At the end of the 2022/23 season, THW captain Patrick Wiencek scored 99 goals, along with Kiel’s four young stars Ben Connar Battermann, Luca Schwormstede, Henri Pabst and Philip Saggau. Together, the professional athletes not only made a large contribution to the Zebras winning their 23rd German championship, but each of their goals also contributed to collecting money for a good cause. For over ten years now, ORLEN Deutschland, the main and jersey sponsor of THW Kiel since 2016, has been donating 100 euros to the paediatric oncology department of UKSH for every goal scored in the Handball Bundesliga. In the year of its 20th anniversary, the Elmshorn-based company rounded up the donation sum to the record amount of 20,000 euros.
“When we came up with the idea of sponsoring Patrick Wiencek for the benefit of UKSH over ten years ago, we never dreamed that it would last so long and that – together – we would create something very special in German professional sport. We know that with every euro donated since then, so much good has been done and continues to be done for those children and young people facing a difficult fate,” says Piotr Guział, Chief Development Officer ORLEN Deutschland.
The 34-year-old Wiencek scored a special goal during last season in the home match against Hamm on 18 February. With his 64th goal of the season, the former German international reached the donation mark of 100,000 euros in this unique player sponsorship. The donated funds will support the University Hospital’s sports and exercise programme. In the past, for example, it has financed the facilities for the fitness and equipment training rooms.
“We are very grateful for the renewed and wonderful support of Patrick, THW Kiel and ORLEN to help the UKSH children’s cancer ward. From the first day with us, through the many months of exhausting therapy, to the return to everyday life after surviving cancer, our team supports our patients with a personalised and constantly adapted sports and exercise plan. The doubling of the sum on the occasion of ORLEN’s special birthday makes us very glad,” says Prof. Dr Gunnar Cario (Deputy Director of the Clinic for Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine & Head of Paediatric Oncology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel Campus).
After Patrick Wiencek’s goals began to be counted in the first few years, since last season, the goals of the four junior players have also been rewarded with a 100 euro donation. By doing so, ORLEN Deutschland boosts its commitment to the youth and junior area of the Kiel team as an official partner of THW’s youth work. The fundraising campaign will continue in the current season, thus entering its 11th year.
Image: Donation cheque handed over at the ORLEN star Cup: Klaus-Peter Dittrich
(ORLEN Deutschland), Prof. Dr Gunnar Cario (UKSH) and THW captain Patrick Wiencek (l.t.r.)
High-res images you will find in our Newsroom.
star and ORLEN – the petrol stations of ORLEN Deutschland GmbH
ORLEN Deutschland GmbH was founded in March 2003. It is a 100% subsidiary of the Polish multi-energy corporation ORLEN S.A. and part of the international ORLEN Group. The company currently operates over 600 star and ORLEN petrol stations on the German market. ORLEN Deutschland GmbH, based in Elmshorn, is one of the ten largest petrol station operators in Germany and has been the main sponsor of German handball record champion THW Kiel since 2016.
star and ORLEN petrol stations offer quality fuels as well as their own brand products at an attractive price-performance ratio. Customers also benefit from the B2B-fleet-card and receive additional services such as car washing and parcel services at many stations. Filling stations with 'star café' and 'stop.café' invite you to take breaks in a feel-good atmosphere and offer coffee specialities, a large selection of tasty meals and hot and cold snacks all day long.
Press contact:
ORLEN Deutschland GmbH
Klaus-Peter Dittrich
Manager Corporate Communications
Tel.: +49-41214750-1768