14th Marshal’s Charity Ball: Half a million zlotys raised at auctions
Five hundred people took part in the Marshal’s Charity Ball, which was held on Saturday (17 January) at the Jordanki Cultural and Congress Centre in Toruń. The main beneficiaries of the 14th edition of this special event are the Serce Torunia Association, the Trisomiaki Foundation from Łochowo (Bydgoszcz County), and the Special Educational Centre run by the Orionist Sisters in Włocławek. The main auction raised PLN 311,000, and the silent auction PLN 200,000. The final total income generated during the ball will be known by the end of February.
At the invitation of the hosts of the ball – Marshal Piotr Całbecki and his wife Dagna Całbecka – the event was attended by people from the world of culture, politicians, and business representatives, who opened their hearts that evening to support those in need.
Jerzy Kossak’s painting “Young Man on a Horse” was auctioned for PLN 59,000, and the “cat in a bag” – one of three surprises, for which the buyer paid PLN 25,000—turned out to be… żurek (sour rye soup). A voucher for the World Athletics Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 was auctioned for PLN 15,000. In total, items from the main auction brought in PLN 311,000.
In the silent auction, the most frequently outbid items – up to 17 times – were cufflinks donated by Prime Minister Donald Tusk (the new owner paid PLN 9,000) and a pen gifted by the President of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski (which reached PLN 6,000). Seventeen people also wanted to become the owners of Andersen’s “Fairy Tales”, which achieved the highest silent-auction price – PLN 42,000. A donkey figurine donated by director Jerzy Skolimowski was auctioned for PLN 30,000. A ceramic “Little Prince” from Alicja Bogacka’s studio was outbid 15 times, and the new owner paid PLN 5,000. The silent auction generated income of PLN 200,000.
“This year’s ball is not only about the three main beneficiaries. It is also about 34 organisations that have been taking part in this initiative for fourteen editions thanks to your generosity. Together we count on your kindness, and I am convinced you will not disappoint. Long live the 14th Marshal’s Charity Ball! This is truly a unique event,” said Marshal Piotr Całbecki during the opening.
“We welcome all of you who are attending the ball for the first time, as well as those who have been with us for the fourteenth time. Your presence here is proof of the empathy you want to share this evening. Thank you for that. Together with the beneficiaries – the greatest heroes of the ball – we count on your generosity. We wish you a fantastic time,” said Dagna Całbecka.
The 14th Marshal’s Charity Ball was attended by Senators Ryszard Bober and Tomasz Lenz, Member of the European Parliament Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, actors Katarzyna Figura, Ewa Kasprzyk, Rafał Mohr, Cezary Łukaszewicz, Katarzyna Pośpiech, Zuzanna Grabowska and Magdalena Czerwińska, as well as athlete Piotr Lisek.
Main beneficiaries of the 14th Marshal’s Charity Ball:
- Serce Torunia Association – helps people experiencing homelessness
- Trisomiaki Foundation – supports people with disabilities and their families in therapy, rehabilitation and everyday functioning
- Special Educational Centre of the Congregation of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity in Włocławek – cares for young people requiring special education
“It is a great distinction and honour for us that our work has been recognised,” says Renata Stankiewicz, President of the Trisomiaki Foundation. “With the funds received, we plan to organise a rehabilitation stay by the sea, which will help our beneficiaries function better in society and improve their physical and mental condition.”
“We were very surprised to learn that our organisation had been selected as one of the beneficiaries of the ball. It is truly a great honour for us. We have dreamed of having our own vehicle with a wheelchair ramp. We also want to use this vehicle to transport goods,” say Sylwia Łukasiak and Michał Piszczek from the Serce Torunia Association.
“I would like to sincerely thank the Marshal and his wife for the trust they have placed in us and for inviting us to this ball. Thanks to the donors, we intend to complete the construction of a recreational area,” said Sister Marta Kalinowska, Director of the Special Educational Centre in Włocławek.
The star of the 14th edition of the Marshal’s Charity Ball was Kuba Badach, and the musical setting was provided – as every year – by the Eljazz Band led by Józef Eliasz. Also performing on stage were the Brazilian samba champions Carnival Stars, the Military Orchestra from Bydgoszcz, and the Ziemia Bydgoska ensemble.
For the main auction, we donated works of art, jewellery from Katarzyna Figura, a voucher for the March World Athletics Championships in Toruń, and the author of popular crime novels, Robert Małecki, offered the winner the chance to be featured in his latest book.
The silent auction catalogue included as many as 216 items, including training sessions with well-known athletes and a day on the set of Wojtek Smarzowski’s new film.
The auction also included a unique work by fifteen-year-old Julia Pokorniecka, awarded in this year’s “Sportowa gęś” (“Sporting Goose”) competition organised by the Marshal’s Office in Toruń.
Most of the funds from the ball go to the main beneficiaries, but we also support beneficiaries from previous years and foreign missions with smaller amounts.
Beneficiaries of previous editions:
- Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko Hospice at the Parish of the Holy Polish Martyr Brothers in Bydgoszcz
- Fr. Karol Sterpi Social Welfare Home in Izbica Kujawska (Włocławek County), run by the Orionist Brothers
- Special Educational Centre of the Congregation of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity in Włocławek
- Special Educational Centre of the Congregation of St Elizabeth Sisters in Grudziądz
- St Albert’s Kitchen in Bydgoszcz, run by the Albertine Sisters Serving the Poor
- Toruń Światło Foundation
- Social Welfare Home in Świecie, run by the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul
- Social Welfare Home for Children and Youth in Grabie (Aleksandrów County), run by the Congregation of St Elizabeth Sisters
- Good Shepherd Home for Single Mothers in Żołędowo, run by the Shepherd Sisters of Divine Providence
- Nursing and Care Facility in Toruń, run by the Seraphic Sisters
- Social Welfare Home in Świecie, run by the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul
- “Nadzieja” Children’s Hospice in Toruń
- Social Welfare Home in Chełmno
- Social Welfare Home in Kamień Krajeński (Sępólno County)
- Care and Education Facility for Girls in Pniewite (Chełmno County)
- 24-hour Care and Education Facility in Toruń, managed by the Clerics Regular of Somasca
- Centre for people with disabilities from Ukraine run by the Regional Social Policy Centre in Toruń
- Humanitarian missions in Angola, Indonesia, Bolivia, Zambia and Cuba
This year, for the first time, we will direct assistance to the Polish Foundation for Africa, which helps children in Madagascar.
In the previous edition of the Marshal’s Charity Ball, we raised PLN 860,000. Two main beneficiaries received PLN 100,000 each, and the others received PLN 25,000 each.
Beata Krzemińska
Spokesperson of the Marshal’s Office
16 January 2026
Last updated: 19 January 2026