Gardening power tool manufacturer VIKING has been a sponsorship partner of the Austrian SOS Children's Villages and of the Wacker Innsbruck football club for a number of years. This year, VIKING decided to host a special event that combined its social and sports sponsorship activities in a special way.
The company recently invited the children of the SOS Children's Village in Imst to the classic Austrian first division fixture between FC Wacker Innsbruck and Magna Wiener Neustadt at the Tivoli stadium. A few days before the match, the young fans received a visit from youthful Wacker star, Markus Obernosterer, who caused quite a commotion at the Children's Village by signing VIKING footballs.
On the day of the match, the children attended a special tour of the stadium and were awarded the honour of taking the ceremonial kick-off. The match ended in a 1:3 defeat for FC Wacker, a result which seemed rather insignificant in view of the fantastic event and the joy of the children from the SOS Children's Village.
Gardening power tool manufacturer VIKING, based in Langkampfen, is part of the STIHL Group and produces lawn mowers, garden shredders and other gardening equipment for the discerning gardener.
SOS Children's Villages in Austria: SOS Children's Villages is a private, world-wide, religiously and politically independent social service for orphaned and socially disadvantaged children, which was founded in 1949 by Hermann Gmeiner in Innsbruck and became a reality with the first SOS Children's Village at Imst in the Tyrol. Some 1,000 young people are cared for at the SOS Children's Villages in Austria. Since the establishment of the first SOS Children's Village at Imst (in 1949) more than 5,000 young people have grown up in the Austrian SOS Children's Villages. The SOS Children's Village celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.