Schulhaus Reporter

The Schulhaus Reporter is a bi-monthly printed newsletter, which is now also being sent electronically. It includes original articles, restaurant reviews, information on events and classes, the popular Helga’s Corner column, and a calendar of events. Guild members receive this newsletter as one of their membership benefits.

Here’s an excerpt from an earlier issue:

The Gifts in Volunteering

A New Year begins with me delighted to serve as your new president; and our thoughts turn from celebrating the passing of the old year, 2008, to experiencing renewal and a vision of hopeful expectations in 2009. The Guild accomplished much this past year, for which we are indebted to Gerri for her enthusiastic leadership and to our faithful volunteers. The Guild is “responsible for the care, upkeep and operation of the old German Free School” and “shall coordinate with other GTHS standing committees to enhance the use of and fundraising for preservation, maintenance and care of the … School.” Just as in past years, we will experience new challenges and new opportunities in our efforts to meet these responsibilities during 2009.

I have been fascinated since my childhood with the power of the locomotive pulling long trains and with the jet engines that wing us above the clouds. Neither of these mechanical marvels would work without the energy that fuels their operation. If we think of our organization as the engine, it too must be fueled by a source of energy that propels it forward. Yes, you guessed correctly: I am referring to that energy that comes from our volunteers. Now let’s see if I can be fairly persuasive about our need for increasing amounts of volunteer energy.

Why volunteer? Well, first of all, it should be fun and something you enjoy doing. Volunteering is an activity that brings us into social contact with others with whom we share common interests. There is the probability of learning some-thing new or the certainty of experiencing the personal satisfaction of contributing to the growth and perpetuation of our common heritage in German-Texan history. There are many opportunities in Guild volunteering from which you can choose. Examples include participating on a team in one of our several sponsored events; being a docent or a greeter for visitors with a focus on the recruitment of new members; assisting with our library or genealogy collection; helping with our education programs or our scheduled speaker series; assisting with the maintenance of our grounds and building; becoming an active hospitality volunteer; or writing an informational article for the Schulhaus Reporter. By no means does this represent all the possible opportunities: just ask one of our Guild Board members – they will be pleased to talk with you.

It has been said that, “Volunteering is one of the few ways in which a person can give and still feel like they have received.” So bring your sense of humor and enthusiastic spirit to your volunteer service. For this is a priceless gift! The December 11 issue of U.S. News & World Report quotes a study that suggests volunteering is good for your health and “that there is a threshold of about a hundred hours per year of volunteer activity, or two hours per week, required to achieve a health benefit.” So come join our healthy volunteers at GTHS – you will also find really good friends here! Charles Locklin