ZIWC Club News and Articles

Thai Evening

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:08:23 GMT

The Thai evening in March, and the last party of the Club year, opened to a good start with the 44 guests arriving in good spirits. We began with drinks and snacks with the fantastic smells of Thai food in the background. The meal took off with everyone enjoying their food with either beer, wine or soft drinks, while four young Swiss students serenaded the guests with some lovely chamber music. Laughter was heard throughout the evening and everyone had a good time, with the last guests leaving at 11.30.

ZIWC becomes patron of the Swiss Charity Women’s Club for 2012

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:06:23 GMT

Dear Ladies,

First of all we would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to introduce ourselves to you. The SCWC is a women’s community organisation that offers active or financial support to little-known Swiss charitable projects. Despite leading such busy lives, we believe it is still possible to become actively involved in this new venture, although membership alone makes a difference.

Every year our club organizes a Swiss Charity Award event, at which the funds accumulated in the Rubin Fund (which is comprised of 100% of the annual membership fees and all donations from our sponsors) over the course of the year is awarded to selected projects. At last year’s event held at the Palace Hotel in Luzern, we were pleased to donate CHF 34,700 to a project for street children in Zurich, an organisation for an incurable disease affecting seven people in Switzerland and a nursing home for farm labourers. Further details regarding these special projects will be published in our next letter.

Please note the 27^th of October 2012, the date of our next Swiss Charity Award event, in your agenda. Additional information concerning this event will be provided in the coming months.

For more information about the Swiss Charity Women’s Club, please visit our website: www.swiss-charity-club.ch.

If you know of a Swiss charitable or social project that requires financial or active support, please contact our club. We look forward to hearing from you.

With kind regards,

Swiss Charity Women's Club

May Newsletter / Advertising

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:02:41 GMT

By Saakje Daalhuijsen

Dear Ladies

Spring is in the air…..For me as one of the “oldies” on the ZIWC Board, and having been lucky to work with so many different ladies over the years, I am looking forward to the challenge of working with Catherine Schopfer and her board this year. The new board members, representing different cultures and experience, bring us new ideas.

After 10 years, I still enjoy representing ZIWC at many events, as it gives me the opportunity to build up an interesting and useful network for the club. One great event every year is the Expat Expo, held this year on 22 April in the Lorzensaal in Cham, which is a reliable source of new advertisers for our newsletter and membership directory. After a recent period of flux in our pool of regular advertisers, I am pleased to report that almost every newsletter now contains some colour pages, making it more attractive and eliciting very positive feedback from advertisers and members alike.

For those who are not aware, our advertisers not only support our publications, but are also very generous sponsors of our charity events. Most advertisers whom I meet with donate a nice raffle gift to our causes, with the result that sometimes my office at home looks like a gift shop with all of those wonderful things that I collect throughout the year!

I’m pleased that I can still find such a wide variety of advertisers for our newsletter and membership directory, however it is important to identify new prospects throughout the year. As you know, dear members, running a club relies on teamwork. If you visit shops or other businesses that you think might be interesting for ZIWC as advertisers or supporters of our charitable activities, please send me an email or give me a call. I really do appreciate your help and support.

Saakje Daalhuijsen

Advertising Coordinator 2012-2013

May Newsletter / Membership fee

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:57:18 GMT

By Mary Steger

Dear Ladies

The last few months of the past club year saw a surge in membership and interest in the club. A big thank you goes out to those of you who have helped spread the word, reached out to newcomers and introduced them to the ZIWC.

With the onset of spring and fine weather comes the start of a new financial year. Just as nature is busy renewing itself, so it is time for you to renew your membership, which I hope most of you will do. ZIWC is a fine example of how women come together to help other women. It is a unique international forum where women have the opportunity to meet, connect and learn from one another. As most of us only get such an opportunity once, we should embrace and enjoy it.

Inside this newsletter you will find a payment slip and a letter. Please read it carefully. Those of you who pay online will find the account details in the letter. The fees are CHF 90 and payable at the latest by 5 June. As always I ask you to help us facilitate this process by paying promptly.

