Maennerchor News
ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER DELIVERY
Members: did you know you can have the monthly newsletter delivered to your email as a PDF file? If you wish to do so, please send your email address to uticamaennerchor@gmail.com .
For the Club to get "USPS bulk mail rate", they require 200 pieces of mail. So, if by chance you requested an electronic version of the newsletter and still receive a paper copy, this may be the reason why.
NEW CLUB HOURS
Effective October 1st: Monday-Thursday 5:30-10 pm, Friday 4-10 pm.
FESTIVAL PLANNING MEETING
MEMBERS WE NEED YOU - Our annual Bavarian Festival, a requirement in our Charter, is held for the purpose of inviting the public to continue the fostering of our German culture and music. Along with this, it is also our major fundraiser that keeps our organization solvent during our lean months. Please join us on March 9th for our second Festival Planning Meeting to continue talking about sponsorships and sharing ideas to make this year's festival a success.
Note: If you did not complete the bottom half of your renewal notice, and would like to volunteer at Club functions, call Secretary Judy (315) 736-7014 with your wish to support your Club with volunteering.
DUES RENEWALS
It is our hope that all our 2025 members renew their membership. Thank you to all who have sent in their renewals and dues. We still have a void of several renewals. Notices were mailed in December, reminders have been in the newsletters, and most have received a personal call from your secretary. Benefits to membership include a free drink each month, discounts on your Friday dinners and on Club rentals. Your support of the only German/American organization in the Mohawk Valley is essential, and you will experience the joy of making new friends!
Individuals who have not paid by March 20th will be removed from our membership.
NEW CLUB MEMBER
We thank Karen Kilmartin who recently joined our Club. We are sure you will enjoy the friendship of our members as you join in with our Club events. New members are always welcome.
BEREAVEMENT
It is with sadness that we share the following member's death: Oskar Schriever, a 43 year member and part of the Chorus, and Barbara Shuck who joined in 2015.
We just received word of the passing of Hermann Koelmel the past President of the NYS Saengerbund who gave many years of dedicated service to “Deutsche Singen” with his leadership and vision.
Our sympathy is extended to our dedicated Friday night waitress Michele Eberley on the death of her beautiful daughter Nicole who suffered with a long battle of cancer.
Your families are in our thoughts.
UTICA DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS
We received an e-mail from this community-based organization encouraging eligible local high school seniors to apply for scholarship awards through an online application and selection process. If interested contact https://utica.dollarsforscholars.org with your application. It is available till March 15, 2026.
🍪 GIRL SCOUT COOKIES 🍪
The Girl Scouts will have their cookies for sale during Fish Fryday on March 6th and April 3rd . The new Girl Scout cookie for the 2026 season is Exploremores, a rocky road ice cream-inspired sandwich cookie featuring a chocolate cookie filled with chocolate marshmallow and toasted almond flavored cream! It's a wonderful learning experience for the girls. Let's give them our support!
CHORUS
At the thought of winter almost being over, we look forward to resuming Chorus on Tuesday, March 10th with mixed chorus at 5 p.m. As we are celebrating 250 years of Independence in America this year, our Director Mark Radlowski is selecting several appropriate songs for us to practice. Mark your calendar and please attend our Tuesday resumed practice. Last week we sang at our long-time member Oskar Schriever's memorial service. We always appreciate new singers joining us. If you would like to sing in German and English, we would welcome you giving us a try. Do you know of a singer who might like to join? Please let us know.
🍀 ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARTY 🍀
On March 14th from noon - 5 p.m. we are planning our annual St. Patrick's Party after the Utica Parade. Each year we have a wonderful group who enjoy our food, drinks and music. Entertainment will be provided by Craobh Dugan-O'Looney musicians and the Butler Sheehan Irish dancers. Irish coffee, bar drinks, and a luncheon menu with corned beef and sauerkraut, Reuben sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, bratwurst, liverwurst, limburger cheese, cheese and crackers, tomato pie, chips, coleslaw and macaroni salad, followed by your choice of desserts.
Your entrance donation of $3 for adults (children under 12 free) helps cover expenses of this fundraiser and is appreciated. Invite your family and friends, wear your green and have some fun!
EDELWEISS SCHUHPLATTLERS by Gracie Schell
We resumed our Wednesday weekly dance rehearsals, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. on February 4th. Stop by & check us out; you just might find you like doing German Dancing! Or, if you don't want to dance, you can still march with us in the Utica St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 14th. Just meet us above the Oneida Square round-about, on Genesee Street, by 9:30 a.m. Wear your Green & help us carry our German Flags in the Irish Parade! (We march near the beginning of the Parade, right behind the "Craobh Dugan-O'Looney" Float.)
Our first Dance Performance was Feb. 12th at the Whitesboro Middle School International Fair. We'll be at the Albany Street Elementary School International Fair for the 3rd year, on March 26th. Our other March performance is on March 6th at Utica's Heart, Run, Walk "Heart Expo", inside the Utica University Gym. We're there 5:30-6:30 p.m., demonstrating how our German Dances are a great—and fun—way to get in your weekly exercising for Heart Health!
VOLUNTEER!
VOLUNTEERISM is the backbone of our non-profit organization!
We are looking for volunteers to chair, cook or work Club events. Long-time Club chairpersons are willing to be helpful in sharing our traditions and cooking skills. Event Forms that provide detailed information, menus, tasks to be performed, and lists of workers, are available for planning purposes. If you can help, call Club Secretary, Judy, (315) 736-7014.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the Black Forest Cake was named after the Black Forest region in Baden-Wurttemberg where sour cherries are grown and Kirschwasser (cherry brandy) is made? Joseph Keller in 1915 claimed to have invented the cake which evolved from a dessert “Schwartzwalder Kirschwasser Torte” and was designed to represent the colors of the Black Forest region's costumes. The original ingredients consisted of layers of chocolate sponge cake soaked with Kirsch, cherries, whipped cream and topped with cherries and shaved chocolate. In Germany, the cake must legally contain Kirschwasser (cherry brandy) to be sold as a true Schwartzwalder Kirschtorte. The cake gained popularity in the mid-20s and is today a staple in bakeries and dessert menus around the world.
Is your mouth watering? Come to our Bavarian Festival in July and enjoy a piece!