For the first time, Reinhold Jost, Minister of the Interior, presented the municipal honorary office award to 33 elected representatives, including former elected representatives, from the Saarpfalz district. The ceremony took place in the large conference room of the Homburg Forum.
The award is regarded as a precursor to the Freiherr-vom-Stein Medal and recognises years of voluntary work and involvement in shaping coexistence in towns and municipalities. Interior Minister Reinhold Jost, who initiated the award, presented it in person in the presence of District Administrator Frank John, the mayors of the municipalities or their representatives and members of the state parliament, among others.
District Administrator Frank John welcomed the guests and found words of praise in his speech, with which he addressed the honoured guests:
"This special recognition of an honorary office is for citizens who have rendered outstanding services as local elected representatives over many years. These are all of you: former local councillors, deputy local councillors, former aldermen and former local councillors. I know many of you personally. But that's not the only reason why I know exactly how close you were to the people, indeed, you were the contact person in almost every situation. You implemented your own ideas and projects so that the places where you live in solidarity remain worth living in."
He also mentioned her function as a link between the officials of the town hall, the district administrator and the citizens.
"Such a responsibility is anything but easy to bear, and it certainly often had to be endured",
the district administrator expressed his respect. He thanked everyone on behalf of the Saarpfalz district for their valuable commitment, "which can only be achieved with personal passion". The District Administrator also thanked the Ministry of the Interior and the Minister for this initiative. District Administrator Frank John is certain that it makes it possible to emphasise appreciation not only in words, but also in a ceremonial manner, and can inspire others to take on communal responsibility.
"Volunteering is at the heart of our communities and democracy. Volunteering depends on people who are willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. With their commitment, they provide a strong foundation for our community, because they are the intermediaries between citizens and local politics. Such people are indispensable because they not only strengthen social cohesion, but also make significant contributions to the further development of their home towns. In this respect, the honourees are prime examples of this kind of commitment with their tireless dedication, passion and great willingness to take on responsibility. They deserve the greatest respect, highest recognition and deepest gratitude. I am therefore delighted that we are honouring both their commitment and their role model function with this award,
emphasised Interior Minister Reinhold Jost in his laudatory speech.
After reading out the names and functions, the Minister of the Interior presented the municipal volunteer award, an approximately 150 mm wide Saarland-shaped stand made of translucent Plexiglas, and a certificate. District Administrator Frank John presented the Saarpfalz yearbook as a small gift
The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of the Interior and the district administration. Joshua Fuchs on the keyboard provided a worthy musical backdrop.
The following were honoured:
Manfred Abel, Rolf Ballweber, Tim Bieber, Winfried Bohn, Erich Bollinger, Manuel Diehl, Hans Jürgen Domberg, Heiderose Emser, Imelda Frenzel, Manuela Fries, Michael Germann, Martin Guth, Christine Helmer, Hans-Joachim Kellner, Dr. Karl-Heinz Klein, Achim König, Hans-Dieter Kruse, Willy Lagaly, Martin Lambert, Volker Motsch, Reinhold Nesselberger, Nikolaus Rauls, Helmut Ruf, Axel Ruth, Jürgen Schäfer, Dr Jörg Schuh, Achim Schultz, Yvonne Stoppiera-Wiebelt, Hans-Jürgen Trautmann, Martin Vollmar, Roland Weber, Bernhard Welsch, Karl-Heinz Woitelle.