Merry Christmas for children in Boizenburg: Gehrke-Optic donates gifts!

Merry Christmas for children in Boizenburg: Gehrke-Optic donates gifts!

Advent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will be particularly bright this year, especially for the children in Boizenburg. Kathrin Gehrke and her sister Petra Gehrke-Henze from “Gehrke-Optic” together with street workers have once again taken up the cause of bringing joy to children in need. They have been collecting gifts for the little ones for around ten years to give them the message that they are not forgotten. “That has always been our goal,” says Kathrin Gehrke. Their commitment has become increasingly popular over time.

What began with a small Secret Santa campaign in the optician's shop - where customers brought small gifts - has now developed into a comprehensive campaign. The response is overwhelming, and year after year new gifts for children aged 1 to 15 are added. Toys, books and craft materials are encouraged, while used items are excluded to ensure every child receives a new gift. Northern Courier reports that these gifts not only delight the children, but also reflect the responsibility and solidarity of the city community.

Cohesion and joy

The street workers, who look after many children, also organize leisure activities and a special Christmas party. The gifts make a crucial contribution to creating festive moments and strengthening hope in the community. A simple thought accompanies this campaign: It's not about big or expensive gifts, but about the gesture of giving itself.

But the Gehrke sisters are not alone. You are part of a network of initiatives that support children in need. Another notable contribution to the Advent season comes from the Christmas parcel convoy, which works to ensure that children can actively participate in the good work. The Christmas parcel convoy offers the opportunity for children to donate well-preserved toys and thereby bring joy to other children. The heart of this project is not only to distribute gifts, but also to introduce the children to the spirit of charity.

A light in the darkness

In this context, the Engelbaum project should not go unmentioned. The focus here is on children in need and they are given the opportunity to receive gifts that are specifically chosen for them. In the angel tree project Care is taken to ensure that only children who live in difficult living conditions benefit. More than 7,000 gifts are expected for 2025, which will not only bring joy to children, but also convey hope and confidence.

Advent is not only a time of giving, but also a time of community. "It's important to us that every child can experience a wonderful Christmas. There's a lot more to it than just the presents - it's about belief in good," said the Gehrke sisters. This is impressively proven in Boizenburg when small gifts make big hearts happy.