Group leader meeting in Leipzig from October 25th to 27th, 2019
Author
Udo Held
First of all, we from the SHG Saxony & Saxony-Anhalt would like to thank you for the invitation to the group leader meeting in our federal state and my hometown of Leipzig.
On October 25, 2019, this year's group leader meeting began at the H+ Hotel on Gutenbergplatz with a short welcome on the hotel's seventh floor. At the small bar next to reception, I was personally delighted that so many had come to Leipzig for my birthday! "My birthday!" Oh, no, it was just a coincidence that it was also my birthday that day, and we immediately kicked off the group leader meeting with a glass of sparkling wine!
We didn't have much time; a bus was already waiting outside, and off we went. This time, the program was so packed that we had to spread out the topics to be discussed until Sunday midday.
Friday
We visited the Haema blood donation center, located right on the market square. We not only had the opportunity to see the most modern method of plasma collection, but we were also able to ask Mr. Schleicher, a donor, questions. Afterwards, we had dinner at the Ratskeller Leipzig restaurant, and around 10:00 p.m. we returned to the hotel, or rather, I went home.
Saturday
Right after breakfast, another bus was waiting in front of the hotel. This time, we were headed to Haema's central processing facility, also located in Leipzig. Gaining insights into the direct processing of donated blood products and the logistical effort involved made this day truly special. This was followed by the first part of the group leader training. We discussed what the association had accomplished in the past year, what we wanted to improve in the coming year, upcoming deadlines, and so on – basically, organizational matters, which are quite tiring and not much fun! And the whole thing dragged on until late afternoon. In the evening, we went to the Thüringer Hof restaurant in Leipzig, where we enjoyed a delicious meal and finally had some time for informal conversations. The group leaders of the individual self-help groups rarely get the chance to exchange ideas with each other! Our association and our self-help group members always take priority.
Sunday
After breakfast, everyone checked out of the hotel. The next round of discussions was about to begin, as we hadn't been able to cover everything that needed to be discussed on Saturday. We had a separate room at our disposal: the Knights' Hall of the new Leipzig Town Hall, also known locally as Pleißenburg. By midday, the discussions had become quite heated. It seemed to me that time was running out to address all the remaining topics, as many of our group leaders had planned to take the train home starting at noon. But we managed it!
Now we move on, because after one meeting comes the next… On November 2nd, 2019, our self-help group from Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt will be meeting in Zwickau. We can already share the latest news with our group members there. We hope to welcome as many as possible, even though it has now truly become autumn.
Many warm greetings
Udo Held
