On Friday evening, Heinz Kinigadner and Luc Alphand gladly accepted the princely sum of 55,000 euros for the Wings for Life spinal cord research foundation in the TirolBerg. With this financial contribution, the Tirol Werbung and its partners support the foundation's aim to find a cure for paraplegia. A tasteful style highlight of the evening was the dance fashion show headed by the Austrian Dancing Star Julia Polai in which the brand-new 2013 summer collection of the TirolShop was presented.
The TirolBerg, a social hot spot of the 2013 Ski World Championships in Schladming, emphasised its social commitment on Friday evening. Together with its partners, the Tirol Werbung managed to gain a princely donation sum of 55,000 euros which was handed over by the managing director of the Tirol Werbung, Josef Margreiter, to the Wings for Life founder and ex-motocross World Champion Heinz Kinigadner. Driven by the severe injury of his son Hannes Kinigadner, who met with an accident in a charity motocross race at the age of 19 and who has been paralysed from the neck down since then, decided to create the officially recognised, private foundation for spinal cord research named Wings for Life, together with his friend and Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz. The ambitious aim of the foundation is: the cure of paraplegia. In order to make this vision become a reality, Wings for Life promotes and finances the most promising research projects on the cure of the injured spinal cord all over the world by means of donated funds. An international consulting board, comprising the most renowned scientists and clinicians in the field of spinal cord research, supports the foundation in the selection of promising scientific projects.
Wings for Life impressed by the Tirolean commitment
Kinigadner expressed his gratitude for the generous contribution:Â “Every single euro helps us to achieve our goal to cure paraplegia earlier.” The Wings for Life ambassador Luc Alphand, who would almost have been confined to the wheelchair after his severe motorbike accident in 2009, also took his hat off to the donors: “Since my accident, my point of view has changed. Thank you very much for this contribution which will solely be used for the benefit of research.” Thomas Geierspichler, who is also an ambassador of the foundation and paraplegic himself, emphasised his great wish when the cheque was handed over: “The vision that the cure of paraplegia will be a reality must be kept alive. With this contribution, it will.” Josef Margreiter handed over the donation, highlighting the importance of Wings for Life: “We are and feel like a leading sports country. That is why we support this project with conviction.” The original sum of 50,000 euros was spontaneously increased to 55,000 euros by the Styrian provincial governor Franz Voves who visited the TirolBerg on Friday evening.
Austrian Dancing Star presents the 2013 TirolShop summer collection
The style highlight of the evening was the dance fashion show headed by the Austrian Dancing Star Julia Polai. Suited to the sporty brand-new 2013 summer collection of the TirolShop, Polai presented the trendy fashion with her dancing students, surrounded by hot rhythms. “The sporty collection is perfectly suited for dancing”, the Austrian Dancing Star Polai was enthusing about the new outfit which will shortly be available in the TirolShop.