In his welcoming address, he emphasized: "Volunteering is not work that is not paid for. It is work that is priceless. The diversity of our volunteers' work is priceless, the thousands of hours they work are priceless and the high level of charity and warmth they bring to our urban society is priceless. Our senior citizens are passionate about their work and play an active and varied role in public life. We are immensely grateful and proud of this. Today is a good day to say "thank you" with the awarding of the Salzgitter-Briefs."
The Salzgitter-Briefs are awarded every two years to senior citizens who have been involved in voluntary work for many years. The Seniorbeirat is responsible for deciding who is honored.
The seven senior citizens honored are active in the following categories: "Activities of intergenerational coexistence", "Health, sport, exercise", "Education, culture and music", "Social, leisure and sociability" and
"Environmental, nature and animal protection".
The following were honored:
- Angelika Schubert in the intergenerational togetherness activities category. She has been a volunteer at the SOS Mothers' Center since 2012 and chairs the working group of women's associations in Salzgitter.
- Karin Wozniak in the health, sport and exercise category. She has been a volunteer for Malteser Hilfsdienst since 2004 and has been a visitor on a geriatric ward for many years.
- Monika Jüntschke in the Education, Culture and Music category. She was chairwoman and managing director of the Salzgitter Volunteer Center for seven years and has been its honorary chairwoman since 2014.
- Ursula Sergel in the social, leisure and sociability category. She has been a volunteer for the Fredenberg Forum e.V. since 2023 and runs a playgroup for senior citizens every Tuesday. She also stands in for other group leaders who are ill so that nothing has to be canceled.
- Bernhard Grabarz in the social, leisure and sociability category. He has been a volunteer for the SOVD since 2010 and is an assessor in the Lebenstedt local association. Among other things, he delivers the newspaper for members and advises on social law issues.
- Wolfgang Strathausen in the category: Social, leisure and sociability. He has also been a volunteer for the SOVD since 2014 and is an assessor in the Lebenstedt local association. Like Bernhard Grabarz, he delivers the newspaper for SOVD members and advises on social law issues.
- Rosemarie Hinrichs in the environmental, nature and animal protection category. She has been a volunteer for BUND since 1989 and was actively involved in founding a district group in Salzgitter. Today she is deputy chairwoman of the Salzgitter district group.
