Belgium: Umicore Olen organises fundraising relay race
In honour of the 100th anniversary of Umicore Olen, the plant organised an open house and a fundraising relay race. Hundreds of visitors enjoyed guided tours of the plant and special entertainment. They also cheered on enthusiastic teams of relay-racers earning money for their favourite charities with every kilometre they covered.
Despite the poor weather a total of 1,200 runners participated, who together formed 22 Olen-based sport associations and 25 different Umicore teams. Some were experienced athletes. Others with less training were still prepared to suffer for a good cause.
Teams of up to 40 runners raced a series of 2.5 km circuits until the team had covered a total of 100 km.
“The warm atmosphere was great,” declared one participant. “It was like one big family.” One of the team captains described the experience this way: “Meeting all these people with their heart in the right place gave us a good feeling. In the evening, tired but satisfied, we had a good meal with our team: a perfect end to the day.”