Sept. 9 and 10, the members of the Heidelberg International Wandering Club host their 32nd annual Volksmarch. Again this year, they are presenting Commander’s Cup trophies for the military activities with the most participants.
Units wanting to participate in this special event must pre-register by contacting Rob Floyd at (+49) (0) 6227-841226 or (+49) (0) 172-6239338 and providing the name of the unit and number of participants. Members of your unit can participate Saturday or Sunday.
With thousands of walkers expected again this year, scores of volunteers are needed. A lot of hard work and effort goes into planning and organizing this event. Whatever your skill and availability, there is definitely a job for you at the Volksmarch. Help is needed in all areas: setting up benches and tables in the start hall, marking and monitoring the trail throughout the march, operating checkpoints and stamping cards, preparing and selling food and drinks, distributing supplies and equipment, directing parking and monitoring traffic flow, making and selling coffee and cakes, selling boutique items, working at the start card tables and handing out prizes, and cleaning the start hall after the event. Several veteran Volksmarch volunteers will be on hand to assist you.
As with any volunteer effort, there are many benefits. First, you get to be part of a great organization that hosts an important German-American event that strengthens the community relationship. Second, you meet new people and experience new challenges. You will receive a free volunteer T-shirt and great food. And last but not least: Get your beer mug before they’re sold out.
No amount of effort on your part is too small; whatever you can do will be appreciated. For more information, call the numbers above or e-mail questions to hiwc@yahoo.com.
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We have done the Volksmarch and have been to the Oktoberfest celebration in New Braunfels, Texas, a couple of times, so we wanted to walk in Braunfels, Germany, as well. We have done this walk twice and have enjoyed them both very much. Stars and Stripes reporter Kevin Dougherty wrote a Quick Trip article about Braunfels in May. If, by some chance, you did not save that article, you can read it again at www. estripes.com. Click on the Travel Section link and then scroll down and select Quick Trip archives. Please note that the start for this walk on Saturday and Sunday is in the nearby town of Philippstein.
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The walk in Noirefontaine, Belgium, is only about three miles north of the town of Bouillon. The castle in Bouillon was built in the 11th century. In the 18th century, the French under Louis XIV captured the castle and parts were renovated by the military architect Marshal Vauban. It is open for tours 9:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily during the summer.
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Miscellaneous notes about this week’s Volksmarch events:
• Bürvenich, Germany, is a “suburb” of Zülpich and is sometimes listed as Zülpich-Bürvenich on maps. In addition to the walk, this weekend is its Summer Festival with music, food and assorted activities all weekend.
• The Ski and Wanderfreunde club in Lambsborn is making an unusual offer this weekend: For the usual one-medal price of 3.80 euros, you can get two B-medals as the prize for completing their walk. This is an offer we have not seen before.
• The walk in Polch is very close to the castles at Burg Eltz and Burg Pyramont. Why not visit a castle after the Volksmarch?
• The town of Titisee-Neustadt invites you to walk its permanent Volksmarch trail in addition to participating in its annual walk on Saturday. Since they are different events, you can earn two event stamps as well as get credit for an extra 11 kilometers. The start hall for both walks is the Gasthaus Zur Traube.
Clark Soeldner, our source for information on walks in Italy, offers these notes:
•If you go to the walk in Tres, it would be wise to park close to the end point at the campo sportive and walk uphill to the start point at the church. That way you will not be facing an uphill hike to your car after the walk.
• The town of “Valbona” listed in the chart is an abbreviation of the full name “Valbona di Lozzo Atestino.”
• Casiacco is a great mountain walk with some serious ups and downs on the 10- and 20-kilometer routes.
Please e-mail volksmarch schedule information for any country to two.walkers@yahoo.com. Please mail brochures to: Bob and Lorraine Huffaker, CMR 460, Box 278 APO, AE, 09703-0278.
