Annual Membership Meeting
Transcription
Annual Membership Meeting
Nr. 540 Februar 2016 87 1 Nachrichten 142 JAHRE 142 YEARS 3 - 2015 ISSN 0384-952X Concordia Club, 429 Ottawa St. S., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2M 3P6 / Tel. (519) 745-5617, Fax 745-5141 Internet: www.concordiaclub.ca or for e-mail: [email protected] Annual Membership Meeting February 21/2016, 2 pm, Concordia Club, Main Hall Concordia Concordia Club Club Farm Farm Your Your decision, decision, our our decision. decision. Together, Together, we we make make aa difference. difference. Let Let your your voice voice be be heard. heard. CONCORDIA IM FEBRUAR / MÄRZ 2016 Klub Vorschau/Club Events Concordia in February 6. Schenke DJ Novak 6. Main Hall Narrenzunft Maskenball 9. Weinstube Advanced Polls for Membership Meeting 5:00-8:00p.m. 10. Schenke Ash Wednesday Herring Dinner 13. Schenke Edelweiss Duo 14. Main Hall Valentine’s Day Brunch Buffet 11:00a.m.2:00p.m. 15. Family Day – CLUB CLOSED 20. Schenke DJ Novak 21. Main Hall Annual Membership Meeting – 2:00p.m. 27. Schenke TC Alpine Echo Concordia in March 5. 6. 12. 19. 19. 25. 26. 27. SUNDAY Halle MONDAY Halle Jaegerstube 1.00–5.00 Ballroom Dancing 7.00–8.30 8.30–10.00 6.00–7.00 7.00–8.00 TUESDAY Halle 6.00–8.00 Jaegerstube 8.00–10.00 Schenke 7.30–10.00 WEDNESDAY Halle 6.00–10.00 Jaegerstube 3.00–5.30 Jaegerstube 7.00 pm Jaegerstube 7.30–10.00 Weinstube Schenke DJ Novak Farm Winter Carnival Schenke TC Alpine Echo Schenke DJ Novak Main Hall President's Ball 6:00p.m. Good Friday – CLUB CLOSED Schenke Edelweiss Duo Main Hall Easter Sunday Buffet 12:00-2:00 and 5:00-7:00p.m. Office Telephone Extensions & Info Line Front Office Membership Banquet Inquiries Manager Payroll Accounting Group Events 7.30 19.00 Weinstube 7.00 pm THURSDAY Halle 6.00–8.00 8.00–10.00 Jaegerstube 7.00–1.00 Eisstock 7.00–10.00 Schenke 9.00 FRIDAY Victoria Bowl 6.45 Jaegerstube 8.00 101 101 101 102 103 104 Gemischter Chor Männerchor Kinderchor Jugendchor Kinder & Junior Garde Narrenzunft Skat-Gruppe Enzian Group Senioren Gruppe (1st Wed. of month) Ladies Group (1. Wednesday of month) Horticultural Group (2nd Wed. of month) Bowlers (3rd Wednesday of month) Tennisgruppe (Jeden 2. Mittwoch im Monat) Tennisgruppe (2nd Wed. of month) Senioren Garde Table Tennis Group Schach/Chess Eisstock-Gruppe Fussball/Soccer Bowlers “Treffpunkt” (2nd Friday of month) Reservations 105 General Inquiries 105 Ticket Sales 105 Portier/Doorman 106 You can call the extensions or announcements by using any touch tone telephone. 2 Bericht des Präsidenten Die Zeit vergeht so schnell, so auch mein 2. Jahr als Praesident des Concordia Klubs! Janice und ich hatten eine schoene, angenehme Zeit mit den Gruppen und Klubmitgliedern. Ich versuche noch mehr zu lernen, inklusive die deutsche Sprache, sodass ich mehr verstehe und den Concordia Klub bestens repraesentieren kann. 3 Ich moechte Ruth, Martina und Chef Andreas fuer ihre Muehe und Zeit danken! Ebenso dem Kuechenpersonal, den Angestellten an der Bar, im Restaurant, Buero und allen Helfern vom Concordia Klub ein “Danke”, denn nur gemeinsam koennen wir alle Arbeiten bewaeltigen. Nicht zu vergessen sind 3 Personen, Matt Schuster, Karl Braun und Alfred Kuers, die das Klubgelaende und auch den Blumengarten bestens versorgen und sauber halten. Dafuer ein “Dankeschoen” an euch! Oktoberfest 2015 ist abgeschlossen und wir koennen zufrieden sein, wenn auch weniger Verbrauch von Bier und erhoehte Kosten fuer Sicherheit (Polizei). Von “AGCO” haben wir keine Beschwerden erhalten! Ich danke den Vorstandsmitglieder (und ihren Partnern) fuer die geleisteten Arbeiten und den Zeitaufwand, auch fuer die Unterstuetzung die mir gegeben wurde! Ich hoffe, alle Klubmitglieder bei der Jahresversammlung am 21. Februar 2016 in der Halle zu sehen. Ihr Erscheinen ist wichtig, da von dem Long Range Komitee, betreff der Farm einiges zu entscheiden ist! Ich habe mich entschlossen, als Klubpraesident ein weiteres Jahr zu repraesentieren. Ich versichere Ihnen, mein Bestes fuer den Klub zu geben und hoffe auf Ihre Unterstuetzung. Narrenzunft Kostuemball ist am 6. Februar in der Halle, Valentin’s Brunch am 14. Februar in der Halle. Danke fuer Ihre Unterstuetzung Ihr Klub-Praesident Rob Kerr Presidents Year End Report for 2015 As we get older the time seems to pass us by quicker and quicker each year. As I end the second year as the President of the Concordia Club I must thank you, the membership, for having the faith to let me lead such a great and dynamically diverse group of people. Janice and I have had such an enjoyable time getting to meet as many of you as possible as well as represent the membership of this club. I hope that you can see that I am trying to learn more and more about this club (including the language) so that I represent us in the most upstanding way when we are either entertaining guests from outside or Janice and I are representing the Club at external events. I would like to thank Ruth, Martina and Chef Andreas for their daily dedication to the members and patrons that frequent our establishment. Their daily activities have led us to see increased traffic and sales for the past year even in these tough economic times. I must also acknowledge the staff in the kitchen, bars, restaurant, office and custodial departments who serve our guest and are the true ambassadors of the Concordia Club. It is because of all of you that our patrons continue to select us as the venue of their choice for either dinner, drinks or entertaining. Three other very important people are the gentlemen who care for our property and the look we put forward to the people who choose the Concordia Club as the place that they wish to go to for a social event. Thank you Matt Schuster, Karl Braun and Alfred Kuers for your dedication to keeping the grounds here at the Club looking impeccable. As we wrap up another year of Oktoberfest we ended up in a good financial position but down from the very good figures that were turned in last year. There were many items that impacted the lower figure with the draught beer sales down, higher security costs (policing) and increased food costs being the largest contributors. The Club did not receive any charges again this year from the AGCO and that in turn means any new measures that were implemented served us the way that we expected them to. I would like to thank the board members for all the time and energy that they have spent in the past year supporting myself and the 4 membership in all the endeavours that were undertaken this past year. To the spouses or significant other of these board members, thank you to all of you who have let me “borrow” your partner from time to time so that we can do what is right for our organization. I ask that all the members of this Club be in attendance at the Annual General meeting on February 21, 2016 as there is going to be a vote on the findings of the long range planning committees’ recommendations regarding the farm. We would like a true cross section of the membership so that the proper decision can be made on this day. I have chosen to run for the position of President of the Club once again this year and would like to represent the great group of people that we have here at the Club. I ask that you support me as we are still in the development stages of the 2, 5 and 10 year plans that we have started here at the Club. There are a few events on prior to the annual meeting and I hope to be able to talk with you at one or the other. The Mardi Gras Maskenball is February 6th in the Main Hall. A new event is the Valentine’s Brunch on February 14th in the Main Hall. We have had such success with our brunches that we thought we would try hosting a brunch for all those that wish to have an alternative to traditional Valentine’s dinners. Thank you for your support and belief, Rob Kerr YOUR COMFORT IN RETIREMENT 483 and 507 OTTAWA STREET SOUTH, KITCHENER, ONTARIO Mailing Address: 483 Ottawa Street S., Kitchener, Ontario N2M 5H1 Tel. (519) 745-1200 • Fax (519) 745-0467 Attraktive 1-SchlafzimmerWohnungen in gewohnter heimischer Atmosphäre Call the office for information 5 From the Manager’s Desk Membership and Annual Campground Contract Fees Please remember to come by the office to pay your membership for 2016. It is essential to have your payment in before the Annual Meeting on February 21, 2016 so that you can attend the meeting and cast your vote! The seasonal campground