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VdK state meeting in Bad Vilbel: Together for social justice!
Bad Orb celebrated the Hessian state meeting in Bad Vilbel with 1,300 VdK members, discussed social issues and volunteer work.
VdK state meeting in Bad Vilbel: Together for social justice!
The Hessian state meeting of the VdK took place on July 8, 2025 in the town hall of Bad Vilbel. Around 1,300 members from Bad Orb, Gelnhausen, Höchst, Rothenbergen and Langenselbold came together to exchange ideas about the latest developments in the social sector. The CEO of Bad Orb, Gerd Jockel, welcomed the participants, and the program was accompanied by musical delicacies from the Gernot Dechert Quintet. The event began at 10 a.m. with the opening by Silvia Rosa Krämer and Marius Fracarolli from VdK Hessen-Thüringen e.V.
The speeches by the prominent guests particularly stood out. Bad Vilbel's mayor Sebastian Wysocki and Paul Weimann, state chairman of the VdK Hessen-Thüringen e.V., spoke about challenges in the nursing and healthcare system as well as the need to provide additional funds to combat the growing personnel shortage. Verena Bentele, President of VdK Deutschland e.V., agreed with these topics and at the same time thanked the numerous volunteers who tirelessly fight for the needs of the community.
Volunteering and social justice in focus
One of the focal points of the state meeting was volunteering, which is becoming increasingly important. In his speech, Boris Rhein, the Prime Minister of Hesse, highlighted the importance of volunteer work and emphasized how it contributes to social justice. Over 29 million people in Germany, around 40% of the population aged 14 and over, regularly get involved and make an invaluable contribution to various areas, be it in child and senior care or in supporting refugees.
VdK Hesse-Thuringia is the largest social association in Hesse and Thuringia and has been committed to solidarity for over 75 years. The organization fights for the rights of older and disabled people and has around 293,000 members. This number is constantly growing, and the VdK has an extensive network of 1,200 local associations that represent the interests of their members.
A good day for Bad Orb
As is the custom at such events, at the end of the meeting, state letters of honor were awarded to five members of the VdK Hessen-Thüringen e.V., an award that was recognized for their voluntary work. After a shared lunch, during which all participants were provided with packed lunches, there was little time left to explore the attractions of the Hessentag, as the Bad Orber group was due to return at 6:30 p.m.
Gerd Jockel was enthusiastic about how the event went and is looking forward to Hessentag 2026, which will take place in Fulda. It remains to be hoped that the good atmosphere and commitment that was offered here will continue in the coming years and that the VdK will continue to fight for social justice and cohesion.