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A day for the volunteers of tomorrow

A day for the volunteers of tomorrow

“There in front!” calls one boy, “no, let’s go to the back”, says the other and points in the opposite direction. In the Schärdinger district sports hall there were many opportunities for the attending school classes to get to know the local organizations last Friday. The Red Cross, civil protection association, fire brigade or water rescue – to name just a selection – presented themselves and their activities in an exciting and sometimes playful way. The fourth regional volunteer day in Upper Austria took place in Schärding. Before that, these had already taken place in the other parts of the country – in Rohrbach, Steyr and Vöcklabruck. The idea of ​​the Volunteer Days was born out of a package of suggestions that the volunteer organizations formulated together with the OÖ Nachrichten in the Volunteer Manifesto and presented to state politicians last June.

An offer that was also accepted in large numbers in Schärding. “More children and young people came than initially expected,” says Florian Kurz, district manager of the Schärding Red Cross. His staff offered the young guests the opportunity to try their hand at a resuscitation manikin. Pressure massages and ventilations were practiced under the guidance of the dedicated paramedics.

next generation

One station further presented the Schärding water rescue service and local manager Stephan Quirchtmaier. “Today we are simulating a rescue from a river with skateboards and ropes,” explains Quirchtmaier, while the line of interested people is getting longer and longer. Equipped with life jackets and helmets, the children are visibly enthusiastic about the hall. Volunteering is fun – that was one of the many mottos on this day in the district sports hall, where Governor Thomas Stelzer was also a guest.

A day for the volunteers of tomorrowA day for the volunteers of tomorrow

“It is important to us to say a big thank you to the thousands of volunteers who work in the public service in Upper Austria,” says Stelzer, who draws a positive balance of the volunteer days. “The aim was to show that there are many ways to get involved on a voluntary basis and to inspire children and young people to do voluntary work in organizations and clubs.” An aspect that District Governor Rudolf Greiner also emphasized. “It is important for our society that the next generation of volunteers follows.” While the district captain is speaking, the children and young people are still busy walking around the hall. At the beginning of the event, a “volunteer pass” was issued, which was stamped by completing the various tasks. The young guests had the local civil protection association explain, among other things, what the topic of “blackout” is all about and asked the fire brigade how the use of drones should make the work of the comrades easier.

Around 47 percent of people in Upper Austria are currently volunteering. The volunteer days, which proved to be real visitor magnets, should ensure that this number remains high.

Source: Nachrichten

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