The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is the biggest and most prosperous charity organization in Poland. In 1992, Jurek Owsiak, a well-established performer used his pop-culture status to help The Children Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw. Owsiak encouraged his audiences to join the forces and help. His idea was to combine rock'n'roll, fun, and charity. He believed in the great potential of the people getting together regardless of weather they have much or little money.
On the first Sunday of 1993 he organized a nation-wide action. He invited Poles all around the country to set up concerts, creative happenings, and parties during which they could collect change that would be later on put on The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity account. It was The Great Finale. Thousands of people participated in the action. The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity collected over 1,5 mln of USD! The sum was spent for the highly modern and professional equipment for 10 Pediatric Cardio Surgery Divisions in Poland.
Even though, The Great Final Day was supposed to be a one-time event it turned to be such a smashing success that Jurek Owsiak and the doctors from Children Memorial Health Institute repeated the whole thing next year, and then year after that. Eventually, The Great Final Day became a tradition. The sum of collected money increases every year.
You can find more here
http://www.en.wosp.org.pl/fundation/
or
ask Vimala
