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Previous Programmes

7 Rehabilitation Programme (9-17 February 2014)

Watch pictures from the programme here

Rehabilitation camp hosted 62 children from 14 Russian cities and 47 volunteers during the Februarian Programme. It is the largest number of hosted people by now. The programme was brightful, rich and interesting. Art workshops, sport activities, horseriding, film festivales, disco etc. We all became a big team during these eight days and recieved new experience, new friends and a lot of good emotions.

Thank YOU!

 

The Sixth Rehabilitation Programme (22 – 30 September 2013)

All photos from the programme
 
We are happy to start keeping the Sheredar Diary where we will describe the days of the sixth rehabilitation programme. Photo report is presented by Lyubov Luchnikova and the texts are prepared by Olya Bezdeleva. Thank you so much, our volunteers!
 
 
September 22, 2013. Day 1
 
  
 
The day of the children’s arrival is the most exciting and long-awaited day for volunteers. For the whole three days, with short breaks for snack and sleep, they were studying, exchanging experiences, and addressing questions to Terry Dignan, our Programme Director. And all that was for making the rehabilitation programme unforgettable for the kids.
 
Everyone was preparing something from the very morning: the future Sheries and Masters were scissoring out, sticking, modeling, and inflating balloons to decorate children’s rooms. Some of the volunteers went to Moscow early in the morning to meet the kids and get them to Sheredar. In the morning Michael Bondarev, the founder of Sheredar, and Peter Kulloi, the founder of the Bátor Tábor rehabilitation camp (Hungary) and the member of Serious Fun Children's Network, came to see the volunteers.

Peter told the volunteers about the way the programmes are organized at his camp and how they conduct international programmes for the kids from Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic. He also shared his opinion about volunteers work: “The success of a camp totally depends on volunteers work. The only difference between you and me is that I have more possibilities and therefore more responsibility.” “Bátor Tábor” in Hungarian means “camp of courage” and all the volunteers agreed that it is a very good name for a children rehabilitation camp. The volunteers asked Peter if he liked Sheredar and he answered: “Surely, I do!” and wished our volunteers good luck at the programme.
 
The kids arrived earlier than expected, so we had to hurry to prepare everything in time. Our volunteers as usual did not fail and the preparation was finished in time. The children who were getting off the autobus were greeted by our “Welcome to Sheredar!” Each kid received a balloon with her/his name and very warm greetings from Masters and Sheries. Then altogether we went to eat, unpack and get to know each other. The teams made up their names and so there are five teams now at the camp: Little Squirrels, Plashes of Sunlight, Mignons, Sireniki, and Friendship.
 
While the Sheries helped the kids to accustom to the camp, the Masters did not waste any time and prepared a welcoming evening concert. The volunteers told the children about the activities that awaited them at the camp, impressed them by amazing dances, songs, real filming and interviewing the Count Dracula himself, who turned out to be very sweet and friendly and wishing to find new friends at the programme.
 
The first day was over and the kids went to the traditional “Whispering meeting”. They were talking with their Masters and Sheries about the expectations they had, the things they liked most and the activities they would like to participate in. We hope that the kids will receive very positive experience at the programme and will remember it as time full of joy and new discoveries! We wish luck to our children, Sheries and Masters!
 
 
September 23, 2013. Day 2
 
  
 
Do you know that Sheredar’s “Whispering meetings” became a tradition not only for the kids, but for the volunteers as well? For those who do not remember what a “Whispering meeting” is: it is a nightly team meeting by candlelight when everyone can share her/his thoughts and impressions of the day. There is only one condition: to speak in a whisper. Today at a grown-up “Whispering meeting” many Sheries and Masters said they had a feeling that it was not the first day of the programme, but the middle of it: there was no need to accustom to the schedule, everyone quite soon got into the swing of things and prepared for an active and cheerful week.
 
When 31 kids and 34 volunteers meet for the first time, it is hard to believe that in a pair of days you will remember a face and a name of everyone. The Activity game helped us today. We needed to explain just in a minute a word written on a card to our partner. It is even more difficult if you need to explain the word by a picture or pantomime. The teams did it perfectly, we laughed a lot during the game and got to know each other better. Thanks to the wonderful game for cheering us up a lot!
 
