“I love volunteering!”
Third volunteer gala of the city of Burghausen with Michaela May in the city hall
Burghausen. 300 volunteers accepted the city of Burghausen's invitation. On Thursday evening, First Mayor Florian Schneider welcomed her in the city hall: “Thank you! What you all do for the community is so important. Without you, Burghausen wouldn't be as worth living in. This is your evening.” The star guest was actress Michaela May, who read from her autobiographical Spiegel bestseller “Behind the Smile” and has been a volunteer for decades. At the end of the evening she wrote in the city's guest book: “I love volunteering!” And you could feel it. For the first time she read the chapter on volunteering from her book, which is now in its fifth edition, in front of an audience. A touching text and a true story from Michaela May's life.
In her book, the 72-year-old tells for the first time about her family's terrible fate. She is one of four children. Her three siblings committed suicide. And as sad and terrible, even unbelievable as one might say, this fate is, the greater the courage of this delicate and strong woman to live. Michaela May sparkled with vitality, joy of life and courage. And everyone in the town hall felt that she honestly enjoyed coming to Burghausen. She has no time to waste, she tries to enjoy this short life now: “And that's why I'm with you today! I was very happy about the personal invitation from the mayor! Without volunteering, society becomes brutal, becoming more and more selfish and also more violent in language,” said the Munich resident.
It was a very personal evening, because after the emotional, entertaining reading, Mayor Schneider talked to the exceptional actress on the podium. She gave many private insights into her life. It gives her support and confidence that she went public with the difficult fate of her family after the death of her parents, which had not been discussed before. “I often receive feedback that many people have had to experience terrible strokes of fate. I'm not alone in this. And that gives us all courage. “I love this life even more because I know how finite it is,” said Michaela May. The 300 volunteer listeners listened spellbound to the panel discussion. You could have heard a pin drop, the people of Burghausen were so interested in listening to the committed mother of two herself.
Michaela May about Burghausen
Before the volunteer gala, Michaela May visited the northern bald ibis and the Wöhrsee: “It’s unbelievable how beautiful it is where you are. And this northern bald ibis project is incredible. You have to enjoy what you have here. I'm almost jealous of how beautiful it is with you. And this castle and the wonderful town square, it’s unique,” enthused the warm-hearted actress.
Voluntary work by Michaela May
Michaela May has been very active in raising awareness and researching the disease cystic fibrosis since the 1980s. You can find out the reason for this in her book. She is also the sponsor of an SOS Children's Village in Ghana and she is an ambassador for Welthungerhilfe. Since 2020, she has also been the godmother of the Retla eV association, alongside Elmar Wepper, who died in autumn 2023, which now campaigns against the isolation of old people across Germany. The number 089/189 100 26 brings together people who are lonely, who want to talk, who are in need.
Michaela May gave people strength at this Burghausen volunteer gala. Strength for life, strength for your commitment as a volunteer, which, as Mayor Schneider pointed out during the welcome, “is not always just nice”. It was a very successful evening in honor of the Burghausen volunteers.
Afterwards there was a Bavarian buffet, lots of conversations and a very sociable get-together. Michaela May signed her books and was engrossed in conversation. Wolfgang Hanniger, Julian Schmidt, Manolo Diaz and Matthias Gmelin provided musical entertainment that evening in a very atmospheric and high-class manner with jazz.
Volunteer galas are a tradition in Burghausen
The third Burghausen volunteer gala 2024 with Michaela May has two predecessors:
2017 with Senta Berger and 2011 with Hannelore Elsner. The latter as a native of Burghausen and fellow actress of Michaela May. The two women filmed the feature film “Family Festival” together in 2015, which was highly praised and received both a Bambi and the German Television Award. Hannelore Elsner died in Munich in 2019; she spent her childhood in Burghausen.
Photo credit: City of Burghausen / köx / ebh
