For many years, donations from VARENA to the KinderVilla Steinbach am Attersee have enabled children and teenagers to enjoy positive experiences and activities. No less than €6500 was collected at VARENA in 2022 as a result of various campaigns held over the year. It is already the twelfth time that the proceeds from VARENA campaigns have been used specifically for the KinderVilla in Steinbach am Attersee. This social and educational institution looks after children from the ages of 3 to 15 who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and provides them with security, stability and comfort.

Under the cooperation agreement between the Red Cross of Upper Austria and VARENA, which has been extended until 2025, the main priorities are first aid, security and health. Cooperation continues to focus on the goal of promoting the development of social and humanitarian values in children. As part of the childcare in LOLLIPOP and the KNOXI children’s holiday programme, children are encouraged to help others early on and are to cope with possible emergencies , in particular with activities from the Upper Austrian Red Cross’s ROKO programme. Another priority for the partnership is general health and safety, and for this purpose a major training drill for a predefined situation is also held for staff at VARENA once a year. Special campaigns such as blood donor drives are also supported and organised at VARENA.

The very committed women from the Ladies Circle Club and Agora have set themselves the task of helping people in need through charity projects. VARENA regularly provides them with active support. The Christmas tree decorations campaign 2022 is a good example. Discarded Christmas tree ornaments from Gmundner Keramik that previously decorated the VARENA Christmas tree were given away by the women in return for a voluntary donation. In addition, during the annual Christmas gift-wrap campaign, VARENA collects presents for children in need that are delivered by the Round Table family to orphanages, hospitals, nursery schools, homes for the disabled and schools in remote rural areas in Romania. In this way together we can help children who would otherwise not receive any Christmas presents.