The smallest kids form the Little Squirrels team participated in the Filming Studio and discovered that they would shoot a movie by the end of the programme. The girls danced at the Dance Studio and shot a bow instructed by Vadim, our Sheredar Robin Hood. 
 
Plashes of Sunlight team rode horses this day. Each child dreams about it at Sheredar. It is so wonderful to ride a horse the very first days! 
 
Mignons team tried their hands in journalism. They interviewed an Iron Man and Spider-Man and made their own newscast. In the Breaking News rubric everyone could read that a fat cat called Vasiliy, the darling of all hearts, got able to speak.
 
“Sireniki” team danced today. They loved the Dance Studio so much that decided to make a small dancing surprise to all campers the next day. But it is a big secret!
 
Our kids form “Friendship” team visited the Cartoon Studio today and learnt some tricks of animation. By the end of the programme each team will create its own cartoon where everything – from a script to voice recording – will be made by the children themselves.
 
The day finished quite unexpectedly – at cinema. The Sheries surprised the kids by telling them that they had found free tickets to watch cartoons. Happy with the news, we watched a wonderful cartoon “How to Train a Dragon”, eating popcorn and discussing the events that were taking place. The cartoon turned out to be so inspiring and kind, that a lot of us shed tears. Mostly Sheries and Masters.
 
But even such a long and eventful day comes to its end. So we brushed our teeth, whispered at the “Whispering meeting” and went to bed. Good night, friends, and see you tomorrow!
 
 
September 24, 2013. Day 3
 
  

We are reporting from the Journalism Studio. Nearly all the teams came here today to have a real brainstorm. The matter is that at the end of the programme the kids with a help of our Journalism Master will publish a real multi-page magazine with interviews, photos, news and pictures. This information excited the children a lot and they began to discuss the ideas for the future magazine. In the end, we decided to have several team projects, a pair of interviews, some news, reports and photo collages. We will say no more, because it is still a secret. Arm yourself with patience and remember: everything in its own time.
 
As for the rest, everything takes its course atSheredar. Although it is impossible to say that everything is “just as usual” here. How it can be “usual” in a place where each day genial cartoon and movie scripts are created in hot arguments? Where kilometers of friendship bracelets are made at Do-It-Yourself Studio; where at Archery Studio dozens of arrows obedient to the small Robin Hoods shoot exactly to the eye? Where at Dance Studio even the floor seems to be constantly moving because the kids are learning the third new dance during the same lesson? Where at Drama Studio after Shakespearean passions belly laugh comedies are played? Sheredar just cannot be “just usual” because it is a place where a talent, inspiration and courage to make one’s dreams come true are born.  
 
We have done a lot this day and deserved a good rest. We love an active rest, so we went to the disco and danced there with our Sheries and Masters until we were exhausted. That was the third day at Sheredar. Thank you for your company, dear friends!
 
 
September 25-26, 2013. Days 4 and 5
 
  
 
25th and 26th of September were marked as cinema days. As we have already told, our kids make real films with costumes, decorations and scripts at our Video Studio. Each team will present its masterpiece at the end of the programme. The children invented so many things: stories about pirates, captured beauties, detectives, princesses, romantic adventures, villains, etc. These images are available at our photo gallery.
 
We not only shoot films, but also watch them. “What is so special about it?” – you may ask. You are wrong if you think so. Have you ever watched a movie projected on the ceiling? No? We have! What can be better then after a long day to roll oneself in a rug and watch the sky? Or the ceiling if an interesting cartoon is being shown there? In the end most of the viewers were sleeping: fortunately, the beds were close.
 
While the elder kids were watching the cartoon, the smallest ones went to…a casino. Not a simple casino, but an intellectual one. The young gamblers had to answer such tricky questions like: “What is the colour of octopus blood?” or “Do you believe that sloth’s ancestor was six metres long?” The kids received bonuses for the right answers and could change them for surprises at the end of the game. The next day the elder children went to the casino, while the smallest ones were watching the cartoon at the ceiling.
 
The sixth rehabilitation programme slowly comes to an end that makes our kids and their Masters and Sheries a bit sad. We try not to think about it and will spend the rest of the time twice more cheerful, creative and active.
 
