OUR STORY
In 1953 the vision of a group of countrymen from the region of Gottschee was realized and The Alpine Club was founded. The original founder, Wilhelm Hoegler, was joined by Walter Mausser, August Göstel, Cyril Hribar, Frank Hutter, Bert Kresse, Josef Mausser, Anton Pleschinger, Josef Primosch and Josef Sigmund who brought this club to life.
The club house was built in 1958 with the financial assistance and active involvement by the members at that time under the leadership of the then president, Richard Mausser. Expansions were added in 1961 and 1970 to what is we know today standing at 464 Maple Avenue in Kitchener.
The leadership of the club since inception was with the following presidents: Wilhelm Hoegler, Hugo Eppich, Richard Mausser, Sepp Mausser, Anton Pleschinger, Hans Kroisenbrunner Sr., Helmut Herold, Frank Spoenlein, Alois Stalzer, Hansi Kroisenbrunner, Bill Poje and the current president, Dietmar Bisselli.
With over 200 members, The Alpine Club also has several Untergruppen: The Alpine Dancers, The Ladies Auxiliary Edelweiss, and The Alpine Mixed Bowling League.
There was a time when there was a dance or event to attend almost every weekend at the club. These events included Bauernball, the Card Party, the Anniversary Banquet, the Crowning of Miss Alpine Club, Freundschaftstanz, Ein Abend Im Alpenland, our Annual Members Picnic, Gottscheer Treffen, Oktoberfest, the Children’s Christmas Party and a New Year’s Eve Dance. Most of these still happen on a yearly basis today. Additions to this list include both Marchtoberfest and the Oktoberfest Premiere Event of So You Think You Can Tanz.
Our biggest party by far is Oktoberfest. These nine days of Gemütlichkeit are filled with live music, dancing, and entertainment by our own Alpine Dancers and guest groups – what more could you ask for. At the Alpine Club, the festival is truly Bavarian but done in our traditional Alpine style. People come far and wide for a course of our delicious food and drink and make friends for life both on the dance floor and at the schnapps bar. Our ladies in the club kitchen have left our friends wanting more with their world famous apple strudel – just one more reason to visit us during the festival.
The first Gottscheer Reunion was first held at the Alpine Club in 1963 as a way for fellow Gottscheers from near and far to gather and reminisce about the old country. It has since been hosted annually alternately by Gottscheer clubs in Cleveland, Milwaukee, New York, Toronto and Kitchener. We have celebrated over 50 years of friendship, tradition and made memories which help our countrymen to pass on the legacy to the next generation.
The Alpine Club is rich in heritage and tradition, but has been able to move forward with the new trends and hope that you will join us at any of our events throughout the year. Check out our events listings and join us for a memorable night of camaraderie and fun – we welcome everyone to our house that is the Alpine Club – We would love to have you!
2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dietmar Biselli – President ~ Paul Kroisenbrunner – 1st Vice President ~ John Hutfluss – 2nd Vice President ~ Bill Poje – 1st Treasurer ~ Julia Morrison – 2nd Treasurer/Webmaster/Social Media/Oktoberfest Co-Chair ~ Maddie Baker – 2nd Treasurer ~ Christine Schierholtz – Bookkeeper ~ Sonja Kroisenbrunner-Biselli – 1st Secretary ~ Lore Kump – 2nd Secretary ~ Alex Drung – Controller ~ Tatjana Poje – Co-Cultural Director ~ Nick Hutfluss – Co-Cultural Director ~ Emily Willard – Dance Group President
MISS ALPINE CLUB 2024
Brookelynn Schleimer
Brookelynn Schleimer is daughter of Dave and Michelle Schleimer and sister to Carson and the late Emma.
Brookelynn currently attends Fanshawe College where she is studying Graphic Design.
Brookelynn’s grandparents are Alfred and Marilyn Schleimer Brookelynn’s grandfather Alfred Schleimer immigrated from Gottcheer in 1948 during the war when he was only 4 years old. They first arrived in TO then built their roots and family in Kitchener Waterloo where they still live today. Brookelynn’s great grandparents were the late Alois Schleimer and Helene Mauser.
Brookelynn’s grandparents and great grandparents had a huge influence in her life and their German heritage was a big part of her upbringing including German Cuisine, to playing the accordion in the kitchen and even being part of the Alpine children’s dance group.
Congratulations and best wishes, Brookelynn, from the Executive and members of the Alpine Club
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY
2024 - House of Friendship
Pictured: President Dietmar Biselli with Natalie Schill, Development Director for House of Friendship
has a rich, vibrant history, going back more than eight decades.
