News
On Wednesday the 5th of December 2012 the C4 Foundation donated more than 80.000 DKK to 31 “good, charitable causes”.
The donations took place in Duus’ Vinkælder (in Jens Bangs Stonehouse), where the recipients of the donations and their companions were served the traditional Danish Christmas treat: “gløgg og æbleskiver” which is mulled wine and apple doughnuts.
For now fifteen consecutive years the Guild´s Foundation on the first Wednesday of December has distributed its donations to “social, humanitarian and cultural purposes” in the Aalborg municipality, which now also includes the former Hals and Nibe municipalities.
It has always been the policy of the Board of the Foundation to support as many “beneficent causes” as possible, which on the other hand means that the donated portions each are rather modest.
The Foundation was established in 1997 by the C4 Guild, the capital was then 500.000 DKK, which – with further transfers from the Guild and savings in accordance with the articles – now has grown to 2.000.000 DKK. The foundation is in economical respect completely independent of the Guild, though the Guild pays for all the office expenses etc.
The Board of the Foundation consists today of former Mayor Kaj Kjær (chairman), author, former Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs Mette Madsen, Managing Director (AKKC) Ernst Trillingsgaard, Chief Bencher Niels Voss Hansen and Guild member Per Svensson, who is also administrator of the Foundation.
WILL BE CELEBRATED WITH A RECEPTION.
MONDAY DECEMBER 17th 2012
In December 1942 – while Denmark was occupied by Nazi-Germany – The Guild was founded as club for a group of patriotic Danish men, who had their meeting place in Duus’ Winecellar. In the 70 years since then more than 25.000 persons from more than 100 different nations has been initiated into the Guild.
The Board of the Guild has decided to celebrate this anniversary on
Monday the 17.th of December
from 13.00 p.m. to 16.00 p.m.
at a reception in Duus’ Winecellar, Østerågade 9, Aalborg.
It is our hope that members, friends and connections will participate in the celebration.
We will serve a glass of beer or wine and of course the traditional “C4-gala-treat”: red sausages, bread etc.
The very positive responses we usually experience from our newly initiated members make us believe that they are going home with good memories of Aalborg.
And we are still immodest enough to believe, that our being here in the City and our offering of initiations to both local people and many different guests is seen as something unique for Aalborg and its trade. Christian The Fourth´s Guild is thus an important part in the branding of Aalborg as a City worth visiting.
It wouldn´t have been possible for us to do that without the help and support from our many members and faithful supporters. We do hope that many of you will be there to celebrate the Guild and say hello to each other at the anniversary reception on Monday the 17th of December.
“It is most admirable that somebody immediately takes action, when somebody else is in danger – instead of just ignoring the situation.”
Thus were the words of chief bencher Niels Voss Hansen from Christian the Fourth´s Guild, when the Guild presented a “bette cheque” to Maria Bitsch (bette being the local word for small). Maria Bitsch is the young woman, who a couple of weeks ago came to the rescue of a jogger, who had just been attacked by two fierce, fighting dogs.
“The income of the Guild stems from contingents and donations, and so it isn’t great sums that we are able to donate, but it is absolutely in the spirit of the Guild to appreciate an heroic act such as that of Maria Bitsch, when she threw herself into a fight with two ferocious dogs who had grabbed the jogger with their teeth”- said Niels Voss Hansen.
Maria Bitsch was –with her family – invited to the Guild’s lounge in Jens Bangs Stone-house in Aalborg, and it was here she received the cheque and a bottle of “Laugsbitter”.
Maria Bitsch won’t forget the morning when she – driving on Anders Bork’s Road in Aalborg – saw the two dogs attack a jogger. “I braked and used the horn” – Maria Bitsch tells – ”but that didn’t stop the dogs.
Then I opened a door and the jogger got into the car - and so did one of the dogs still with its teeth in the poor man’s leg. I then grabbed a children’s auto chair and used it to hit the dog with one hand, while I used the other hand to keep the horn sounding to get someone to come and help”.
At one point both the furious dogs were in the car, and got hit with the chair. By then help arrived and at last the dogs had to lose their grip and leave the car without having injured Maria Bitsch.
The benchers of the Guild salutes Maria Bitsch, and she is presented with a cheque and a bottle of “Laugsbitter”.
Foto: Jens Morten
Christian The Fourth´s Guild is now such a famous attraction that the ambassador to Denmark from Thailand and the first secretary from the embassy travelled from Copenhagen to Aalborg with the sole purpose of being initiated into the Guild.
Ambassador Payawat Niyomrerks and first secretary Pornpan Jankrajang knew the history of the Guild from general consul Ib Thomsen, Hvide Sande, who himself was initiated years ago and who this time was present as a spectator.
“I have heard so much about Christian The Fourth´s Guild that I wanted to be part of it” declared the ambassador before the initiation where he in the beginning had to sit with an empty glass while the benchers - according to the tradition - cared for their own “thirst first”. After the initiation - and still following tradition - was he served red sausages, beer and potato juice as Aalborg snaps is affectionately called in the Guild.
On the same occasion were 14 participants from UNMILPOC (United Nations Military Police Course) at Aalborg barracks initiated. That’s another tradition that participants in the international courses for military police are initiated. This year there were participants from eight different countries.
Foto: Jens Morten
See the pictures
On Saturday August 18th Christian The Fourth´s Guild performed an initiation in Duus´ Wine-cellar of 17 guides from the tourist organization VisitAalborg.
At the same occasion 25 members of the crew from the Danish Navy support vessel "Absalon" were also initiated.
The City of Aalborg adopted the ship in 2008 and it is a tradition to initiate new members of the crew whenever "Absalon" visits Aalborg.
"Absalon" is the biggest battle-ship in the Danish Navy and also the biggest battle-ship in Scandinavia.
Foto: Fini Ryming