cans For Kids to buy this latest piece of equipment.

“As we always say, every single can counts – so please bring us yours and help us to continue improving our medical services”.

At the same time, he expressed his gratitude to Petrolina, which has been a long-standing supporter of Cans for Kids by providing fuel for its vehicles. Thanks to this support, the charity is able to continue its work: collecting aluminium cans from can banks all over Cyprus, transporting them to their recycling centre in Nicosia, where they are baled and sold, with the proceeds used to purchase medical equipment for Cypriot hospitals.

Petrolina (Holdings) Public Ltd has sponsored fuel for the Cans For Kids vehicles for many years. Thanking Petrolina for their longstanding support, Englezos said “Petrolina’s generous contribution enables us to collect cans from all over Cyprus and means that our precious funds can go straight to the purchase of more medical equipment”.

Elena Nicolaou, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Petrolina (Holdings) Public Limited, said “We have been supporting the Cans for Kids Association since 2000, recognising its important social and environmental contribution. We will continue to stand by its side, contributing to the effort to enhance our hospitals and promote recycling in Cyprus”.

Cans For Kids was founded in 1990 and has led the way in Cyprus in recycling: it is the only organization which collects recyclables not only from urban centres but also from outlying and rural areas of Cyprus, and it actively encourages the participation of schools and young people in sustainable living, as well as volunteerism.

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The “One Island, One Heart” event will take place at The Warehouse by IT Quarter venue in Limassol from 15:00 to 23:00, featuring live music and DJ sets from local artists. All ticket proceeds will fund emergency relief efforts.

BUY TICKETS HERE

The Warehouse by IT Quarter is organising the marathon in collaboration with charity eco-organisation City Friends Club and the family of Anna and Alexey Gubarev. The fully covered venue will protect attendees from summer heat conditions.

Tickets cost €10 and are available online or at the entrance. Additional donations of any amount will be accepted during the event. Organisers pledged to publish a full and transparent report detailing all funds raised and their allocation following the marathon.

Confirmed participants include LOUD Music Festival, SY Stage, Mason bar, MixFM, Leggo CY, Music Box, Danza, and multiple individual artists including Leonid Nesterov & Thomas Lumley Duo, DJ Ev0x, and Sunset band. Additional performers continue joining the lineup.

Food will be provided by Hungry Angry and Dodo Pizza, with bar services managed by BarPros.

The Warehouse by IT Quarter operates as a seaside cultural venue located at the former SODAP flagship complex, hosting music events, art exhibitions, festivals and community gatherings.

City Friends Club, the partnering eco-charity, has collected over 267,000 kg of waste since 2021 through street cleaning operations involving six trucks, 15 professional cleaners and more than 1,200 volunteers. The organisation operates educational programmes and maintains a mobile application with over 800 users for reporting illegal dumps and tracking cleanup activities.

The initiative, run by Mission Solidarity Cyprus, will provide meals at Yalla Collective Space and Café on Perikleous Street from 12:00 to 16:00, with food service beginning at 13:00.

The menu will include pasta with tomato sauce, minced halal chicken and vegetables, with vegetarian and vegan options available. Free beverages including lemonade, coffee and water will also be provided.

Acccording to the organisers, the event is open to everyone with no questions asked, and attendees can either eat on-site or take food away.

“At the heart of this initiative is the belief that food brings people together — everyone deserves the warmth of a shared meal,” Mission Solidarity Cyprus said in a post on Facebook.

The organisation describes the event as part of their broader mission to build community through shared meals in a safe, inclusive environment.

Through this partnership, we’re not just supporting an organisation; we’re standing beside those whose sole purpose is to support the individuals and families facing cancer. This is more than corporate responsibility, it’s about care, compassion, and making a real difference.

A call to action for businesses and individuals to step up, contribute, and help improve the lives of those in need. Through this program, we are joining forces to provide tangible support, raise awareness, and ensure that no one faces this journey alone.

“At ECOMMBX, we believe in backing those who push forward, whether in business, in sports, or in life’s toughest challenges. This collaboration is more than just a partnership, it’s a statement. A statement of strength, unity, and the power of community.”

We invite our partners, our community, and fellow Spartans to take action and support this cause.

ACTA NON VERBA

Petrolina, true to its principles, operates with respect and responsibility toward society, stands by the state, supporting initiatives that enhance health and the environment. It has been a steadfast supporter of Cans for Kids for years. As part of its long-standing CSR policy, Petrolina provides free fuel for the association’s vehicles, enabling volunteers to collect aluminium cans from across Cyprus.

The association collects and recycles aluminum cans to purchase medical equipment for the children’s wards of Cypriot hospitals, while simultaneously contributing to environmental protection. It is worth noting that since 1990, the Cans for Kids has donated medical equipment worth approximately €350,000 to the pediatric wards of hospitals across Cyprus.

During the official handover of the medin-NC3® CPAP driver to Minister of Health Mr. Michalis Damianos, Cans for Kids President Ms. Rosie Charalambous expressed her gratitude for Petrolina’s unwavering support: “Petrolina’s generous contribution enables us to collect cans from all over Cyprus, and means that our precious funds can go straight to the purchase of more medical equipment”.

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