Cake for the mayor. © Petra Schaekel

The pupils of the Schwäbisch Gmünd Free Waldorf School are doing things for WOW-Day like the pupils of many other Waldorf schools. Many activities of the lower, middle and upper school pupils collect a considerable sum for schools in need of help in all parts of the world. But in Schwäbisch Gmünd there is a another special source of income. 

Inventive pupils came up with the idea of also offering their home-baked cakes in the town hall nearby.

When Chief Mayor Richard Arnold saw the dish full of cakes and looked into the eyes of the children, he smiled and told them to follow him. He opened a door and ushered the children inside. The mayors of neighbouring villages who were sitting there in suits and ties were in the middle of a meeting and were flabbergasted when the chief mayor told them it was time for a break and a piece of cake. After the gentlemen had recovered from their surprise, they happily made use of the opportunity to purchase a cake and contributed many an extra euro as an additional donation. “But next time you have to come on a Thursday,” the chief mayor advised. “Why on a Thursday?” the children asked. “Well, because that is when the people working in the town hall have an extra long working day and would really appreciate a piece of cake during their coffee break,” he responded with a laugh.

And so it happened that one year later we were able to visit the town hall again on WOW-Day. Our chief mayor had notified all staff in the town all “by decree” that pupils were selling cakes for the benefit of their adopted school in Mbagathi, Kenya. When are you going to knock on the door of your town hall?

WOW-Day 2012: Proceeds: EUR 346,163.27 (as of 29 April 2013). 243 Waldorf schools in 32 countries took part.

The next WOW-Day will take place on 26 September 2013.