! MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS ARE DUE !
January 2012 Volume 7, Number 1
Monats Blatt
Vorstand
(Board of Officers)
President: Chris Baker (512-396-1348)
VP and P.E.: Eberhart Moese (830-632-9634)
2nd Vice-President: Richard Odorfer (830-629-6728)
Secretary: Leah Baker (512-396-1348)
Treasurer: Almut Wetzig (830-608-0171)
Publicity: Capt. Tom Stapleton (830-609-8129)
Public Relations: Mary Irwin (830-620-0369)
Publications: Tom Sears (830-626-2425)
Inhalt
(Contents)
Messages from Chris; Membership Dues;
Officer Election; Maskenball; Fun Time;
German Classes; Member News: Birthdays:
New Storage; 2011 Schedule of Events;
Botschaften von Chris
January Meeting
Our January Meeting will be at the Elk’s Club on Tuesday, the 3rd. For new members the Elk’s Club is located on Seguin St. across from the Chamber of Commerce/Civic Center.
The meeting room will open at 6:00 PM for visiting with friends and enjoying some refreshment (not necessarily in that order).
I would like to welcome our new members, guests and congratulate all January birthdays. I look forward to seeing everyone there.
This will be my last meeting as your President. We will be electing a new slate of Officers at this meeting. We had a good year thanks to the great support of members and chairpersons of our many activities.
Mary Irwin has again set up our program our program for this month. It is about the history of Wurstfest in New Braunfels.
Maskenball is on the 18th of February. As Almut has reminded everyone, our membership dues now need to be paid again.
Once more, thanks to everyone for their support!
I wish everyone a very Happy New Year 2012.
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Membership Dues
It's time to renew our membership for 2012.
Dues are payable by January 31st. You can pay at the next meeting or mail your dues to:
Almut Wetzig
125 Donald Ross Place
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Dues are still:
$ 15.00 for single membership
$ 20.00 for couples
Also, please inform me of any changes in address, phone, etc.
Thank you, Almut
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Election of Officers
The January Meeting is set aside for the Election of Officers.
All positions are open for nomination. Currently the positions that need to be filled are Secretary, 2nd Vice-President, and Publications Officer.
We currently have Chairman Positions that are responsible for events within the year. Although these are not Officer Positions they are vital to the operation of the Society.
Maskenball - _____________________________,
Wein & Saenger Fest - ______________________,
Mai Fest Picnic in Landa Park - _______________,
4th of July Parade - ________________________,
Comal Country Fair Parade - _________________,
Wurstfest - ________________________________,
Christmas Party - __________________________,
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Maskenball
Achtung! Achtung!
Plans for the 34th Annual Maskenball Dance are underway.
Mark your calendar for February 18th. It will be held at the Elks Lodge and Robert, Kevin and friend will play.
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Spaßzeit für alle!
(Fun Time for All!)
Good cheer, great food, Christmas songs, and the warm of close friends were celebrated at the Elks’ Lodge in December with our annual Christmas party. The delicious main dish was provided by New Braunfels’ own Gourmet Neighborhood Chef, Marcien with assistance from his daughter, Mary. Whether it was the chicken cordon bleu or the pork tenderloin, everyone savored a tasty meal for the 160 members and guests.
Desserts were specially baked by our members and included Black Forest Cake, Apple Strudel, Rum Balls, cookies, and so many more tasty treats. A slide show of the year’s events highlighted all the warm and great memories, set to music, brought back good memories of this very active year!
Father Christmas showed up just in time for three children, including an infant, to see if they have been good or bad this year. It must have been very good as he only gave out toys and not any pieces of coal.
Music was provided the Gemischter Chor Harmonie, including many sing alongs in German and in English.
Jake Dikkeboom, Martha Stapleton, and Mary Irwin help prepare the iced tea for all the members and guests.
With a large turnout, everyone had a memorable time and it was a great end on a high note to a wonderful year for the German American Society!
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Adult German Language Classes
Beginning January 5, 2012 our society will once again offer German classes at Cross Lutheran Church. This year we will have two classes: a beginning German class which starts at 6:00 and ends at 7:15 and an advanced German class which begins at 7:30 and ends at 8:45. These classes are again being taught by Debbie Pickett who was very successful with her students last year. The plans are to end these classes after 10 weeks, however, if the students prefer, they can be extended as they were last year. The cost for 10 classes is $25.00 plus the cost of a textbook which is now being ordered.
