Jürgen Hasenauer: Retired after 34 years as sports badge chairman

Jürgen Hasenauer: Retired after 34 years as sports badge chairman

There is several news in the Vogelsberg district that affects the local community. A very special farewell is coming up: Jürgen Hasenauer, who has been chairman of the sports badge examiners for 34 years, was ceremoniously farewelled. Hasenauer, 67 years old and retired, leaves behind an impressive legacy marked by numerous innovations in the sports badge process. Among other things, he was able to promote digitalization, which made it much easier to remove the badges. Klaus Heller will now take over as his successor and brings with him valuable experience as referee for the athletics district. However, the number of sports badges passed has shown a decline and consideration is being given to an expanded catalog of achievements in the area of ​​coordination skills. In recent years, the numbers have fallen from 1,731 in 2016 to 980 in 2024, following periodic adjustments to regulations and requirements, as the Lauterbacher Anzeiger reported.

But there are changes not only in sport. The use of volunteers in the Vogelsberg district continues to be very important, even if the challenges have grown. The “Good Examples in Volunteering” competition, which was launched by an alliance for families and the Manteuffel Foundation, shows the diversity of the field of activity. The commitment was strong; District Administrator Manfred Görig praised the 13 suggestions submitted. One of the award winners is Luise Keil, who visits hospitals with her cat Miu and not only brings joy to people, but also brings volunteer work itself into focus. Special projects, such as the Café Vielrlei, which brings generations together, or the Eckmannshain tent camp, which opens up new perspectives through modernization, illustrate the broad spectrum of voluntary commitment in the region, according to information from the Vogelsbergkreis website.

Digitalization in volunteer work

Another aspect that is becoming increasingly important is digitalization in volunteer work, especially in sport. The study “Digital volunteering in sport – evolution or revolution?” highlights how digital change is also finding its way into club life. Interactive interviews and surveys among experts show that although the administrative area is highly digitalized, little progress has been made in training operations. 57.4% of voluntary work in club administration is designed for this, while only 20.8% work digitally in the sporting sector. The participation of clubs in digital programs could be made easier if politicians create suitable framework conditions, such as this German Foundation for Commitment and Volunteering analyzed.

In summary, it can be said that the Vogelsbergkreis region is offering both a significant farewell and fresh impulses in volunteering and digitalization. It remains exciting to see how these topics develop and what opportunities the community can draw from them. The commitment of everyone involved is essential because there is something in the air that can have a significant impact not only on the sporting landscape, but also on social interaction.