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The German-American and International Women’s Club Kaiserslautern recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and is sponsoring its annual Pfennig Bazaar March 4 to 6 in the event hall of the Kaiserslautern Gartenschau.
The Pfennig Bazaar is known as the biggest flea market in the West Palatinate. Its name originates in the former German currency, which was Deutsch Mark and Pfennigs but today is euro and cents.
This bazaar is the club’s biggest fundraising event. All profits will be donated to various German, American and international charities, the Federation of German-American Clubs in Germany and student exchange programs.
The German-American Women’s Club was established in 1956. Today, other nationalities are included, and the name now carries the word international, as well.
“Our goal is to promote tolerance within cultures and international understanding and foster friendship between German, American and other communities,” said Christine Schneider, German club president. “We offer a variety of interest groups to include literature, international cooking, reading lessons, handicrafts and traveling, and we organize evening events, concerts, trips and monthly get-togethers.”
Club members also get involved in community activities. They take care of the kindergraves at Kaiserslautern’s main cemetery and support the Fisher House at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
Momentarily GAIWC has about 150 members, of which about 80 percent are German members.
“We would love to be able to welcome new members, Americans, Germans and other nationalities, who join our interesting events and support the community,” Schneider said. “We even offer German classes for our American members, and no American has to be afraid of approaching us, we do speak English,” said Bruni Puetz, club treasurer. “We try everything to make Americans feel welcome and comfortable.
It’s important that these U.S. ambassadors will learn more about us Germans, our country, culture and traditions, and at the same time, they have a chance to work with us for good causes.”
The women’s club is also looking for English native speakers who can teach English to German members.
For the Pfennig Bazaar, the club still needs donations, including clothes for men, women, children, household goods, books, toys, electrical appliances, paintings and books. Bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, skis and suitcases as well as shoes, underwear, curtains and 110V electrical items will not be accepted.
Donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and Feb. 27 at the storage location, Hackstrasse 4 in Kaiserslautern, or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 2 in the Gartenschau’s event hall.
“We hope many customers will find their way to the Pfennig Bazaar to get good bargains. That way we’ll be able to donate again to many organizations, just like in recent years,” Schneider said.
The Pfennig Bazaar is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 4, and 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. March 5 and 6.
For more information on the Pfennig Bazaar, donations, club’s activities and how to become a member, call the club’s president at 0160-99327090 or visit www.gaiwc.com.