If you are interested or know of someone who is, please call Diane at 660-0437. Checks are to be made payable to New Braunfels German American Society and mailed to Diane Moltz, 1949 Squire Circle, New Braunfels TX 78130-8358.
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Mitglieder Nachrichten
Herzlichstes Willkommen zu den neuesten Mitgliedern unserer Vereins! We welcome most heartily our newest members:
Robert & Irene Knoll
Alfred Brueckner, long time member and
friend, passed away 12/15/2011.
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Herzlichen Glückwunsch
zum Geburtstag
(Happy Birthday)
Member birthdays in January
Charlie Biesenbach 1/28
Heinz Buchholz 1/27
Hubert Cloud 1/30
Kenneth Davis 1/6
Isabel Kasperbauer 1/26
Robert Knoll 1/8
Helmuth Mayer Sr. 1/9
Gladys Reininger 1/21
Rosa Stipnieks 1/23
Dianna Tupa 1/12
Myrtle Weyel 1/21
Jim Wise 1/20
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New Storage Facility
For the past twelve years, German American Society (GAS) member Herb Strunk has generously kept the Society’s storage shed in his downtown back yard in New Braunfels.
Former GAS President Ron Evans has said that he’s bumped his head on the low lintel so often that he could be positively identified from all the skin DNA samples left behind. Last spring the Executive Board determined that a larger storage unit and lot were sorely needed.
Member and former mayor of New Braunfels, Mr. Rudi Seidel, stepped up and offered a site on his business development property, just off North 337 loop for a ten year lease. Member Capt. Tom Stapleton then contacted his former employer, Matson Navigation Company and working with the parent company, Alexander & Baldwin of Hawaii, secured a donation agreement for a 40 foot ocean container when available. Like a heart transplant patient awaiting a donor organ, only a nearby unit could be considered due to the high cost long distance trucking charges. Just weeks ago, a Matson officials phoned that the wait was over, a donor a container was available in 3 hours away in Galena Park (near Houston).
The initial haul was scrubbed just hours before the pick-up when the trucker collided with another vehicle near Houston. A crane and personnel had to be cancelled at the last minute. Two weeks later on a rainy day, another trucking company successfully picked up the container and made the three hour haul to New Braunfels. With the help of Ron Evans, Alamo Crane provided a 70 ton crane for this 4.5 ton lift at cost for the unloading. Member David Schoenvogel and owner/operator of the Landa Park Miniature Railroad provided two new railroad wooden cross ties as landing platforms for the 40 foot van.
On Friday the 2nd of December, Tom Stapleton and his friend, Lou Richenberger, as well as members Don Knippa and Jake Dikkeboom showed up on that wet, soggy day to assist with the unloading operation. By the time the truck and crane showed up at 1:45pm, the steady rain turned the dirt road into mud, causing the truck and trailer to get stuck in the mud just 35 feet shy of the desired position. The Alamo crane driver-operator, Shawn, was fearful that he would encounter the same fate while watching twin axles spin he maneuvered parallel to the truck. Jake braved the rain, the heavy mud as he scaled the ladder and connected and later disconnected the lifting bridle.
After a successful crane pick, Don was able to tow the truck and trailer out of the mud. The big crane was able to swing the load into the desired landing location atop the cross ties. After an hour, the muddied trucks and helpers retreated to higher paved higher ground as the rain and road scuffed the mud-caked tires clean. Tom later purchased and installed two combination locks on the storage container.
This new storage container is 40 feet long, 8 foot wide, and over 9 feet tall. It has nearly ten times the storage capacity of the original shed on Herb Strunk’s property. Unless Ron Evans has a late growth spurt, he won’t be skinning his head anymore on the lintel of the new container.
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Schedule of Events 2012
January 3: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
February 7: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
February 18: Maskenball at Elks Lodge
March 6: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
April 3: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
April 14 & 15: Folkfest
April 28: Wein & Saenger Fest (We will be selling Schweinskoteletten
(Pork Chops) & Wurst (Sausage)
May 1: General Meeting & Annual Picnic in Landa Park
June 5: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
July 3: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
August 7: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
September 4: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
October 2: General Meeting at Elks Lodge
November 6: November General Meeting at Elks Lodge
November 2 - November 11: Wurstfest (Come help sell in our NEW Booth.)
December 1: Wassailfest (We will be selling Schweinskoteletten)
December 4: General Meeting and Christmas Party at Elks Lodge
We will be scheduling bus trips to Beethoven (San Antonio) and Fredericksburg Weihnachtsmarkt. Suggestions for additional trips would be greatly appreciated.