TAIF-NK employees together with their families spend Health Day in nature
Not had time to subside the emotions after Sabantuy in Nizhnekamsk, where TAIF-NK JSC presented its site, as the incessant children's laughter, enthusiastic exclamations, and chanting of team mottos were again heard on the city maidan. Representatives of the oil refining company spent Health Day so cheerfully, fervently, sportily, and warmly. This year, the cultural and sports event was timed to coincide with Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity, which is usually celebrated in Russia on July 8. The participants showed their physical abilities and endurance — they developed a sense of rhythm in dancing, did yoga, jumped on a giant rope and inflatable bananas, pedalled on exercise bikes and, having tried on a matryoshka costume, raced. Cotton candy, popcorn, animators, active contests, soap bubbles, and a magician's show awaited the youngest. About how the Health Day was held at TAIF-NK JSC, who passed the GTO (Ready for Labour and Defence) norms perfectly, won the Race of Heroes, and why the company pays such close attention to the development of sports and promotion of healthy lifestyle — in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
Sports and production are inseparable
This year, it has been decided to hold the Health Day at TAIF-NK JSC in a picturesque place near Nizhnekamsk — on the city maidan. The cultural and sports event was organised on Saturday so that as many employees of the company and their family members as possible could attend it.
Already at the entrance, the guests were enveloped in a friendly atmosphere. Sunny weather and incendiary music set a special mood. On this day, the participants demonstrated all their strength qualities, dexterity, endurance, reaction, endurance, and team spirit. The sports competitions for the employees of TAIF-NK JSC were prepared by professional coaches from the Atom and Cleversport sports clubs.
Maxim Novikov, the director general of TAIF-NK JSC, came to the sports and family event together with his wife and younger son. They have been married to their spouse for 22 years, they have three children. The director general of the company went up on stage for a welcoming speech not alone, but with the baby in his arms.
“Today we have gathered with you again to hold a cultural and sports weekend as one big and friendly team. This is not the first large-scale event, and I hope that such an active and positive holiday will become a tradition and we will gather together every year. We timed this event to coincide with Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity, which is traditionally celebrated in early July, so I am doubly pleased that our relatives and friends are with us today! Today we have organised such a wonderful playground for our children, who will definitely not be bored, and believe me, you will find something to your liking here!” he said solemnly.
Addressing the audience, Maxim Novikov stressed that sports and production are two complementary factors. A healthy team spirit helps in achieving goals and making important decisions.
“I've said more than once that I constantly see those who reach certain heights in production at our sporting events, and I am very glad that you are cheerful, friendly, and active not only at production facilities. Many thanks to our friends, partners, Atom and Cleversport fitness centres, for their support! Once again, I welcome everyone and declare our event open," he said.
“Impressions will remain for a long memory”
After the official opening, the guests, divided into 12 teams, went to conquer the sports peaks. On this day, they were to go through a lot of comic competitions. For example, to knock out giant skittles with a ball, jump over a five-metre rope, jump like a horse on inflatable bananas.
The funniest challenge, as the participants noted, was Russian Dolls — in clumsy costumes, it was necessary to run several laps on speed, while not falling.
“It's very difficult and, at the same time, very funny," Enge Ziyatdinova, an engineering technologist at the HRCC, shared her impressions of the competitions. She came to the sports event with her husband Marat and eldest son Amir.
“The event is great! Many thanks to the management of the company for the organisation. It is very important that Health Day is timed to coincide with Family Day. Everyone have come with their families, children. I like everything," she said without hiding her emotions.
“We had a great time. The impressions will remain for a long memory," her husband Marat supports her.
“Each contest is interesting and unusual in its own way. At first, it seemed to me that there was nothing difficult about dancing, jumping rope, or inflatable bowling. But in practice, it turned out to be not so easy. I haven't laughed like that for a long time," Amir says with a smile.
The competitions organised by professional trainers of Atom and Cleversport fitness clubs deserved special attention. The participants trained in the group functional cardio training Cycle, designed to work out all muscle groups. They showed endurance on rowing, cardio, and exercise bikes, demonstrated flexibility in team yoga and a sense of rhythm in bachata dance.
“This is not our first joint event with TAIF-NK. Our club really likes to cooperate with the management and with the assets of the company. Most of the company's employees train in our club, love sports, support a healthy lifestyle, and this is very cool!” says Roman Kazakov, the head coach of Atom fitness club. “Today we have presented four sites. The tasks are designed so that the teams band together, show character and will to win.
Nikolay Sorokin, the director of Cleversport fitness club, is confident that such events help to achieve several goals in the team at once — to create motivation among employees, get to know each other in an informal setting, rally the team, and free from routine tasks.
“Fitness is not only about physical health, but also emotional. It is worth noting that team building is gaining more and more popularity among the employees of TAIF-NK. Such events help to reach new heights not only in personal life, but also in the workplace. People who play sports are the most active unit of the enterprise, future managers of the company," Nikolay Sorokin is sure.
Each contest required ingenuity, dexterity, strength and, of course, the ability to trust each other. The process unit operator at TAIF-NK Oil Refinery, Alexander Pimenov, is confident that such sports starts help to develop leadership skills, overcome all obstacles together.
