December 20, 2022 - A Christmas Miracle

Sole Felsen Welt Aurelia's Christmas Wish

Gmünd, December 21, 2022. The Sole Felsen Welt Gmünd is granting 9-year-old Aurelia Schwed from the Horn district her biggest Christmas wish and making it possible for her and her family to enjoy a relaxing short getaway.

This year, 9-year-old Aurelia Schwed from the Horn district wrote her first letter to the Christ Child, expressing her wish to visit the Sole Felsen Pool Gmünd. The girl addressed the letter to Caritas, which—as it does every year as part of its “Christkindl” campaign—strives to fulfill the wishes of people in need. Individuals can register as “Christmas Angels” and are assigned a wish by Caritas. As a “Christmas Angel,” Ms. Birgit Marie Stangl received Aurelia’s letter and promptly contacted the Sole Felsen Welt Gmünd directly, asking for their support in fulfilling this wish.

The managing director, Mr. Bernhard Strohmeier, was very taken with the idea and not only provided a spa admission for the whole family, but also made it possible for the entire family to enjoy a short getaway at Sole Felsen Welt. “Especially at Christmas, it is particularly important to us—even more so than usual—to bring joy to others and offer our support. It is a great pleasure for us to fulfill Aurelia’s wish and thus provide a relaxing break for a very nice family with five children during these challenging times,” said Managing Director Bernhard Strohmeier.

Angela Peichl, an employee at Caritas St. Pölten, was also delighted—along with her entire department—by the offer from Sole Felsen Welt could hardly believe it. So, on December 20, 2022, the ceremonial presentation of the gift certificate for two nights’ stay with half-board, spa admission, a massage, a children’s cocktail, a surprise gift, and much more—valued at 1,278 euros—took place for the overjoyed Schwed family.

“How do you manage with five children?” we are asked time and again. “With a lot of idealism, help from grandparents, some organizational skills, and plenty of trust in God!” is roughly how we answer. We are happy and grateful for every single one of our children, but honestly, we sometimes reach our limits. Fortunately, there is Caritas Family Assistance, which has been supporting us time and again with household chores and childcare for four years now. This support is especially invaluable when one parent is unable to work due to illness. This year, we learned for the first time about Caritas’s Christmas campaign, in which generous donors fulfill children’s Christmas wishes. Last week, we were absolutely amazed to learn that not only would our daughter’s wish for a trip to the thermal spa come true, but that the Sole Felsen Welt Gmünd is actually giving us a short vacation for the whole family with two nights’ accommodation.

Our “Christmas angel” had actually delivered our daughter Aurelia’s wish straight to Gmünd! It brings us great joy to learn that people who don’t even know us and expect nothing in return take pleasure in doing something good for us! It is in moments like these that Christmas truly comes to life, when someone takes that step, as in the famous song that says, “Arise and become light!” and becomes a light for their fellow human beings. Merry Christmas and a heartfelt thank you! From the Schwed family.