Lilly Becker & Stars Support Children’s Charity

It is one of the most wonderful traditions on the first weekend of Advent, because children’s laughter is the most beautiful laughter! This year, on the Saturday of the first weekend of Advent, numerous celebrities met again at the big “Children’s Laughter Gala” in Dortmund. The big charity event organized by the “Kinderlachen eV” association, which took place in Dortmund for the 21st time this year, now has a permanent place in the stars’ calendar.

The two founders of “Kinderlachen eV”, Christian Vosseler and Marc Peine, were once again able to welcome many prominent supporters to the Dortmund trade fair for the good cause: the approximately 700 guests included entertainer and comedian Matze Knop, model Lilly Becker, manager Peter Olsson with his wife, the actress Claudelle Deckert, Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt, the actors Ben Heinrichs and Tabea Heynig (“Unter uns”), music producer Thomas M. Stein, model Annika Gassner, rapper Kollegah and Philipp Prinz von Thurn und Taxis.

The “Kind Award” goes to Michael Schulte

The highlight of the evening this year was once again the presentation of the “Child Awards”: an award for social commitment that annually honors people and organizations that support children in need. Previous winners include Franz Beckenbauer, Peter Maffay, Annie Lennox, Roger Federer, Franco Nero, Max Giesinger and Jan Ullrich.

This year, singer-songwriter Michael Schulte was pleased to receive an award because he was honored in the “national” category. The musician, himself the father of two sons, was very happy about the award, which he received from music producer Thomas M. Stein: “It is a great honor for me that I can receive this award today and use music to help others. This award is an incentive for me to do even more and to help even more children – children who are not doing so well. When children are healthy, then that is the best thing.”

Christmas will be a family celebration for the father of two: “Traditionally, we have roulades or roast beef at home, or we go to Austria and go skiing to show the children the snow.”

The children were clearly the focus that evening. The guests listened with emotion to the small and large stage guests who told their touching stories – including two children from the Hamburg “Arche” or little Danilo with his mother, who reported on the progress of a dolphin therapy that makes “children’s laughter” possible.

Lilly Becker: “We mothers have the power”

These fates also touched Lilly Becker, who attended the gala for the first time: “Christian Vosseler invited me and I was happy to come. I’m always happy to be there when it comes to supporting children, because we parents, especially we mothers, have the power.” She celebrates Christmas in her new home of Düsseldorf: “It’s a tradition that we always celebrate Christmas where we live.”

This year’s “special prize” went to musician Nik P., who came with his wife Karin. He sang his new song “An den Himmel”. He was then surprised by Marc Peine with the award and appointed “Kinderlachen” ambassador. “Supporting children’s laughter is very important to me because I am a burned child myself,” he said.

Honor for football coach Ralf Rangnick

Football coach Ralf Rangnick, coach of the Austrian national team, was also honored. With his “Ralf Rangnick Foundation” he is committed to education, exercise and healthy nutrition for children.

The prize in the “Kind Award International” category went to entrepreneur Reiner Meutsch. With his “Fly & Help” foundation, he supports school construction projects worldwide: “Only if children can read, write and count do they have a chance of a self-determined future.”

Matze Knop and presenter Nika Krosny-Wosz took over the moderation. Knop made the guests laugh and charmingly led the auction, which included hand-signed football boots and a work of art by Kollegah.

At the end of the evening there was a record sum of 1,060,573.34 euros. “This year’s award marks another milestone,” said Christian Vosseler. “What started small 21 years ago has grown steadily today.”