contracts will be mailed out in the next few weeks for all renewals for 2016. The seasonal fees for 2016 will be as listed: Lot Fee $800.00 plus HST for a total of Hydro Fee $175.00 plus HST for a total of TOTAL $ 904.00 $ 197.75 -------------$1,101.75 With the introduction of our new gate at the Farm we have new cards for the gate card reader. The procedure of the issuing of the new cards will be reported on in the next addition of the bulletin. Advanced Polls for the Annual Membership Meeting The advanced polls for the Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 9th in the Weinstube from 5:00pm to 8:00pm for those of you who can not attend the Membership Meeting on Sunday, February 21st. Ash Wednesday Herring Dinner As tradition has it, we will be serving a Herring Dinner Special on Wednesday, February 10th starting at 5:00p.m. for Ash Wednesday. Please call the office to make your reservations now. We will not be serving our regular dinner buffet on that night due to the special, but will be offering the buffet as usual at lunch time. Valentine’s Day Sunday Brunch Buffet We will be having a special Sunday Brunch Buffet in the Main Hall this year to celebrate Valentine's Day! A day typically for sharing a special meal with your partner but since it falls on a Sunday why not come together with your entire family for Brunch! It will run from 11:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. so please make your reservations early! Chef Andreas and his team will be preparing a great selection of items. The cost per person will be $22.50 with children between 4 & 12 for 1/2 price and children under four being free. President’s Ball Our annual President's Ball will be held on Saturday, March 19, 2016. This event is a definite highlight on our Club calendar! A wonderful evening including a champagne cocktail hour, a great selection of hors d'oeuvres followed by a 4 course dinner including a glass of wine! On this evening we invite all of our community leaders to join us in the swearing in of our new Board of Directors for 2016. Tickets for President's Ball will be available in the office at the same cost as last year....$48.00 per person including tax starting January 19, 2016. With best regards, Ruth Rajna, Manager 6 Concordia Kegler Here are the results from our Turkey Roll in December. CONGRATULATIONS to the following winners: Linda Klein, Peter Bergen, Stan Gaysek, Ron Klein, Carol Bergen, Angie Zimmerriemer, Nick Zeis, Helmut Fritz, John Reinhardt, Sandy Adamson, Ingrid Kauck, Wilma Schmidt, Gerald Gottvald and Jochen Missfeldt. Our Annual Meeting has yet to take place as I write this report. News items will be reported in the next bulletin. Finally, best wishes go out to our bowlers who are celebrating a birthday this month: A visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus February/Februar 2. 7. 9. 11. 23. Lilli Neu Sandy Adamson Ingrid Kauck Beverley Gottvald Ron Klein Upcoming Events/Vorschau: Cosmic Bowl – February 12th Last Day of Bowling – April 29th Closing Banquet – May 6th (5:30p.m.) *Please Note: This is a Friday! Until next time, HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! Monica Kauck February Birthday Babies Wir gratulieren den Gewinnern unseres Turkey Rolls (Bitte lesen Sie diese Gewinner im englischen Bericht). Als ich diese Nachrichten schreibe, steht unsere Jahreshauptversammlung noch vor uns. Die Ergebnisse werden im nächsten Bericht mitgeteilt. Herzlichen Glückwunsch an alle Kegler die im Monat Februar Geburtstag haben. Bowlers’ Christmas Party 7 Bis zum nächsten Mal, Monica Kauck 8 Seniorengruppe Outdoor Group Our Winter Karneval will be held at the Home on the Range (Concordia Farm) on Sunday March 6, 2016 starting at about 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome - so dress warmly, bring all your friends, ski’s, snowshoes, snowmobiles – whatever you have and make a day out of it – there will be hot food, cold beer and games for all ages! Transportation to and from Christner Road will be provided. Mark your calendars as well for the Home on the Range cleanup on Saturday April 23, 2016. Bruce Emmerson Seniorenhaus Administration For Treffpunkt The Senioren Haus and Villa Concordia would like to thank the Treffpunkt group for once again coming to entertain our tenants. We enjoyed some great skits, singing Christmas carols and some wonderful treats. Thank you for spreading Christmas cheer, Happy New Year to all. For Choir The Senioren Haus and Villa Concordia would like to thank the Men’s Choir for coming out to sing at our Gluhwein event. Our tenants enjoy listening and participating in singing Christmas carols with you to ring in the festive season. We wish you a Happy New Year. 9 Am 6. Januar 2016 bei unserem Treffen in der Jägerstube – wählten wir einen neuen Vorstand für unsere Gruppe. President Ursula Missfeldt Vice-President Danuta Grigaitis Treasurer Rotrud Schaar Schriftfuehrer Rotrud Schaar Joachim Nanders legte sein Amt als Präsident Ende Dezember 2015 nieder – Danke für die Führung unserer Gruppe, wir wünschen dir alles gute für die Zukunft. Unsere Weihnachtsfeier fand am 9. Dezember 2015 in der Jägerstube statt, das Essen war wie immer sehr gut – unser Dank an Andreas und seine Crew, sowie der netten Bedienung. Auch Danke für den Besuch von Rob Kerr. Wie immer ging der Nachmittag zu schnell vorüber. Danuta am Akkordion und Sofie mit der Gitarre begleiteten uns beim Singen der Weihnachtslieder. Geburtstage Jan. 09. Danuta Grigaitis Feb. 11 Monika Neumann Auch Fritz Richter, der im Krankenhaus ist – wünscht die Gruppe alles Gute und baldige Genesung. Rotrud Schaar goligerstravel.com Contact: Mike Doersam, 519-622-7777 | 1-800-294-0656 | 1425 Bishop St., Cambridge 10 Treffpunkt Our annual election takes place in January to decide our upcoming executive committee for 2016. I will announce the new executive members in the next bulletin. Thank you to all the executive members of the Treffpunkt for your hard work in 2015! We are very fortunate to have a great group of friends who all work hard to make the Treffpunkt a wonderful success! Till next time, Andrea Schilha 1. KG Narrenzunft Concordia Hello Club members and friends, We wish everyone well and hope the first month of 2016 has treated you well. As our Karneval season comes to an end we are looking forward to seeing many of you at our Maskenball/Closing ceremonies. Break those February blahs and come out on February 6th, Roaring 20’s is the theme! If you have a costume for this theme that is great if not don’t worry! Dress up however you wish and enjoy a night full of dancing and entertainment. Our Garde Girls are excited to perform their new Garde, Solo and Show dances. Prizes will be awarded for best costume, couple and group. Maskenball: Saturday February 6th, 8pm. Doors open at 7:30pm. For information, contact: Tom Mennill, Partner KPMG LLP 115 King Street South, 2nd Floor Waterloo, ON N2J 5A3 Tel: 519-747-8800 Fax: 519-747-8830 www.kpmg.ca AUDIT • TAX • ADVISORY 11 $12 tickets at the door. Come early to get your favorite seat! Until next time…Alaaf und Helau Peter Trautrim Campers Winter has finally arrived but has only added to the beauty of the farm. I recommend to all members to go for a walk, crosscountry ski or snowshoe in the winter wonderland of the Concordia farm during the off season. Prepare yourselves for the Outdoor group’s “Winter Karneval” happening March 6 at the home on the range. With the camping season around the corner we look back to 2015 and thank our hard working campers committee as we recorded another successful Oktoberfest. Our booth was remodeled and enhanced to a beer pong themed game which became a hit very quickly with many positive reviews. Steve Zimmer and Jesse Turner, your efforts were outstanding as your perpetual commitment and dedication towards building and oper- ating the booth are always recognised and appreciated by myself and the entire club. Join us this coming year at farm clean up and begin our fresh camping season with lots of leaves, laughs and of course inviting fires.. Campers President, Andrew Saur 2016 Campers Calendar of events includes: Apr. 24 Farm Clean up June 4 Soccer tournament/ Opening picnic June 5 Semi-annual meeting 11 am July 2 Canada day Picnic/Fireworks July 3 Concordia Olympics Aug 13 Choir Picnic Aug 14 Annual Campers meeting 11am Sep 3 Halloween Picnic 12 Concordia Chöre Hope everyone is enjoying the mild winter we seem to be