Mary Steger

Membership Coordinator, 2012/2013

Quilting Group News

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:50:42 GMT

By Jo-Anne Clymo

We would like to announce the lucky winner of the Quilt Raffle and her name is Helen Tuisk. The winning ticket was drawn at the Spring Charity Lunch on 6 March. Helen is one of the club’s newer members and was thrilled to have the quilt to brighten up her new apartment. We would like to thank everyone who bought raffle tickets; we raised more than CHF900. All the proceeds went directly to Krebsliga Zug .

Our quilting group is a small but active group. We meet regularly at each other’s houses, sharing our knowledge and helping each other in our varying projects. Our skill levels vary, and new members and novice quilters are always welcome. The most important thing is to have fun and support each other.

BNG: pink inspiration

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:45:40 GMT

By Raquel Montero Coello

Just back from my first experience at the Business Networking Group and since I am pinkly inspired, I decided to write down my first impressions before I forget the details. Let's say that these words could be the business card I didn’t leave on the table at the end of this session. It is a pity though that my first day at the BNG was the last one of the founder of this group, Giovanna Lotito, who at first sight had something in common with me besides the same Swarovski earrings: she was eager to look for inspiration and feedback.

We arrived at interior shop Tentum Home, where Cristina, the owner, and Valeria, the BNG meeting coordinator, welcomed us. I walked around the shop. The setting had a home soul indeed. Checking out Tentum Home's website, I read the message under the brand that praises: find inspiration. We were in the right place. We greeted each other, while Valeria made sure we all had something to drink before starting the meeting. On the table shiny grapes and juicy strawberries, cheese, chips and drinks accompanied us during the two hours’ brainstorming. So while drinking and eating, we got to know each other.

After Cristina had presented Tentum to us and then left for home, we introduced ourselves. Besides Valeria who I knew already, I met Claudia, a sweet German teacher from Switzerland, Sabine, a Dutch coach and consultant who brought a rainbow of tips to share, Hong, willing to contribute with her fresh vision, Andaleeb, entrepreneur, professional photographer and organiser of the stand-up comedians at the Casino Theater, Brigitte, osteopath in Walchwil, and finally Giovanna, who loves pink and came looking for feedback on the website of her company, iDea AG.

After some intensive feedback and chat, we definitely found the inspiration we were looking for, going through all the comments and ideas that the revision of the website had produced and helped by the good atmosphere, the different points of view of the participants and the honesty of the talk. And that gave us a solid motivation to confront our own worries and to follow our dreams and wishes.

I still remember the publicity of the Dutch company Pink Elephant some years ago: THINK PINK. It has not changed for me through the years. In business or in life, always think positive. Thank you to Claudia for contributing with food, thank you to Cristina for opening her doors, and to Valeria for leading us.

Welcome Letter

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:05:46 GMT

By Catherine Schopfer

Dear Ladies

A new club year is starting, with new board members, new club members, new ideas, plans and especially new energy to propose you new events and activities. First of all, I would like to express many thanks to the outgoing board members, who have all contributed to the success of ZIWC. They fulfilled their duties and responsibilities conscientiously, and gave me much support as president.

The board has done its best to meet its plans and proposals, such as launching a new website, helping women take their first steps in canton Zug, enhancing the Club’s integration within the local community, promoting the Club and giving our support to local associations. At the end of 2011, we gave some thought to the fact that no member had stepped forward to become involved in running the special project committee, which coordinates our support to local charities. After several discussions, the board voted unanimously for a one-year association with the Swiss Charity Women’s Club, a local club from Unterägeri, which supports Swiss charitable projects (www.swiss-charity-club.ch).

According to Sandra Ulrich, president of The Swiss Charity Women’s Club, the objectives of her club are not only to support a variety of Swiss social projects at home and abroad, but also to provide a meeting place for like-minded women from different cultural backgrounds. Her vision is to develop a club that will raise the profile of social and charitable projects, and encourage friendships among women. During the year, members of ZIWC will be given the opportunity to join the Swiss Charity Club free of charge and to participate in its activities, as well as its monthly “Club-Kafi”. ZIWC members will also be invited to join in discovering worthy charitable projects and to visit various organisations in the neighborhood.

