ANNUAL REPORT 2012
04 About us 06 Vision & Mission 08 Management & Team 10 Achievements 22 Financials 24 Charts
Message from the Director Together, our dedicated staff and volunteers have achieved remarkable things in the community of Gevgelija. We are pleased to share the Apollonia Foundation’s annual report for 2012. This year we are especially proud to have established the first sensory room in Gevgelija. As part of our ongoing commitment to create a more inclusive community, we have developed new programs (with the assistance of our Peace Corps volunteers) to assist in the socalization and integration of special needs children into Gevgelija community life. On the cultural front, we funded and organized over 20 events in 2012 including the 11th annual Apollonia Art Commune where artists from Macedonia, Sweden, Serbia and Bulgaria came together to create artistic synergy that has become the hallmark of this event. Finally, I must thank the volunteers who continue to be the life blood of our Foundation. Every day, dozens of volunteers roll up their sleeves to provide the hands needed in our programs and at special events. We literally couldn’t do it without them. I would like to thank you once again for your generosity and support.
Ace Ristovski Director
About Us Throughout its 29 year history, the Apollonia Group has been active in many aspects of the communal life of the city and municipality of Gevgelija. Since 2007 the Apollonia Foundation has continued this philanthropic mission through their support and sponsorship of programs in education, cultural heritage, care for the environment, and projects to assist individuals, groups, societies, and institutions to improve their activities for the betterment of the entire community. In this way, the Foundation fulfills its pledge to serve and improve the communities where it is active, and to take responsibility as citizens of the world for improving these communities. The Apollonia Foundation operates in partnership with like-minded organizations throughout the globe. The Foundation’s efforts are overseen by a Board of Trustees and managed by its Supervising Board president through a leadership team drawn from scholarly, artistic, scientific, and private and nonprofit professional disciplines.
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Apollonia Foundation
The Apollonia Foundation supports work that expands opportunity and strengthens resilience to social, economic, health and environmental challenges— affirming its philanthropic mission since 2007 to promote the well-being of the commune of Gevgelija in the Republic of Macedonia. Annual Report 2012 | 135
Vision &Mission The Foundation’s purpose is to assist individuals, groups, and institutions to improve their activities for the betterment of the entire community by supporting and sponsoring initiatives in education, cultural heritage, and care for the environment in these settings. The Apollonia Foundation supports and sponsors education, cultural heritage, care for the environment, and projects to assist individuals, groups, societies, and institutions to improve their activities for the betterment of the entire community. In this way, the Foundation fulfills its pledge to serve and improve the communities where it is active, and to take responsibility as citizens of the world for improving these communities.
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Apollonia Foundation
OUR WORK BEGINS AT HOME Annual Report 2012 | 137
Management
&Team
The Apollonia Foundation is a collection of passionate people working together to fulfill our mission.
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Apollonia Foundation
Management & Team
Staff
Board of Directors
Ace Ristovski Director
Maria Kling Board President
Snezana Saramandova Grant Project Manager
Milica Stojanova Board Member-- Representative for Education and Youth
Natalija Pavlova Nature Day Coordinator Anita Goshevska Special Needs Social Worker
Peace Corps Volunteer Jennifer Upton Volunteer for Capacity Building
Supervising Board Biljana Kling Supervising Board Director
Jordan Janev Board Member - Representative for Culture - Fine Arts Lazar Nikolov Board Member - Representative for The Environment Gjorgi Ulisev Board Member - Representative for Culture - Music Mitko Krdzev Board Member - Representative for Health Aleksandra Kaeva Board Member- Representative for Culture - Literature
Boris Trajkovski Member Stefan Kire Member
Annual Report 2012 | 139
Culture Art
The Foundation believes that cultural heritage forms our individual, local, and national identities; and should be respected and celebrated. The Foundation’s cultural activities focus on the areas of music, literature, art, theater, and archeology. Specific support includes official sponsorship of the Skopje Jazz Festival (15 years); organizing more than 200 concerts of classical music featuring artists from Macedonia and abroad in the Hotel Apollonia as part of the Musical Moments project (15 years); sponsoring the activities of local folklore groups that preserve the tradition of ethnic musical folklore; funding the production of music CDs of classical music performers; sponsoring competitions for young musicians, and local musical activities. In the field of literature, the Foundation organizes and hosts the Literature Nights series, featuring writers and poets from Macedonia and abroad; and funds, edits, and publishes poetry books, essays, and history books. Additionally, for 11 years, the Apollonia Art Commune has welcomed artists from Macedonia and abroad. The Foundation has also funded, co-organized the Osten Art Commune in Gevgelija and biennial of awarded artists. The Foundation has funded theater performances of the OFF group and is a strategic partner of the Public Museum of Gevgelija, funding the Museum’s activities at Vardar Hill, a famous archeological site on the outskirts of Gevgelija.
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Apollonia Foundation
Achievements
Guided by the belief that quality of life is improved through participation in all forms of The Arts, the Apollonia Foundation supported a full program of cultural events in 2012.
