Europa-Park: First Communion kids donate to Einfach Helfen

At Europa-Park, 40 First Communion children from the region made an unusually clear choice: instead of taking home return gifts, they donated the money for children in need. The handoff to Mauritia Mack, chair of the association “Einfach Helfen e.V. – Hilfe für Kinder in Not,” took place in Silver Lake City — and it lands hard because the decision came from the kids themselves.

At the traditional end of the school year, the First Communion children gathered there. Together with parish worker Rosi Haas of the Maria Frieden pastoral unit, the 40 children from Kippenheim, Kippenheimweiler, Mahlberg, Orschweier and Schwanau chose to skip return gifts and send the money to two children from the region. Kippenheim pastor Matthias Ibach backed the effort. Each of the two children will receive 1,027.75 euros.

Rosi Haas has guided the initiative for 15 years and is now retiring. Speaking to Mauritia Mack and the Einfach Helfen e.V. team, she voiced her appreciation for the association’s work, carried out entirely by volunteers. Mauritia Mack thanked her and the First Communion children: “It is not a given that you commit yourselves to the common good at such a young age. In doing so, you show others how much can be achieved together and how important it is to stand up for society.”

Afterwards, Mauritia Mack and secretary Gabi Ehret outlined the work of Einfach Helfen e.V. The association has existed since 2008 and helps families in the region who have fallen into existential hardship through serious illness or misfortune. The Silver Lake City presentation shows how tangible local solidarity can be — and what young people can set in motion with one clear decision.