By Bjorn Trautwein
She takes care of little children, he takes care of the elders in our town. Together they light up the Heldentanne at Pariser Platz on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Helena Luise Glatthaar (22) from Zehlendorf and Jochen Wendland (38) won the BZ and lekker Energie advent campaign. Starting tomorrow, they will ensure Christmas splendor at the Brandenburg Gate.
For the past two years, law student Helena has been visiting and caring for the Malteser children whose fathers or mothers are so ill that they will die.
She says to the BZ: “I am currently accompanying a four-year-old boy whose father is terminally ill with leukemia.” And further: “We usually see each other once a week for four hours. He usually talks about daycare and is just happy about the attention I give him.”
Helena (22) looks after a boy whose father is seriously ill. The two regularly romp on the playground in Zehlendorf. Information on volunteering: www.malteser-berlin.de Photo: Ufuk Ucta
45 volunteers like Helena work for the outpatient children’s hospice and family support service. The helpers currently look after around 80 families a year. “Last year I took care of three siblings until their father died,” says Helena about the sad fate. “It’s an important job and a lot less stressful than you think. It would be good if we were all more open about death.”
While Helena takes care of the youngest Berliners, Jochen Wendland works for the oldest in our city.
The team leader of the duty-free shop in BER spends a lot of time with seniors for the association “Freunde Alter Menschen”.
He visits Marianne (82) in Mitte every two weeks. Wendland: “We do a lot together, go to the museum. The nice thing is that both benefit. I learn a lot from the life of another generation, they have company.” He also has a grandmother of his own. “I also visit them regularly, they don’t miss out.”
Jochen Wendland (38) and Marianne (82) got to know each other through the association “Freunde Alten Eltern” (Friends of Older People). If you are lonely yourself, you can find help there. www.famev.de Photo: Olaf Selchow
As a thank you for the commitment of the two, lekker Energie donated 5000 euros to each of the two projects.
Managing Director Josef Thomas Sepp: “I congratulate our Berlin heroes this year. Both are involved in areas that need a lot more attention.”