Well, the summer is certainly our busiest time of the year.
Besides the normal activities, we attended a concert at Mascoutah High School in honor of the “ White Rose Society“, and attended a dinner cele- bration for the twentieth anniversary of the Columbia/Gedern Sister Cities group. We had a couple of visitors from Paderborn, Heiner Screnkant and Berkhard Broer, on their way to explore Route 66.
Finally, our Sister City group in Paderborn, DAFK, celebrated their 25th Anniversary on June 23rd with much ado at the Rathaus. Nancy Macklin, Kate Eckert and the Schulte sisters were present to represent BSC.
Our annual Membership Appreciation Dinner was well attended. Many thanks to Hilda Koluch for organizing, to Norma Bergkoetter and Theresa Fritz for setting up and to Doris Roach for the pro- gram. Thanks would not be complete if I did not note all the delicious side dishes prepared by our members.
By the time this newsletter is received, we will have welcomed a group of students from Paderborn for three weeks. And a day after they leave we will be welcoming three 90 day students. We are looking forward to their arrival.
Now, on to the fall. The Oktoberfest will be held on September 20-21st and the Taste of Germany on October 6th. See the specific articles later in the newsletter for more details. The election of officers for the next two years will be held at the November 21st membership meeting.
At this juncture I would ask that you be generous with your time when you are contacted to work at the food stand. Please remember that the Oktoberfest and Taste of Germany are the only source of funds for our youth exchange program.
See you at the regular membership meeting on August 15th at Fischers restaurant. Dinner at 5:30 PM, meeting at 6:30 PM.
President Jerry
News from Paderborn
Dear Friends in Belleville and Around,
The German-American Friendship Society Paderborn-Belleville (DAFK) can look back with pride on its 25 th anniversary. On Sun- day June 23 rd . about 270 people gathered in the City Hall to cele- brate what once started in 1988 as the renewing the historical rela- tions between the area around Paderborn and the so called “low Ger- man prairie” , the region around Belleville, where many thousands had emigrated in the 19 th century to start a new life.
This friendship society has developed into a flourishing organization of 460 members.
Reviewing the history of 25 years the US Consul General of Düssel- dorf Stephen A. Hubler who was happy to attend this anniversary event said in his address: “I’ve been especially impressed with the variety of exchange programs that you have organized not only for students and teachers but also for nurses, artists, musicians as well as for police officers…
I think the secret of this successful sister city relationship between Paderborn and Belleville is not really a secret but as with so many others of such partnerships is the result of a continuous engagement of citizens for a project, in this case for the sister city program… and also with the support of their city governments.”
The project of youth exchanges that had been highly acknowledged also in the addresses of Mayor Paus and President Broer are being continued in 2013.
Kate Eckert, daughter of Mayor Eckert, who happened to be in Paderborn as an assistant teacher for one year in the neighboring town of Bad Lippspringe, read an address of her fa- ther. Mayor Eckert warmly thanked everybody involved throughout the years for the efforts to es- tablish and keep this partnership alive.
Nancy Macklin, a member of BSC who had made a quick side trip to Paderborn while in Europe, greeted the assembly in the name of BSC President Jerry Reilmann who in his ad- dress stated: “As we celebrate, let us pause to remember the founders and their efforts. Many of them are no longer with us. They believed that the association would be beneficial for both cities. I believe that they were right. I also believe that they would be amazed at the results of their efforts. Hundreds of students and adults have benefited from our affilia- tion. The encounters will be part of them for the rest of their lives. Our cities and citizens have become closer. We share many happy memories along with our common ancestry.”
See a detailed report of the anniversary (in German) including many pictures:
http://www.dafk-paderborn.de/archiv/2013/130629jubilaeum25_bericht.html
The youth exchanges have been going on: Three students from Belleville who had hosted in 2012 were here in June/July 2013 on a return visit: Alexandra Mallette, Nick Arteaga and Liz Hughes.
12 students from Paderborn and their chaperones Sebastian Schulz and Benedikt Otto ar- rived in Belleville on July 24 – though one day late due to having missed their plane in DC. They’ll stay thru August 13 th ; an interesting program has been organized by BSC.
Three girls from Paderborn will come for a three months visit on August 14 th : Anna Fee We- felmeier (staying with Mrs. Libbie Clements), Jenny Hillebrand (with Courtnie J. Weaver) and Verena Dorniss (with Hannah Bauer).
We thank BSC for the program and the schools and everybody involved in these activities, particularly the hosts.
DAFK could welcome more guests from Belleville for the Libori Fest: Rita Eckert with daughter Lucy and Sally Berkel. They had a great time.
Wishing you all the best for the summer time.
Bernd Broer
President
Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary