After 15 years, Maiko Alpers hands over the DLRG local association chairmanship to Benedikt Schrettenbrunner. He leaves behind a thriving local association with 700 members.
Geretsried
– Maiko Alpers headed the local association of the DLRG for 15 years, which now has a record number of members of over 700. Before the most recent new elections in the operations center, he and long-time deputy Rolf Meinert and training manager Niklas Meckesheimer made their board positions available. Benedikt Schrettenbrunner, who was appointed as the new leader, and the members present celebrated the former leadership trio with a standing ovation.
Figures show the local association’s positive development
The last annual report from Alpers demonstrated with impressive figures the positive development of the local association, which volunteered 7,239 hours last year. The extensive range of services included water rescue services on Lake Starnberg as well as swimming and lifeguard training. In total, the instructors handed out 149 swimming and 75 lifeguarding badges. The cooperation with the Karl Lederer primary school, the Isardamm school and the Lenggrieser primary school has proven successful. The DLRG has now come to terms with the usage fees for the intermunicipal indoor swimming pool. The local association and other clubs protested violently against this three years ago. According to treasurer Martin Gerling, the financial situation, which was still tense at the time, has stabilized due to increased membership numbers. To ensure that it stays that way, the members agreed to an increase in the annual membership fees. In the future, adults will pay 80 euros, children 60, families 130 and institutions 200 euros.
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Rapid response group saved several lives
In another presentation, the outgoing chairman looked back on highlights of his membership in the local association. Having joined in the 1970s, he saw some of the outdated equipment and in 1979, as a 14-year-old student, he experienced his first security service on Lake Starnberg. Together with Alexander Soravia, Alpers founded the Rapid Response Group (SEG) in January 2001, which six months later had to prove its skills in a hurricane that raged on Lake Starnberg and saved several people's lives. “Unfortunately, we took on so much water that our boat had major engine damage,” recalled Alpers.
In 2009, his now ended era as head of the local association finally began. His predecessor Hans Dieter “Speedy” Poster now thanked Alpers and the also outgoing deputy Meinert for the commitment. The 80-year-old grew up in North Rhine-Westphalia and joined the DLRG in 1960. Alpers will remain on the board as auditor in the future. “I’m leaving the bridge now, but not the ship,” he assured.
In addition to the new chairman Benedikt Schrettenbrunner, the following other positions were filled: Yvonne Sydoriak, Stefan Bruns (each deputy chairman), treasurer Martin Gerling, deputy treasurer Barbara Schrettenbrunner, operations manager Florian Martin, deputy operations manager Sebastian Kneuer, training manager Maximilian Gießelmann, deputy training manager Florian Ehlers and youth chairman Andreas Meinert.
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