On Saturday, April 12th 2025, the Kalandersaal at Papieri Cham (the former paper mill in Cham) became a place to meet and look back. Along with partners and guests, the members of IW Club Zug looked back on a quarter of a century of eventful club history. ‘A quarter of a century is a long time, and it is impressive what we Zug Inner Wheelers have achieved and experienced together in these 25 years,’ said President Michèle Buhofer, welcoming the 100 or so people present. Inner Wheel Club Zug is far more than a loose association of women - it is in fact a community that combines social commitment with lived friendship.
IW Governor Daniela Vögele was full of praise: club life in Zug is noticeably lively, the wheel continues to turn with vigour - full of ideas, full of impact. Inge Rother-Schmid reflected on the club's history: with creativity and a great deal of personal effort, more than 250,000 francs in donations have been raised since the club was founded - for example from a major charity event, self-designed calendars and the sale of fine baked goods at Easter and Christmas stalls. The programme of the evening was enriched by dance and music: during the aperitif, the young band ImSchilf exuded musical lightness, while later the dancers from the Retro Dance Company from Hünenberg delighted the audience with an energetic Charleston programme. They skilfully drew a link to the history of Inner Wheel: one hundred years ago, when Rotary was still a purely male affair, 27 committed wives of Rotarians united in Manchester to form the world's first Inner Wheel group. Today, with 4000 clubs in over 100 countries, Inner Wheel is the largest women's service organisation in the world - and has arrived in the present.
A very special moment of the evening was the appointment of Beatrice Frigo as an honorary member. She launched the foundation of Inner Wheel Club Zug 25 years ago and motivated many women to become part of this community - fuelled by friendship, commitment and international exchange. Her honour was the emotional highlight of an all-round successful anniversary evening.
Corina Stolz Bumbacher
