“We wanted to use our anniversary year to give back and support people who need our help,” explains Detlev Wiehle, the association’s president. A donation box was set up at all of the club’s events throughout the year, and the proceeds will now benefit “fiPs,” the Friends of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the GPR Clinic.
Club Fidelio Wicker is deeply rooted in local tradition. The club traces its origins to 1991, when former members of the “Kerbeborsch” decided to continue their community beyond the active festival season. In founding the club, they deliberately drew on the legacy of the historic “Klub Fidelio,” which existed from 1912 to 1982 and shaped community life in Wicker.
“Club Fidelio’s commitment is a powerful symbol of social cohesion. Donations like this enable us to implement projects for our young patients that go beyond regular medical care,” emphasizes Dr. Christiane Wiethoff, Chief Physician of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at GPR Klinikum.
“This support means a great deal to us, because it helps make the hospital stay for children and their families a bit more humane and child-friendly. It’s impressive to see how strongly local clubs are committed to our work,” says Ellen Flocke, president of “fiPs.”
To this day, the Fidelio Club organizes numerous local events, the highlight of which is the annual Kerb festival in September. The combination of living traditions and social commitment shows that the club combines camaraderie with responsibility—and thus sends a strong message of solidarity in the region.