This year is a very special one for the Club: we are very happy to be celebrating our 45th anniversary – 45 years of women getting together year after year to support each other in the community of Zug, giving a special touch to this corner of Switzerland! We can be very proud of ourselves for the energy and work that has been done in maintaining the Club’s mission over the years.

I repeat myself when I say that the members are the ones that make a club come alive. So please step forward, commit yourself to some activities and responsibilities, and in particular take part in the events and activities that members organise for you with a great deal of effort and passion. Only then will we all be motivated to give our effort and time to ZIWC, and make this club a great platform for women to meet.

I wish you all an exciting and active year.

Catherine Schopfer

President, 2011-2013

Spring Charity Lunch

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:13:38 GMT

The ever-popular Spring charity lunch returned this year on 6 March after a break of more than three years. We enjoyed four fabulous soups made by volunteer members (see below) and five desserts, in addition to a simple spread of local meats, cheeses and salad.

A small team of willing members had spent many months planning, so on the day the preparation, delivery and clean-up went like clockwork. Some willingly remained in the kitchen and kept order, while the rest of us chatted and went back for seconds and thirds of soup. Even the notoriously ferocious Siebachsaal hauswart couldn’t find fault with our clean-up efforts and asked if we’d really had an event that day.

Forty ladies turned out and gave generously to the charity KIVA www.kiva.org. Saakje Daalhuijsen did her magic and conjured up a vast selection of raffle prizes, and three items so valuable that we separated them out and auctioned them. I could barely lift the bucket full of 5 rappens and was really popular at the bank when I went to get them counted – nearly CHF500 in small change.

After costs, we will be contributing about CHF2,500 to KIVA. This how the charity describes its work on its website: “Kiva works with microfinance institutions on five continents to provide loans to people without access to traditional banking systems. One hundred percent of your loan is sent to these microfinance institutions, which we call Field Partners, who administer the loans in the field.”

We will be specifying that our money goes to women starting their own businesses, and we will track their ideas and the success of their businesses over the coming year. Do read more on the website. If you were unable to attend and wish to make a donation, you can do so directly or via ZIWC.

A big thank you to the volunteers who made the lunch such a great success and to those of you who came along and donated with a smile. You can find the recipes for the soups on the club website:

Lentil soup – Rasel Erken
Tomato, with chilli, ginger, lemongrass, coriander and beef – Uschi Hobbins
Sweet potato with ginger and coriander – Joy Draper
Chilli with chicken – Cheryl Sanderford

Cancer Informational Workshop

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:11:05 GMT

On 8 March, International Women’s Day 2012, a group of interested members and some guests met at the Parkhotel Zug for an informational workshop presented by Dr. Dan Rauch and Dr. Jörg Klatt on cancer prevention and treatments. Both doctors work at the well-known St. Anna Hospital in Lucerne and are specialists on this topic. Their professionally presented information gave very good insights into the progress that has been made in the treatment of cancer. On the other hand, it is an ongoing fight and they stressed the importance of prevention. The audience appreciated the presentation very much and many questions were raised and patiently answered.

The nice atmosphere of the apéro and the opportunity to chat and discuss the evening made the event a great success.

The full version of this presentation (¨Informational workshop: cancer prevention and treatments¨) is available to members of ZIWC. Log in and go to the Newsletter page to find the presentation.

Nominating Committee

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:07:50 GMT

By Elizabeth Maegerlein

I would like to thank all the ladies on the nominating committee for their hard work in finding volunteers to take over the board positions that became available at the end of this Club year. Because of them, we now have ladies willing to make the Club a welcoming place for everyone in the coming year.

