GERMAN FRIENDS FOREVER

A 1990 Blooming Prairie High School graduate is responsible for a friendship connection that has continued to the present time.
German student Yvonne Gutenberger attended her senior year at Blooming Prairie High School and was hosted by Roger and Joanne Sorenson.
Yvonne last visited Blooming Prairie with her son Tom in the summer of 2018. Her parents, Lothar and Christa Gutenberger returned to Blooming Prairie on Aug. 8 for their third visit. They were accompanied three German friends, Klaus and Katrin Martens and by Christa Futing.
Lothar and Christa and Klaus and Katrin stayed at Eaton Miller's Air B & B in downtown Blooming Prairie. Christa Futing stayed with the Sorensons.
The German visitors busily toured Minnesota, including Duluth and the Lake Superior area. The Sorensons took their guests to the Amish settlements in Iowa, to New Ulm and to Two Harbors where they ventured to Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock Lighthouse. Joanne and Roger's son Jeff was their driver on their northern trips.
"I absolutely love these people and wish I lived next door to them," said a grateful Joanne for their friendship. "They are some of the finest people you could have come to your home," added Roger.
The Gutenberger and Martens couples are from the German city of Leverkusen. Christa Futing is from Langenfeld, Germany.
"We are friends forever with the Sorensons," remarks Lothar, indicating that their friendship spans over 7,000 kilometers.
Klaus said he was most impressed by the friendliness of their host and hostess, Roger and Joanne.
"We also had the best steaks ever," said a beaming Klaus. Lothar nodded his head in agreement, praising steaks coming from Steve's Meats in Ellendale and from Vandal's Family Market in Blooming Prairie.
Lothar said he is very impressed with expanse of the Blooming Prairie area. He said Blooming Prairie's Memorial Drive is larger than some of the German Autobahns. "We have little streets," he said.
Lothar said he was pleased with the friendliness of the people in Blooming Prairie. Roger and Joanne took their German guests to church services at First Lutheran Church on Sunday, Aug. 11 and met many of the locals.
"They have such a nice home and welcomed us as friends" and not just as tourists, said Christa Futing.
Will the German guests return to Blooming Prairie in the near future? Lothar quickly gave a thumbs up. "The exchange goes on," Lothar grinned widely.
During their stay in Blooming Prairie, the German guests enjoyed swapping stories about the histories of their two countries. Roger also shared a video of his visit to Germany.
"They did everything to make our trip wonderful," Lothar said.
Joanne summed up their friendship with their German guests by pointing to a small plaque in German and English given to them by Yvonne, saying "Real friends count as family."