Full of zest for action in a small anniversary

Created: 07/05/2022, 06:55

By: Peter Schiebel

Sunflowers for the ladies: the board of Herrschinger Insel after the election by the members with (from left) Regina Klusch, Angela Ziegler, Hildegard Wienholt, Heidi Egger and Monika Maisch.

© Andrea Jaksch

The 15th anniversary of an association is a lot on the one hand, but on the other hand it is still a rather small anniversary.

Herrschinger Insel takes the date as an opportunity to highlight its volunteers.

Herrsching

- "Herrschinger Insel is what it is because many people contribute a lot so that people can be helped." With these words, Barbara Maier-Steiger, the manager of Herrschinger Insel, describes the work of the association in the current annual report.

For 15 years now, the island has been organizing social commitment in the community as a kind of umbrella organization.

28 clubs and the municipality belong to Herrschinger Insel as members.

A number clearly shows how great the need for advice, support and help is: the members held 2,562 information and advice meetings last year - that was the second highest value since the island was founded in 2007, and that despite or maybe because of it Corona.

80 percent of the contacts came directly from citizens, the other 20 percent from organizations dealing with the exchange of information or questions about networking.

The pandemic has left its mark

According to the annual report, most of the contacts (582) were due to the reservation of the Isar Card at 9 a.m., which the island makes available to those entitled.

This was immediately followed by donations from (466) or the need for second-hand goods (223) and financial problems (105 contacts).

The advisory office was always open during the pandemic, explain Maier-Steiger and Insel chairwoman Hildegard Wienholt.

Nevertheless: "The second year of the pandemic has left its mark on life on Herrschinger Insel, as it has on our entire society," said Wienholt at the island's general meeting these days.

For example, the employees of the social used goods project Inselmarkt had to adjust to changing regulations several times.

There, as in general on the island, volunteers form the basis of the offer.

“The island would not be what it would be without volunteers,” says Barbara Maier-Steiger, who is currently one of three full-time employees.

Marion Niederwald runs the administration, Andreas Thullner works as an assistant in the project work.

The fourth in the group, deputy director Erika Kammermeier, retired at the end of 2021.

"In the medium term we need a social pedagogue again," explains Chairwoman Wienholt.

Financially, the club is currently "well positioned," she says.

And that despite the fact that the corona-related failure of the Herrschinger Christkindlmarkt was "regrettable also from a financial point of view".

Finally, the island's raffle has been one of the attractions of the market in recent years.

And so there is great hope on Herrschinger Insel that a Christmas market can take place again this year.

Thanks to volunteers

Wienholt also thanks the full-time employees as well as the volunteers.

15 of them are presented on behalf of all in a brochure that was ready in time for the general meeting.

Irrespective of this, the Board of Directors was also newly elected.

The delegates of the 17 member associations who were present confirmed in office the first chair Hildegard Wienholt, the second chair Angela Ziegler, secretary Regina Klusch and treasurer Monika Maisch.

New in the team is the 3rd chairman Heidi Egger as the successor to the retired Eugen Eschenlohr.