Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

The year 2007 promises to again be a busy one for our Sister City organization.

Besides the usual programs we are involved in, we are joining together with area Sister Cities to host the State Convention that will take place at Our Lady of Snows Convention Center on April 20 and 21. Our co-hosts are Columbia, Waterloo, Millstadt and Carbondale Skis, We think we will have an outstanding program of speakers, entertainment, tour and facilities. It will be the first Illinois Convention held in the southern part of the state, and we hope to win the favor of the Northerners with our program and hospitality. With all the resources and good minds available in our wide area, it something to anticipate.

We hope that many of you will put the convention on your calendar and plan to attend. as we all have much to gain by interesting workshops, speakers and guests. One day reservations are available to hosting memberships, so if it is not possible to attend both days, for a $60 fee, there will be a $35 fee for one day, which will include program and meal. Meeting just one more charming person is worth the price. More information will be sent to you when the program is prepared, but mark your calendar now.

This year for the first time we are cooperating with the SCI Young Artist Showcase. We are inviting youths 13 to l8 years of age to submit a piece of artwork that expresses their interpretation of the Sister City mission throughout the world. They will be displayed along with other entries from young artists throughout the state at the April convention. For information and entry form, please contact me. I will be meeting with art teachers at local high schools to explain the program.
We are also looking forward to a delegation of visitors from our Paderborn, Germany Sister City October 11 to 15 Hosting one of our foreign guests is a unique experience, and I hope that if you have never done so, you take advantage of the opportunity if it presents itself.

Plans for a visit to our Paderborn Sister City along with an Eastern European trip are in the works for 2008. Make a note.

In July we will again be taking part in the annual Youth Exchange, with Belleville as this year’s host. Our youth committee is busy selecting hosts and preparing their two week schedule of activities.

The Belleville SCI float in the Santa Claus Parade won First Place and $100. Thanks to all who helped in any way. I am sure there is some creative person in our group who has wonderful ideas for parade entries and would like to come forth. We also take part in the Shriner’s parade in the summer, and need some minor, pleasing entry, rather than just a convertible. Think hard and contact me with suggestions.
The beginning of a new year means our membership dues are payable. There is a flyer in this newsletter for renewing your membership. I hope you do so promptly to make it easy on our Membership Chairman Larry Schaltenbrand, so reminders do not need to be sent.

Your dues mean more than just your name as one of the nearly 300 on our roster. They are a ticket to new experiences, new friends, locally and globally. Members who regularly attend are always happy to see new faces in the group.

Every 3rd Thursday is an opportunity to share an evening with members.

Our meetings are held quarterly, the other months we meet for Stammtisch, sharing a meal and evening of congeniality at a different local restaurant, sometimes in area towns. Our Christmas dinner scheduled location had to be changed because the restaurant closed and was held at Paesano’s (also now closed) and the January Stammtisch was held at Mariachi’s. The April 3rd Thursday Stammtisch will not be held, to encourage more members to take part in the State Convention held the following day at Our Lady of Snows.

We look forward to greeting you all at our General Membership meeting at Fischer’s Restaurant on Thursday, February 15.

Remember to read all the Newsletters available on the internet. Addresses are provided on the back side page.

Norma Bergkoetter

 

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and Around:

This year has started with some heavy storms on both sides of the Atlantic. We saw on TV the consequences of the ice-storms in the US, here we had heavy winds (with such an extent as not been experienced for ages) that did a lot of damage, especially to the woods or trees falling on property and people. Even the railway traffic had been affected for a few days. Are these weather conditions predicting weather changes around the globe that may even become worse?

Nevertheless, we hope that you started with optimism into the new Year.

