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September 3, 2010 by GW Editorial Staff
Filed under NEWS
Mayor Bloomberg and Dr. Ruth Westheimer kick off “German-American Friendship Month”
Proclamation applauds “invaluable contributions” German immigrants made
NEW YORK – “German-American Friendship Month” has started with a bang – or, to be precise – with four bangs hammered out by “Dr. Ruth” Westheimer as she closed the trading session at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday with a giant wooden gavel. “Dr. Ruth”, legendary sex therapist and author, is a Grand Marshal in the upcoming Steuben Parade and has been a Guest of Honor at two exciting events on the first day of September.
At the New York Stock Exchange, members of the German-American Committee of Greater New York rang the Closing Bell for the third consecutive year and they did it on yet another great day with the Dow Jones gaining almost 3 % and with traders on the floor in a good mood. They erupted in applause and cheers when “Dr. Ruth” entered the Trading Floor. She took pictures with many of the traders and enjoyed her job as celebrity bell ringer immensely.
Standing on the bell podium with “Dr. Ruth” were Miss German-America, Stephanie Russell-Kraft, and the Steuben Parade Princesses, Laura Bucher and Lauren Kuehn, Steuben Parade General Chairman Lars Halter, and many members and supporters of the committee. Mr. Halter, who is also a market reporter for German TV station n-tv, gave a live broadcast directly from the bell podium after ringing the bell.
At the same time, outside the New York Stock Exchange, German entertainment put smiles on people´s faces as the “Föhrer Musik Freunde” from Franklin Square, NY, played German style brass music under the direction of conductor Thomas Hacker. Also on hand were Bavarian “Schuhplattler” dancers under the direction of Lenny Coyne. They danced in front of Wall Street´s most famous building and were even joined for a while by “Dr. Ruth” as she came out after the bell ringing ceremony.
Following the event, the Committee and guests headed up to the Biergarten at “The Standard” hotel for a reception with New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. For a fourth consecutive year, Mr. Bloomberg proclaimed September to be “German-American Friendship Month” in the City of New York and gave a proclamation to Mr. Halter. In it, Mr. Bloomberg celebrates the “invaluable contributions German-Americans have made to daily life in New York”.
The Mayor name-checked General Friedrich von Steuben, Revolutionary War hero and namesake of the Parade, as well as President Dwight Eisenhower, “Peanuts” cartoonist Charles Schulz, Yankees legend “Babe” Ruth, and Peter Minuit, founder of the colony that later became New York – all of them German immigrants.
They Mayor also thanked German immigrants for giving Americans the beer garden, adding that, unfortunately, “that is closely followed by the beer belly”. He thanked Mr. Halter and his team on the German-American Committee for their hard work throughout the year and said: “The community greatly appreciates the job that your doing”. The Mayor is planning to personally attend the Steuben Parade on September 25, 2010 on Fifth Avenue, for which he wants to wear the Steuben Parade silk tie Mr. Halter gave him as a gift.
During his visit to the Biergarten, the Mayor met with Chef and co-host Kurt Gutenbrunner as well as Dr. Oliver Schnakenberg, the newly appointed Deputy Consul General of Germany and many members of the community. He took pictures with Miss German-America and her court, including the Junior Princesses. He enjoyed a freshly tapped German beer and a sausage.
New Yorkers now are encouraged to celebrate “German-American Friendship Month” together and enjoy the many events and festivities. Details on the schedule can be found at www.GermanParadeNYC.org/events. The highlight of the month will be the 53rd German-American Steuben Parade held on Saturday, September 25, 2010 on Fifth Avenue from 68th to 86th Street and culminating with the traditional Oktoberfest in Central Park. For more info please go to www.GermanParadeNYC.org.
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PRESS RELEASE
Western New York German American Heritage Festival 2010
Cheektowaga, NY – Culture is the spice of life! We invite you this Labor Day Weekend, September 4 & 5 to immerse yourself in German Heritage and celebrate Gemütlichkeit! People from across the Greater Buffalo-Niagara region with cultural roots reaching back to the countries of Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland will be in attendance with many more festival goers who simply have an interest in musik, food, and culture. “Gemütlichkeit simply means, “being in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing, with the right people.” Where else would you rather be than at Cheektowaga Town Park eating and drinking authentic German beer and cuisine, listening to four different authentic bands, participating in contests and games, and partying for a weekend with nearly 5,000 of your friends and family!
Only $3.00 per person each day, children 14 and under free; $3.00 Kinder Park Day Passes available. 1:00pm-10:00pm each day. Proceeds benefit the local German cultural heritage organizations.
Festival Highlights:
The Brothers Grimm Kinder Park – with a bounce house, games, prizes and more
The Annual Sauerkraut-Eating Contest.
The Annual Waltz Contest.
The Hummel Look-a-Like Contest.
Authentic German Entertainment – Saturday: The Bergholz Blaskapelle & The Ausländers,
Sunday: The German American Musicians of Buffalo & The Frankfurters
The Weinstube – Wine & Cheese Tent!
The Marktplatz – Our Vendor and Heritage Midway!
Plus Lots of German food, nearly 10 varieties of German Beer, and a beer tapping ceremony!
The Federation of German American Societies of Greater Buffalo-Niagara is an organization of twelve cultural groups all dedicated to the mission: “To preserve, promote and advance within American society the traditional culture of German lands.” The Federation strives to facilitate collaboration among member organizations and to collectively promote and foster relationships throughout the Greater Buffalo-Niagara area. Member organizations include: The Bavarian Singers, The Bergholz Blaskapelle, The Buffalo-Dortmund Sister City Society, The Buffalo Schwaben Chor, The Buffalo Zither Club, Club Lorelei, The Cremation Society, The German American Musicians Assoc., The Kolping Society, S.G.T.V. Edelweiss Schuhplattler Gruppe, Sport Club Germania, and Spring Garden Association.
Cultural traditions are so very important. They are the spice of life! Whether it is food, drink, literature, dance, music, or just fellowship, life is simply better by celebrating the past and the present! We look forward to meeting you! We offer cultural events year-round! Contact us to learn more!
For more information contact Festival Chair Herbert “Hansi” Schmidt III
(716) 864-1965, GAMBusinessManagaer@msn.com