Third Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition employee fundraiser raises the largest amount to date – Proceeds go to the Ahrweiler child protection agency
Ulrike Ring-Scheel, chair of the Ahrweiler district child protection agency (»Kinderschutzbund«), was literally beaming when accepting the Dr. Eckel donation on behalf of her team. The proceeds were raised in a fundraiser organised by the family business in Niederzissen. This is the third time employees organised the companywide auction, coming up with creative offerings ranging from home-made Döppekuchen (potato pot roast), liqueurs and baked goods to holiday tips and handicrafts lessons, all the way to flower arranging classes and personal jogging coaching. And everyone was eager to join. The proceeds from the auction alone amounted to €1,500. CEO Dr Antje Eckel doubled the already substantial amount, bringing the total donation presented to the child protection agency to a whopping €3,000.
The Ahrweiler district child protection agency has been a constant in educational initiatives for more than 30 years. Providing a wide range of services including baby massages, handicraft clubs, afternoon forest trips, counselling centres and the ‘Nummer gegen Kummer’ helpline, the organisation’s committed volunteers and staff are always there for children, youths, parents and educators needing support, guidance or simply a sympathetic ear. And they are frequently needed, especially due to the impacts of Covid, which are increasingly evident, and, particularly in our district, the aftermath of last summer’s floods. The child protection agency is a non-profit organisation, so it depends on donations to provide the great services it does here, the effects of which go far beyond the children concerned.
“Donations like this make a huge difference in individual projects,” explains agency head Manuela Kaufmann. “A case in point is our pony Merlin, which we were recently able to purchase.” Children participating in workshops with the pony interact with the animal and with nature in a completely different manner, creating a new experience. As the project is still in progress, financial support came at the right time. Benjamin Keuler, who presented the donation on behalf of the Dr. Eckel employees, was pleased that his and his colleagues’ contribution would ensure that the important initiatives of the child protection agency would continue to benefit children, youths and families in the Ahrweiler district.