In the volunteer editorial team, Volunteers for Chemnitz 2025 publish reports on their experiences, assignments and adventures around the European Capital of Culture.
Andrea lives in Chemnitz. Before retiring, she worked as a teacher. As a result, she has a good feel for language and an eye for detail - all qualities that she brings to the volunteer editorial team of Chemnitz 2025.
"Hello Andrea, would you have the time and inclination to come along to the Mayor's reception at the Carlowitz Congress Centre Chemnitz?" The question comes from Bodo, a volunteer from the very beginning. I don't have to think long and say yes.
We meet at 4.30 pm on 11 February at the staff entrance to the Stadthalle and find out from Iris, an employee of the gGmbH, what tasks await us: looking after the information stand together with her, answering guests' questions about the Capital of Culture, banging the drum for our programme, distributing flyers. So nothing new for us "old hands". So that we are visible to everyone present, we have of course put on our blue shirts again!
The first guests arrive around 5.00 p.m., chat to each other and one or two people pop in to see us before the ceremony in the hall begins punctually at 6.00 p.m.. Curious as we are, we stand at the entrance and have a look at the programme that the "Dancing Neighbours", another Capital of Culture project, are performing at that very moment. I am thrilled by this performance, which impressively demonstrates the togetherness of old and young. Unfortunately, we soon have to vacate our seats and the doors are closed.
Contrary to my expectations, the time until the end of the programme in the auditorium flies by with conversations on the topic that occupies all three of us: Capital of Culture! Then the doors open and things really get going from 7.30 pm. We approach the invited guests, hand out flyers, answer questions and receive a lot of praise for our voluntary work.
And I would like to take this opportunity to pass on this praise to all the volunteers, who now number almost 1000! We are seen and our work is recognised! I met and spoke to some interesting people that evening, including the treasurer of our city, Ralf Burkhardt, and the mayor for construction, Michael Stötzer. When do you ever get the chance to do that?
At the very end, I had a wonderful experience: one of the guests, unfortunately I don't know his name, sang a song for us! That was a "goosebump moment" that I won't forget in a hurry!