Charity Organization Unveils Paul Moor's Workshop as Gathering Spot
Celebration Day at the Expanded Paul Moor School
The excitement was palpable as the headmistress, Marion Middendorp, announced lunch: "Today's a special day! We're having pizza with salad and chocolate pudding," she yelled to the students. This was no ordinary day for the special needs school of the Caritas association: "You don't get to expand a school every few years," Middendorp reminded during the opening ceremony, attended by the entire school community and numerous guests. Starting the next school year, the Paul Moor School will accommodate 140 students - ten more than before.
Over the past two and a half years, two new buildings have risen on the school grounds at Am Kuhbaum in Hardter Wald. One houses the Paul Moor Atelier, and the other, a new classroom, therapy room, and the caretaker's residence. The buildings are connected by a covered area for displays and events. The project, requiring the partial demolition of the former Caritas kindergarten, moved to Urftstraße years ago, cost around 1.2 million euros invested by the Caritas association.
Caritas managing director Frank Polixa described the new Paul Moor Atelier as more than just walls, workbenches, and paint holders: "Here we are creating a space for creativity, encounters, and inclusion. A space where young people can experiment and explore their artistic side." The atelier welcomes diverse groups, Polixa emphasized: "We aim to work collaboratively with our students and residents from the neighborhood and city." The students of the Paul Moor School, Polixa stated, are a testament to creativity's limitless potential.
Dr. Christof Wellens, Caritas chairman, thanked the Sparkassenstiftung Mönchengladbach for covering the costs for the exterior exhibition walls, worth around 30,000 euros. Further support came from the Caritas foundation Mönchengladbach, citizens, and institutions who contributed to the project with donations.
Mayor Felix Heinrichs admonished Joseph Beuys' quote: "Every person is an artist." He then pointed to the Paul Moor School: "Art doesn't discriminate based on skin color, language, or disability. Thank you for embodying that here." Warm greetings from Bishop Helmut Dieser were conveyed by Pastor Hannokarl Weishaupt. The bishop's vicar for Caritas affairs and first chairman of the Caritas association for the diocese of Aachen blessed the new rooms.
The students were met with thunderous applause for their performance, which showcased a song, the Toca-Toca dance, and a presentation of the "Zirkus Moorejubbel." Two artworks already graced the opening of the Paul Moor Atelier: A large woven picture created for the 2023 pilgrimage adorns the entrance, and artist Susanne Gersak crafted a metal cross adorned with small wings and self-engraved wishes.
Such expansion and renovation projects often aim to enhance the learning environment by providing modern facilities like art studios and therapeutic spaces. Funding typically comes from government grants, private donations, and fundraising campaigns. For more precise details about the Paul Moor School's expansion, the Caritas association would be the best resource. Their official website should offer comprehensive information about the project, its objectives, funding sources, and the specific functions of the Paul Moor Atelier.
The celebration at the expanded Paul Moor School was more than just a special day for the students; it marked an enhancement in their education-and-self-development as the new facilities would provide them with modern art studios and therapeutic spaces. The expansion and renovation projects, like the one at the Paul Moor School, aim to improve the lifestyle of the students by creating spaces for creativity and encounters.