International Art Commune 2012 The Apollonia Foundation funded and organized the 11th Annual International Art Commune Apollonia 2012, which included artists from Macedonia, Sweden, Serbia and Bulgaria. Domestic artists participating were academic Vasko Taškovski from Skopje, Nice Vasilev from Strumica, Vladimir Temkov, Cvetanka Temkova, Marija Dičovska and local artists from the Association of Artists from Gevgelija Pero Kovancaliev and Goran Jovanov. International guests of this year’s 11th Art Commune were artists Pontus Ersgard from Sweden, Velizar Zahariev from sister city of Gevgelija Sevlievo, Bulgaria and photographer Rajko Karisič from Serbia.
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Music Gevgelija Musical Moments The Foundation continues it’s commitment to the funding of the musical arts with performances in Gevgelija through the Gevgelija Musical Moments events. In 2012 there were seven performances of classical music, divided into two movements: “Gevgelija Spring” and “Gevgelija Autumn.” Concert Darko Bageski - classical guitar Concert in honor of St. Kiril and Methodius, Concert on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day and New Year’s Eve concert -all performed from student from the class of Prof. Ljubica Ulisheva Piano concert Elena Atanasovska - Ivanovska New Year’s concert with the class of Prof. Oleg Kondratenko
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Apollonia Foundation
Achievements
Gevgelija 2012 In June the Foundation funded and organized an international competition of young pianists, Europe - “Gevgelija 2012” which was held over three days. A record number of 182 young pianists from Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia attended. Competitors were divided into six age groups and performed their own programs. The international jury, which consisted of Milka Miteva, a member of the Academy of Science and Art of Bulgaria, Natalija Tomic professor at the Department of Music in Kragujevac, Serbia, Milica Shperovik – Ribarski and Katerina Gelebeseva, professors in the Faculty of Music in Skopje.
Other activities Other activities included; hosting the cultural event “Evening of French Poetry,” recitation and quiz competitions organized by the high school Josif Josifovski , promotion of the book “Miravci up to today”, and funding to support the printing of three expert economic books by Dr. Marija Magdinčeva šopova.
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Education Environment
The Foundation believes that education is the key to providing a better future, and has focused on activities that provide the means for community access to education programs and training and to participate in education programs about preserving the environment. These activities have taken the form of developing the Nature Day program to teach children about the environment and how to preserve it, by providing financial assistance for capital improvements to schools, classroom equipment, and learning and teaching aids; and to assist students in their studies. Additionally, the Foundation sponsors cultural activities that support education such as the production of theater shows, art exhibitions, and poetry book publishing. Finally, the Foundation supports specific ongoing projects linked to the socialization of children with special needs, particularly in outdoor activities related to the environment.
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Apollonia Foundation
Achievements
Nature Day Program 2012 Each weekend in 2012 the Foundation programmed activities, projects, and excursions in the environmental education program Nature Day in which children from Gevgelija and other municipalities participated. Some of the activities organized were: the organization of clean-up events; climbing the top of Kozuf mountain, visit to “Bliznak-com” (Waste Company) to learn about recycling; planting flowers; water testing of the Vardar River; visits of local factories and farms. Nature Day also joined in the environmental activity “Tree Day - Plant Your Future”, which is organized twice a year with more than two dozen children as participants. This year we took part in the global action for waste collection and cleaning dumps entitled “Let’s Do It World!” and together with the Mountain club “Kozuf”, we cleaned an illegal landfill on the picnic spot “Dinkut”.
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Other
Activities Macedonia Clean and Green Apollonia Foundation hosted and co-organized the environmental forum with NGO Let’s Do It Macedonia and Peace Corps Macedonia, titled “Macedonia Clean and Green”. The conference had speakers from the Regional Environmental Center, JP “Komunalec” from Prilep, and “Let’s Do It Macedonia”. Each group provided unique perspectives on various environmental issues facing the country. Forty representatives from more than thirty different organizations and municipalities attended the forum.
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Apollonia Foundation
Achievements
BOSH FESTIVAL 2012
Ilindenski Denovi Illenden Days
For the fourth consecutive year, the
The Foundation funded the cultural
Foundation sponsored the three-
association Raspeani Gevgelicani to
day multimedia art festival BOSH
allow their participation in the festival
2012. BOSH FESTIVAL is a multimedia
of traditional songs and dance in Bitola
platform that celebrates creative
and Radoviš.
expressionism in an urban context.
Exhibitions On the premises of the Apollonia Hotel the Foundation funded four art exhibitions: •
Exhibition of Georgi Bojinov;
•
Exhibition of Momcilo Avramovski;
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Exhibition of State Archive of the Republic of Macedonia;
•
Exhibition of works from the 11th International Art Colony “Apollonia 2012”.
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Community Health
The Foundation believes that access to good health care should be universal and has funded specific project to achieve this goal. Past achievements have included: the purchase of an air conditioning system for the X- ray Department of Gevgelija Hospital; the purchase of extensive equipment for the Department for Eye Diseases (removing the strabismus problem in children) of Gevgelija Hospital; funding seminar visits within the country and abroad for the further education of doctors; financing medical treatments, performed both locally and abroad, for many individuals; and organizing the Apollonia Blood Donation Day twice a year. In the area of the advancement of the social welfare of the community, the Apollonia Foundation has supported several programs to assist in the socialization and integration of Special Needs Children into the community of Gevgelija.