 
September 27, 2013. Day 6
 
  
 
The programme is coming to its end and the kids are working hard to finish their creative projects at Video and Cartoon Studios. We will see our common achievments at the gala concert on September 29.
 
Have you ever been to izba with a real Russian oven? Our kids have been there today! The whole day the children were on the quest trying to get together all the pieces of the magic blanket lost by our “Russian beauty” Nadya. At breakfast she asked the kids to help her and collect all the colored pieces of the magic blanket. The children managed to solve the problem towards evening and went to see the beautiful girl at her izba. She was very grateful to the kids and organized a real feast for them. The girl regaled them with baked potatoes, tea and – the main surprise of the evening – pumpkin mash cooked in a Russian oven. The kids, Masters and Sheries ate it very heartily. The children were singing songs all together, chattering, then sat a bit over the fire and went home to have time for the Whispering meeting.
 
 
September 28, 2013. Day 7
 
  
 
We cannot wait to tell you about the film news from Saturday, September 28. 
 
Today Sheredar has witnessed one of the most momentous events of its cultural life. Ladies and gentlemen, please, remember this day as the day of the establishment of “Blue Bird”, Sheredar official film award!
 
We did not have a red carpet, of course (who needs it?), but made a special banner with our logo. The kids happily posed for photographs on the back of the logo, a palm with a blue bird on it. They stole the show even from the Hollywood stars.
 
There were five awards and each team won a well-deserved award. The children were so excited by the movies that for a moment even forgot that they had done them themselves and had had the leading roles there. It was a perfect debut!
 
The film festival programme included a silent movie about pirates’ adventures, a horror film, a space fantasy fiction movie, a fairy tale about princesses and fairies, and a detective story. The movie masterpieces are available only at special limited-edition disks which our kids will bring home from Sheredar. Do not miss it!
 
 
September 29, 2013. Day 8
 
  
 
September 29 was very intense for Sheredar! Here is a short report from our journalists.
 
Everyone will agree that it was the most difficult and intense day of the programme. In the morning we made a surprise for the kids: the drummers arrived straight after the breakfast and gave a djembe master class. This unusual instrument came from Africa and many Russian musicians took to it right away. Special education is not necessary to play this instrument: you just need to listen to the rhythm and follow it. The kids were just in raptures over it! An hour and a half flashed by and the children did not want to let the drummers go away.
 
We have to move further, because the kids and their Masters and Sheries had to prepare for a very important activity, an evening gala concert. We wanted to show there everything we had learnt during the programme and to have a lot of fun. It turned out that each team prepared not one, but at least two concerted numbers, not including the concerted numbers presented by kids from different teams together. We rehearsed the whole day long, making break only for lunch, to surprise the guests by our various talents.
 
The same day the first cottage of the future Sheredar rehabilitation centre was opened. A lot of guests and journalists attended the event and stayed for the evening concert also. We were a bit worried that our children might get embarrassed and refuse to appear on stage in front of so many unknown persons. But we underestimated our kids! They turned out to be real stars! They sang songs, recited poetry, played funny sketches, danced and fooled about.
 
Little Squirrels team cheered us up with a teasing Katyusha and a cradle song from the cartoon about Umka; Nastya Khamlova recited the famous beginning of Pushkin’s Ruslan and Lyudmila. Plashes of Sunlight sang a song whose lyrics wrote Lera Vlasova, and read a funny message for the future campers. Mignons showed themselves as real actors presenting a variation on a theme of “The Unsmiling Tsarevna”, Sireniki danced several lively dances, and Friendship sang about a camp of their dream. Where is it? In Sheredar of course!
 
After the concert we had lunch all together and then celebrated the end of the programme at a disco.
 
 
September 30, 2013. Day 9
 
  
 
The departure was cheered up by the birthday of Arisha Sporyagina, the smallest girl from the Little Squirrels team. Everyone put on holiday caps and sang traditional “Happy Birthday” song, and then Arisha blew out the candles on the birthday cake.
 
…It is always very sad to bid good-bye. Of course, we knew that that day would arrive, but tried not to think about it, because it was so good and funny at Sheredar. The suitcases are packed, the Studios are cleaned and look a bit sad, and both the kids and the grown-ups are on the verge of tears. We became so close during these days.
 
