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Niels Kaj Strøyberg has for many years been an outstanding and highly esteemed person in Aalborg’s commercial, educational and cultural development. That is why the Guild has chosen to present him with the Guild’s Prize of Honor.
That was revealed at the Guilds general meeting in February, but Niels Kaj Strøyberg was out of town then. Now the Prize – and a check and the Guild´s special tie – has been presented to him at a small event in The Guild’s room over the winecellar in Jens Bang’s Stonehouse. The Prize of Honor is given to a person or an institution, who or which has done something special for Aalborg.
“For decades Niels Kaj Strøyberg has - with his optimism, his knowledge and his great network - been primus motor for a great many initiatives and projects, which have developed into very good things for our city and for its inhabitants” said the chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen, when the Prize of Honor was handed over.
“One of Niels Kaj Strøybergs latest initiatives has been his tireless efforts in the committee, which worked for the establishment of Musikkens Hus (House of Music) in Aalborg. He was instrumental in raising the 80 million DKK for this purpose and the building is now standing proudly at the Aalborg waterfront” said the Chief bencher.
Niels Kaj Strøyberg and his wife Kirsten have been members of the Guild for years, and they brought their key to the secret door “just to be sure …”
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The Troubadour of the Guild blew a fanfare for N.K. Strøyberg and his wife Kirsten, when chief bencher, Niels Voss Hansen, and other benchers presented the Prize of Honor.
Photo: Jens Morten
Last year 463 people from 24 countries were initiated into Christian The Fourth´s Guild here in Aalborg at 21 initiation ceremonies. These persons´ visit to the Guild are contributing to “putting Aalborg on the map” and to make it possible for the Guild´s Foundation to donate 100.000 DKK to social, humanitarian and cultural purposes every year.
The Guild got 20 more members when the general meeting was held in February in Duus' Winecellar. It is a tradition that on this occasion the Guild will initiate anyone who wishes to join the Guild. It is also at this annual general meeting that some of the Guild's prizes and donations are given away.
This year´s Aalborg Prize went to the young swimmer Mie Østergaard Nielsen as an extra honor to celebrate her many championships. “You have with your many international medals been a fantastic representative for Aalborg and for Denmark, and we are happy that you will accept our Aalborg Prize” said chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen.
The Aalborg Prize consists of the Honor and a check from the Guild – and checks were also presented to two residents of the Fourth of May College in Aalborg. The Guild is the sponsor of two rooms in the college, the Tolstrup-room and the Churchill-room and once a year the successive occupants of these rooms get a greeting from the Guild. This year it was Rune W. Larsen and Martin Beermann Staal.
PFC Aksel Wedel Bang Jensen was nominated to “Soldier of the Year”. He was selected by the Aalborg Garrison as a hardworking, competent, diligent, conscientious and co-operative soldier, who has also done military service abroad.
Niels Kaj Strøyberg was honored with Guild´s big “Prize of Honor”. He has for decades been an outstanding and highly esteemed person in Aalborg´s commercial, educational and cultural development. Latest he has been doing a magnificent job in the committee which worked for the establishment of the House of Music on the Aalborg waterfront. The house is now completed and successfully in use and the Guild wished on this occasion to present the “Prize of Honor” to Niels Kaj Strøyberg. Niels Kaj Strøyberg was out of town on the day of the general meeting and will receive the Prize at a later time.
Photo: From the left: The two residents from the “Fourth of May College” Rune W. Larsen and Martin Beermann Staal, chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen, swimmer Mie Østergaard Nielsen, PFC Aksel Wedel Bang Jensen and the treasurer of the Guild Ib Regnarsson.
Photo: Fini Ryming
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The budding economic recovery combined with good investment advisers is why Christian The Fourth´s Guild´s Foundation in 2014 has had a yield of approximately 100,000 DKK for social, humanitarian and cultural activities in Aalborg municipality and the immediate neighbourhood.
“ We want to spread our donations as wide as possible and help as many as possible. That is why we also this year donate many – but more modest portions” said the Foundation´s chairman, former mayor Kaj Kjær, when he according to tradition in December distributed a lot of checks during a gathering with mulled wine and apple dumplings in Duus´ Wine-cellar in Jens Bangs Stenhus. This is also the meeting place for Christian The Fourth´s Guild and the Foundations capital comes from the Guild´s work and from the many members of the Guild from all over the world.
28 organizations, societies and a few single persons each got a check during the meeting in Duus´ Winecellar. Earlier in the year six specific projects were supported with money which was necessary here and now.
“ And we have as usual in particular considered “ the voluntary, unpaid work which is being of benefit to the less privileged groups in our society” as it is stated in the statutes of the Guild” said Kaj Kjær.
Those who received the donations are a very mixed crowd and among them are: Foreningen HjerneSagen i Aalborg, Støtteforeningen Kamillus på KamilianerGaardens Hospice, De frivillige på Aalborg Universitetshospital, Foreningen Familier med kræftramte børn and Dansk Røde Kors´ Besøgstjeneste. But also for example Aalborg Miniby, foreningen Obel-pigerne, Aalborg Studenterrevy, Aalborg Mandskor and Center for Dansk Jazzhistorie. In this instance the money will support the second volume of the History of Jazz in Aalborg.
Aalborg Mandskor has 95 years anniversary in 2015. The choir sings free of charge in rest homes and activity centers in the whole region – that’s why the choir received a check to cover some of the choir´s expenses.
Aalborg Jægerklubs Blæsere also received a grant, and three of the hunting horn players thanked for the donation by blowing a couple of hunting signals. The hunting horn players bring medals – mostly gold - and trophies back from hunting horn competitions in for instance Switzerland and Germany. The Foundation humbly asks if it would not be a good idea to arrange an European competition in Aalborg in the near future?
The board of the Foundation consists of – besides Kaj Kjær – of former minister for ecclesiastical matters Mette Madsen, managing director (AKKC) Ernst Trillingsgaard, the Guild´s chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen and the administrator of the Foundation, Per Svensson.
Photo: Fini Ryming
A little before Christmas time in the middle of December two young students got a surprise when they received the Guilds Prize of Good Spirit. A modest check followed the prize.
“Aalborg is a merry city and we all have to look at the bright side of life – and in that respect the check may help” said the Guild´s chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen when he presented the diplomas and the checks – first to Mikkel Siesgaard Hansen, Aalborg Studenterkursus, and later to Lisa Helene Skov, Agri College Aalborg.
Mikkel Siesgaard Hansen got the diploma and the check in a pause in the assembly hall at Aalborg Studenterkursus, and Lisa Helene Skov received her diploma and check in the canteen in Aalborg Zoo where she is a trainee, and where she hopes to become a keeper.
The annual Prizes of Good Spirit from the Guild are given to students who “with their good humor, cheerfulness and a positive disposition has added to the good spirit at their places and thereby been an inspiration for comrades and teachers to function in a positive and cheerful way.
. “ It is not necessarily because of diligence or efficiency – but of course these qualities are no obstacles” said the Niels Voss Hansen at the two presentations. It is the 25th time the Guild presents the prizes which are given to a student on each of Aalborg´s high schools and similar educational places. Every year some of the benchers show up at one or two of the institutions with the guild troubadour and all the trimmings. At the other places the prizes are presented by the head of the institution, usually during the Christmas celebration.
The prizes cannot be applied for but are given to a student selected by the institution´s management. “And it is because the prizes cannot be applied for, that they are special” said the chief bencher, and advised the students to use the check as it was meant – maybe something more funny than text books.
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Photo: Fini Ryming