Here in Paderborn, people were happy in November with the big exhibition “Canossa” closing with an attendance of about 200.000 visitors. Our Thanksgiving Dinner was well attended.
Presently there is a medical exhibition in Paderborn at – what is called – the world’s largest Computer Museum: “Heinz Nixdorf MuseumForum” (www.hnf.de): high tech for healthy living and lifestyle. Our society will visit the exhibition soon, here is the exhibition’s homepage presented in English: www.computer-medicine.com

We are now beginning to plan a group-visit to Belleville, starting Oct. 12th. We are looking forward to meeting with you. Paderborn County Board Chairman Manfred Mueller has told us that he will join the group – visiting Belleville for the first time.

So we hope that BSC can realize a group visit in 2008. We are looking forward to it.

We know that your youth committee is working on this year’s youth exchange. We hope that they are successful. It would be wonderful if the 90 days-exchange of high school students could also be continued.

We have heard that BSC’s Stammtisch will soon be in a restaurant called “Roemertopf”. Roemertopf is a German cooking pot made of clay reminding us of Roman cooking techniques. The results are very tasty. The company that produces these pots has an interesting homepage in English with product information and recipes: http://www.roemertopf.de/english

Best wishes to all of you.

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

Thank you for your confidence in asking me to serve as your president for the next two years.

I hope I am able to live up to the expectation of the board and members. I must admit I am no Doris. I can’t speak German and I can’t sing, among other things.

Doris did a wonderful job as President for the past two years, and has given our group a bigger presence in the area. One of the accomplishments during her term was the establishment of the three-month student exchange, and we thank her and Linda Driesner for all the work and frustrations they went through. The programs had fabulous results in that the four German youths and their host families all gained a lot from the program and were good ambassadors for their countries. Three of the host students will go to Paderborn in exchange late this summer.

Our Belleville Sister City is one of over 700 in the United States. Fifty years ago Dwight Eisenhower instituted the program, and it is touted as probably the best organization for promoting peace throughout the world. Our group works for that aim mostly through adult and youth exchanges. Our Sister City group was formerly established in 1990 and seven great presidents have led us into an organization we can all be proud of: Dottie Brauer, Rich Berkel, Ruth Fritz, Gary Hopfinger, Karl Mandel and Doris Roach.

Would you believe they have already run out of Germans? Not only do I not have any German blood in me, I don’t live in Belleville. I could be recalled. I did marry a German. And I must tell you why St. Libory was invited into your organization. When our local church, St. Liborius celebrated its 150th anniversary in l988, delegates representing the Diocese of Paderborn, Germany and the city of Paderborn, attended one of our events. It was a big honor for St. Libory.

Our Catholic church is considered the daughter church of St. Libori in Paderborn. Ellen Rost, then president of the German Democratic Party in Paderborn informed me we must join with Belleville, and she said she would never say Belleville without adding St. Libory. And I am sure that is how she always thought of us. So I marched into a meeting at the City Hall, and the rest is history.

If you have any thoughts on what you would like to see our organization accomplish in the next couple years, please tell me. I have a very capable board and vice president in Ron Fritz, so working together; the Belleville Sister City should remain an important presence in the community for the next two years.

Two new projects now being proposed are a teachers exchange between our twin cities, and a three day bus trip in late summer for members. Our youth will be making their visit to Paderborn in July, but there will be no group adult exchange this year.
One of the major projects we will be working on for the next two years will be the hosting of the Illinois Sister City State Conference in 2007. Columbia, Waterloo and Millstadt will be co-hosts, and it will be held at Our Lady of Snows. We will need the help of many to put on a great program.

Norma Bergkoetter, President

 

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and Around:

First of all we warmly welcome Norma Bergkoetter as the president of BSC for the next two years, and also the new board. We wish Norma all the best for her term. We are sure that we’ll cooperate with her and the board as successfully as we have worked together with the preceding presidents.

It’s a wonderful task that all of us have: promoting the understanding of people.

Of course we also thank Doris Roach and her board very much. Doris has done a wonderful job of fostering the friendship between our two cities and regions. The successful exchange of youth groups was one of her great objectives for which she worked intensively in close cooperation with Linda Driesner to whom we ex-tend our thanks as well. So we look forward to Doris being the contact person in charge of the future student exchanges.

