Successful Make a Wish campaign: 305 happy children

This year, the willingness to donate a present was especially high: 305 presents were delivered to the Kindergartens. (Source: Jacobs University) ,

 

December 21, 2020

It was the 12th edition of the wish list campaign Make a Wish: Last Friday, more than 300 children from kindergartens in northern Bremen received presents that were donated by Bremen citizens. The charity project is organized every year by Jacobs University, the parents’ association EPSYMO e.V. and Vegesack Marketing. Jacobs University students Alina Popa and Luna Ponelies are happy that as main student organizers they contribute significantly to the project and are able to support local children – especially in these difficult times.

, Alina Popa (left) and Luna Ponelies lead the Jacobs University Rotaract Club, which is instrumental in organizing the Make a Wish campaign. (Source: Jacobs University)

“It’s all about helping financially disadvantaged children,” said Alina, president of Jacobs University’s Rotaract Club. “For the kids, Santa Claus is very important, so why shouldn’t he come because of corona?”, asked the student of Biochemistry and Cell Biology.  

The Rotaract Club is the youth organization of the international Rotary movement and, under student leadership, organizes the wish list campaign every year in cooperation with the parents' association EPSYMO e.V. and Vegesack Marketing. The wish lists filled out by the children hang on Christmas trees in downtown Vegesack and on the campus of Jacobs University. Citizens of Bremen have the opportunity to take a wish list from the tree, buy one of the listed gifts and hand it in in Vegesack or on the university campus.

So, on December 18, 305 presents were delivered to the Kindergartens at Neuenkirchener Weg and Fillerkamp as well as to EPSYMO. This year, the willingness to donate a present was especially high. “It was the first year where all the wishes were taken off the trees, even before the deadline. We are very grateful for this generosity,” said Luna, the club’s secretary.

In the past, Jacobs University’s Santa Clauses and Elves went to hand out the presents personally. But due to the corona situation, this was not possible this year and so the teachers handed them out instead. “But we made sure that the kids got a message from Santa,” explained Luna.

“We feel very lucky to study at Jacobs University and we try to give back as much as possible to the community, also outside of campus. It’s an amazing opportunity for us to do something for the local children, many of which also have an international background, like us,” said Luna.