We hugged, made photos, exchanged addresses and phone numbers and promised to meet once again. The next moment our big Sheredar family separated and went to different cities of our vast country. Everyone took away a portion of warmth and friendship which we created with our own hands here at Sheredar. See you, friends!

 

 

The Fifth Rehabilitation Programme (6 – 13 April 2013)

 
All photos from the programme
 
The fifth Sheredar rehabilitation programme started on 6 April 2013. 29 children from Moscow, Astrakhan, Samara, Bryansk, Novosibirsk and other cities were welcomed by a friendly and cheerful team of volunteers led by Terry Dignan. A very interesting and intense programme for the whole rehabilitation week was waiting for the children who suffered oncological diseases. There was everything: horse riding, photo studio, dances, cartoon studio, archery, a visit of Ilya Belostotsky (one of the directors of Eralash, a children's comedy TV show), and lots and lots of other interesting events.
 
 
6 April
 
 
 
At Sheredar children have an opportunity to try their hands in different studios and workshops. Do you want to learn to make beautiful things with your hands? No problem! Our Do-It-Yourself workshop is there for you! Do you want to try your hand in the hard work of a reporter? The children will learn how to publish a magazine, take an interview and describe habitual things in an interesting manner in our The Rubric workshop. The glory of Walt Disney makes you excited? Our Cartoon Studio creates cartoons that are none the worse. Do you want to capture the most exciting moments at Sheredar? We are happy to teach the young photographers how to take good pictures in our Photo Workshop. Is your dream to play on the stage and be a famous actor? Your dreams can come true in our Theatre Workshop. Do you want to dance like Michael Jackson? That and even more is possible in our Step Forward Dance Studio. Noble Robin Hood will teach the children the art of archery in his workshop. The children can also make friends with the most graceful and kindest animals in the world – the horses – in our stable. Everyone will have an occupation s/he loves most and the whole programme will be held under the slogan “Off the boredom, let’s have fun!”
 
During the first day the children were getting used to and acquainted with each other. They divided into teams and invented funny names for them: Little Mandarins, The Team of Cheerful Fellows, Penguins, Success, and Hipsters. In the evening the children saw a real performance about the miracles awaiting them at Sheredar Planet. Thanks to the volunteers the miracles are going to be numerous!
 
 
7 April
 
 
 
During the second day of the rehabilitation programme the children studied the schedule of the studios and workshops and began to get acquainted to the daily regimen. The first days at Sheredar saw first success.
 
What is a technique of freezelight and marbleisation? Why does a theatre begin at the cloakroom? What do our horses like to eat? How to create a cartoon with your own hands? These and other questions were answered during the second day at Sheredar.
 
To work well one needs some source of strength and our canteen is the best helper. The children enjoy food and afterwards thank our cooks crying together: “Thanks to our cooks for the food so good!”
 
Everyone was waiting for the evening with a special excitement. We were not to disappoint the children, so we arranged an incredible disco with competitions, dances and songs. Everyone could feel as a famous dancer and show what s/he learnt in Music and Dance Studio.
 
 
8 April
 
 
 
The first meeting is over and the children keep settling down to the place, getting volunteers’ support and understanding. Sheredar’s schedule leaves the children no time to be sad or miss home: the studios and workshops change one another, while volunteers are always ready to entertain the kids with various interesting games. Making a cartoon, handicraft workshops and archery need a lot of attention; that is why the children come to the classes in small groups. Masters can pay attention to every kid, explain all the details of the process and help to bring talent to light.
 
Sheredar is a perfect place not only to learn something new, but to make friends as well, which is also a purpose of our evening activities. That evening, for example, the volunteers made for the children a fascinating quest with a lot of interesting tasks and riddles that they needed to solve to return Sheredar Planet to peace (the Bad had stolen the map of the planet and everything had gone wrong). Every team had to fulfil different tasks given by the residents of the planet: a cook-magician, a map guardian, a lord of fresh water, a sad princess, and many others. Only after each task was honestly performed by each team, the evil spells were gone. A festive campfire was waiting for the kids at the end of the way: everyone could get warm and enjoy a camp dinner. Later the kids and the volunteers got back to the cottages and began to prepare for the “Whispering meeting”, one of the good Sheredar traditions. Every evening in the silence and by candlelight, the children, whispering, share their experience, success and difficulties of the previous day with their new friends. As Terry Dignan, Sheredar Rehabilitation Programmes Director, says, the most important is not only to reach something, but to be able to be happy for other people: a joy of a success can be full only between friends.
 