The four students who had stayed at high schools in Belleville from August thru November 2005 gave a lively report of their experiences at our Thanksgiving Dinner. They thanked very much their host families, the schools, their school mates and BSC for what they had done to make their stay such a wonderful experience. Our Thanksgiving Dinner was a great success, it was attended by 130 members; Margit Keikutt’s youth dancers whom she had brought to Belleville some years ago showed parts of their program.

On November 11th Friedel Schuette, an honorary member of our society, gave a lecture on his book that was published in October 2005: The title: Westfalen in America (in English: Westphalians in America), 256 pages, with many pictures, ISBN:3-7843-3356-7.Publisher’s website: www.lv-h.de (search for “Westfalen in Amerika”). Schuette portrays about 40 men and women who immigrated to the US where they became either famous pioneers and/or successful entrepreneurs. He calls them “heroes”, among them William Boeing, forefather of the founders of Boeing aircraft. As far as a Paderborn citizen is concerned he gives the story of Sister Pauline von Mallinckrodt who helped develop the American elementary school system in the 19th century. He also describes the sister-city relationships between Westphalia and the US, where he praises what Belleville and Paderborn have achieved.

Up to now he has received very positive reviews of his book. We congratulate him on his great work. A copy of the book will be sent to BSC.

Finally, an anecdotical note: Not long ago we realized a report of a visit of Paderborn residents to Belleville in May 2005. The Liehr family had heard of the sister city relationship and went to Belleville from Kewanee/Il. Where their daughter stayed at high school for a year. Here they visited City Hall. While they were studying the contents of the showcase with Paderborn memorabilia Mayor Eckert passed by and talked to them. They gave an enthusiastic report of their meeting. It would have been good if we had known of this visit before so that we could have announced it to BSC…

To all our friends we wish all the best for 2006. Sincerely,

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary

von Doris Roach, Past-President, Belleville Sister Cities, Inc.

Ein altes traditionelles Weihnachts-Menu

Was heute immer noch auf jeden Tisch an Weihnachten kommt. Natürlich wird heutzutage vieles durch allerhand Gewürze verfeinert, welche man früher nicht kannte. Ebenfalls Beilagen, wie verschiedene Casserolen-Gerichte, wo man ebenfalls in alten Zeiten die Zutaten nicht bekam.

Truthahn oder Schinken
Kartoffel Auflauf
Süß-Kartoffeln
Truthahn Brot Füllung ( was man heute als Auflauf macht)
Mais
Preiselbeeren Salat (oder als Nachttisch auf süße Art)
Schichtsalat (Layered Salad)
Dann natürlich der traditionelle Kürbis Pie

 

Hier einige Rezepte:
(Hoffe dass das „Tassen-Maß“ klar ist, da sonst alles in ounces ist)

Feine Mais-Creme

1/3 Tasse Butter Butter in einem Topf schmelzen, dazu Mehl einrühren
1/3 Tasse Mehl
1    Tasse Sahne
1    Tasse Milch
1/4 Tasse Zucker.
1    Teelöffel Salz
etwas Pfeffer
5    Tassen Mais
1/4 Tasse geriebener Käse

Langsam die Sahne, Milch, Zucker, Salz und Pfeffer
dazu fügen. Unter ständigem Rühren zum Kochen
bringen für 2 Minuten. Mais beifügen.
Dies in eine Auflaufform tun und mit Käse bestreuen.
Im Backofen aufbacken bis Käse geschmolzen ist und
ein wenig krustig

Orangen-Glasur für Schinken:

2    Teelöffel Honig
1    Teelöffel Senf
4    Teelöffel brauner Zucker
1/4 Tasse Ananas Saft
1    Esslöffel Butter
1    kleine Dose Ananas in Scheiben
Nelken und Zimt

Steche den Schinken einige Male mit einem Messer.
Geriebene Orangenschale Stecke eine Nelke in jeden Einschnitt.
Bringe alle anderen Zutaten zum Kochen. Schütte die Hälfte
der Glasur in jeden Einschnitt, und bestreiche den Schinken mit der
Glasur alle 10 Minuten, bis er gar ist.

