Founder Jerzy Owsiak leads the charity drive each year Arek Drygas/WOŚP

By midnight Sunday, nearly zł.40 million had been raised by this year's Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP), an annual charity drive. The charity purchases state-of-the-art hospital equipment for pediatric wards, and this year also for geriatric wards.

The results are similar to last year's, though the exact amount raised during the drive won't be known until March. Usually, the final amount is 30-40 percent higher than what is recorded immediately after the day-long fundraiser, as money from auctions and events flow in over the following couple of weeks.

Poland's largest annual charity fundraiser got under way on Sunday, with 120,000 volunteers collecting money for equipment and therapies for sick children and the elderly. The charity event, which includes a day-long media marathon, celebrity auctions, concerts and volunteers collecting money out on the streets took place for the 21st consecutive year, and was led, as usual, by founder Jerzy Owsiak.

One of the traditions of the charity is the auction of gold-plated, numbered, heart-shaped medallions. The one with number 1 is usually bought after a heated race with many companies, organizations and businessmen participating. This year the highest bidder was EuCO KRIS MAKS, which paid zł.150,000 for the medallion.

Last year, WOŚP raised zł.50.6 million, a record-best result.

Poland A.M.