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Apollonia Foundation
Achievements
Continuing its commitment to good health for the people in Gevgelija, the Apollonia Foundation continued with the organization of the “Apollonia Blood Donation Day� which is held twice a year
Blood Donation Day 2012 In the spirit of developing community spirit and fostering the ideals of giving and volunteerism, the Apollonia Foundation organizes a biannual blood drive called Apollonia Blood Donation Day, in which over 60 blood units are collected. The Apollonia Hotel donates space and the transfusion team in of Gevgelija, in cooperation with the Red Cross Gevgelija draws blood from donors in the community.
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Inclusion Socialization of Children with Special Needs In addition to the support received from Korona International, the Apollonia Foundation received a partner grant from the NATO Charity Bazaar in Brussels to support the project: David VanDerWege - Socialization of Children with Special Educational Needs . This grant allows the Gevgelija community’s special needs children to participate in the Foundation’s environmental education program Nature Day. Within this project the following activities were realized: •
A lecture by special educators Mimi Batandzhieva and Amy Roth for staff and volunteers in order to better understand the needs of children with special needs;
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Twenty outdoor activities in the Nature Day program which included local primary school children with special needs and young adults with moderate and severe developmental disabilities in partnership with the Daily Center of Gevgelija for people with special needs;
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A one-day training was held by occupational therapist Elizabeth Shaffer in the area of sensory integration entitled “Interventions to increase developmental skills” This was attended by 86 people such as; representatives of seven different institutions from neighboring municipalities, parents of children with special needs, teachers, students, and the unemployed.
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Apollonia Foundation
Achievements
Sensory Room Opens in Gevgelija We were very proud to announce the opening of the first sensory room in Gevgelija for children with special needs. The sensory room is designed to assist in the development of the children’s motor skills, visual stimulation, auditory relaxation, and tactile reassurance. Construction and equipping of the sensory room was a joint action of; the Apollonia Foundation with a generous donation from Korona International, the Primary School Vlado Kantardziev , sensory room, Peace Corps Macedonia volunteers David and Kathy VanDerWege, a grant from Peace Corps Macedonia funded by USAID, and a donation from the NATO Charity Bazaar.
New Year’s Charity Market Fundraiser The 5th Annual Charity Children Workshop produced Christmas cards ,decorations, clay figures, and exhibited artwork and crafts, created by children participating in the Nature Day program The sale of crafts and handmade jewelry as well as homemade cakes donated by parents raised 29,500 denars to be donated to the project “David VanDerWege - Socialization of Children with Special Educational Needs” for 2013.
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Financials The Apollonia Foundation receives annual funding from a grant generously provided by Korona International which operates the Apollonia Group of companies. The Foundation also receives support from grants and donations from like-minded individuals and agencies.
Over
250 programmed events
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Apollonia Foundation
3 new
grants
Financials
Statement of Activities CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
Denars
Euros
REVENUE AND GAINS Contributions and other income
63,576
Grants received
105,644
Korona International
430,522
Interest income Total revenues and gains
55
6.213
599,797
9,752
EXPENSES Grants and donations given
194,307
Direct charitable expenses Administrative expenses
285,709
Total expenses and losses
480,016
Change in net assets
119,781
TOTAL ASSETS BEGINNING OF YEAR TOTAL ASSETS END OF YEAR
4,434
7,805
72
124,216
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Graphic Charts As the work of the Foundation has expanded to include program development and operational responsibilities for the causes they support, the Foundation now receives support from various agencies and through partnerships with likeminded institutions and foundations. We hope in the future to increase this funding in order to further expand our programs.
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Apollonia Foundation
Graphic Charts
Donation from Christmas Charity Event . 29,500.00 5%
Donation from Vlado Ralev 30,550.00 . 5% NATO Charity Bazaar Grant 85,644.50 . 14%
Korona International 430,522.00 . 72%
Recycling . 3,526.00 1% Ministry of Culture Funding 20,000.00 . 3% Bank interest rate 55.00 . 0%
Where the money comes from. The chart aboves shows the sources in revenue from donations, grants, fundraising events, and other gifts.
40%
35%
30%
25%
3% 38%
Direct Admin Cost
20%
Direct Costs 15% 7% 22% 10% 4%
5%
4%
4%
9%
5% 2%
0% Musical Moments
Nature Day
Art Commune
Other Cultural
Special Needs Programs
Where the money goes. This chart shows how the money was spent and how much of the money was used to hire staff directly involved in program services. Administrative services costs were less then 2 percent.
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Apollonia Foundation – Gevgelija Address “Gevgeliski Partizanski Odred 1” 1480 Gevgelija, Macedonia Phone: +389 (0)34 211 911 e-mail: fondacija@apollonia.com.mk