experiencing. Its already February and the snow shovels haven’t made an appearance. February is the month when we celebrate Love. Songs have been written about every topic imaginable, but the best ones from swooning 50’s ballads to contemporary club songs have been penned about being in love. For example “To Know Him Is To Love Him” 1958 by the Teddy Bears“, “Aber dich gibt’s nur einmal fur mich'' Pit. “We Found Love” Rehanna, 2011. It’s sonic proof that while musical fads will change with every generation, Love, and the songs inspired by it will never go out of style. So, on Valentine’s Day February 14th share a little musical love with your special someone. We all know a song that brings back a special memory, time or place, that's the beauty of music. Enjoy ! Recently the Sänger des Jahres for the men of the choir was chosen. It is FRANK KAUCK. Frank joined the choir in 2012 and has been a dedicated member of both the Male Choir and Mixed Choir. Congratulations Frank on joining this prestigious group of gentleman. I was honoured to be chosen as Sängerin des Jahres for the ladies. I joined the choir in 2009 and it has been a great adventure into the German language and culture. I too am pleased to join such an illustrious group of singers. I am sincerely grateful to have received such an honour. Thank you for your help and acceptance. It means a great deal to me. 13 Plans for our European trip are well under way. We will be giving three concerts during our tour. Our first is with the “Geesthacher Liedertafel” on the outskirts of Hamburg. The second with the “Concordia Choir Berlin” in Berlin. The third “Chor der Volkschochschule” in Leipzig. Excitement is mounting. By the time you receive this bulletin we will have held our annual general meeting. At this meeting we discuss all things pertinent to the life of our choir. Music, finances, membership etc. All choir members are encouraged to attend the ANNUAL CLUB MEETING to be held FEB. 21, 2016 at 2p.m. Another event to mark on your calendar is March 19th. President’s Ball, the Mixed Choir will be singing at this event I think that’s all the news for now. Remember to show a little love this Valentines Day, and every day for that matter. “What the world needs now, is Love sweet Love, that’s the only thing there’s just too little of”. Happy Valentine’s Day. Keep a song in your heart, Beverley Children’s Choir Children's ChoirAs the new year begins the Children's choir is starting up again. We would love to see more kids from the ages of JK to Grade 8 join us. We meet on Mondays at 630 at the club (in the Schenke). Both boys and girls are welcome. Come see what we are singing!! Long Range Planning The Long Range Planning Committee’s recommendation on the future of the Farm was accepted by the Board of Directors on December 10, 2015. At the Annual General Meeting on February 21, 2016, all members will be asked to approve the Board’s motion that the sewage system at the Farm Pavillion be replaced/updated as required by the Ministry of Environment. The current estimated cost is $300,000. The current campground operation would continue mostly unchanged. The campsites would not have any water supply or sewage disposal services. Ladies Group Winter has finally come in with some cold Arctic Air. I hope it is not as bad as last year. As we have not had our meeting yet this month, there is not much to report accept that our February meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 10th at 2 pm. I would like to remind everyone that the months seem to fly by fast and the next thing you know it is April. Bockbierfest is on Saturday, April 9, so please mark that day on your calendar. Wishing you all a safe winter. Elisabeth Rowsell Oktoberfest 50th The Finance Committee will be meeting before the Annual General Meeting to review and discuss the results of the membership survey, the recommendations of the Long Range Planning Roundtable Discussion Group and the Long Range Planning Committee on where the money should come from. The Finance Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors in advance of the Annual General Meeting. Hello everyone the clubs 50th anniversary for the home of Oktoberfest is coming in two years . This group is looking for help from our members in (some have already said they would help) assembling a committee to promote and cordate some special events. Hey we only have one 50th ! Lets show them why we are still no 1. Looking forward to seeing you on February 21st, 2016! Please speak with me if you have any questions. This should lots of fun. Here is my contact info malthaner1015 @rogers.com or 519 998 4203 Ali Nowak, Long Range Planning Committee Chair Prost, Rolf 14 Concordia Club 130 JAHRE 130 YEARS 7 3 - 2003 Miss Concordia 2016 Wieder ist es Zeit um unsere jungen Damen vom Concordia Klub aufzufordern, sich für die “Miss Concordia”-Wahl zu bewerben Die Bewerbungs-Unterlagen sind im Klubbüro erhältlich und sollen auch dort wieder abgegeben werden. Bei den Bewerbungen ist folgendes zu beachten: Bewerberin muss für ein Jahr Mitglied im Concordia Klub sein Bewerberin darf nicht verheiratet oder geschieden sein Bewerberin muss 18 Jahre oder älter sein und möglichst die deutsche Sprache sprechen. Miss Concordia 2016 sollte bei Klub- sowie öffentlichen Veranstaltungen den Concordia Klub repräsentieren. Mit dem Anmeldeformular sollte ein Passbild sowie eine kurze Erklärung mit dem Thema: “Warum ich Miss Concordia werden möchte” abgegeben werden, Die Bewerberinnen werden zu einen Treffen eingeladen um die Details auszuarbeiten. Für mehr Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an das VergnügungsKommitee. It’s time once again to choose a young lady to be our Miss Concordia. If you feel you could represent the Concordia Club, we ask that you fill out the application form and forward it to the Club office. Please be advised of the following: Applicant must have been a member of the Concordia Club for at least 1 year. Applicant may not be married or divorced. Applicant must be 18 years of age or older and if possible speak the German language. Miss Concordia 2016 should be at club functions as well as other functions throughout the year to represent the club. A short statement should be attached to this application "Why I want to become Miss Concordia". With the Application there should also be a short essay answering the question “Why I want to be Miss Concordia” as well as a passport picture. Applicants will be invited for a meeting to work out all the details If you would like more information, please contact the Entertainment Committee. Name ______________________________________ Tel. ______________________________________ Strasse/Street ________________________________ Ort/City __________________________________ Province/Postal Code ________________________ Geburtsdatum/Date of Birth: __________________ Schule/School ____________________________ Klasse/Class ________________________________ Beruf/Occupation __________________________ Alter/Age ______________ Hobbies: ________________________________________________________ Unterschrift/Signature: ______________________________________________________________________ Why I want to be Miss Concordia 15 (please use an additional sheet if required) DEADLINE MARCH 15, 2016 A DI OR NC CO 18 Tagesordnung der Mitglieder-Jahreshauptversammlung 2016 Am Sonntag, den 21. Februar 2016, um 14:00 Uhr Die Sitzung wird nach der folgenden Tagesordnung durchgeführt 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Eröffnung und Feststellung der Legalität Gedenkminute Annahme der Tagesordnung Annahme des Protokolls der Halbjahresversammlung 2015 Bericht des Präsidenten Bericht des Geschäftsführerin Bericht des Langfristigen Planungskomitees und Antrag zur Farm Komiteeberichte Bericht des Nominierungs- und Satzungskomitees Gruppenberichte, sind nicht mehr pflichtig Finanzbericht Annahme des Finanzberichtes 2015 mit dem Bericht des Rechnungsprüfers Ernennung der externen Rechnungsprufer Haushaltsplan für 2016 15. Annahme des Haushaltsplans 2016 16. Bericht der Kassenprüfer 17. Erholungsgelände 18. Ernennung des Wahlkomitees 19. Entlastung des Vorstandes & Genehmigung der Handlungsmassnahmen des Vorstandes 2015 20. Durchführung der Wahlen 21. Kaffee und Kuchen 22. Bekanntgabe der Wahlergebnisse 23. Wahl des Präsidenten 24. Übernahme der Versammlung durch den neu gewählten Präsidenten und Vorstand 25. Entlastung des Wahlkomitees 26. Zum Wohl und Besten 27. Schluss der Versammlung Agenda Annual Membership Meeting 2016 Sunday the 21st of February 2016, at 2:00 pm The meeting will be governed by the following Agenda: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Opening and determining the legality of the meeting Moment of Silence Acceptance of the Agenda Approval of the Minutes of the Semi Annual Meeting 2015 President's Report Manager’s Report Long Range Planning Committee Report & Motion on Farm Committee Reports Report of the Nomination and Bylaws Committee Group Reports, no longer mandatory Finance Report Acceptance of the 2015 Finance Report & Chartered Accountants Reports Appointment of External Auditors Presentation of 2016 Budget 15. Acceptance of the 2016 Budget 16. Report of the Internal Club Auditors 17. Concordia Farm 18. Appointing of Election Committee 19. Discharge of the Board and approval of Board Actions in 2015 20. Election 21. Coffee and Cake 22. Election Results 23. Election of the President 24. The new President chairs the meeting with the newly elected board. 