Sponsor Spotlight | Stoy Hall and Modern Woodmen of America
Christkindlmarket Des Moines relies on donations to help bring our work to life. We appreciate all our sponsors and donations that come from individuals or are collected at fundraisers.
With that said, wouldn’t it be great if donations could double themselves and have twice the impact? Definitely! That’s why we’re so excited to welcome Stoy Hall and Modern Woodmen of America as out matching sponsor for Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2016.
Founded in 1833, Modern Woodmen of America is a fraternal financial service organization. They offer life insurance, annuity and investments. In addition to their services, Modern Woodmen of America offers benefits to members through their fraternal programs. Chapters across the nation are able to host events and activities that help them invest in their communities. These include educational and social events, as well as volunteer opportunities. Matching fund programs, like the one supporting Christkindlmarket Des Moines, help the organization get involved in the communities where it operates.
Stoy has been with the organization for five years, including an internship. According to him, finding ways to participate in the community is an important part of being in a fraternal organization. Though he has never attended a Christmas market, he looks forward to having one in Des Moines.
“The ability to do something in the community near Christmas with cultural influences is a no brainer. I have done a lot of research on them and I believe Des Moines will be a great fit for the event, ” he said.
The first event to be matched by Stoy and MWA will be a British High Tea in May. Keep an eye on our Facebook Page and the blog to learn more.
Thank you for your support!
Des Moines European Heritage Association connects Iowans with European traditions, language education and cultural experiences; and it provides resources and tools to other cultural heritage organizations.
Sponsor Spotlight | Kum & Go
If you’re from Iowa, Kum & Go is probably a familiar name. The convenience chain, headquarter in West Des Moines, has been a part of Iowa communities for more than 55 years. Their commitment to Iowa makes them a perfect fit as a sponsor for the state’s first ever Christmas market. We’re excited to welcome them as a Silver Sponsor for Christkindlmarket Des Moines 2016!
Kum & Go has a commitment to giving back to the communities where they work. Each year, the company donates 10 percent of their profits to causes they care about. They give charitable gifts, sponsor nonprofit events and partner with nonprofits to create impactful campaigns. Recently, they began fundraising efforts for Habitat for Humanity in their stores.
In addition to their focus on charitable giving, Kum & Go has a focus on arts and culture. This commitment makes them a great connection for Christkindlmarket Des Moines as we work to expand cultural opportunities and education here in Iowa.
Thank you for your support, Kum & Go!
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.
The Making of a Christmas Market | Vendor Stalls
If you’ve been following our blog, you might have seen how important vendors are to creating a successful Christmas market. Christkindlmarket Des Moines is now one step closer to providing them at our event. Materials for our first vendor stall were dropped off this week at Waukee High School. Starting in August, industrial arts students in the school will finish building the remaining stalls.
Before production starts, it is important to remember where the stalls began. Annie Vo, with OPN Architects in Des Moines, volunteered her time and talent to design the stall. See the sketch below to see the beginning of this project.
As production begins in the coming months, Christkindlmarket Des Moines will continue to move forward. It’s great to see a project that has been two years in the making come to life. We’re so thankful to Jack Schulte, Waukee’s industrial technology instructor, for helping this partnership get off the ground. We’re excited to see his students bring our vendors stalls to reality.
Be sure to follow our Facebook page to continue to see progress on the project!
Check back as the year goes on to see more of what it takes to make Christkindlmarket Des Moines a reality!
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.
Sponsor Spotlight | The Rasmussen Group
Though Christkindlmarket Des Moines is a new event, our goal is to become a local tradition where families can come together to celebrate their history. That’s why The Rasmussen Group is the perfect fit as a sponsor for our organization. A family tradition in its own right, the group is now run by the fourth generation of the Jensen family.
The Rasmussen Group manages twelve construction companies that cover a range of services from concrete and asphalt supply, hauling to bridge construction. In addition to their construction work, the company has been working in their community for over one hundred years. They donate money for scholarships, serve on community boards and volunteer. Their involvements include Anawim Housing, Habitat for Humanity, United Way of Central Iowa and Y Camp from the YMCA.
Christkindlmarket Des Moines is excited to welcome Rasmussen Group on as a vendor stall sponsor. We hope that our event will someday resemble their company—long-standing, steeped in tradition and multi-generational.
Thank you for your support!
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.
Now Seeking Vendors and Performers!
Christmas markets are more than just seasonal events. They are cultural experiences. If you don’t believe it, read the post written by our newly added Board Director, Doug Whittle. It paints a vivid picture of what makes Christmas markets so popular around the world.
