Interview with Barbara and Gisbert Eppelt

Interview with Barbara and Gisbert Eppelt on March 3rd, 2011 in Volkertshofen (part of the small town of Pfaffenhofen)

The interview was held by Angelika and Friedrich Sackmann, ViLE e.V.  Group, Germany

Comment: Barbara (43) and Gisbert (46) have been married for 20 years and live in Volkertshofen a part of Pfaffenhofen. The couple has three children ages 15, 13 and 10.

Which volunteer jobs do you have and why do you do them?

Gisbert: We are both active in the cultural initiative “s`Brett im Schtoi” e.V. in Pfaffenhofen (name of an old inn in which this group initially was founded) see the intitiative’s website. Our association offers a monthly cultural activity for ex: Reading by an author, theater play (sometimes one we wrote ourselves), satirical cabaret or musical performance. We stress the relationship of the performance with our local area. Some performances are repeated for ex. on Saturday and on Sunday. The performances are very well liked in our village and the tickets sell out quickly. We two help with the organization and implementation of the performances and in theater pieces we also perform on stage. We want to shape our surroundings and make others happy with our volunteer work. We want to make a difference. In this manner we get to have a lot of contact with other people in our village.

Gisbert: I am also a member of our Pfarrgemeinderat (head association of our church group).There are a lot of changes going on in our religious community and I do not want to only be complaining but would like to work on changing things by working actively and creatively on church life. I myself organize social gatherings like card games (Schafkopfturnier). Here people between the ages of 16 to 80 come together, because in this game you draw lots for your partners and thus the generations are brought together.

Barbara: I also help with social events for ex. in our local village Fest (Marktfest) where I help in a booth selling coffee and cake, which I help to bake. Both of us organize a flea market for second-hand childrens` clothing, we help when the clothing is brought in and with setting things up. Our second hand market is well known even outside our village because we offer good quality second- hand clothing and toys for children.

Gisbert: Recently I have received a diploma from the volunteer fire brigade of our village for 30 year membership. Aside from the active duty in the fire brigade I am also active in getting the different groups of voluntary fire fighters in our village to work together and to share their equipment. Just recently we pumped water out of many cellars that had been flooded by our local creek the Roth. By being a member in the fire brigade old friendships from my youth are maintained and I make new friends too. We know each other in our village and one can chat with a lot of people.

Barbara: In our local Gesangsverein (choral society, glee club) I help organize the concerts.

Has something in your lives changed due to your volunteerism?

Life becomes easier, having a large number of friends, one can help one another.

How has your volunteer work changed your personal life?

In many of our projects both of us have to lend a hand. However, we experience this as positive because it strengthens our relationship to each other in our marriage.

How much time do you spend with your volunteer work?

The time spent is depending on the project on hand. Gisbert: On an average I spend about four to five hours a week volunteering. Barbara: I spend a bit less time, about two hours a week.

What kind of support coming from the general public and the political community in respect to your volunteer jobs would you wish for?

We feel the political community has supported us very well. It is really nice that our Mayor Mr. Walz also actively performs in our cultural project “s`Brett im Schtoi”, he actually goes on stage too and plays minor roles. Our joint work with the political community is very open and resources are given to us in a very generous manner, for ex. we may use the school building for meetings and performances. Sometimes we have a few problems with the janitor of the school, it would be nice if his contract included the aspect of permitting clubs and associations to use the school building.

Dear family Eppelt, we thank you for this pleasant interview!

 

Barbara and Gisbert Eppelt

 

Postscript by Angelika Sackmann:

At this point it is high time to thank Gisbert Eppelt for something he did for me personally at the age of 14! Even as a youth he was a model for volunteerism. He was my first baby-sitter, this means for a ridiculously modest sum he cycled over the hill to our apartment (about three miles) and took excellent care of three little children (Michaela three years at the time and the twins Susi and Alexa one and a half years at the time) about once a month. This gave me as a young and overworked mother time to spend with my husband. This was over thirty years ago, but is still highly appreciated. Thank you very much Gisbert.

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