25. Discharge of the Election Committee 26. For the well being of the Club 27. Adjournment 16 2016 JahresHauptversammlung Annual Membership Meeting Sunday, February 21, 2016 2:00 p.m. Concordia Hall Concordia Schenke Sunday Brunch from 11.00 a.m. 17 FOLLOWING 9 (NINE) CAN NOMINATED FOR ELECTION THE MAIN BOARD OF T AT THE ANNUAL MEMBERSHI KATHY SCHERTZER ANDREW Nominated by: Rita Allmendinger and Karin Kruse Nominated Michael Mat Club activities: Bowling Group Occupation: Property Administration (Senioren Haus Concordia) Club activit President of camper, Out Committee, ALEXANDRIA THOENE ROLF MA Nominated by: Heidi Nowak and Karl Braun Member since 1994 (ab 1975 m. Familie) Club activities: Member of the Outdoor Group, Campers, Treffpunkt, Main Board since 2008 Occupation: Pharmacy Technician Nominated Eckhard Mic Member sin Club activiti K.K.G, Enzia Member of t Occupation MARTIN PATZOLD MIKE BR Nominated by: Fred Trautrim and Peter Trautrim Member since 1995 Club activities: Tennis, Choir, Treffpunkt and past Board member Occupation: IT Director Nominated Elaine Keller Member sin Club activiti on the Main Occupation NDIDATES HAVE BEEN N AS DIRECTORS OF THE CONCORDIA CLUB P MEETING 2016 W SAUR HELMUT KRUSCHAT by: tich and Peter Trautrim Nominated by: Uwe Werner Schlueter & Horst Beyerle ies: Campers Group, Long time tdoor group director, LRP 11 year active member. ALTHANER Member since 1982 Club activities: President of the Choir Occupation: Stukkateur (Drywaller) MICHELLE ZIMMER by: chalski and Hans Malthaner nce 1978 ies: an, Campers, Table Tennis, he Main Board : Real Estate Nominated by: Karl Braun and Fred Trautrim Member since 2008 Club activities: Chair of Membership, Campers, Mom to Enzian Dancer Occupation: Flight Attendant RASCH MARCUS DRASDO by: & Helmut Kruschat nce 1995 ies: Concordia Dance Society, Board 14 years : Cabinet maker, self employed Nominated by: Walter Marzinko and Hans Malthaner Club activities: Table Tennis Group Occupation: Contractor BERICHT DES NOMINATIONS KOMITEES Die auf der Bildseite aufgeführten Mitglieder haben sich als Kandidaten zur Wahl bei der Jahreshauptversammlung 2016 als Directoren in den Hauptvorstand gestellt. Die Antragsformulare wurden vom Nominations-Komitee geprüft und für richtig befunden. Die Reihenfolge der Kandidaten wurde mittels einer einfachen Auslosungsmethode ermittelt. Directoren für den Hauptvostand 2016: Zur Jahreshautversammlung 2016 stellen sich 9 Kandidaten um die 7 frei werdenden Hauptvorstandsposten zu besetzen. Eine Person von den neu gewählten Vorstandsmitgliedern welche die wenigsten Stimmen erhält, verbleibt nur ein Jahr im Hauptvorstand. Buchprüfer : Für das kommende Geschäftsjahr benötigen wir vier (4) Buchprüfer. Elisabeth Rowsell und Eckhard Michalski bleiben noch ein Jahr. Wilma Schmidt und Fred Trautrim stellten sich für zwei Jahre zur Verfügung and daher ist eine Wahl unnötig. *** Jedes Mitglied kann nur seinen eigenen Wahlzettel in die dafür bestimmten Wahlurnen einwerfen. Vorauswahlen sind am Dienstag, den 9. Februar zwischen 17:00 und 20:00 Uhr in der Weinstube. Wahltag: Die Ausgabe der EIGENEN STIMMZETTEL wird an der Haupteingangstür zur Festhalle nach Überprüfung der Mitgliedschaft vorgenommen. Zum Abschluss der Nominationen waren zwei (2) Kandidaten für das Amt des Prasidenten bekannt, Rob Kerr und Rolf Mathaner. *** Das Nominations-Komitee und Satzungskomitee besteht aus den Klubpräsidenten, den beiden amtierenten Vize-Präsidenten, den Präsidenten sämtlicher Untergruppen und den Alterspräsidenten. Karl Braun, Vorsitzender REPORT OF THE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE Members pictures on the reverse side have agreed to be nominated at the Annual Membership Meeting 2016 as Directors for the Main Board. The applications have been verified and approved by the Nominations Committee. The sequence of the following candidates was optained by applying a simple selection method. Directors for the Main Board: Nine (9) members have agreed to be nominated to fill seven (7) positions that will become vacant. One (1) newly elected Board Member with the lowest number of votes will stay on the Board for only one (1) year. Auditors: For the current fiscal year we require 4 auditors. Two (2) for one year and two (2) for two (2) years. Elisabeth Rowsell and Eckhard Michalski have one year remaining on their term. Wilma Schmidt and Fred Trautrim have agreed to serve for two (2) years. Therefore an election is not necessary. *** Every member can only cast his own ballot in the ballot box at the elections. Advance Elections are being held on Tuesday, February 9th 2016 inside the Weinstube just outside the Club office between 5:00 and 8:00 pm. Election Day: Ballots for members will be handed out at the door of the Main Hall upon entry, after verifying your membership status. At closing of the Nominations we have two (2) candidates running for the position of President, Rob Kerr and Rolf Malthaner. *** The Nominations and Bylaws Committee consist of the Club President, both Vice Presidents the Presidents of all Groups and the Past Presidents of the Club. Karl Braun, Chairperson 20 JAHRESBERICHTE / ANNUAL REPORTS 2015 Jahresbericht der Geschäftsführerin Wenn ich so auf das vergangene Jahr zurückblicke, kann ich fast gar nicht glauben, dass ein ganzes Jahr verflossen ist. Es scheint wie gestern, als ich meinen Jahresbericht für 2014 verfasste! Zum Jahresanfang hatten wir besonderes Augenmerk darauf gerichtet, so gut wie möglich für den Klub zu werben. Wir nahmen am ersten Wochenende an einer Brautmodenschau im Waterloo Inn teil, wobei es uns möglich war, einige Hochzeiten bei uns zu buchen und auch gleichzeitig Werbung für unsere eigene Brautmodenschau zu machen. Ein ansässiger Hochzeitsdekorateur hatte uns an diesem Tag unsere Halle entsprechend dekoriert – und es sah wirklich wundervoll aus! Das wiederum bescherte uns weitere Buchungen für weitere Hochzeiten. Selbstverständlich werden wir weiterhin stark bei Brautmodenschauen vertreten sein, damit Brautpaare sehen können, wie wunderbar die Halle für eine Hochzeit hergerichtet werden kann. Im April hatten wir dann einen Ausstellungsstand an der hiesigen „Food and Drink Show“ um hauptsächlich auf unsere Schenke aufmerksam zu machen. Immer wieder bin ich darüber erstaunt, wie viele Menschen in Kitchener Waterloo immer noch nicht wissen, dass wir das ganze Jahr über und auch für jedermann geöffnet sind! Unser Gesamtumsatz lag etwas unter dem des Vorjahres, obwohl die Hochzeitssaison sehr gut war und die Halle jeden Samstag seit Anfang Mai bis nach Oktoberfest hinaus gebucht gewesen ist. Aber, da sind eben so viele andere variable Faktoren, die sich auf das Endergebnis auswirken. Zum Beispiel hatten wir zwei Hochzeiten im Juni, welche keinen Barservice hatten – was sich 21 wiederum wesentlich negativ beim Umsatz auswirkt. Während der Sommermonate arbeiteten wir vor allem daran, die Schenke und die Patio zu vermarkten. Wir verwirklichten ein paar neue Ideen und werbetechnische Maßnahmen. Die Bierservierlöffel erfreuten sich besonderer Beliebtheit vor allem bei denjenigen, die einige unsere verschiedenen Faßbiere ausprobieren wollten. Ebenso hatten wir eine Warsteiner Werbeaktion im Herbst, wobei ein 48“ Flachfernseher mit dem Erwerb eines 0,5l Warsteiner Bieres gewonnen werden konnte. Unser Warsteiner Vertreter war so freundlich, uns so