Penza, 13 June 2015. PenzaNews. The federal TV channels did the coverage of the events that took place in Penza during the celebration of Russia Day and City Day on Friday, June 12.

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In particular, the NTV channel filming crew took interest in the charity lottery that distributed the souvenirs donated by the Penza officials, businessmen and public organizations.

As Oleg Sharipkov, executive director of Civil Union foundation, told the Moscow journalists, he got the idea to have a lottery for the unusual but largely impractical items when he saw the shelves in the vice mayor’s cabinet nearly crackling under the weight of novelty items.

The TV report included the shots taken in the foundation office during the packing-up process before the lottery; in the office of the city administration head Yuri Krivov who donated three bags of souvenirs; and in the Belinsky public garden where the lottery had taken place.

The journalist focused their cameras not only on the elderly and the mothers with children, but also on the acting Penza region governor Ivan Belozertsev and the acting regional government chairman Mikhail Kosoy.

Channel One also did a coverage of the Penza events.

Along with the clips taken in other cities, the federal TV channel showed the annual Sura river raft race: however, the journalists at the capital mistook the river that goes through the city center for a pond due to its appearance.

“Here the people decided to celebrate Russia Day in their own unique fashion – by swimming over the city pond using makeshift boats and rafts. Just like that, no official air, they celebrated and at least amused the whole country,” the news reporter commented on the Penza clip.