This year, Artek Miloserdie charity foundation continues its  program to help talented disadvantaged children by providing them with a free entry permit for a stay at Artek. During the New Year session, the lights on Artek’s New Year tree shone for gifted children who received Artek entry passes from Intersol Ist.

At Artek’s chess club, Timofei from Vladivostok learned new openings that will help him during competitions. Sasha from Irkutsk realized that he had talents for singing and pyrography. These boys went to Artek’s New Year session with the support of the Artek Miloserdie project.

Timofei lost his parents early. When he was little, he dreamt with his mom that he would enter a military academy and become a sailor. Today the sixth-grader at the Nakhimov Naval School has achieved first military category and the badge of athlete soldier, has excellent marks, participates in national and international school competitions, learns hand-to-hand combat and takes part in wit and humor competitions.

“I have a lot of friends, but sometimes I feel sad, especially during the New Year season, when all my friends are with their families. I want to go to Artek for the New Year. They say it is great fun there, and that friendships made in Artek last forever. I want so much to go back to my childhood, when it smelt like pine needles and tangerines. In my heart, I hope that I will celebrate New Year with my new friends!” Timofei wrote in his letter.

The dream came true, more strikingly than the boy could imagine. He celebrated the 2018 New Year among the shining lights of Palace Square with 2,000 other Artek children. Although he said in his letter that he didn’t believe in magicians anymore, Artek’s New Year quests, performances and real snowdrops in the winter helped him find his faith again. Timofei realized that even ordinary people can make the world more beautiful, kinder and better. New Year Night became the starting point of a 21-day adventure, rich with discoveries and achievements.

“Chess is my hobby, and in Artek I have learned classic openings, such as Russian Game. I was runner-up in the chess tournament!” Timofei said. “As a cadet, I also enjoyed our trip to Artek’s Naval Museum. I already know a lot of things about the history of naval battles, but there I saw an interesting item for the first time – an ancient diving suit. We were even allowed to try on the ancient diving footwear! I also liked entertainment events. Suddenly, I learned how to dance. Artek is the best children’s camp: children here are friendly, team leaders are kind and there is no time to be blue. I thank everyone who made my dream come true!”

For Sasha from Irkutsk too, the New Year started with a dream coming true. Sasha comes from a family with many children. He has a younger brother and a sister, who need their parents’ special care and treatment. The family will not be going to the sea together any time soon and Sasha had been dreaming of seeing southern landscapes and finding new friends at Artek for a long time. Team leaders say that the kind and helpful boy has easily blended in at Artek.

“This is my first time at a children’s camp, at the famous Artek. A lot of amazing things have happened to me during the session,” Sasha said. “I remember the New Year light show and the performance by Mitya Fomin. I also learned how to sing a little, and my teammates and I have prepared a song to perform at our camp. I like history, so I enjoyed the trip to Sevastopol museums. And, what’s most important, Artek teaches us to be brave and believe in our dreams. In the future, I want to design aircraft, so I will enroll in an aviation design club when I get home!”

At Artek, Sasha has found another hobby: pyrography, so he will bring his dad and granddad gifts he has made himself.