ein Fernsehgerät zu diesem Zweck zur Verfügung zu stellen. Die Ziehung des Gewinners fand Anfang Oktober statt. Ebenso hatten wir eine kleine Band auf der Patio an jedem Freitagabend im August. Selbstverständlich konkurrierten wir mit so manch anderer Veranstaltung in der Stadt, weshalb sich die Teilnehmerzahl in Grenzen hielt und nicht ganz so war, wie wir es erhofft hatten. Hoffentlich können wir unseren Kalender in diesem Jahr besser koordinieren. Das Oktoberfest kam sehr plötzlich in diesem Jahr! Unter dem Strich hatten wir ein gutes Oktoberfest, obwohl unser Faßbierverkauf seit Jahren rückläufig ist. Jedoch kam unser Verkaufsumsatz dem des Vorjahres ziemlich nahe. Wir machten einige Veränderungen in der Halle hinsichtlich der Jägerbar. Die Resonanz war durchaus positiv und ich bin mir sicher, dass wir die neue Disposition beibehalten werden. Die Weihnachtssaison war wie immer sehr geschäftig. Unglücklicherweise verloren wir eine unserer größeren Firmen-Weihnachtsfeiern, weil diese eine Halle suchte, wo die Beschäftigten auch gleichzeitig Übernachtungsmöglichkeiten hatten. Glücklicherweise fanden wir gleich Ersatz, denn eine andere Firma übernahm diesen Tag für ihre Weihnachtsfeier. Herausforderungen in diesem Jahr gab es vor allem im Küchenbereich. Es scheint, als dass dies ein übliches Problem für die gesamte Gastronomie in unserer Gegend ist. Trotz allem, unser Team in der Küche arbeitete schwer und hart daran, auch diese Personalengpässe zu meistern. Zum Schluss möchte ich mich noch beim Vorstand für die gewährte Unterstützung während des ganzen Jahres bedanken. Ebenso ein aufrichtiges Dankeschön unserem Personal für ein weiteres großartiges Jahr! Mit freundlichen Grüßen Ruth Rajna, Geschäftsführerin MANAGER’S YEAR END REPORT FOR 2015 As I look back on 2015, I find it hard to believe another year has come and gone. It seems like just yesterday that I was reporting on the year 2014! The focus at the beginning of the year was primarily on promoting the Club as best we could. We attended a Bridal Show at Waterloo Inn on the first weekend where we were able to book a few weddings and advertise for our own Bridal Showcase. One of our local wedding decorators came in to decorate the Hall for us on the day of the show and it looked fabulous! We were able to secure a few more wedding bookings on that day as well! Needless to say, we will continue to attend more Bridal Shows to ensure that brides have an opportunity to see how wonderful the Hall can be for a wedding. In April we had a booth at the Food and Drink Show in an effort to showcase the Schenke as best we could. I am still amazed at the number of people within the Kitchener Waterloo area that do not know we are open to the public for dining throughout the year! Our overall sales were down slightly from 2014 even though the wedding season was very good with the Hall booked every Saturday from the beginning of May straight through until Oktoberfest and beyond. However, there are so many variables that influence the bottom line. For example, we had two weddings in June that did not have bar service at all. This, of course, effects our sales significantly. During the summer months we worked at trying to market the Schenke and patio. We introduced a few new ideas and promotional strategies. The beer paddles became very popular for guests who wanted a taste of a few different import beers we offer. We ran a promotion with Warsteiner in the fall were you could win a 48" flat screen TV with the purchase of a .5 Warsteiner. Our Warsteiner rep was kind enough to donate the TV which we gave away at the beginning of October. We had live entertainment on the patio every Friday for the month of August. We had to compete with a few other events happening around the city so attendance was not what we anticipated. Hopefully we can better coordinate our schedule this summer. Oktoberfest came very quickly this year! Overall, we had a good Oktoberfest even though we continue to see our draft sales decrease over the years but our sales overall came very close to last year. We made a few changes with the set up in the hall in the hope of drawing more attention to the Jagerbar. The feedback was favourable so I am sure we will continue to keep the new layout. The Christmas season was a busy time for the Club. Unfortunately we lost one of our bigger company Christmas parties due to a relocation to a venue that could provide overnight accommodations for their staff but were able to secure a new company party in its place. We have had a few challenges in staffing for the kitchen this year. It seems that the restaurant industry as a whole is having its difficulties in this area. However, our kitchen team worked very hard to overcome these staffing issues. In closing I would like to thank the Board of Directors for their continued support throughout the year. A sincere thank you also to our staff for another great year! Sincerely, Ruth Rajna, General Manager 22 Club Mietobjekte 2015 Das Jahr 2015 fing sehr ruhig an, das erste groessere Projekt war die Renovierung das Badezimmers in dem Haus an 479 Ottawa St., diese war dringend noetig um zu verhindern das sich Feuchtigkeit in der Aussenwand verbreiten kann, ein Resultat des undichten Daches das wir bereits 2014 reparierten, wie sich sicherlich viele erinnern koennen. Die anderen Objekte benoetigten lediglich normale kleinere Instandhaltungs-Arbeiten, eines sollte an dieser Stelle angemerkt werden: einen herzlichen Dank an Rob Kerr, der die Reinigung der Regenrinnen an 455 Ottawa organisierte. Ronny Horvath CLUB RENTAL PROPERTIES 2015 The year 2015 started very quiet, the first larger project was the renovation of the Bathroom at 479 Ottawa St., which was due to avoid spreading moisture throughout the outside walls as the result of the leaking roof which got fixed in 2014, like most of you will remember. The other object’s required only normal maintenance, one thing to say at this place is: a big thank you to Rob Kerr, who organized the cleaning of the eavestroughs at 455 Ottawa St. Ronny Horvath Christkindlmarket 2015 Christkindlemarket started December 3rd and ended December 6th, and as it goes, it is a busy time for me and my committee. We offered Warsteiner Beer again this year, but we were not as successful in beer sales as we were with our gluhwein sales. We are continuously making attempts to tweak our gluhwein recipe to keep it tasting delicious for our customers. We ended the market with a profit and we gave the Children’s Wish Foundation $505.00 from our collected tips. 23 In closing, I would like to thank my committee and the rest of the Board and those that came out to help with setup, takedown, and volunteering their time in the booth. Director, Peter Bergen Oktoberfest chair Well let me start by thanking Karl Braun for all is guidance and knowledge. Also my dad (Hans Malthaner) for the use of his tools and weekly inspections to keep us on time and budget. 2015 created a few challenges. Painting all the tables was a bigger job than I thought. Some of us needed to get our fall arrest training which is now law. In order to work at heights. Many pictures were taken this should help the process for this year. I am already recruiting for the Set-up crew (Any takers?). We will be looking to make a few improvements this year. And don’t forget….. Lasst euch das bier schmecken Rolfie Annual Report - Sarah Fretz 1ST SECRETARY As 1st Secretary I am responsible for minutes from the Semi-Annual and Annual Meeting. I am also responsible for responding in writing to any inquiries to the board and writing any letters to members. When our 2nd secretary is unavailable, I would take our weekly meeting minutes. As 1st Secretary, I also try to keep the board in line with the by-laws and regulations during weekly meetings and keep track of our monetary motions for the auditors. 