The highlight of the members’ meeting of Bad Kissingen was a high honor. “Dear Helena”, is how President Maren Schmitt directed her appreciation for Helena Scharf and described her as a driving force, as a loyal club member who always looked after guests with loving care, who was able to inspire young people for the club and for responsibility in the club, who made interesting trips organized and held all positions from assessor to president in the association’s management. She is the symbol of the association for “living partnership that is supported by many people”, so Schmitt, and therefore the board unanimously decided to honor Helena Scharf with “honorary membership”.
Design for new space
The “Platz der Partnerstdte” documented the close connection to the Kissingen partner cities Vernon, Massa and Eisenstadt, said President Maren Schmitt at the general meeting of the city partnership committee, “and we are grateful that the city has approved our proposals”.
The square at the intersection of Maxstrae / Von-Hessing-Strae symbolizes the 60-year bond that Corona celebrated a year later and that culminated in the citizen’s medals for the pillars of this living community – including Helena Scharf President in retrospect. As part of the celebrations, there was some irritation at the “Massa Fountain” and unfortunately, due to the pandemic regulations, not everyone who would have been seen as guests could be present at the celebrations, but this special time requires consideration and understanding.
Schmitt regretted that in 2020 “not all events could take place or took place differently than planned” and the association’s internal communication was often digital. Photos were used to look back on the activities such as an Italian evening on the occasion of the connection with Massa, on the digital round tables with guests from the partner cities and virtual notice boards with recipes for Christmas or on a digital wine tasting, whereby three wines were tasted “analogue”.
President Schmitt thanked Hans Wild for creating a partnership film, which also generated enthusiasm when the citizens’ medals were presented, and for the sale or auction of the associated “partnership poster” – this raised a total of 600 euros as a donation for the “Rainbow” children’s cancer ward in Wrzburg. For the next year, the board of directors has the 234 members in view, who have remained loyal to the association despite less activity and to whom one would like to offer more events again.
Treasurer Johannes Brath had to make some special bookings and, above all, return transfers in 2020, because the advance payments already made for the canceled club trips caused a deficit in the cash register. What was booked as a surplus in the club’s treasury in 2019 led to a deficit in the past year due to the repayments. Nevertheless, the cash auditors agreed with the orderly and clear cash management and praised the secure cash balance. In the following, Johannes Brath presented the budget estimate for 2022, which took into account the changed framework conditions and also included an amount for the design of the “City Partnerships Square” – his restriction: “The investments depend on the success of the planned activities.”
Higher grants planned for 2022
Maren Schmitt described these activities, taking a rather critical view of the usual club celebration in January 2022 and suggesting a day trip as an alternative. On the other hand, one would like to revive the contacts with the partner cities Massa, Vernon and Eisenstadt through “presidium trips” in the spring, among other things with regard to the important student exchange, which caused the pandemic to come to a standstill. Higher grants are also planned for this in the 2022 budget.
A trip to Massa is planned for May 2022, using the registration list for the canceled trip in 2020. Schmitt would like to hold the regulars’ table as a “fountain of new ideas” for as long as possible as a presence event and referred in this connection to the homepage, where these and other dates and information can be found.
Thomas Leiner, as city council representative for city partnership, also wished that more activities could be carried out again and thanked the association for the commitment in the context of the anniversary and for the ideas for the new “Square of the partner cities” – the city will certainly return the favor with a budget.
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