 
9 April
 
 
 
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are happy to announce the most cheering news: a guest is coming to us. Who? That was the question the kids have been trying to answer since the very morning. Sheredar knows how to surprise: that is why the name of the guest was held in a secret till the last moment.
 
Ilya Belostotzky, one of the directors of the Eralash, a children's comedy TV show that is so famous between the kids in Russia. The way from Moscow to Sosnovy Bor Village, as the guest confessed, was quite long, but even the traffic jams could not put him out of humour: he was so happy to meet the children. Apart from his good humour, Ilya brought the children some new Eralash short stories. The kids and the volunteers really liked them and there were a lot of applause and laughing in the room.
 
Our kids wasted no time: each team prepared at the Theatre Studio a short performance based on the most famous Eralash movies. Ilya Belostotzky was pleasantly surprised, especially after he recognized one of his own first Eralash movies in one of the kids’ performances. What a coincidence!
 
The children, who have already mastered some parts of the journalistic art, began to ask the guest various questions: “How do you shoot Eralash short stories? Do you invite stunt men? How to become a Eralash actor?” Ilya answered all the questions and confirmed that many of the kids could become very good Eralash actors.
 
At the end of the meeting Ilya Belostotzky signed autographs for the children and they took a photo together. Thanks to our guest for a nice and interesting conversation! We will be happy to see Eralash again at Sheredar!
 
 
 
10 April
 
 
 
Who has said that Birthday is a sad holiday? We are ready to prove that it is not!
 
10 of April was the Birthday of two girls at the same time: Galina Besprozvannaya, a volunteer, and Yana Shilova, one of the kids. We could not miss such an event, so we began to prepare for it in advance. No holiday can do without a greeting card. But there were so many of us and a small greeting card has no room for all our emotions and wishes. So the volunteers and the children made two huge beautiful greeting cards and hung them on the corridor wall so that everyone could write her/his wishes there. We continued to celebrate the Birthdays during the dinner, singing the traditional song “Happy Birthday to You!” and eating a Birthday cake. Then there were dances with competitions where we had a lot of fun and congratulated the girls once again.
 
Many kids and volunteers confessed that they would have liked to celebrate their Birthdays at Sheredar among the friends also. We hope we will celebrate a lot of Birthdays of our guests at Sheredar!
 
The children kept trying their hands in different spheres and by that time we could see their preferences more clearly. Masha Stepanova and Liza Abramova opted for interview, as one of the journalism genres. They decided to talk with Terry Dignan, the Programme Director, about his difficult but important work. They were preparing questions and studying the information about Terry’s work the whole day. Then in the evening, with the help of the Masters of Journalism Studio, the interview took place. Masha and Liza were curious why it was in Russia that Terry decided to help in an organisation of a rehabilitation centre, what difficulties he was confronted with, what character a volunteer should have, and when Sheredar will work at full capacity. Terry gave them very detailed and frank answers, revealed several secrets to them and expressed hope the girls can become professional journalists in the future and write about the rehabilitation and help offered for children who suffered serious diseases.
 
 
11 April
 
  
 
Do you like masquerades when people put on incredible costumes turning into unusual creatures? Such a masquerade we decided to hold at Sheredar. It is always a lot of fun at the masquerades and this one was not an exception. In addition to these fascinating transformations, we also had a photo session.
 
The children who were coming to the masquerade were those we knew, but just in ten minutes they were turning into beautiful princesses and kings, frightening zombies and witches, charming little cats and cheerful pirates. Each costume was prepared in advance and to make the heroes even more realistic, the volunteers painted faces of the kids with colourful theatrical make-up. In between the magic transformations the children played funny games and had classes in the studios.
 
In the evening the kids demonstrated their courage and good physical form taking part in sport competitions. The teams competed with each other and everyone showed herself/himself as a real sportsman. Besides, they had an opportunity to show their cohesion and team spirit. 
 