Des Moines European Heritage Association is excited to bring that experience to Des Moines, but we can’t do it alone. We need vendors and performers to help us create the entertaining and educational experience of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. Applications for vendor stalls and performers (both general and stage) are now available and must be completed by June 15, 2016.
Why is finding vendors so important to us? They are an essential part of any Christmas market. After all, there would be no market without them. Vendor offerings of handmade gifts and specialty items create a shopping experience for visitors unlike any other during the holiday season. Shoppers can find nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, clothes and toys for children of all ages all in one place.
However, don’t think vendors are limited to just gifts! Traditional food and drinks are some of the most popular offerings at Christmas markets around the world. Is there anything better than hot spiced wine (Glühwein) or roasted nuts on a cold December day?
Performers at Christkindlmarket Des Moines are just as important for creating an immersive atmosphere for visitors. Whether it’s traditional folk music, clogging, yodeling or choirs, each act adds to the experience. Each one is an opportunity to share heritage and tradition with attendees.
If you or your business is interested in participating in Christkindlmarket Des Moines in either of these capacities, please read more on the process on either of the applications.
As a grassroots non-profit, Des Moines European Heritage Association serves as a platform to carry on European traditions, support language education and to create cultural awareness. We are a resource for Iowans, immigrants, travel enthusiasts and international business professionals to connect with European cultural heritage and for cultural organizations who want to engage with their members in a cohesive and centralized manner.
Sponsor Spotlight | Darcy Hines Designs
Creating a Christmas market takes a lot of work. There are donations to gather, plans to make with the City and entertainment acts to schedule. Before that can be done, it’s important to have a way to distinguish our event from the 20 other Christmas markets across the country. That’s where our creative sponsor Darcy Hines Designs is essential. Her work has helped create Christkindlmarket Des Moines’ brand.
Darcy Hines is the owner and graphic designer at Darcy Hines Designs. Her work focuses on typography and a clean style. She enjoys working with clients who allow her to be creative with her design choices. She often works on creating brand standards and stationary.
She began working with Christkindlmarket Des Moines in July 2015. During that time she worked with Des Moines European Heritage Association board to create our logo and brand. Some of her work can be seen on our Christkindlmarket Des Moines website and Facebook page.
According to Darcy, she was motivated to get involved by the unique nature of our event.
“I love the idea of bringing such a festive and creative event to Des Moines in the months where people are normally bundled up in their houses. I think it’s a great opportunity to bring people out together as families, offer them a chance to experience a culture they normally wouldn’t be able to, and breathe some light into those cold winter months with hot cider and hand-made Christmas gifts.”
As for inspiration, she looks to Christmas markets from across the world. Though she hasn’t yet attended a Christmas market, this research has helped her understand why people love them.
Thank you for your work, Darcy!
Fundraising: Helping with Happy Hour
Anna VanWaardhuizen is an Illinois native living in Des Moines while attending Drake University. She is a junior studying public relations and leadership. In addition to working as an intern with the Des Moines European Heritage Association, she works on campus and serves as president of Drake’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.
Happy hour might seem like an opportunity for getting a great deal, but they can be much more than that. For instance, our first fundraising event for Christkindlmarket Des Moines will be a happy hour event at Royal Mile in Downtown Des Moines. On February 25, we will meet from 4 to 7 p.m. to talk about our mission as Des Moines European Heritage Association, share our travel experiences and have an chance to grab a drink. Ten percent of sales during that time will go to DMEHA to help produce Christkindlmarket Des Moines in December.
Our group will meet in The Red Monk, located on the second floor of The Royal Mile. As the area’s only Belgian bar, it’s the perfect setting for our event. The decor is beautiful and the selection of beers is unmatched in the area. Not only do they serve Belgian style beers and imports, they have 90 different varieties. Second, there will be great deals for our attendees. Happy hour specials are available until 6 p.m. and The Royal Mile is offering Hoegaarden, a Belgian wheat beer, on tap for $3. This is an easy and fun way to help raise money for Christkindlmarket Des Moines.
Why is fundraising so important for us? It’s what’s going to power Christkindlmarket Des Moines this December! As a non-profit, we rely on fundraising to help us produce this event. Our team of volunteers has many great plans, but we need funds to make those ideas reality. It’s especially important now as we host the event for the first time.
Fundraising will also help us execute our mission of bringing together people of diverse backgrounds to discuss their heritage, culture and experiences. We want to be Iowa’s go-to resource for European cultural heritage. If you believe in our mission, consider donating. Even better, bring your friends and join us at Royal Mile on Thursday, February 25! (RSVP Here)