Children's laughter and hustle and bustle usually reign in the afternoons in the BRK house on Dorfstrasse.
Even very young Red Cross citizens run through the rooms and practice first aid, do handicrafts and deal with exciting topics.
Germering
- As in all other areas of public life, however, pandemic-related quiet has been the order of the day here for weeks.
Nevertheless, the year 2020 was a special one for the local branch of the Youth Red Cross (JRK): It celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The JRK is known to many Germering families.
After all, it's an important part of city life.
Among other things, it is active in the city's holiday program, medical services, the blood donation service and other projects such as the school medical service.
There are currently six JRK groups.
The 50 or so children between the ages of five and 27 usually meet weekly in the youth rooms of the BRK house on Dorfstrasse.
It is thanks to Kurt Haban that the BRK's youth organization exists in Germering.
He had the idea to give special support to the youth in the Red Cross and founded a youth group on June 25, 1970.
This initially consisted of 15 members.
Initially the children met in the Kerschensteiner school, then in the old fire station and since 1977 in the Dorfstrasse.
Initially the youth had their group rooms in the basement.
When the rooms on the first floor were renovated in 2009, they were able to design and move into their own rooms.
According to a report by the BRK, specialist knowledge in age-appropriate first aid was on the agenda from the start.
But making friends has always been part of the program.
Cooking together, celebrating parties and traveling is still on the agenda today.
In addition, the Youth Red Cross has developed as a youth organization for the Bavarian Red Cross.
After the end of their time in the JRK, many of the active members turn to the other branches of the BRK and do voluntary work in the readiness, the water watch or the community for welfare and social affairs.
Some active and sometimes former JRK members are involved as group leaders in the junior division.
Jörg Duda, Managing Director of the Bavarian Youth Red Cross, rates the anniversary as follows: “50 years of JRK Germering also means that children, adolescents and young adults have found a home in the Red Cross for 50 years.
In group lessons, with leisure activities on weekends and on vacation, young people get involved in the common good. ”According to Duda, children and young people learn in the association outside of school in self-responsibility and participation, to shape their youth red cross and to be self-effective for themselves, their group and others to use.
In addition to their specialist knowledge, they also learn social skills that they could put to good use in their everyday life.
The children's groups that emerged in the 2000s are also an important part of the JRK.
Today the local Youth Red Cross consists of six groups with members between the ages of five and 27.
In weekly group lessons they are trained in first aid and social issues.
The activities are financed from the contributions of the sponsoring members of the Bavarian Red Cross, through grants from the district youth association and the city, but also through income from medical services and the Glückshafen.
A large part of the group lessons continue to be to prepare for competitions.
And here the Germeringer can really score.
In 2019, the children in age group three made it to second place in the Bavarian state competition.
Tasks in the areas of first aid, Red Cross history, musical representation and general knowledge had to be mastered.
Like other clubs, the BRK also has the problem of keeping the young players in line.
Daniela Palme, head of youth work in the district association, sees it this way: “The challenge lies in the age at which the children attend secondary schools or enter the world of work.
However, we set a good example and show what great opportunities the JRK offers. ”The planned big anniversary celebration could have provided arguments here.
It was canceled due to Corona, but should be made up this year.