Rytas continues its Together Against All campaign, launched several years ago, which aims to unite the club’s community and the entire city of Vilnius around a common goal – raising awareness of social issues and contributing to their effective reduction. In October, Rytas, in cooperation with Sidabrinė linija, encourages attention to be given to lonely seniors and reminds everyone that giving love and warmth costs nothing.
In Lithuania, about 13% of the population feel lonely almost every day, with the majority being elderly people. The goal of Sidabrinė linija is to provide older adults with what they need most: human connection, social relationships, friendship, emotional support, and information. In just nine months this year, volunteers and like-minded peers at Sidabrinė linija participated in nearly 20,000 friendship conversations, provided emotional support more than 7,500 times, and delivered 572,000 minutes aimed at reducing loneliness.
At the end of September, Sidabrinė linija and Rytas Vilnius announced an auction where basketball fans could bid on championship items – specifically the 2023-2024 LKL season finals jersey of Justin Gorham with his teammates’ autographs. The jersey, purchased for an amount equivalent to 150 Sidabrinė linija friendship conversations, was won by the family of an 11-year-old J. Gorham fan, adding a new trophy to their collection.
“Often we forget, and don’t always appreciate, that many lonely seniors live around us, for whom our attention and warmth are the most valuable things,” said Jaroslav Latušinskij, Director of Rytas Vilnius. “Sometimes, to see a senior’s smile, all it takes is a small gesture – asking how they feel or simply having a conversation. Through this friendship with Sidabrinė linija, we aim to show that attention and care, even a single call, can change people’s lives. Giving love costs nothing, but it has a huge impact on a person’s life.”
Sidabrinė linija was established and has been operated for 8 years by the M. Čiuželis Charity and Support Foundation, breaking stereotypes about aging and older people while promoting positive aging. It is the only line in Lithuania offering friendship, telephone communication, and emotional support, helping lonely seniors feel heard, valued, interesting, and needed – not left alone on the margins of life, enveloped with warmth and caring words. According to participants, these conversations help them relax, stop worrying about illnesses, and experience the healing power of dialogue.
Marius Čiuželis, head of Sidabrinė linija, expressed his joy at this emerging partnership and the active contribution of the club in strengthening emotional well-being among the elderly.
“The 150 friendship conversations donated through the auction will allow 10 pairs of participants to communicate regularly for 4 months. This is a huge gift for our participants, as we all know that sometimes even a single conversation can radically change a person’s life or inspire hope and the will to live anew.”
Providing one pair of participants with weekly conversations for a month costs approximately €38, and for a year – €456.
Those wishing to support Sidabrinė linija can make a donation directly to the account opened in the name of the M. Čiuželis Charity and Support Foundation or choose another method of support that is convenient for them. Support Sidabrinė linija here: https://www.sidabrinelinija.lt/remejams/paramos-budai
The Together Against All campaign does not end in October – it will continue throughout the season, aiming to raise awareness of important social issues and encourage society-wide participation in addressing them.