After these active exercises we went to sleep, but we did not forget about the “Whispering meeting”. We shared our impressions of the previous day and imagined some magic journeys. We had a lot of adventures ahead and we were ready to meet them!
 
 
12 April
 
  
 
From the very morning we knew that we had a big day. At first everyone was offered six studios to choose from and in the evening we were planning to have a final concert.
 
After breakfast the kids went to the studios they had chosen. They were real horse-riders who went off on a journey; and the true born journalists who carried out a small journalistic investigation; the little actors made a small theatrical performance for the evening concert; the brave heroes were shooting arrows, and the animators helped pictures to come to life. So everyone was doing what they liked most during the programme.
 
After having fun we had to do some more serious things: to pack the bags for the next day’s departure and rehearse before the evening concert.
 
The kids carried out the first task very fast. When the time of the rehearsals came, the entire floor turned into side-scenes of a theatre. The young actors and actresses were rehearsing songs, poem’s recitations, sketches, and dances, while our Sheries and Masters were helping them.
 
Everyone was very excited and agitated at the beginning of the concert: the concert is a serious task! The children had a lot of different talents and rich imagination.
 
The smallest ones, The Little Mandarins, prepared as many as three performances! The elder ones kept up with them. The second team with their faces painted different colours danced a lively dance called Raccoons. The children from the team called Penguins prepared a dance called Nose. The next two teams also opted for a dance: Success team had a dance based on the traditions of ballet and Hipsters team – an artistic dance Mafia.  Besides, there were other performances: poem recitation, songs and humour sketches. Then Sheries showed a slideshow and a cartoon made by the children in the Cartoon workshop.
 
Everyone was touched. There were a lot of hugs and warm words that evening. The kids went to sleep feeling both happy because the concert went off very well, and a little bit sad because of a soon departure. 
 
 
13 April
 
 
 
The last day of the programme arrived unexpectedly and too soon. We came to have breakfast, singing cheerful songs as usual, and cried “Thanks!” to our cooks. The shelves full of different things just a while ago were empty and there were bags near the kids’ doors. We were sadly carrying the bags to the exit. Everyone was saying goodbye to each other, exchanging mobiles numbers and souvenirs. The girls and the boys were hugging each other, their Sheries and Masters.
 
It was sad, but very good at the same time: the kids got a lot of positive emotions during that week. They found new friends and understood themselves better. They were the same children who had come to Sheredar a week ago, but they changed a lot. Of course, no one wanted to leave, but we could not help but smiling, because we managed to make this programme exactly as we wanted it to be. We were doing “cabbage” (it is when a lot of people are hugging each other) for a long time and wished all the best to our friends.
 
The magic of the Sheredar Planet was over, but it will remain in memory of the young travellers for a long time. 
 
 
 
 

The Forth Rehabilitation Programme (17 – 24 November 2012)

 
All photos from the programme
 
Children from 9 to 13 years came to the forth Sheredar programme from different parts of Russia. Terry Dignan, a Leading expert with the International SeriousFun Children’s Network, was the Programme Director. It was as always very funny and interesting at the programme, the time just flew by! The kids made their own cartoon “One and a Half Giraffe”, shot bows, fed horses with vegetables, made photos as historical and literature characters, sang songs to a guitar, and chattered sitting over the fire.
 
 
17 November
 
 
 
This day our little friends arrived. Volunteers were preparing very carefully to meet the children and were nervous perhaps even more than the kids themselves. When the children, a bit tired after the two-hours trip from Moscow, saw the volunteers disguised into fairy tales heroes, they cheered up.
 
Then the volunteers introduced some get-acquainted games and showed the children the territory of the recreation centre. The kids very quickly began to find common language with each other.
 
In the evening everybody was sitting around the fire, singing songs and keeping getting acquainted.
 
 
18 November
 
 
 
The day was very interesting and full of events. Various studios opened their doors for children: hand-made studio, cartoon studio, photo studio, horse riding, archery, drama, and creativity studio.
 
The volunteers showed the children the stable with the horses (of whom children grew very fond of). Accompanied by experienced instructors and in compliancy with safety regulations (everyone had a special helmet), the children had a horse ride. They could ride in a cart with other children or separately, on horseback. The children really loved the ride and afterwards, in cottages, some of them were drawing the horses. The kids showed their creativity making different handicrafts at the hand-made studio. Everyone was absorbed in the activity, and the boys were drawing and cutting coloured paper figures with the same interest as the girls.
 