1. SCHRIFTFÜHRERIN Als 1. Schriftführerin bin ich für die Protokolle der Halb-Jahresversammlung und HauptJahresversammlung verantwortlich. Ich habe auch Briefe an den Vorstand beantwortet, und Briefe an Mitglieder geschrieben. Wenn unsere 2. Schriftführerin nicht da war, habe ich auch das Protokoll von unserer Vorstandssitzung geschrieben. Ich versuche auch immer während unseren Sitzungen, die Satzungen und Statuten zu berücksichtigen. Am Presidentball haben wir auch etwas neues probiert und ich glaube die Dekoration ist gut angekommen. ENTERTAINMENT Ich möchte mich bei meinem Komitee bedanken für die Mitarbeit und auch bei alle anderen die mitgeholfen haben. Es ist nicht immer einfach neue Sachen zu finden und auszuführen. The entertainment committee has been quite busy this past year. We started by Boxing week shopping for some new Christmas decorations. Hopefully all the members appreciated the update in decor. We did receive some feedback throughout the holiday season and will continue to work on improving the atmosphere next Christmas. The committee also tried something new for Presidents Ball this year and the peacock feathers and fish centre pieces were enjoyed by all. For Stiftungsfest we stuck to the basics and had a very simple yet elegant decorating scheme and once again positive feedback and comments came to us. It is exciting to plan for decoration and entertainment for various events and I hope we have succeeded in bringing new and old together. I would like to thank my entertainment committee, and for the most part their spouses as well, for all the brainstorming, crafting and hours spent decorating. Also a big thank you for all those who help with the clean up afterwards. It isn’t always easy to coordinate schedules when so many of us work different kinds of hours but in the end we always pull through and get the job done! VERGNÜGUNGS KOMITEE Wir waren im letzten Jahr sehr beschäftigt! Nach Weihnachten fing es gleich an da wir neue Dekoration für die Schenke und Jägerstube kauften. Ich hoffe, es hat allen gefallen. Wir werden für nächstes Jahr noch ein paar andere Sachen erneuern. Beim Stiftungsfest haben wir es schlicht und elegant gehalten und auch wieder positive Kommentare bekommen. Honorary Member The honorary member committee consisted of the following members: Elisabeth Rowsell, Horst Beyerle, Karl Braun, Wilma Schmidt, Ursula Dressler, Martin Patzold, Ali Nowak and Rob Kerr. I would like to thank the committee for their work this year! Honorary member for 2015 was Murray Taylor. EHRENMITGLIED Vielen Dank an die Mitglieder des Ehrenmitglied Komitees: Elisabeth Rowsell, Horst Beyerle, Karl Braun, Wilma Schmidt, Ursula Dressler, Martin Patzold, Ali Nowak and Rob Kerr. Ehrenmitglied für 2015 war Murray Taylor. Annual Report - Elaine Keller 2ND SECRETARY As Second Secretary, I am responsible for taking the minutes at our weekly Board Meetings. This is my second year taking the weekly minutes and I am starting to feel like I have a greater understanding for the position. When I am not available to attend Board meetings, I am thankful to have Sarah Fretz our First Secretary available at a moment’s notice to help me out. Thank you Sarah. I have recently started audio taping our meetings so we don’t miss out on any important details. I look forward to a great 2016 as your Second Secretary. 24 BULLETIN Kultur Komitee 2015 I’d like to thank all of the group’s representatives whom I had the pleasure of receiving reports from this past year. Great job getting your reports in on time. We all worked together to keep our Nachrichten news worthy for all to read. Liebe Freunde und Mitglieder, I would like to send a big thank you to Sarah Fretz for helping with all the language translations. Your assistance was greatly appreciated. Im Concordia Club haben wir diesen Meilenstein der deutschen Geschichte natürlich auch ein bisschen gefeiert. Mat Schulze vom Waterloo Centre für Deutsche Studien, der 1989 in Leipzig gelebt hat, konnte die politischen Entwicklungen mit seinen persönlichen Erlebnissen dokumentieren. Wir vom Concordia Club sind sehr dankbar, dass selbst unser Generalkonsul Walter Stechel es sich nicht hat nehmen lassen, dieser Gedenkfeier beizuwohnen. Die Mitglieder aller deutschen Klubs waren eingeladen. Unser Chor umrahmte die Veranstaltung feierlich mit einigen Liedern. Our bulletin offers an entertaining and up to date read for all our members to enjoy. A well deserved thank you to Jake Liebel for all the time and dedication he puts in with preparing and publishing our bulletin. It has been a pleasure working with you this year. I wish everyone a safe and happy 2016, keep those reports coming! Elaine Keller Email: [email protected] Festzug Komittee Die Arbeit an “unserem” Float, das alle deutschen Clubs vereint, gestalltete sich 2015 eher ruhig da wir einfach nicht wirklich an den Umzugswagen herankommen konnten. Es waren von vornherein nur kleinere Auffrischungen geplant, so das wir am Ende rechtzeitig vor der Oktoberfestparade fertig waren. Ronny Horvath / Mike Brasch FLOAT COMMITTEE The maintenance on “our” Float, which combines all German Clubs, began rather slow, we could just not get to the Parade-vehicle. There were only minor adjustments planed, so that in the end we finished just in time before the Oktoberfest Parade. Ronny Horvath / Mike Brasch 25 Kaum zu glauben, dass schon wieder ein Jahr vergangen ist. Wenn ich an das vergangene Jahr denke, fällt mir natürlich zuerst das 25jährige Jubiläum der Deutschen Wiedervereinigung ein. Wir Deutschkanadier können uns glücklich schätzen, dass unser jetziger Konsul ein reges und aktives Interesse daran hat, die deutsche Kultur für uns hier in Kanada mit zahlreichen Initiativen aufrecht zu erhalten. Bei seinen zahlreichen Besuchen hier in Kitchener-Waterloo, wie dem Pioniertag, dem Volkstrauertag am Woodland Friedhof und bei Veranstaltungen in der Deutschen Schule boten sich viele Gelegenheiten für unsere Mitglieder ihn persönlich kennenzulernen. Wir vom Concordia Club danken ihm und seinem Team für die große Unterstützung. So hat er beispielsweise im Juni ein Treffen im Hansa Haus in Mississauga einberufen, zu dem er Abordnungen aller Deutschen Klubs in Südwestontario eingeladen hat. Es sollte, unter anderem, über die Zukunft der Deutschen Klubs diskutiert werden, und Ideen ausgetauscht werden wie die Klubs jüngere Mitglieder für sich interessieren und anwerben können. Ein zweites Meeting ist nun für den 30. Januar diesen Jahres angesetzt worden, zu dem ich auch hingehen werde. Ich hoffe, Sie alle haben sich die Zeit genommen und vorher die Umfrage des Konsulates ausgefüllt. Das Problem jüngere Mitglieder anzuwerben ist schon lang bekannt. Die Deutschen Klubs altern, manche sterben schon aus. Geliebte Traditionen unserer älteren Mitglieder geraten in Vergessenheit, und es kristallisieren sich neue Sitten und Gebräuche heraus, mit denen die ältere Generation nicht viel anfangen kann. Das hat es aber schon immer gegeben. Es ist, wie man so schön sagt, der Zahn der Zeit. Hier im Concordia Club stehen wir vor den gleichen Herausforderungen wie alle anderen Klubs auch. Wir haben aber auch eine dynamische Jugendkultur mit der Garde, den Schuhplattlern und dem Kinderchor. 'Was du ererbt von deinen Vätern, erwirb es um es zu besitzen', schreibt Goethe in Faust I. In meinen Augen ist es überaus wichtig, dass die ältere Generation den neuen, -zugegeben oft befremdlich wirkenden-, kulturellen Eigenheiten und Kommunikationsmethoden offen gegenüber steht und sie nicht abweist. Wir möchten doch, dass sich die jungen Leute das deutsche Herzstück, die Werte und Sitten, auf die es wirklich ankommt, selbst zu Eigen machen. Ein Kulturwandel dieser Art geht nie ganz nahtlos vonstatten, aber generationenübergreifende Offenheit und Akzeptanz für alle Beteiligten unterstützt das Ganze. Im Concordia Club engagieren sich viele ehrenamtliche Helfer, vorwiegend unsere Senioren, die ein großes Ausmaß an Zeit, Fähigkeiten und Dienstleistungen unentgeltlich zur Verfügung stellen. Viele scheinen das oft nicht anzuerkennen oder es wird als selbstverständlich vorausgesetzt. Zu guter Letzt, versucht doch auch bitte mehr deutsch zu sprechen. Ich bin immer wieder verblüfft, wie wenige Leute im Club deutsch miteinander sprechen, obwohl sie die Sprache beherrschen. Für mich ist die Sprache ein wichtiger Grund für die Klubmitgliedschaft. So nehme ich beispielsweise meinen Sohn zum Skatabend mit, damit er auch außerhalb der Familie mit deutschsprechenden Menschen in Verbindung bleibt. Aus persönlichen Gründen habe ich beschlossen, dieses Jahr nicht für den Vorstand zu kandidieren. Ich bedanke mich für das Vertrauen, das die Mitgliedschaft in den vergangenen zwei Jahren in mich gesetzt hat und wünsche allen Mitgliedern ein erfolgreiches und glückliches Neues Jahr 2016! Marcus Kallweit GERMAN CULTURE COMMITTEE 2915 Dear Friends and Members, It is hard to believe that another year has gone by already. Looking back at 2015, the first thing that comes to mind is the 25 year anniversary