“For me, today there have been two difficult competitions — this is a jump rope and jumping on inflatable bananas. Not everything I could do from the first time, but I think it will definitely work out next time," he is sure.
The heads of departments took an active part in sports starts. The director of the refinery of TAIF-NK JSC, Vladimir Lakhomov, came to the maidan on a bicycle. According to him, he enjoys riding a two-wheeled vehicle in his spare time.
“I want to show my colleagues by my example that a bicycle is a very useful form of transport. Cycling is something like a workout, and very active. And the weather is fine today. It's nice that today the company's employees have gathered at the event together with their loved ones and relatives. Everyone participates in the competitions with great pleasure," Vladimir Lakhomov notes.
Free cotton candy, popcorn, magic tricks, and soap rain
While the adults performed sports tasks, the children frolicked under the close attention of animators. Fairy-tale heroes turned the event into an amazing fairy tale that every child waits for. Cartoon characters, beloved by all kids, held fun contests, charades, and competitions.
And, of course, no one was left indifferent by an amazing soap bubble show! Another pleasant surprise was free cotton candy and popcorn. At the end of the event, memorable gifts awaited the children.
“Great weekend. I have come with my wife and daughter, we got so many impressions from fun contests, animators," admits Ildar Khayrullin, an electrician at the HRCC of TAIF-NK JSC.
“Everything is very great. Great weekend. I would like to say a special thank you for that such a chic event has been arranged for children, treated with cotton candy, and presented gifts. The child is delighted," says Maria Tarasova, an economist at TAIF-NK JSC.
“Cool! Fun! Super! I have no words! Thank you for the emotions and mood!” Anastasia Konova, a design engineer of TAIF-NK JSC, expressed her impression.
17 golden GTO badges
It is worth noting that sports life in TAIF-NK JSC does not stand still throughout the year. The company constantly hosts various corporate competitions: tournaments in table tennis, mini-football, volleyball, skiing, and swimming. The company also takes an active part in city competitions. To keep fit, oil refiners regularly visit fitness centres. Every employee of TAIF-NK JSC has the opportunity to play table tennis, football, volleyball, play hockey or just skate with the whole family on the ice arena and much more.
Besides, this year, for the first time, the company's employees have passed the GTO standards. The age of the participants was very different, workers from 26 to 59 years old tested their endurance. The results are impressive — 17 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze badges.
Distinguished employees in the sports life of the enterprise were also distinguished at the cultural and sports event. Maxim Novikov, the director general of TAIF-NK JSC, presented well-deserved awards to employees who showed a high level of physical fitness while performing the GTO complex.
Receiving the award, Gulnur Kurbangalieva, an engineer of the sanitary laboratory of TAIF-NK JSC, noted that her parents instilled in her a love for physical education from childhood. From the very beginning, sport has been an integral part of her life.
“We tried very hard not to let down our native enterprise. Thank you very much to the management that we have the opportunity to participate in various sports competitions. I am proud that I now have a golden GTO badge," Gulnur Kurbangalieva shared her impressions.
First place in the Race of Heroes
Employees of the company who participated in the popular extreme competition Race of Heroes, which was held in Samara, were also distinguished at Health Day. Two platoons from TAIF-NK took part in a series of obstacle races designed by engineers and experienced instructors. One of them took a confident first place, ahead of the nearest rivals by 5 minutes.
“Having shown teamwork, mutual support and fortitude, the first platoon consisting of nine people won an unconditional victory, adequately representing TAIF-NK joint stock company at Russian competitions! The second platoon passed the obstacle course with no less dignity and won 11th place... but here we must pay tribute to that the guys from the second platoon are beginners, they have participated in such large and difficult competitions for the first time, so they still have everything ahead of them! I thank all for your active sports position, for promoting a healthy lifestyle, and making a great contribution not only to production activities, but also to maintaining the status of a socially oriented, young and purposeful enterprise in all spheres of life!” Maxim Novikov said, addressing the participants of the races.
Among the winners of the Race of Heroes — Ilnaz Valiev, a machinist at the TAIF-NK Oil Refinery. He has worked for the company for more than 8 years and all this time participates in sports competitions — he does not miss football and volleyball tournaments. In his spare time, he trains in a sports club.
“This is our common victory, the merit of each team member. We've known each other for a long time. Therefore, we decided to get together and show ourselves. To participate in the race, we prepared hard, met after work in the gym. We alternated several types of physical activity at once to achieve high results. I love sports since childhood. I played football professionally at school. Now I am fond of crossfit," Ilnaz Valiev notes.
At the end of the sports part of the event, the team members held a flash mob, creating the large inscription 'TAIF-NK Family'.
Then a delicious lunch in nature awaited everyone. Freshly cooked pilaf, salads, and pastries calmed the rampant appetite. They talked over a cup of tea in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The highlight of the event was a magician's show.
The audience was genuinely delighted with the performance, which demonstrated the physical and spiritual relationship between husband and wife. A white dove that unexpectedly fluttered out of the magician's picture brought special joy to the children. The bird circled in the sky for several minutes, personifying a symbol of love, peace, and kindness.