December 2003 - Nr. 13
Christkindl Market Kitchener
by Herwig Wandschneider
Christkindl Market in Kitchener was kicked off officially at 6:30 pm on Thursday following the traditional candlelight procession from Victoria Park to City Hall. The Market actually opened on Wednesday in the afternoon. On Wednesday evening, the sponsors and organizers were honoured at a reception, which this year was given in the cafeteria on the 10th floor of the Berlin Tower of Kitchener’s City Hall.
![German School Concordia Children's Choir [photo: Herwig Wandschneider]](313c-HW-06a.jpg)
The
Children’s Choir of the German School Concordia, under the direction of
Angelika Werner, entertained the sponsors and participants, which was
delightfully done both in the selection of the songs and in the
presentation.
One of the major sponsors was the City of Kitchener, which was represented by its recently re-elected Mayor Carl Zehr. The new Mayor of Waterloo, Herb Epp, elected in November, attended as did the new MPP for Kitchener Centre, Mr. John Milloy. Their brief remarks warmly supported the Christkindl Market and Tony Bergmeier, the founder and Chair of the organizing committee, as well as Astrid Braun, Co-Chair. Clear admiration for Tony’s work over the years and dedication to the market was expressed loudly in the applause, driven by the enthusiasm of the Committee Members.
Financial Support for the Market came from numerous sponsors, ranging from government agencies, large companies to individuals. The most significant sponsors were the City, the local Newspaper, Community TV station, and Provincial Tourism. The German National Tourist Office sponsored the trip for two to Germany, and a local Toyota dealership made a significant contribution.
The incredible amount of work that goes into the organization and execution of an event of this scale was reflected by the number of active committee members, and the finances required to run it. And yet commercialism was not at all the intent. Mr. Bergmeier sees the event as an emotional German tradition, a lead-in to a very festive and historically rich tradition. Which is why the name of the sponsors is nowhere evident in the Market, and why the committee so much more appreciates the contribution made by the sponsors. The community spirit of the sponsors is reflected through this approach more than any other way, and the reception was the committee’s way of thanking all those involved financially and physically.
