If anyone ever thought that a ball in a German club is something home-grown and boring, take note!

The annual Presidents Ball in Kitchener’s Concordia Club, when the new Board of Directors is presented and sworn in, has arrived at a high degree of sophistication, largely due to the never-ending efforts of Treasurer Rita Allmendinger, who also chairs the committee for festive affairs. Every year she chooses a colour theme when she plans this and other evenings of importance for the club. This year a purple violet and white combination dominated the scene up in the rafters with balloons and on the tables with linens. This is of course not her only responsibility. She plans out every component of the event working with other volunteers and club staff in planning the entertainment segments, aligning the guests of honour and issuing the invitations to everyone. Truth be told, this is quite a big job with little margin for error, since it is one of the most important annual events of Kitchener’s German Canadian community.

Honorary Guests & Representatives
Toni & Brigitte Bergmeier	Mayor Carl Zehr & his wife Sandy
Helene Schramek, Werner & Angela Schlüter	Cornelia Schöpke & Mrs. Raasch
Kathy & Ken Seiling and Stephen Wooworth	Fred Lowrick, President Transylvania Club, with Helene Schramek, President Remembrance Society
Peter & Cornelia Schöpke	The Mardi Gras delegation: Marianne & Armin Hellmann, Grunhild & Jürgen Budczinski, Helga & Albert Koch
Sabine & Peter Pijet; to the right: Danuta Grigaitis & Gunter Gawantka	Heinz Kreitzer, Radio Herz, with Sybille Forster-Rentmeister, Echoworld/Echo Germanica

It is so important that every available political representative on local and provincial levels tries to make it; and they do come gladly. This year Mayors Karl Zehr, Kitchener, and Brenda Halloran, Waterloo, came with their spouses. Stephen Woodworth, MP Kitchener Centre, and his wife, Peter Braid, MP Waterloo, and Harold Albrecht, MP Kitchener Conestoga, also came. Elizabeth Witmer, MPP Waterloo, came with her husband.

We heard that she is considering running for the leadership of the Provincial Conservative Party. Frank Klees of Markham already announced his intention. Both have a German Background and we should be proud to support them.

Ernst Friedel, President Ontario and Tony Bergmeier, President National of the German Canadian Congress both arrived with their wives. Helene Schramek, President of the Remembrance Society Ontario came with her husband.

Germany had of course sent appropriate representation. Consul General Holger Raasch and his wife were seen to have a good time, as were all the other guests, including past presidents of the club, the three local radio personalities Heinz Kreitzer and wife Hilda, Christel and Hermann Schuetz, and Henning Grumme as well as Rolf and Sybille Rentmeister of Echo Germanica.

Rita Allmendinger’s daughter Sarah led pleasantly through the evening’s program as Master of Ceremonies, as she has done for many years now. She asked everyone to sit down for dinner on perfectly decorated round tables after a most pleasant cocktail reception. Every guest had been assigned a table with a host from the club. Miss Concordia Denis Brown said grace and the dinner service began. The table service and food was extremely good and lauded by all.

Concordia Enziangruppe

Immediately after dinner the guests were treated to some traditional entertainment by the Concordia Enziangruppe who whirled over the parquet in true Schuhplattler style, and the lovely girls served up a musical solo and duet performance of amazing cowbells.

Bell Ringers from Weiss-Blau Bayern

After this pleasant interlude all the special guests were introduced: the politicians and past presidents and all those before mentioned and more. Finally Werner Schlueter, reelected president and his wife Angela were introduced, the president welcomed everyone, pleased to have done something right to be there again, doing the honours like handing Gerhard Griebenow a sizeable cheque for the Concordia German Language school, and saying good bye to Gertrud Frim, thanking Rita Allmendinger for her commitment and his wife for her help and understanding.

The Concordia Choirs

Then it was time for the Concordia Choirs to sing some immortal melodies under the baton of Dr. Alfred Kunz, who will be turning 80 soon! We want to be the first ones to congratulate him and thank him for his service to our community.

The new Board of the Concordia Club sworn in by Liz Rowsell

Then the new board of Directors was asked to come forward to be sworn in: President Werner Schlueter, 1.VP Karl Braun, 2. VP and Treasurer Peter Schoepke, Treasurer Rita Allmendinger, Secretary Heidi Nowak, Secretary Alan Joachim Nanders, and Directors Mike Brasch, Peter Bergen, Klaus Schwegel, Joe Liebel, Alexandria Thoene, Robert Nowak and Steve Richtarich. Past president Liz Rowsell officiated over the swearing in ceremony.

The Mississauga Express Band

That concluded the official part of the festive evening and the rest was danced away to the sounds of Peter Beck’s Mississauga Express.

On the dance floor
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Somehow the evening went by very fast, almost too fast; but that is a good signal. Everyone had a grand time and will be back gladly.

Until next time

Sybille Forster-Rentmeister