For many people, the holiday season is about family, friends, and the joy of giving and receiving gifts from loved ones. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everybody. During the 2020 holiday season, Random Acts Communications Coordinator Bea Arbeiter decided to bring some holiday joy to at-risk youth in her hometown of Neustadt in Bavaria, Germany, by fulfilling some of their wishes that were posted on local wish trees.
Making Wishes Come True
“I have heard about the local wish trees for the past two years already and this year, with the pandemic, it all was a little different and fewer people were willing to fulfill the wishes, so I decided to step in,” Bea explains her motivation. She went to two different locations that had wish trees and selected two cards from each tree, meaning that she could make four recipients happy with her act.
Supporting Small and Local Businesses
The ongoing pandemic is rough on a lot of small businesses, so Bea tried to shop locally. Even when she had to order some of the gifts online, she decided to support small local businesses as well. After she assembled all the presents, she wrapped them nicely and made sure that each wrapping fit the recipient’s personality.
Helping At-Risk Youth
Bea shared her giving spirit with kids and teens who needed it most. “I hope I was able to brighten their Christmas because without the wish tree they would not have gotten any presents,” she says. These gifts are especially welcome this time of year.
