The four-masted barque Passat is traditionally the venue for the helpers’ evening with buffet and music for all volunteers of the Travemünde Week. The President of the German Sailing Association, Mona Küppers, was also a guest, who praised the volunteers.
With the words “Welcome to our autumnal Travemünde Week sailing regattas”, Frank Schärffe, Managing Director of Travemünder Woche gGmbH, welcomed those present at the official helpers’ evening of the 134th Travemünde Week with an allusion to the cool weather. “Contrary to the reports we have read that we have around 350 helpers, we are even over 400 this year. Our TW family is getting bigger. We are very pleased that this year we have been able to quickly close the gap we still had with the launch ships. In response to our call, some motor yachts from the Lübeck Motorboat Club contacted us directly and said they were there and were looking forward to it,” he reported with satisfaction and handed over the floor to Mona Küppers, President of the German Sailing Association.
Küppers thanked the volunteers for their great commitment in the implementation of the Travemünde Week. However, her words of praise were accompanied by the desire for even more appreciation for volunteer work at the big sailing weeks, which she is all intensively accompanying this year. “Invitation to the helpers’ evening is called today – no helpers?”, she campaigned for a more gender-equitable address. In addition, during her visits to the sailing weeks, she would notice that she would increasingly block herself from the phrase ‘helper’. “I would rather address you with the phrase ‘enablers. Because you are the ones who make the sailing weeks possible. And that’s what’s so admirable. You don’t just come here and help a little, but use your knowledge, your know-how. You come here in your spare time. Some plan their holidays around the Travemünde Week. One thing we have to say very clearly: I am not only helping, you are making it possible for such weeks to actually take place.”
The increase in volunteers gives hope that many of them will be there again next year, so that the coming Travemünde Week will be made possible again. She is already looking forward to it.
Following the speeches, the volunteers enjoyed a buffet of salads, turkey and suckling pig as well as music and social gatherings on the deck of the Passat, which they see as a great recognition of their commitment.
