January/February 2019

SINGERS' MEMBERSHIP Singers dues, $20 regular members and $10 retired seniors, are now payable. You may pay by mail with a check (please write SINGERS on envelope) or by self-service lock box (cash or check) at the club. Singers please contact Lori Smukala, membership chair, with any questions. Pay by March 31 to stay current.

SICK BENEFIT MEMBERS Invoices will be sent out to Sick Benefit members shortly. Dues are payable by March 31st. All members not having paid by March 31st, are considered as suspended. There will be a lockbox at the bar and envelopes. Checks are encouraged.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS are now available at cfgnb.org/receiving/scholarships/
High school seniors graduating in New Britain or neighboring towns are eligible. Application deadline is
March 31, 2019. Follow directions on application. Winners will be notified and awards date will be set.
Call Fred Strasser with questions, 860-690-0769.

CULT MOVIE & BISTRO NIGHTS Sat Jan 26 will be a ZOMBIE DOUBLE FEATURE to com-
memorate this month's traditional cabin fever. Doors open at 5:30. At 6:30 we show cult horror masterpiece - NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. At 8.30 we run THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Bar will feature zombie rum cocktails. Our bistro kitchen will prepare Darrell's secret recipe meat loaf and jumbo hot dogs. Feb. 23 film TBA. Call Darrell for info 203-482-4481.

CLUB IMPROVEMENTS A new heating and AC unit will be installed shortly and the house committee is also working on upgrades to our audiovisual entertainment systems. A new stereo receiver was recently installed (thanks Kevin Stewart, Kenny Roman, Steve Stickel) and a high def projector should be in place before Super Bowl in dining room area.

DONAU CHARITABLE FOUNDATION The Sick Benefit Society has established a new charitable fund at the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain with a donation of Five Thousand ($5,000.00) Dollars. This Fund is dedicated to the promotion of the German Austrian language and German and Austrian history and culture and any German-American activities relating thereto. As an established Charitable Fund the Club can continue to make donations to it in order to continue to promote these cultural activities. Also any interested members can make charitable donations to this new fund. All club members are invited to participate in the promotion of our culture in Connecticut. Proceeds from many years of Heimat Albends were used to fund this donation. This charitable fund is our second at the Community Foundation. The first fund established there is our Scholarship Fund. CFGNB is an excellent host for our two charitable funds. Its mission is to inspire philanthropy, responsibility manage permanent charitable assets, and partner to address key community issues through strategic leadership. Prost, Donau. Dennis

CULTURAL FUND The bylaws of the Sick Benefit Society and the Singing Society proclaim our support for the German language and German and Austrian culture. In this letter we celebrate the establishment of our Cultural Fund at the Community Foundation. In order to further support these goals the Sick Benefit Society has made a donation of $900.00 to our newly established cultural fund. In addition a donation of $300.00 was made to the German American Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. in support of its German-American Heritage Museum. As a reminder anybody can contribute to our new fund at the Community Foundation.
Prost, Donau. Dennis

SUCCESSFUL CULTURAL EVENTS: November's Scholarship Schnitzel and December's Weihnachtsfest holiday fair were a tremendous success, thanks to all who helped organize and volunteer to run these events. Zac Cole is planning to make thus year's fair bigger and better, so please contact him if you are willing to lend a hand.

VOLUNTEERS are always needed for our dinners and breakfasts, especially at cleanup time. Please spare a couple hours for the good of the club. Call or text me, even at the last minute! Mona, 860 508-8236. Thank you.

DONAU YARN & CRAFTERS meet Thursdays 7pm. Contact Wendy Kwas to get on the email list
for schedule changes. All levels welcome. We can teach you!

STEFFI'S CULTURAL COOKING CLASSES continue in January (Spaetzle?) & February.
November's German potato salad and December's Nusskipfirl cookie classes were lots of fun, especially
with participation of new members! Call Mona to reserve 860 508-8236.

In Memoriam – Robert W. Wolf Jr.

The passing of Bob Wolf on March 8, 2018 has saddened members of the Sick Benefit Society and the Singers.   Bob was a staunch supporter of the Austrian Donau Club.   He advocated for the German/Austrian culture.

Bob’s grandparents August and Josephine Wolf emigrated to New Britain from the Burgenland in Austria. He learned German by himself.  He travelled to Austria and Germany frequently.  Often would he relate the good times which he shared with his cousins in Minihof Liebau and Vienna.

Bob served the Club in capacities, most notably as President and then as Trustee.   He encouraged the Club to donate to German-Austrian organizations (which we have done).  He established our German language library.  He was chiefly responsible for our structure of our website and its cultural emphasis.  He would volunteer in our many activities as his time and health permitted.

For many years he served as our representative to the New Britain Sister City program and travelled and enjoyed the many trips to Rastadt Germany as our representative.

Finally he volunteered his investment acumen so the Club could remain strong financially.

In so many ways Bob stood out.

Stolz – pride – was his Motto.

We can be proud of him and all that he accomplished.

Danke viel nals, Bob

Prost Bob Wolf
Prost Donau