Volunteer Heroes: Ten citizens in the district honored!

Volunteer Heroes: Ten citizens in the district honored!

On January 21, 2026, a special honor was given in the Straubing-Bogen district: ten committed citizens received the Bavarian Prime Minister's Medal of Honor for their many years of voluntary work. The award ceremony took place in the large meeting room of the district office, where district administrator Josef Laumer handed over the awards to the honorees.

Among those honored are four women and six men from different communities, all of whom have been involved in social, cultural, sporting or other charitable areas for at least 15 years. The list of honorees is impressive:

• Sven Baumeister (Mitterfels)
• Markus Becker (Straßkirchen)
• Norbert Kiendl (Straßkirchen)
• Gabriele Breu (Wiesenfelden)
• Karina Viehbacher (Wiesenfelden)
• Rosemarie Fruhstorfer (Geiselhöring)
• Walter Fruhstorfer (Geiselhöring)
• Maria-Anna Jubelt (Geiselhöring)
• Herbert Gayring (Parkstetten)
• Ernst Schick (Neukirchen)

Volunteering: A valuable pillar of society

The award has been presented since 1994 and highlights the outstanding voluntary work of those awarded. During his speech, District Administrator Laumer emphasized the challenges associated with recruiting people for long-term voluntary management positions. A lot of incentives and positive appreciation are needed to motivate these valuable helpers for their charitable work.

In their speeches, members of the state parliament Josef Zellmeier and Tobias Beck emphasized the immense importance of volunteer work for social cohesion. They thanked the honorees for their decades of commitment, which not only means individual enrichment, but also promotes the common good. Mayors of the home communities used the opportunity to encourage others to also volunteer.

Volunteer work in numbers

The Statista study also shows how important volunteering is in Germany, which says that around 16.9 million people would have volunteered in 2025. In addition, the participation rate in organized volunteer work is 27.5 percent, which is slightly higher than in Switzerland and Austria. Many volunteers are middle-aged or older adults, while young people often complete a voluntary social year (FSJ).

The social role of volunteering is recognized every year on December 5th with International Volunteering Day. The focus is on recognizing selfless work, which is an important pillar of our active society. Future socio-political discussions about resuming military service and a possible compulsory year of community service for young adults also show how important the topic of volunteer work remains.

For the distinguished citizens from the Straubing-Bogen district, this honor not only represents an award for their decades of commitment, but also a great motivation for everyone to actively work for the common good in their surroundings.

For further information about the Badge of Honor of the Bavarian Prime Minister, visit the website of Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection very insightful. There is also exciting data on volunteering in Germany Statista. You can also find comprehensive reporting on the honor that took place here weekly paper.