“Light in the dark”
How strong the cohesion is after two years of pandemic is shown by the willingness to donate for “Licht ins Dunkel”. On Christmas Eve, almost half a million euros were donated to the TV program of ORF Niederösterreich.
The total donation of 490,582 euros reached on December 24th exceeded that of the previous year. On Christmas Eve 2020, 456,189 euros were raised in donations.
With 170,000 euros, the readers of Niederösterreichische Nachrichten (NÖN) put together the largest donation package. This will support seven projects in Lower Austria, for example a generational playground at the Caritas St. Pölten nursing home or a project run by the Wiener Neustadt Cancer Aid, where children of parents with cancer are cared for. The Spar company donated more than 80,000 euros, Raiffeisen is also one of the largest donors this year with 50,000 euros.
“The help from ‘LICHT INS DUNKEL’ is based on two pillars. On the one hand, there are the projects for disabled people and on the other hand, the emergency aid cases in which families with children in Austria who are in need through no fault of their own are supported. ‘LICHT INS DUNKEL’ is in a sense all of us: Either because we need the support or because we give it in the form of a donation ”, says Karl Trahbüchler, head of radio programs at ORF Lower Austria and ambassador for“ LICHT INS DUNKEL ”.
Call for respectful interaction and solidarity
This is how you can donate
- transfer
Recipient: Association LICHT INS DUNKEL
IBAN: AT20 6000 0000 0237 6000
BIC: BAWAATWW
- Call or SMS
A1 donation phone or SMS with the donation amount to 0800 664 24 12
More than three hours of program were broadcast from the ORF regional studios on Christmas Eve, during which supported projects were presented. In addition to the handing over of donations, musical contributions were again broadcast from St. Pölten and supported projects and families were presented.
As every year, prominent supporters of the relief campaign took their places in the studio. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) was unable to come to the state studio in person this year due to a corona case in her environment, but she called in a video message to “get together in the still difficult times”.
“Let’s treat each other with respect in such a demanding time and say ‘thank you’ for sticking together. Because even if we are already fed up with the pandemic, we are still not rid of it, ”said the governor. In the coming year she is looking forward to the “100. Birthday of Lower Austria ”, which offers a chance to focus on the diversity and uniqueness of Lower Austria and to further strengthen the regional identity.
Bishop Schwarz appealed to common ground
The St. Pölten diocesan bishop Alois Schwarz spoke of a “new mindfulness” that is needed to overcome the division in society. “Even if you disagree, it is important that you respect each other as human beings and look for similarities. In this way, despite different points of view, you grow together again in friendship, ”says Schwarz.