of Germany's reunification. We here at he Concordia Club did, of course, celebrate this milestone of German history with a semi-formal commemoration gettogether. Mat Schulze from the Waterloo Centre for German Studies, who lived in Leipzig in 1989, commented with personal accounts on the political developments. The Concordia Club and the Board of Directors are grateful that our German Consul General Walter Stechel attended this event. In fact, he supports and has supported many other German events in our area with his attendance be it on Pioneer's Day, Volkstrauertag at Woodland Cemetery, and events at the German School Concordia. We German-Canadians can consider ourselves very lucky that our acting Consul General demonstrates a keen and active interest in trying to help us keep the German culture alive and flourishing. He and his team have launched a number of initiatives. Last June for example, the Consulate invited all Presidents from all German clubs in southwestern Ontario to the Hansa Haus 26 Radio Herz, German Broadcast Inc. 63 Hoffman St., Kitchener, Ont. N3M 3M8 Radio Herz können Sie folgendermaßen hören: Übers Internet für $7.00/Mo. www.radioherzclub.com unter Abonnieren erhältlich. Über Bell-TV, auf Kanal 986 als Abonnent erhältlich und über NexTV, Deutsches Internet TV auf Kanal 1252 als Abonnent erhältlich Tel: 1-866-365-6724 in Mississauga to discuss the future of German clubs, as well as to exchange ideas on how to attract younger members, and to keep up our traditions. A second meeting is scheduled for January 30th which I also plan to attend. I hope all of you took some time to fill out the survey sent around by the consulate. The old problem as to how to attract a younger membership is well known. Our German clubs are aging or dying out slowly. Loved traditions of our older members are often challenged and no longer cultivated by younger generations. Some fear they will be forgotten. New customs are starting which our older members have difficulty to accept. At the Concordia Club we face some challenges, but we also have a vibrant youth culture with the Garde, the Schuhplattler and the Children's Choir. What's bred in the bone, the values and customs of centuries, may have to be adapted in their appearance and will have to be enriched with modern ideas, rhythms and technology. It has to, if we want the German core to remain accessible for our children. While this kind of cultural change never occurs smoothly, openness and acceptance for all groups involved fosters the process. The Concordia Club is made up of many people, especially seniors, volunteering a lot of their time, skills and services. Many often seems to take this for granted. Last but not least, please try to speak German. I am always amazed how few people in our club speak German to one another, although they know the language. I take my son to play Skat so he stays connected with German speakers. For personal reasons, I have decided not to run for the Board this year. I appreciate the trust placed in me by the membership the last two years. Wishing everyone a prosperous and happy New Year 2016. Membership Marcus Kallweit Rolf Happy New Year to everyone! I'd like to welcome all our new members to The Concordia Club also. We had 80 new members join in 2015, plus an additional 8 that joined during the Oktoberfest membership drive. Each year we are growing and each year we will have more and more people enjoying what our club has to offer. Once again, congratulations to our members who had anniversaries as club members this year. Just a reminder that we still have pins that need to be picked up from the club. Please come to the front desk and ask for them. All the best to you and your family in 2016. Michelle Zimmer Sales and Marketing Last year we had several meetings (more like a gettogether) usually once a month. With the help of staff and volunteers we were able to come up with some great ideas. Ideas that bring in fresh faces as well as our members. One of the many ideas that came from one our meetings was the bridal open house. This is now our 2nd annually. Other ideas include a wine pairings evening, patio entertainment beer paddles and much more. Anyone can join us. Bring your ideas and what you would like to see at our club. The next meeting is February 16. 2016 at 7:00 pm. Contact myself malthaner1015 @rogers.com or 519 998 4203. We would love to have you. Thanks to all who took the time last year . There are many to thank. Can’t wait to see what we do in 2016. See you soon 28 Old or New Residential - Commercial Industrial PLUMBING AND HEATING Serving Southern Ontario Water Softeners Water Purifiers Water Heaters Heating & Air Conditioning We now do COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION 1-38 McBrine Place, Kitchener ON N2R 1G8 Phone 519-748-4588 - Fax 519-748-4584 Email: [email protected] February 9, 2016 - 5-8 pm Advanced Polls for Annual Meeting 2015 Yearly Report from Ali Nowak TREASURER’S REPORT 2015: 2015 was my second year as First Treasurer of the Concordia Club, and Peter Bergen’s second year as Second Treasurer. We lost a valuable fulltime staff member when Fiona Gilbert decided to work closer to home. Her replacement, Silvia Minka is doing an admirable job of filling her shoes. Special thanks to Ruth Rajna for her help and support throughout the year. As the First Treasurer, I also chaired the Economic Affairs Committee (myself, Peter Bergen and Rob Kerr) and the Finance Committee (myself, Peter Bergen, Rob Kerr and Sarah Fretz). Although not all of the numbers are in from our busy holiday season, I am pleased to report that it appears that we have met our overall budget. Our Oktoberfest was not as successful as last year, with decreased sales and increased expenses. Our sales revenue from all sources decreased from last year but is slightly higher than budgeted. Our total expenses are higher than last year, but lower than budgeted. There were many building repair expenses which were dealt with in 2015 including the installation of our new fire alarm system, kitchen food heaters and coolers, and the beautiful Halle floor repair. Given the results of the HST Audit in late 2014, we also self-reported for uncollected 2014 HST and made the necessary payment in 2015. Members of the Finance Committee and Economic Affairs Committee attended a seminar on Not For Profit Organizations – Facing Indirect Tax Challenges presented by KPMG. Various committee members also met with our RBC investment advisor, Chris Emms and our commercial account manager, Phil Jones to review our Line of Credit, investments, and future expenses. The limit on our Line of Credit will be increased in early 2016 and the cash monies in our accounts invested. Looking forward to your questions at the Annual General Meeting, Ali Nowak EMPLOYEE LIASON: As Employee Liason between our staff and the main Board, it is my responsibility to deal with any problems with our staff. There were no significant problems in 2015. Please contact me if you have any concerns. ANGESTELLTE DES KLUBS: Als Verbindungsperson fuer das Personal zum Vorstand, versuche ich bei Problemen fuer beide Seiten gerecht zu vermitteln. Da waren keine Probleme in 2015. Wenn Sie Fragen haben, Sie können mit mir sprechen. Ali Nowak LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE In 2015, the Long Range Planning Committee had a very busy year and will continue to have a busy year in 2016 in assisting the Vorstand in implementing the membership’s decision on the future of the Farm. The Long Range Planning Committee members in 2015 included Karl Braun, Kathie Dowswell, Marcus Kallweit, Rob Kerr, Andrew Lehman, Arne Michalski, and Eckhard Michalski. After the April 6, 2014 Special Meeting, the Long Range Planning Committee Roundtable Discussion Group was formed and the following subcommittees were formed: Income Generation at the Farm; Fundraising Events; Rental Properties; Trillium Grant/Member and/or Group Investment; Farm and Campsite/Usage Fees & Expenses and Farm Property Manager. In 2015, all subcommittees of the Roundtable Discussion Group completed their reports to the Long Range Planning Committee. A Special Membership Meeting was held May 24, 2015 to provide a summary report to the membership. A Survey/Questionnaire was distributed to all 30 interested members for their input on the future development of the Farm, and the memberships’ willingness to donate or invest monies