Towntwinning with Crawley: Marita Kipinski was honored in a special way. (created on 08.08.2023 by Dorstener Zeitung)

Dorsten: The 50-year city partnership with Crawley from England was celebrated in style. Chairwoman Marita Kipinski received a special surprise. The Dorsten-Crawley Friends Association had invited everyone to the Treffpunkt Altstadt on Friday evening (August 4) to mark the 50th anniversary. The guests from Crawley were accompanied by their hosts, who had already had an exhausting but incredibly beautiful week. Also present were Mayor Tobias Stockhoff, a strong supporter of the city partnership, along with representatives from three political factions, and many members and friends of the city partnership. No Stiff Event For those who had expected a formal event with prepared speeches, they clearly underestimated the Crawley Friends Association and were pleasantly surprised. The event turned out to be a grand family gathering, where almost everyone knows each other and anyone can have a chat with anyone else. Language barriers may have occasionally arisen, but they didn't matter much and did not dampen the cheerful atmosphere. Marita Kipinski, a cornerstone of the association for over 30 years and its Chairwoman for 25 years, welcomed the guests. She immediately incurred a "penalty fine" for introducing the St. Antonius Brass Band as a "blaskapelle" (wind ensemble). This fine, amounting to 20 liters of beer as per tradition, was something Marita Kipinski wasn't aware of, but the old English adage holds true here: "So you learn something new every day." After a prelude featuring images from 50 years of city partnership Download PowerPoint, lovingly curated by Peter Günther, the Chairwoman invited some members and supporters of the city partnership onto the stage for interviews. Three English and three German interviewees readily shared information about their activities and motivation for supporting the city partnership. Geoff May, known for his wonderfully dry English humor, recounted anecdotes from 30 years of exchange visits. Many of those present may have found themselves reliving some of those moments. Surprise of the Evening Following this, it was time for dinner. However, Mechthild Rüller, the Deputy Chairwoman, stepped in and delivered the first surprise of the evening. In heartfelt words, she honored Marita Kipinski for her 25 years as Chairwoman of the Crawley Friends Association and presented her with a massive bouquet of flowers and a book that couldn't have been more fitting: "Queen of our Time – The Life of Elizabeth II." Marita Kipinski was visibly touched and delighted with this gift and the recognition it symbolized. But that wasn't all: Mayor Stockhoff took center stage to announce that the Dorsten City Council had unanimously decided to honor Marita Kipinski with the Golden Needle of the city in recognition of her contributions to the city partnership with Crawley. For those familiar with Marita Kipinski, it's clear she's rarely at a loss for words. However, this time, she was taken by surprise. Completely caught off guard, she needed a moment to collect herself. But she quickly managed to express her unbridled joy at this award, especially since the laudatory remarks emphasized that it wasn't just her personally, but the entire board, being honored.

Gallery

Interview Group	Mechthild Rüller is speaking
Prost!	The banquet hall
Golden Medal of Honor from the City of Dorsten