Elizabeth Maegerlein

ZIWC 12th Annual Golf Tournament

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:34:11 GMT

By Anne Caroline Skretteber

Our ZIWC Ladies Golf Tournament in Holzhäusern ended under stormy and wet weather conditions. With waterproof shoes and a sporty attitude, all the ladies managed to return (almost) dry back to the clubhouse. In the wardrobe after a hot shower, Agnes Riffel –professional masseur and wellbeing expert – treated tense long-hitter shoulders and tired necks. The deserved relaxing surprise of the day.

Engel & Völkers, our main sponsor, provided again, besides the generous spa prizes, a wonderful Zwischenverpflegung at the 10th hole and a fantastic apéro riche before the prize-giving. The proud Cup Winner of 2011 is Heidi Vogel. Congratulations, Heidi!

A great thank you to our devoted sponsors who we highly appreciate. Without them, it would be difficult to organise our annual golf event.

Main sponsor

Engel & Völkers Residential AG, www.engelvoelkers.ch

Other sponsors

Agnes Riffel, Wellness bei Tiffany, www.tiffany-cham.ch

The Blinker, Cham, www.the-blinker.biz

Monica Blattmann, Hape Design, www.stuartweitzmann.ch

Sabine Andreas, Wädenswil, www.sabineandreas.ch

Doris Echenard-Buvary, Herrliberg

Due to new tournament regulations in Holzhäusern, we will get only limited space in future for our annual event. In general, fewer and fewer members of ZIWC play golf and in the last years up to half of the participants have been non-members of the club.

So how can we make our tournament more attractive to more people? My goal is to integrate other international clubs in Switzerland (women and men) and organise a bigger and more open event. We have already been in contact with some clubs and we have received positive feedback. As soon as we have something definite, we will communicate it in the newsletter.

Thank you all for participating. I look forward to seeing you again soon on and outside the golf course, and wish you a lot of fun in the meantime in lowering your handicap.

Anne Caroline Skretteber

Krebsliga Zug

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:27:44 GMT

By Rebekka Toniolo

People stricken by cancer are suddenly confronted with many questions. The life-changing situation experienced by many patients with cancer can prove to be a major challenge, and relatives and friends are also affected. Many questions arise and many decisions must be made. Krebsliga Zug accompanies, supports and advises those who are affected on a broad range of issues. The counselling centre is open to all residents of the canton of Zug and is free of charge.

Krebsliga Zug received generous donations from the Zug International’s Women’s Club in 2011. Therefore, we would like to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to you. The canton of Zug’s cancer patients will benefit directly from your most generous donations. We would like to illustrate how these funds have been used, with the following three examples.*

Mrs. N. is 43 years old and was diagnosed with breast cancer six months ago. She underwent surgery and is now being treated with chemotherapy. Her husband suddenly lost his job two months after her diagnosis. Mrs. N. was quite exhausted when she came to the counselling centre. She had to undergo intensive therapy, which she would have to endure for a long time, and the family was facing a dire financial situation due to her husband’s unemployment and since she could no longer work because of her illness. Following clarification of the family’s financial situation, Krebsliga Zug was able to cover the costs of Spitex home care, family transport and the children’s lunch costs. In addition to counselling, this has been a great financial relief to the family.

The Krebsliga Zug could continue with its support to T.’s parents. T. is 10 years old and suffers from a rare form of bone cancer. He has had several operations and underwent chemotherapy for six months. What kept him going during this time was the presence of his mother. Since the family lives on a modest budget, the Krebsliga Zug was able to cover the family’s travel expenses to Basel Children’s Hospital and could also provide funds for household assistance.

The Krebsliga Zug was also able to offer its support to the M. family. After Mr. M, 43 years old, was diagnosed with leukemia, he was immediately started on high-dose chemotherapy. His two teenage daughters and his wife were always at his side to support him, but the cancer continued. Mr. M. received a bone marrow transplant, which is very a strenuous and gruelling therapy, and slowly he began to recover. The family was overjoyed, but six months after the initial diagnosis Mr. M. died from complications arising from therapy. Krebsliga Zug was able to support the family in its travel expenses, the daughters’ psycho-oncological treatment and household assistance. Even after Mr. M’s death, we remained in touch with the M. family for quite a long time.