Everyone remembered this day because Anatoly Karpov, a chess grandmaster and the official world champion from 1975 to 1985, visited Sheredar. He looked around the construction works of the future buildings and gave presents to a future chess club. Then he came to the recreation centre to meet children and to give them a chess master class. The kids were very interested in the game and asked a lot of questions. After that Anatoly Karpov, accompanied by regional administration representatives, planted some trees in the Alley of Good (Alleya Dobra).
 
 
19 – 21 November
 
   
 
The programme ran its course: the children were playing, having fun, attending different studios, and making a wall newspaper. Once, at the archery studio, the children and the volunteers coloured their faces trying to look like Indians. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the children also coloured the Programme Director, Terry Dignan.
 
Besides, the birthday of Maksim, one of the kids, was celebrated. In the morning the children and the volunteers blew up balloons and said happy birthday to the boy. The dining room was decorated with garlands and, when everyone gathered, a cake with candles was put on the table. 
 
Children’s nourishment was organised very well and thoroughly. The cooks not only took into consideration the medical condition of the kids, but also tried to make the food tasty and healthy. For example, there were always delicious curd pancakes, cakes, etc. for breakfast.
 
 
22 November
 
 
 
The main event of this day was a swimming pool. Children swam, played ball and had a lot of fun. Everyone was very content – it was a day to remember!
 
 
23 November
 
 
 
This day a new surprise awaited children: actresses Chulpan Hamatova and Dina Korzun visited Sheredar. They spoke with children and looked around the construction works of the future buildings of the foundation.
 
Dina Korzun, an actress and cofounder of the Gift of Life Foundation: “In developed countries children who suffered serious diseases always have a rehabilitation course. This practice is still under development in Russia. The Foundation works in cooperation with international rehabilitation camps that receive children from Russia. After participating in such programmes, children say that those days were the happiest days in their lives. Rehabilitation helps children to believe in themselves, overcome fear and self-doubt, set goals and achieve them.”
 
Chulpan Khamatova, an actress and cofounder of the Gift of Life Foundation: “Children who overcame cancer should understand that they do not differ from their peers and that they can do everything they other kids can. That is why we watch the construction progress closely. This project is very important to us and our children.”
 
Later the children attended the studios, including an archery class that they liked very much. A real concert – talent show – was organised at the end of the day! Children sang, recited poems, appeared on stage with theatrical performances. For some kids this on-stage performance was the first in their lives, however all of them carried themselves very well and had a lot of fun.
 
 
24 November
 
 
 
It was the last day of the programme and children were preparing to leave Sheredar. The volunteers and kids have become very close friends by that day. The children coloured their palms and left their “imprints” on the volunteers’ shirts for a keepsake. The volunteers gave every child a small present that they made with their own hands. The kids got very happy with the unexpected surprise. Of course no one wanted to part! Children said that they really wanted to come back to Sheredar again.
 
 
 
 

The Third Rehabilitation Programme (30 May – 8 June 2012)

 
 
 
At long last the summer came and a new rehabilitation programme started! A lot of surprises waited for the children: a swimming pool, scrapbooking, picnics, songs to guitar, bead weaving, gala concert and many others. The children prepared their own Cherry Compote newspaper issue in the journalism studio and, overcoming their fears, interviewed each other. 
 
 
 
 

The Second Rehabilitation Programme (11 – 18 February 2012)

 
 
 
18 children who conquered illness came to the second rehabilitation programme. The whole week they were taking part in creative workshops, resting, playing team games, breathing fresh pinery air, and of course, communicating with each other! With a little bit of help from the volunteers the kids made their own cartoon The Liars. At the end of the programme a real gala concert was organised!
 
 
 
 
 
 

The First Rehabilitation Programme (25 September – 1 October 2011)

 
 
 
10 children from 12 to 14 took part in the first rehabilitation programme called From Smile to Smile. Each day was very interesting and intense: horse riding, journalism studio, bicycles, modern art, art therapy, and a fascinating treasure hunting (a sack of sweets hidden at the territory of the rest house). Positive emotions enough for a year!