…there’s the action Christmas biker for the St.Anna Children’s Hospital in Vienna! In 2020 everything is different…Corona does not allow meetings in large groups and visits to hospitals, so the WIMA Austria women decide to carry out their own charity ride, and to support children’s cancer research with financial donations.
On Sun, 20.12.2020, four bikes are transformed into Christmas sleigh and reindeer outfits.
Despite fog, drizzle and cold, Petra, Claudia, Chris and Su, dressed as Christmas women, swing on their dressed up bikes.
Three ladies meet punctually at 13.00 at Grüner Berg and ride together to Praterstern, where Claudia is already waiting and quickly puts on the red jacket. The four Christmas bikes cause a sensation… Drivers and passers-by wave, take photos, and Chris throws sweets and candy to surprised children wherever a red light or a short stop allows it.
At 14.15 we arrive in front of the entrance to St Anna Hospital. The staff of the hospital has been informed of our surprise trip at very short notice, but nevertheless some nurses, parents and little patients packed in thick anoraks arrive to wave at us from the entrance door or the glass bridge on the upper floor.
We don’t stay long. The damp cold creeps under our pointed hats. Soon we swing ourselves back on the bikes and start the ride to the large parking lot of the Kahlenberg. There we want to meet with five other WIMAs at 15.00 to toast us with hot tea and mulled wine (for those who are taken in the car) to Christmas and a hopefully more enjoyable new year 2021! Anneliese, Berti, Michaela, Renate and Chris have brought lots of cookies, Sabine donates Swedish bombs, and Su has, as it is now tradition for years, again provided for a Christmas raffle!
Where it was already cold in the lowlands of Vienna – up on Kahlenberg it is even fresher, and an icy wind also plagues us. Occasional walkers pass by, take selfies with the freezing but cheerful bunch of Christmas women, ask about the purpose of the action and squint at our boxes of cookies.
Before nightfall we want to be home.
Action WIMA Austria goes Christmas-Charity ends shortly before 16.00, has been fun, charged batteries, distributed calories, was something new and will hopefully contribute a little to the support of children’s cancer research! Even if it will only be a drop in the bucket, you know: constant drop…
Merry Christmas and many great prospects for the 2021 Bike Season!!!!