There are many more examples like these. In 2011, Krebsliga Zug was able to offer financial support to 20 people in an efficient and unbureaucratic way. The Krebsliga Zug sincerely thanks the Zug International Women’s Club for its enormous commitment and most generous support.

Rebekka Toniolo, head of Krebsliga Zug

Krebsliga Zug

Alpenstrasse 14, 6300 Zug

041 720 20 45

rebekka.toniolo@krebsliga-zug.ch

www.krebsliga-zug.ch

*For reasons of confidentiality, details have been changed.

Welcome letter

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:20:54 GMT

By Kasar Akhtar

Dear Club Members,

As Vice President of the club, I wish you a good start to the year and I hope you are settling into 2012 with gusto. This time of year is always a time when we most reflect on the things we would like to do and how we can give and share more generously with those who are less fortunate.

With that in mind, I would like to turn your attention to the act of volunteering, without which this club would be unable to survive – your time, effort, warmth and energy makes the club a truly welcoming place for those new and old members, as well as bringing in a wealth of ideas and activities. It is only through your generosity of spirit that this clubs survives and continues to nurture new members to join the ranks and file of which I am still one. At best, the club is a life-saver for those newbies starting their journey in Switzerland.

Each event we host is supported by a cast of silent volunteers who give their precious time and expertise to support our events. This has continued for 44 years and we are extremely proud to celebrate our 45^thanniversary, which will take place later this year. Each of you has played a part in this wonderful feat and I hope you will continue to do so.

It is always good to take a step back and appreciate those who find the time in their busy lives, whether it’s juggling family or a demanding work environment, to serve the club. Please continue to participate and breathe new life into our activities; be ready to share, help and give the hand of friendship. This club is yours to make better.

Remaining on the theme of resolutions, if you would like to ‘Go Green’ and receive the monthly newsletter by email, please go to your Profile section on the website, scroll to the bottom of the page and tick the ‘Go Green’ box. Now that was easy and extremely environmentally friendly.

I look forward to meeting many more of you through our events over the year ahead. Do come and say hello; it is always nice to meet members of our special community, the ZIWC.

Kasar Akhtar, Vice President 2011

Welcome letter from the Marketing Coordinator

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:29:07 GMT

By Margret Willenweber

Dear members

I have been an enthusiastic member of ZIWC for six years and during that time I have made a lot of new friends, met a lot of interesting people, and enjoyed many events and activities.
The time had come for me to give something back to the club, which is why I took over the position of Marketing Coordinator last year. I am delighted to represent our club and to place it within the consciousness of the citizens of the town and the larger area of Zug – for example, in hotels, schools, businesses, sports clubs, shops and the community at large.
My goal is to make our club more popular and well known among both the Swiss and the international community, so that more people become interested in joining us. If anybody in our midst has an idea to improve the measures to recruit new members for the club, please contact me at marketing@ziwc.ch. I look forward to a future collaboration with all of you.

Margret Willenweber
Marketing Coordinator 2011-2012

Fantastic result for Krebsliga Zug

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:24:56 GMT

By Rebekka Hübenthal-Lange

At the end of 2011, ZIWC was able to celebrate the holiday season first with the Seasonal Evening at the Pfarrheim in Cham on 29 November and then with the Samichlaus Breakfast on 6 December, traditionally held at the Parkhotel. More than 200 ladies attended these events and enjoyed the opportunity to meet friends, eat and drink, and listen to music. At the Pfarrheim, the magnificent voices of more than 40 young students from the International School of Zug and Luzern, under their conductor David Smith, entertained us with their festive songs. Later in the evening everyone joined in, as Topsy Hitchcock played Christmas songs on the piano. This was just the ‘rehearsal’ for the raffle winners and their friends, who delighted us at the Samichlaus Breakfast with a few Christmas jingles.