in the Concordia Club. The results of the Survey / Questionnaire were shared with the membership at the Semi Annual Meeting on August 26, 2015. The Roundtable Discussion Group met and made a recommendation to the Long Range Planning Committee. As printed in the January 2015 Nachrichten Blatt, the Long Range Planning Committee’s recommendation on the future of the Farm was accepted by the Board of Directors on December 10, 2015. At the Annual General Meeting on February 21, 2016, all members will be asked to approve the Board’s motion that the sewage system at the Farm Pavillion be replaced/updated as required by the Ministry of Environment. The current estimated cost is $300,000. The current campground operation would continue mostly unchanged. The campsites would not have any water supply or sewage disposal services. The Finance Committee will be meeting before the Annual General Meeting to review and discuss the results of the membership survey, the recommendations of the Long Range Planning Roundtable Discussion Group and the Long Range Planning Committee on where the money should come from. The Finance Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors in advance of the Annual General Meeting. Please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Long Range Planning Committee, the Roundtable Discussion Group, the Finance Committee or the Vorstand to discuss your thoughts on this important motion. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO COME TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND VOTE! Ali Nowak 31 Security department Report for 2015 We once again had a successful year in the security department as no major charges were laid against the club and the president and the board of directors are still here to guide the club. The staff had a somewhat harder time as a few people experienced some bumps and bruises. Nothing seems to keep these ladies and gentlemen away as they returned to work for their next shift. Thank you to all the staff in the security and parking department for a job well done. This was our second year with the new liquor inspector and John Misener was able to give us the guidance that was needed to have a successful year. A new approach that we enlisted this year was pro-active messaging at entry points and bars, which alerted the patrons that their attendance here and the ability to consume alcohol was a privilege not a right. This message enabled the bar and wait staff to have a talking point if the patron decided to dispute any facts. The overall make up and training of the staff for the security department is shaped by the supervisors and administrator for the security department. A heartfelt thank you goes out to John, Randy, Chesley and Candace for their hours of behind the scenes work which helps prepare this department for the busy 9 days we experience every year. Thank you to all the board members and members of the Concordia club that stand behind the internal security that we have had here at the club for many years. We did need to supplement our numbers this year with some outside help but they worked very well with our staff. We are looking into how we can obtain the numbers for the security course in a more efficient way so that we can run our own courses again. Our security force is getting older and we see the need to get the next generation of security guards trained to help re-inforce our numbers. We had the luxury of having Staff Sgt. Tom Berczi return to run the Oktoberfest policing unit. Tom has been a great mentor for the security department as he provides us with information to help better how we provide security every year. We look forward to the next years challenges and the preparation work for 2016 will begin very soon so that we may serve our patrons better. Rob Kerr/ Alexandria Thoene Security Department Farm Report 2015 The season started out on April 26, 2015 with farm clean up, we had an amazing turnout of eager helpers plus great weather so we were able to accomplish a lot of leaf removal and chipping of trees and branches that had fallen over the winter. Originally the pool looked as if it had survived the winter with minimal damage, however the more we inspected it, the more areas that we found needed significant repair to the point that a large section of the ledge in the deep end had to be completely rebuilt. Because of this we missed our goal of having the pool ready by Canada Day weekend, but the health department was quite happy with it when it did get up and running. The kitchen wasn’t open again this season due to no one being interested in running it, however we got some help for the group picnics by having the Fritter Haus provide cooking assistance instead. Our volunteers and maintenance crew once again worked very hard to keep the farm looking good, plus we were able to get some overdue projects completed such as replacing a couple of broken underground hydro wires and a long section of main water line by the pool by digging several hundred feet of trench. Part way through the season our Gate card reader decided to stop working and needed to be replaced. Rather than trying to swap out everybody’s farm card in the middle of summer, we decided to hold off until spring. Sadly we lost a few campers but then gained a couple of new ones, keeping our numbers pretty much balanced. The frequent testing of our well water had no bad lab results, and we needed only minor repairs and upkeep to the system. Thanks go to Bruce E. for once again looking after the visitor and guest camping fees – we even have an online reservation system now! Thank you to the Campers committee and all the Campers who volunteered their time out at the farm. The 2016 Camping season will start Sunday April 24, 2016 at 9 a.m. with Farm Cleanup. Barristers & Solicitors, Notaries Public Suite 604, 30 Duke Street, W. Kitchener, Ontario N2H 3W5 Tel: 578-8010 Fax: 578-9395 e-mail: [email protected] M.M.President’s Walters, Q.C. (1921-1997) Report Adolf Gubler, M.A., LL.B. Areas of Practice Include: Powers of Attorney Wills and Trusts Estate Planning and Administration Real Estate and Mortgages Corporate Law Business and Commercial Law Weekend and Evening Appointments Available English and German Spoken 32 Wichtige Veranstaltungen Important Events FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016 Feb. 6 Feb. 9 Feb. 10 Feb. 14 Narrenzunft Maskenball Main Hall, 7:30 pm Advanced Polls for Annual Meeting Weinstube, 5-8 pm Ash Wednesday Herring Dinner Schenke 5:00 pm Valentines Brunch Buffet Feb. 15 Main Hall 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Family Day (Club closed) Feb. 21 Annual Membership Meeting 2:00 pm, Halle Winter Carnival Farm March 19 President’s Ball 6:00 pm March 6 March 25 Good Friday (Club closed) March 27 Easter Sunday Buffet Main Hall 12:00 am - 2:00 pm + 5.00 - 7.00 pm Bitte reservieren Sie ihren Tisch und besorgen Sie die Eintrittskarten zu den Veranstaltungen rechtzeitig. 33 Concordia Club Board of Directors 2014/2015 President: 1st Vice President: 2nd Vice President: 1st Secretary: 2nd Secretary: 1st Treasurer: 2nd Treasurer: Directors: Manager Committee Members Arbeitsgemeinschaft Archives Bulletin Christkindlmarket Club Buildings Club Historian Club Ombudsman Club Rental Properties Concordia Seniorenhaus Economic Affairs Employee Liaison 35 Rob Kerr Michael Brasch Alex Thoene Sarah Fretz Elaine Keller Ali Nowak Peter Bergen Ronny Horvath Rolf Malthaner Helmut Kruschat Michelle Zimmer Marcus Kallweit Mike Matich Ruth Rajna Rob Kerr Mike Brasch Alexandria Thoene Elaine Keller Sarah Fretz Peter Bergen Ronny Horvath Elaine Keller Mike Matich Mike Brasch Helmut Kruschat Leo Tukums Harald Schwegel Ronny Horvath Helmut Kruschat Rob Kerr Mike Brasch Peter Bergen Ali Novak Rob Kerr Peter Bergen Ali Nowak Entertainment Sarah Fretz Michelle Zimmer Alexandria Thoene Farm Committee Mike Matich Peter Bergen Ronny Horvath Finance Committee Ali Nowak Peter Bergen Rob Kerr Sarah Fretz Float Committee Ronny Horvath German Culture Marcus Kallweit Honorary Member Sarah Fretz Ali Nowak Rob Kerr Long Range Planning Ali Nowak Marcus Kallweit Rolf Malthaner Rob Kerr Membership Michelle Zimmer Miss Concordia Alexandria Thoene Nominations and Bylaws Karl Braun Rob Kerr Oktoberfest Chair Rolf Malthaner Oktoberfest Inc. Ali Nowak Marcus Kallweit Rolf Malthaner Sales and Marketing Rolf Malthaner Marcus Kallweit Ronny Horvath Security Rob Kerr Alex Thoene