TIJANA BOŠKOVIĆ'S JERSEY AUCTIONED TO HELP CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN BILEĆA

BELGRADE, AUGUST 1 /SRNA/ – One of the world's best volleyball players, Tijana Bošković, has once again demonstrated her generosity by donating her signed Serbia national team jersey for a charity auction, with the proceeds to benefit the Vedar Osmijeh /Cheerful Smile/ Association of Parents and Friends of Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities from her hometown of Bileća.

The online auction of Bošković's signed national team jersey was conceived and organised by the Bileća Residents Club in Serbia, whose members hope that the jersey of Bileća's most renowned athlete will fetch a substantial amount, enabling the renovation and equipping of the association's premises, as well as the purchase of a van to transport children to therapy sessions and excursions. Dajana Aleksić of the Bileća Residents Club in Serbia told SRNA that Bošković enthusiastically accepted their initiative. She noted that the auction will run until August 16, with each new bid required to exceed the previous one by at least EUR 10. Aleksić revealed that by the third day of the auction, the price of Bošković's jersey had risen from the symbolic opening bid of EUR 100 to EUR 650. The organisers hope it will reach a much higher final amount, as the highest bids at such auctions are typically placed during the last two days. Thanks to Bošković's popularity, news of the auction has spread widely, and the Confederation of European Volleyball /CEV/ has also published information about the charity auction featuring one of the world's top volleyball players on its official website. "Anyone wishing to contribute can make donations to the association's official bank accounts or by calling the humanitarian number 1433 in Republika Srpska and BiH. Each call donates one convertible mark," Aleksić explained. The Vedar Osmijeh Association in Bileća, which provides assistance and support to children and young people with developmental disabilities, serves around 60 beneficiaries and operates entirely through the voluntary work of its volunteers. In addition to funds for renovating its premises and purchasing a minibus for transporting children, the association also needs resources to establish a sensory room equipped with various sensory stimulation elements for children with developmental disabilities, helping them achieve emotional balance and improve their psychomotor skills.