link with the Rotary Club of Hermeskeil
Wishing to advance our in- ternational understanding and good will through a world fel- lowship of business and pro- fessional persons united in the ideal of service? But, of course! The sum of all the parts promises always to be more worthwhile and greater than merely the total of the individual parts!
So is it proving already in our exciting new link with the Rotary Club of Hermeskeil, Germany.
It has long been my ambition to see our Club joined in fel- lowship with a European Club. Distance and practicalities seemed to dictate looking no further than the Continent.
Sadly our historical link with a French Club foundered after very many years, due we be- lieve to a schism in that club which not only divided the Club but also extinguished the enthusiasm of a link hitherto based on friendly individual contacts.
I, and indeed other Club members, have personal con- nections with Germany. After what I believe was a happy, although short, excursion to the Mosel Valley in 2006, it seemed natural to look to this region for some prospect of partnership.
Aware that the Hutton & Shenfield Rotary Club had an established partnership with the Wittlich Mittel Mosel Club I ‗phoned the Shenfield Secre- tary to see whether they would object to my approaching other clubs in the immediate Mosel area whom I believed had no existing contact with any Brit- ish Club. Our long chat led him to suggest that I ‗phone and speak to Helmut Muscheid a Rotarian of many parts and not the least apparently Past District Governor on more than one occasion.
My ensuing conversation with Helmut resulted in his saying that he would be visit- ing a newish Club shortly and would convey my interest. The rest as they say is history1 I engaged in a number of ‗phone chats and frequent emails with the very charming Heidi, the then President of Hermeskeil. She made it clear that they would be happy to meet and discuss further. In May 2007 Geoff, myself, John Kent and President Margareta made a one night whistle stop visit to the Hermeskeil meeting where we outlined our partnership ambitions. We enjoyed their hospitality and noted in par- ticular their international fund- ing project to assist the rehab of the Brazilian Street Kids.
Clearly here was a project where we could make some contribution. There followed a social visit to us by Hans. Over a meal with Colin and Geoff, Colin really opened our
eyes as to the value of contri- butions which joint charitable efforts by more than one club and more than one district could achieve when aug- mented by matching grants and the like from Rotary Foun- dation at RI and District levels. We received a visit thereafter from Andreas, with whom I remain in regular contact. An- dreas had the inspiration to launch the project and has put in an enormous effort to proc- ess it to fruition. We are com- mitted to a sum of $2,000.
From what we believe to be a well based partnership I am sure that both our Clubs will have a long enjoyable fellow- ship and we look forward to visiting Hermeskeil and to re- ceiving more visits from that Club.
This Club meets on alterna- tive weeks: at Hermeskeil, a medium size market town ly- ing high (500 m above sea level] in the Hunsruck, an un- spoilt countryside teeming with forests; and at Mertes- dorf, a sleepy wine village just north of Trier. Communication is by air to Hahn and then by road. An express coach con- nects to Trier.
The journey time by road from Calais would be in the order of 4+ hours.
Eddie Truman 20th March 2008 29
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