Preiselbeeren Salat:

1    Packet Gelatine (eventuell Zitronen- Geschmack)
1    Tasse heißes Wasser
eine Orange, geschält und geteilt
1 1/2 Tassen Preiselbeeren
1    Apfel, geschält und ein dünne Scheiben geschnitten
1    Tasse Zucker
1/4 Teelöffel Salz
1/2 Tasse zerhackte Nüsse

Löse Gelatine in heißem Wasser auf, stelle kalt bis geliert. Schütte in einen Mixer, dazu gebe Orange, Preiselbeeren, Apfel, Zucker und Salz. Mixe bis Früchte fein gehackt sind. Dann die Nüsse rein. Stelle kalt bis der Salat fest ist. Serviere uaf Blattsalat als Garnierung.

Preiselbeeren Salat auf süße Art als Nachtisch:

2    Tassen ganz fein gehackte Preiselbeeren
1    Tasse Zucker
Verschmische beides und stelle in Kuehlschrank fuer 2 Tage
dann:
2    Becher Sahne steif schlagen
1    Tasse Trauben, halbiert
1    Tasse zerkleinerte Nuesse
Alles zusammen mischen und kalt stellen

Truthahn Brot Fuellung

1    Toastbrot , austrocknen und dann in kleine Würfel schneiden.
1    Zwiebel, gehackt
1    Tasse klein gehackter Stangensellerie
Stich Butter
1    Teelöffel Salbei
etwas Majoran und Thymian
Salz und Pfeffer
soviel Brühe, bis es sehr feucht ist

Die Brühe kann man von Hühner-Bouillion nehmen, oder wenn Truthahn genommen wird, die Eingeweide, wie Hals Lunge und Leber abkochen. Dann kann man sie klein schneiden und dazu geben.
Das alles in eine Auflaufform tun und bei 200 Grad ca. 30 – 40 Minuten backen.

Falls Süß-Kartoffel vorhanden:

Suess-Kartoffel:

2-3 Süß Kartoffel , schälen und klein schneiden, abkochen bis gar
In eine Auflauf Form:
Süß-Kartoffel
2   Esslöffel Butter
etwas Salz
1   Esslöffel brauner Zucker
Bei 180 Grad ca. 30 Minuten backen

Kartoffel Auflauf:

4-5  Kartoffel schälen und in dünne Scheiben schneiden
In eine mit Fett ausgeschmierte Auflauf-Form die Kartoffel legen
Mit einer Dose Pilzcreme Suppe mischen
1    Zwiebel, klein gehackt
Salz und Pfeffer
2-3 Esslöffel Butter auslassen und darüber schütten
Bei 200 Grad im Ofen backen, bis Kartoffel gar sind

Schicht Salat:

1    Tasse Mayonnaise 1 Blumenkohl
1/2 Tassen Zucker 1 Broccoli
1    Tasse gebratener Speck, zerkleinert 1 Dose Erbsen
1/4 Tasse Salat-Essig 1 Zwiebel, klein gehackt ( rote Zwiebel,
da sie etwas süßer sind )
Mayo, Zucker und Essig mischen und über Nacht im Kühlschrank lassen.
Dann schichtweise mit Gemüse in eine Salatschüssel arrangieren

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

Our organization has just completed a busy couple months, with two of our major fund raisers taking place, as well as exchange visits and visiting.

I wish you could have all been present at the August general meeting to hear the enthusiastic reports from the people who took part in the six week student exchanges, the three week exchange and our exchange teacher. Each o f the participants found the trip to Paderborn to be a highlight of their life. I hope that all of you who are able will be able to visit our Sister City Paderborn or be host to one of their residents in the future, so you to can have experience these same emotions.