It all started in 1939, when a women’s prayer group saw a need and met it. They saw men who were struggling with hunger. The women couldn’t solve every problem, but they could solve this one. They started feeding the men warm, home-cooked meals.
Out of these humble beginnings, supported by the local Christian community, the ‘House of Friendship for All Nations’ was born. The founding director was Joseph Cramer, a Jewish Christian immigrant who had come from his home in Russia to Kitchener.
Originally, House of Friendship was a store-front mission on King Street in downtown Kitchener. It had a reading room, a dining room and provided food. The mission was a response of the local Christian community to the physical and spiritual needs of the area’s most vulnerable residents – a tradition that continues to this day.
Over the years, the work of House of Friendship has evolved into a charitable social service agency serving thousands, providing addiction treatment, food, housing, and community resources throughout Waterloo Region.
2023 - Nutrition For Learning
Pictured: President Dietmar Biselli with Erin Moraghan, Chief Executive Officer of Nutrition for Learning
Nutrition for Learning offers universal access student nutrition programs in schools across Waterloo Region. Our healthy food programs impact the physical, cognitive, behavioral, and academic needs of children and youth in our community. We are a registered charitable organization first established in 1997 and support 176 student programs in all three school boards.
Their GOAL is to provide nutritious food within reach of all students regardless of socio-economic background. Together we can ensure that the children in our community attend school well nourished and can focus on learning.
2022 - St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Support of the War in Ukraine
Pictured: President Dietmar Biselli with Prof. Ivan Jaworski of St. Sophia Ukrainian Church in Waterloo
Week-in and week-out, the parishioners of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Sophia in Waterloo work to help feed, clothe and comfort the hungry, the poor, the sick, the elderly and lonely in the Kitchener-Waterloo area — home to our community of worship and prayer for more than 60 years. With the funds going to help people who are arriving in Canada from Ukraine as displaced persons as well as those still in Ukraine.
2021 – Farwell4Hire – Mike Farwell
Pictured: President Dietmar Biselli and Mike Farwell – Farwell4Hire in Support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada
Every year Mike Farwell loans himself out for the month of May (normally) doing odd jobs in order to raise money to support families living with cystic fibrosis. No job is too big or too small for Mike’s yearly campaign.
It has been:
Eight years. Nine campaigns. About 300 days (ish). More than 1000 odd jobs.
An unfathomable accomplishment. But, here we are, Waterloo Region.
The Alpine Club remains committed to helping the community and this year’s donation will go directly to research into a cure for CF through the annual Farwell4Hire campaign. Please consider booking your job today by emailing [email protected].
2019 – Carizon Family and Community Service
Pictured: President Bill Poje with Leanne Brown of Carizon Family and Community Services.
Alpine each year provides an annual charitable donation…this year, we have chosen Carizon Family and Community Services . Carizon specializes in children’s mental health, youth engagement and development, family violence, individual and family counselling, credit counselling, settlement supports and collective wellness. With a head office located in the heart of the City of Kitchener, Carizon provides a full spectrum of services in more than 70 locations throughout the Region. Carizon is committed to providing services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Carizon strives to give individuals with disabilities opportunity to access services and to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as others, unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable the person to access services. The Alpine hopes that our contribution will positively benefit this deserving organization to further carry on the great service that they already provide within our community.
2018 – Kaljas Homes for Supportive Living
Pictured: President Bill Poje with Maggie Kaljas of Kaljas Homes.
Alpine each year provides an annual charitable donation…this year, we have chosen Kaljas Homes for Supportive Living Formerly known as Anna Kaljas Homes (established in 1954). Kaljas Homes provides 16 spaces of permanent affordable housing with attached onsite staff supports for adults (16+). The program offers 16 private bedrooms in two residential houses located beside one another on Frederick Street in Kitchener where tenants share responsibilities for various household duties. The Kaljas’ philosophy is to create an environment where people feel healthy and strong, and to inspire them to reach overall wellness – physical, mental, emotional, and social. The program provides community inclusion activities, medication support, crisis planning, practical assistance with independent living, and ongoing service coordination with community supports. Staff are available on-site daily with access to overnight staff on an on-call basis. As part of the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) Supportive Housing Program which is in part funded through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and administered by the Region of Waterloo, the focus of the CHPI Supportive Housing program is to provide affordable housing to people with a history of homelessness, to help them build skills and connect to supports that will help them to keep their housing and reduce their risk of returning to homelessness. Kaljas’ Homes residents are generally geared toward men, and those who may have issues relating to mental disease, substance issues and/or emotional disabilities. Their residents are predominately from our region. One of which has been with them for well over 40 years. The Alpine feels that our contribution will positively benefit this deserving organization to further carry on the great service that they already provide within our community.