A big thank you

Supporting public health with training sessions for the entire body is a common goal that has moved many supporters. Without their generous support, the ShapePark outdoor gym and trail would never have been realized. It is open 24 h every day, free to use for everybody, individually or in professionally coached group training sessions.

In the name of all the users who benefit from the free use of the ShapePark, a big thank you to each and every one in Switzerland and Israel who contributed to this cause. A special thank you goes to:

• The municipality of Kfar Saba and “The Kfar Saba Economic Development Company” for being receptive to the idea to promote public health with an outdoor gym and trail, and for providing the land as well as building and maintaining the ShapePark. Special thanks go to the expert leadership of Itay Zachar, managing director of the municipality.
• Yvette and Dr. mult. h.c. Thomas Karger, Switzerland, Steven’s parents for making the ShapePark possible.
• Steven’s wife Lea and the children Shay, Yonat, and Ron, as well as Steven’s siblings Gabriella, Viviane, and Philip, and their families for their support.
• KKL Germany for funding many more trees along the trail.
• Vita Parcours Foundation and ZURICH vitaparcours Switzerland, who allowed us to use the signs and adapt them to Hebrew for use in Israel, and strongly supported us with knowledge transfer. The detailed expert knowledge and advice on the construction of the new trail were extremely valuable.
• Lior Wolf, the outstanding landscape architect whose talent is visible all along the fitness trail.
• Ruven Banay the experienced and professional lighting specialist who lit up the way for a perfect workout at all hours.
• Nitzan Avidor, the artist who created a unique sculpture for Shape Park.

Yvette and Dr. mult. h.c. Thomas Karger, Switzerland, Steven’s parents supported the ShapePark from the beginning. Without them, the ShapePark would not exist today.

Their generosity enabled the sports equipment at the stations and the production of the instruction signs (together with ISTRA TradeLink Ltd., Kfar Saba).

Yvette and Thomas Karger also made the enhancement of the ShapePark possible by funding the lighting that permits training day and night, the irrigation infrastructure, trees, relaxation corners, and drinking stations.

Last, but not least, the Karger family supports the professionally coached group training sessions to make them accessible and affordable for everyone.

For more than 40 years, Thomas Karger was the CEO and president of the family owned Karger Publishers in Basel, Switzerland, a globally active medical and scientific publishing company. The company is independent and has been family-run for four generations; it is currently run by the chairwoman and publisher Gabriella Karger. The company is dedicated to serving the information needs of the scientific community through the publication of high-quality content, covering all fields of medical science. Thomas Karger was responsible for the internationalization of the company and was twice awarded with an honorary doctorate degree.