Porsche AG originally offered a prize of 50 cents for every kilometre ran, but increased the donation to three euros per km after being moved by employees’ keenness to support the project, and the number of wishes the foundation hoped to grant. The aim is to enable the international charity to fulfil the dreams of as many seriously ill children, teenagers and young adults as possible. In just a few days, the first of them will experience their own personal and special moment of happiness.
The varied wishes of young people
A James Bond adventure day, a house on stilts with a slide for the garden or a winter weekend with a friend – the wishes listed by those the foundation hopes to help are as varied as the illnesses they and their families have to deal with. What they all have in common is the determination not to let their often difficult circumstances get them down. With the fulfilment of their most desired wishes comes the hope that this positive experience will mobilise unimagined strength in the fight against the conditions the individuals face.
“We are a sporty company and social commitment is one of our core values. With the Virtual Run, we wanted to cover as many metres as possible for young people who are not doing so well in life. We succeeded, and very impressively too,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche. “Whether in Taiwan, Switzerland or Australia – in more than 35 countries, our colleagues have drawn motivation from the numerous wishes. Many have gone the famous extra mile. True sportsmanship in the spirit of social responsibility.”
In 2021, the Porsche Virtual Run replaced the traditional six-hour run at the company’s headquarters in Zuffenhausen, Stuttgart, which was not able to take place due to coronavirus restrictions. With Le Mans (13.626 kilometres), the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (20.83 kilometres) and the Targa Florio (72 kilometres), there was an opportunity to take on three legendary race tracks as a personal challenge. Many participants shared their contributions on social media, in some cases with spectacular landscape shots. The Porsche team in Australia was particularly active and made use of the local lockdown for a comprehensive running programme.