What made both events so special was the fantastic result for this year’s charity project – on 15 December, an incredible CHF 6,868 was transferred to the Krebsliga Zug. Many thanks go to everyone who participated: members, who generously bought ticket after ticket, the quilters, who quilted a beautiful quilt and will raffle this off in March, the auction ladies, who bid higher and higher for their favourite silent auction items, the tickets sellers, who excelled in their task, Pfarrer Urs Steiner, who encouraged us even more with his determined speech for the cause of the Krebsliga, the sponsors, who donated all the wonderful prizes for the surprise boxes and the silent auction, and last but not least Mövenpick for providing the lovely wines.

The programme and the hospitality teams enjoyed planning these two events, and are very pleased that their efforts helped to raise so much for charity.

Christmas Dinner Dance

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:20:22 GMT

By Elizabeth Maegerlein

The ZIWC Annual Christmas Dinner Dance got off to a good start with more than 125 Club members and their guests in attendance. We started off with an aperitif and canapes in the Park Hotel's restaurant and then moved to the lobby of the hotel, which had been transformed into a lovely ballroom with round tables set for eight. After a very well prepared and delicious dinner, with soft music in the background, we were treated to a sumptuous and beautifully presented dessert buffet.

Dancing had already started after the main course and with breaks in between, we kept the band busy until the small hours of the morning. All in all, everyone had had a very enjoyable evening.

Thanks to the ladies of the Party committee for making this event such a success.

Welcome Page

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:44:40 GMT

By Mary Plumb and Elizabeth Maegerlin

Dear ZIWC members

As chairwomen of your party and programme committees, it has been our pleasure to coordinate monthly activities, luncheons, and parties to celebrate exactly what ZIWC is all about…getting women together socially to provide support, guidance and friendship.

Whether it be salsa dancing, castle touring, sushi making, bike riding, picture painting, or casual dining, there’s always something for everyone on the calendar. We owe the success of these events to our committees for their time and effort, and to you, our members, for your participation. We encourage you to take advantage of all that ZIWC has to offer, so that your experience in Switzerland will be full of discovery, memory making and, most importantly, friendship.

It’s hard to believe the holiday season is already here, a festive time to celebrate the gifts of family, friends and life. What better way to do so than over a cup of coffee and delicious pastry at the Samichlaus breakfast on 6 December, or by dancing the night away with your partner and friends at the Christmas Dinner Dance on 10 December. In the new year, make a commitment to your health and wellness by snowshoeing in the glorious mountains, sharing healthy recipes at a member’s home, pampering yourself at a day spa or touring the Olympic museum in Lausanne.

On behalf of the Party and Programme committees, the board of ZIWC and ourselves, we’d like to wish you all a blessed, peaceful, happy and fun holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you at one or all of our upcoming events.

Mary Plumb, Programme Chairwoman
Elizabeth Maegerlein, Party Chairwoman

Spotlight On... Unterägeri

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:37:10 GMT

By Linda Stäger

Unterägeri may have only 8,000 inhabitants – the locals call it a ‘village’ – but it has long surpassed being just a village and is now bordering on a small town. Although it is a vibrant and active community, Unteraegeri, town or village, is rural and traditional; it can take a lot of time and effort to get to know the locals, but it is easier if your children attend the local school.

However, there are many sporting and cultural clubs and programmes where one can take part in ‘village’ social life and break those language barriers – perhaps, for instance, by becoming involved in the Frauengemeinschaft (www.frauengemeinschaft-unteraegeri.ch), which organises social events and adult education courses for women. For a list of all the clubs, see www.unteraegeri.ch/de/vereine/vereinsliste.

The tennis club located at the far end of the town by the shooting range is a good starting point to meet people, as it is here that locals and expats fight out inter-club tennis tournaments. If you don’t play tennis, try the Aegeri sports centre, which is a newly renovated sports and fitness centre that offers indoor tennis, fitness lessons and fitness machines, as well as fitness courses. It is a hub for expats and locals alike. An important club in Unterägeri is the waterball or Frosch Aegeri club, which is very successful and trains kids from a young age to be great swimmers and even better waterball players – if they don’t mind cold water, then give it a go.

