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Sports district chairman Prof. Dr. Heinz Zielinski (left) presents the “Big Star of Sports” in bronze, which Christian and Kerstin Grölz receive on behalf of TV Mainzlar. Photo: Wißner © Wißner
Gießen (twi). TV Mainzlar was awarded the “Big Star of Sports” in bronze. At the beginning of the 29th Gießen Sports District Coaches’ Meeting in the Volkshalle in Watzenborn-Steinberg, Sports District Chairman Prof. Dr. Heinz Zielinski presented this highest award at district level, worth 1,500 euros, to Christian and Kerstin Grölz for the Aktivpark Lumdatal project.
The “Stars of Sport” have been around for 20 years now, an initiative of the German Olympic Sports Confederation and the Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken. Sports clubs and their many volunteers are awarded for their social commitment. The “Big Star of Sport” award in bronze is linked to the nomination at state level for the “Stars of Sport” in silver, which will then be awarded in mid-November in the state capital Wiesbaden at Biebrich Castle. Zielinski was almost enthusiastic about the Lumdatal Active Park, saying that it was a “great project that has everything that makes a project. Infrastructure offers, a lot of people who have supported this project on a voluntary basis. Without them, the project would never have been carried out in this form. Our thanks go to the many active people in the club. The first ideas were already formed in 2015.” Grölz then addressed the project in his words of thanks, referring to the planning that began in 2017, the funding decisions from 2019, the “soft opening” during Corona times in August 2020 and the official opening two years later on September 3, 2022.
The entire project cost around 350,000 euros, with more than half of the 200,000 euros coming from the EU’s Leader program to strengthen rural areas. The city contributed around 90,000 euros, TV Mainzlar around 40,000 euros and sponsors around 20,000 euros.
However, Grölz, who was head of the “Active Park” department, admitted that “you reach your limits with volunteer work.” But it is also a fact that the Active Park has now developed into a tourist magnet.
