Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Monte Swift | Marina Hill (second from left), a resident of the Kinderheim children’s shelter,...... read more read more
STORCK BARRACKS, Germany - For nearly 30 years, the Storck Barracks have carried on a holiday tradition, a tradition that has changed the lives of those involved forever. That tradition continued Dec. 6, when German orphans from the Kinderheim children’s shelter were adopted by American military families for a day.
More than a gathering of individuals, the event has formed long-lasting bonds between orphans and their sponsor families spanning oceans and continents, and, in some cases, created new families. It is those bonds that keep families coming back year after year as reoccurring sponsors.
“Its knowing that the children can’t wait until December comes. They can’t wait to come to the Army post and meet new people who they will stay in touch with over the years,” said Veronica Bischoff, director of child development, Storck Barracks. “They are very excited to have someone that says ‘I want to spend some time with you.’ It isn’t really about the gifts, it’s more about them having a family for themselves.”
Bischoff began sponsoring orphans nine years ago as a way to give back to children without families. That was the year she met her son, Marcel, a special needs child from the Kinderheim home.
“We started visiting him, attending his school events, and then he started coming to our home for his holiday vacation time,” said Bischoff. “After a while he began to greatly improve. His councilors wanted to know what had changed in his life that would be helping him. They asked us if we could continue to do what we were doing, until the home asked if we would like to foster him in our home permanently.”
Since her first year, Bischoff has sponsored numerous children and stayed in touch with many including this years sponsored child, Kersin.
The trend of families sponsoring the same children yearly is common, and in one case, even entire families of children through the years. Judy Kracht-Hielsberg, an Army spouse whose recently retired husband was stationed in Germany, flew back to Germany from her home in Detroit, Michigan, to attend the event.
“It was so hard for me because I moved back to the states in March and all I could think about were these kids. I couldn't just leave them behind,” said Kracht-Hielsberg. “In the military we don’t leave people behind. So it has been very touching to fly back and be here for this. I couldn't just give up on them.”
A sponsor for the past eight years, Kracht-Hielsberg first sponsored the eldest of three siblings, and through the years has sponsored all three children more than once. This years sponsored child, a boy named Florian, is the youngest.
However, not all sponsor ‘families’ are so traditional. Sometimes Soldiers come together to create a family to sponsor a child.
“This event is neat because the sponsors are a mix between families and different military sections, like S1, who sponsored a child today,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jay Bachman, Alpha Company, 2-159th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion. “We even had a weather detachment sponsor a child.”
Bachman and his wife, both second year sponsors, find the event beneficial in more ways than one.
“Its just a way of giving back to the German community; thanking them for all the things they provide for us outside post,” said Bachman. “I also use the opportunity to teach my daughter that there are children who are less fortunate than she is.”
Activities throughout the day, such as bowling, shopping, helicopter and fire truck displays and indoor rock climbing gave sponsor family children and orphans an opportunity to interact and build lasting friendships. The day concluded with a holiday meal, gift exchange and visit from Santa.
“They have all had a good time. The child we are sponsoring this year is extremely excited,” said Bachman. “She’s having a lot of fun eating the American food, bowling, jumping in the bouncy house and is singing karaoke right now. As long as we are here, we will continue to do this. Its a great program between the German community and the U.S.”
| Date Taken: | 12.06.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2014 09:14 |
| Story ID: | 150162 |
| Location: | BY, DE |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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