I am considering planning a complete tour, visiting Paderborn and continuing to several eastern European countries in 2008, God willing and the creek don’t rise! Since we alternate years, it is Paderborn’s turn to visit us in 2007, so make plans for 2008 and let me know of your interest..

The Oktoberfest food stands did not do well financially because a heavy rain wiped out one of the two days. There was lots of work and time that went into the event, and I thank all those who helped. Special thanks to Doris Roach, stand chairman and the St. Libory members who made 150 lbs. of German potato salad.

We are proud that Our Taste of Germany dinner and program was well attended and well received. The Larry Haller Duo and Northwinds Concert Band provided crowd pleasing music. We were honored to have State Representative Tom Holbrook, Mayor Mark Eckert and Lansing Hecker, honorary German Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany as our special guests.

I had the pleasure of presenting Special awards to two most deserving of recipients. (separate article) We are most grateful to Rich Berkel who arranged the affair, and to the ad committee who made it a financial success.

The Board officially welcomed the three Paderborn teachers who spent two weeks at O’Fallon High School. Board members accompanied them to meet our Mayor Eckert, gave them a short tour of downtown Belleville and had them as our guests for lunch at the Pie Pantry. You will find their very interesting observations in their included report. We thank Kathy Ashby for making the arrangements and the host teachers.

Rich Berkel and I attended a ceremony at the Art on the Square building where we, along with several other organizations were officially awarded a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, presented by Representative Tom Holbrook.

Our group along with the Columbia, Waterloo, Millstadt and Carbondale Sister Cities are now in the process of preparing plans for the 2007 SCI State Conference, to be held at Our Lady of Snows Shrine next April 20 & 21. Now is the time to mark your calendar to attend the conference.

I hope to see you all at the General Meeting at Fischer’s on November 16, and the Stammtisches. We are not all about work! The Stammtisches are fun times to meet and eat. Look over the schedule, mark your calendar, make a reservation and join us. Please note the December Stammtisch was moved up a week.

Norma Bergkoetter

 

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News from Paderborn

Paderborn is proud of the historical exhibition “Canossa” dealing with the Middle Ages, i.e. the time around 1200 A.D. The exhibition will end on November 5th. Up to now 150,000 people have come to see the exhibits, the works of art and documents of this period.

We have heard that this year’s “Taste of Germany” again had an extraordinary attendance. Congratulations!

The three teachers from Paderborn, Gabriele Lambrechts, Almut Ulama and Nadia Weber, returned from Belleville with wonderful experiences. They are involved in the exchange of teachers between O’Fallon Township High school and Goerdeler Gymnasium in Paderborn. This exchange has been initiated by BSC and German-American Friendship Society Paderborn-Belleville. We are indebted to Linda Driesner and Joerg Erdmann. We are proud that it has been a great success.

We want to thank Mayor Eckert for receiving the group at City Hall; our thanks are also extended to President Norma Bergkoetter and BSC for taking them round. We thank especially the principal of OTHS and the teachers who were hosts and everybody who was involved. While Kathy Ashby stayed in Paderborn in June 2006, Patrick Hasenstab and Alan Elfrink will come to Paderborn in 2007. Let’s hope that this first exchange is the foundation for further visits of teachers of both Sister Cities and around. Look for the report (with pictures) of the stay on our homepage (also in English): www.dafk-paderborn.de also look at Kathy Ashby’s homepage:http://www.oths.k12.il.us/foreignl/ashbyk/paderbornexchange-contents.htm

Hopefully there may be an exchange of students, too. That would be a wonderful continuation of what took place in 2004 and June 2006.

We are looking forward to our Thanksgiving Dinner. This has really developed into a social event of which we can be proud of. In the room of the dinner Andreas Kopp will present some of his works of art that he showed at Belleville’s “Art on the Square” in May.

We wish all the members of BSC and our Belleville friends a Happy Thanksgiving.

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary