Grußworte der Präsidenten
President’s Message
Greetings from Paderborn!
Our group arrived on schedule and have since been totally involved in the Sister Cities Experience. Making friends on an International level. Learning the history and culture of another people. Knowing that the world is a large place, but is becoming closer every day.
Susan and I are having a wonderful time with our host family, John and Gertrud Greaves. I am assured that the others in our contingent are having the same experience.
But back to the tasks at hand.
We have a very busy time ahead of us this summer. Besides our regular meetings and Stammtisches, we will have our Membership Appreciation Dinner in June. Norma Bergkoetter is working on the event. Please consult the calendar included in the newsletter and make plans to attend. Bring along some friends. The evening has always been one of good food, good fun and much Gemmultlikeit. The meat and drinks are supplied by the Club and each family is asked to bring a covered dish or desert to complete the meal. These personal favorites really add to the enjoyment of the evening.
If you are able to help with the event, please contact Norma. There is some work left to be done in the planning stage and also in setting the tables late that afternoon and cleanup in the evening. No heavy lifting is required. The more who are able to help will make the setup and cleanup easier and quicker.
Looking forward to this fall, we have the Oktoberfest and the Taste of Germany.
Marie Reichling did a great job managing the food booth at last year’s Oktoberfest, but is unable to assume that duty this year for health reasons. Please, Please let me know if you are interested in leading the effort for this year’s event. I know that you will be able to count on the help of the chairladies from prior years.
Rich Berkel is looking for some help with the Taste of Germany ad program. Much of the time required for this task can be performed on your own schedule. Please contact him if you are able to help in any way.
And finally I must end my message on a sad note. As many of you know, Karl Mandl passed away this Spring. Karl was a past president of Belleville Sister Cities and along with his wife, Anna, one of its earli- est and best supporters. He was a regular attendee at all the meetings and events as well as a contributor to the cause. His gracious demeanor and wonderful wit will be missed. Thank you, Lord, for letting us know him.
President Jerry Reilmann
News from Paderborn
Dear Friends in Belleville and Around,
As these lines are written down the official delegation of BSC is on their way to Paderborn, Germany. The board and the members of DAFK are looking forward to hosting the group of 10. The last official visit was in 2008 when we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of DAFK. DAFK and the host families warmly welcome President Jerry Reilmann and Susan, President Elect Larry Pearson, Past President Ron Fritz and Theresa, Nancy Macklin, Wayne Reichling and Julie Nowak, Herm Schoener and Adrienne Vilotti for their stay from April 27th thru May 1st.
Our program comprises a reception with Mayor Paus at the Rathaus, a tour of the city with a short visit to the new theatre in Paderborn. Have a look at the new building from the webcam:http://www.paderborn.de/stadt/web/webcams.php
Also included in the program is a day excursion: a tour of the open air museum in Detmold, a visit to the Hermannsdenkmal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermannsdenkmal and a “Kaffeetafel” at the Silbermühle, a place with a roman- tic ambience near Paderborn. (http://waldhotel.silbermuehle.de/detmold/english.html).
There will be enough time to pay a visit to the really attractive exhibition about Francis of Assisi, see the photo gallery of the Diözesanmuseum’s exhibit at:
http://www.dioezesanmuseum-paderborn.de/franziskus-ausstellung/bildergalerie-in-der-ausstellung .
This year’s youth exchanges have been organized: 12 young people from Belleville will be in Paderborn from July 13th thru August 2nd. Among other items, a visit to Berlin and a 3 day stay at the North Sea with Cux- haven and Bremen have been planned.
Five high school students from Paderborn will come to Belleville in August for three months on a “Sister City Cultural Exchange”: Maximilian Schlenger from Paderborn will be hosted by Nicholas Arteaga, Robin Drabon – Aidan Cole, Patricia Dickgreber – Joanna Stauder; Greta Koch – Elizabeth Hughes, Melina Schuette – Alexan- dra Mallette.
There will be two students from Belleville coming to Paderborn in summer in return to last year’s exchange: David Swartz (Belleville) will be hosted by Philipp Waeltermann; Chris Crawford will stay with Benedikt Huegemann. We thank everybody involved in these youth projects.
On April 23rd Mayor Eckert and BSC received a group of 4 boys and 4 girls from Paderborn participating in the competition of the FIRST Lego League (http://www.stlouisfirst.org/) in St. Louis starting April 24th. The League introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by building LEGO-based robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface. We have heard they had great fun at City Hall and the Police station. With this wonderful experience in Belleville they will certainly be well motivated to do their best in St. Louis.
Best wishes to our friends in Belleville and around.
Bernd Broer
President
Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary