Swiss-American Society

1953-2003 Reunion Picnic

Broder Family Farm

Stockbridge, Georgia 

October 12, 2003

Schedule of Events

FUN and GAMES

10:00 a.m.    Golf Tournament

2:00 p.m.     Horse Shoe Farm Hay rides (continuous)

                    Lyndy's Garden Tour (continuous)

                    Steinstossen (continuous)

3:00            Family Mixer (party games)

PROGRAM

4:30            Welcome - Hans Broder, Jr.

                    Introductions - Beat Schindler, SAS President

                    Greetings - Jörg Feigenwinter, Consul General

                    Musical interlude

- Swiss National Anthem

- American National Anthem

                    History of Swiss Club - Hans Broder, Sr.

                    Musical interlude

- Rütli

- Schweizer Nationalhymne

                    Closing remarks - Beat Schindler

5:00            Adjourn formal program

5:30            Dinner

7:00            Celebration of lights

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Brief History of the

 Swiss-American Society of Atlanta

     In 1953, Michael Hack, a Swiss architect from Atlanta,

encouraged a small group of Swiss students at Georgia

Tech to contact Swiss in the Atlanta area for the purpose

of forming a Swiss Club. On December 6, 1953, about 25

Swiss gathered in Atlanta to celebrate Samichlaus. This

became known as the charter meeting of the Swiss-

American Friendship Society of Atlanta. On August 1,

1954, the Swiss-American Society was officially

constituted at a Bundesfeier on the Broder farm in

Stockbridge. Officers were elected and bylaws were

adopted. The Society was open to Swiss citizens, Swiss

descendants and anyone interested in increasing the

understanding between the United States and Switzerland.

The purpose of the Society was to maintain contact with

the cultural life of Switzerland and to promote fellowship

among the Swiss-American and friends of Switzerland.

Dues were set at $1 per person and $2 per family.

Acknowledgments

     We would like to thank Hans Broder Sr. and the entire

Broder Family for graciously welcoming us to their farm

and for providing “Bratwurst und Cervelas.” We thank the

current Board of the Swiss-American Society (SAS) and

their families with help from Nicole Hulliger, Jack Jost

and Eric Stauffer for the long hours worked. We extend

our thanks to past-presidents of the SAS, Vreni Ludin,

Enrico Gamma, Suzanne Crosby and Tony Elmiger for their

fine leadership and for running the budget surpluses

needed to offer this event free of cost; to Yolanda

Wallace, for sharing her archives and photos

and to the Swiss Consulate in Atlanta, Jörg Feigenwinter

and Monica Camacho-Bandlin for their continued support of

the SAS.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++