Kelheim Kids Due Home from Germany This Evening

The Effingham area group of Kelheim Kids are due home this evening.

A group exchange between the Effingham area and the German community of Kelheim has been taking place (with a break for COVID) for 30 years. The exchange was the brainchild of Ralph Ruppel of Vincennes, Indiana, who wanted to celebrate the area's German heritage and began various exchanges with communities including Effingham and Kelheim. Ruppel died in 2012, but his vision has continued.

Effingham area young people travel to Germany to stay with families there for about 10 days, then Kelheim kids come to the Effingham area the next year to stay with families here. Typically, the hosts are the parents of the kids who made the trip the previous year.

A big group of students made the journey to Germany this year. They include, by community:

DIETERICH--Lucas Westendorf, Ruby Westendorf, Jackson Holste, Veronica Miramontes, John Holste, Delaney Miller, Marli Michl, Adriana Gordon

EFFINGHAM--Charlie Ring, Addison Holste, John Westendorf, Lilly Waymoth, Olivia Regenhart, Trygve Bloom, Makenzie Smith

NEWTON--Gracie Blake, Kyanna Ruholl, Cierrah Utley

ST. ANTHONY--Joanna Mitchell, Allison Geen, Samuel Deters, Griffen Elder, Anna Zaccari, Sydney Kibler

TEUTOPOLIS--Josh Habing, Isaac Vahling, Gus Siemer, Melissa Brummer, Julian Hemmen, Joni Beckman, Ann Zumbahlen, Ella Zumbahlen, Shannon Copper

The chaperones are Kenny Thies, who has been involved in the exchange since its early days, Emily Quast, Lisa Zumbahlen, and Lucas Quast.