The other popular sport in the Aegeri valley is football and something the village prides itself on, and you can send your boys or girls to play football from the age of five onwards. The ski club is also a great place to meet other like-minded families if you and your kids love skiing – here they are taught to ski like little fanatics and taken on a ski camp in February and encouraged to take part in a few ski races. The equipment is fairly expensive, but if they enjoy chasing down the mountain, then why not let the ski club teach them the finer techniques of skiing – something they can always use.

The town offers a varied cultural life with classical concerts, comedy evenings, children’s musical events and traditional events. Jugendarbeit Ägerital (ww.jae.ch) is where the communities of Unterägeri and Oberägeri combine to create the right conditions for young people to feel at home in Ägerital. The website offers information on current projects, jobs, youth clubs and much more.

Unterägeri is a wonderful place to live, but breaking the social barriers can be difficult without any knowledge of German – learn the language and then try your skills out on your neighbours and enjoy!

M&K: Fire station visit

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:27:42 GMT

By Gillian Ember

"When I grow up, I want to drive a fire engine with a hose and a ladder and spray out fires." So says my four-year old on an almost daily basis. So imagine his wide eyes when he recently had the chance, along with 15 other children, to visit Steinhausen Fire Station. Their extremely amenable volunteer firemen and women and public relations officer, Marco Benz, put together a wonderful programme for the visit.

We explored every corner of the fire station, learned about its history and a little about the nature of the firemen and firewomen's roles. We studied maps, computers and charts, gazed around the equipment room with its long hose-drying and testing troughs, climbed ladders, sat in a real fire engine and had a chance to try on the firemen's heavy blue jackets and yellow helmets. After a brief pause for refreshments in the kitchen-come-classroom, the real fun started. It was time to practise our extinguishing skills. The children were split into two teams, each armed with a bucket of water, a hand pump and a hose. With a little help from their competitive parents, each team tried to be the first to pop a hanging balloon by squirting it against a sharp nail. Some kids also took the opportunity to spray anyone who got too close – all good practice for our budding firefighters.

The final part of the visit was an eagerly-awaited ride in one of the fire vehicles. Sadly, not with the lights flashing and sirens blaring, but nonetheless, the children were excited. We took a short ride around Steinhausen and saw the site of the biggest fire in the village's history, the Swisspor factory. Marco Benz told us about the enormity of the fire (which happened on 25 May 2007) and the huge effort put in by fire crews from all over the canton and neighbouring cantons, who took more than four hours to put out the fire. Then it was back to the fire station to say our goodbyes, but not before testing out the blue lights on one of the bigger fire engines. We hope the children gained a better understanding of what firemen and women do, and that there's more to it than just riding around in fire engines all day. Even if that is every little boy's dream.

A huge thanks goes to Regula Münger and Tina Hörning for helping to make this visit such a success. We hope this is an activity that we can repeat in future years. If you are interested in what the Mums & Kids Group has to offer, don't forget to subscribe to email notifications on the website.

The chocolate factory

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:16:06 GMT

By Bernadette Stretch

In September, a group of Swiss Explorers and a few ZIWA members toured Confiseur Läderach in Glarnerland (www.laederach.ch). The hour or so drive from Zug was well worth it as it was truly “the best chocolate factory tour” in Switzerland as advertised on World Radio. After a short video presentation, we kitted ourselves out in white gowns and hair covers, and then wound our way through room after room of goodie preparation areas. We went from seeing – and tasting – the sweet pastry cases being baked, to standing next to the Santas being filled…well, only after their white beards and buttons had been hand painted into the mould. We saw a great variety of speciality chocolates stacked hundreds high on palettes around us. It seemed only fair to taste the ones on offer to assess our favourites. Then it was on to the truffle rooms. What could we do but forge on and decide which of those we preferred too. A big thank you to Margaret Dane for organising the tour, and thanks too to our great guide at the factory.