2024 German Student Exchange Group
What is the York Twinning Association?
York Twinning Association (YTA) is a people-to-people exchange program, which connects individuals in the world of different cultures, regions, and backgrounds.
See History for more information. How does YTA connect people?
YTA is officially twinned with Arles, France (since 1954) and Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany (since 1981), and citizens have bonded culturally and economically for many years. YTA hosts student and adult exchange trips with our sister cities for short periods of time during a calendar year.
See History for more information. |
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Please send us your stories and / or pictures if you traveled to France or Germany with the York Twinning Association or hosted students or adults from France or Germany.
York Twinning Association participated in two successful exchanges Summer 2023. Please check our September newsletter, the Adult French exchange and German student exchange for photos and information. We are looking forward to hosting a group of German students and chaperones when they visit York from October 13th to October 28th. We are always looking for new members! Membership forms are available on our website if you are interested in joining and helping our organization. Please send your stories and pictures to Ken Krause. [email protected] 
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Evelyne Laurent with engraved silver bowl gifted to Le Club des Jumelages from York Twinning Association to commemorate 70 years of friendship.
How do the exchange programs function?
YTA and the foreign sister city organizations collaborate and set dates well in advance for exchange trips. Students’ visitations may revolve around school schedules and vacation calendars, whereas the adult trips usually occur during established specific times, which consider holidays and convenience. Students’ exchanges last for approximately 2 weeks, whereas adults spend about one week with their bonding families. All participants live with a family in the U.S.A. or corresponding host country. While on an exchange, tours of the geographic areas are important; local cultural activities are highlighted, native foods are enjoyed, thus friendships are easily developed and families mesh.
See Exchange Programs for more information. |
How can I become involved with the YTA?
YTA welcomes interested people to attend and become a part of this enlightening experience. Organizational meetings are held throughout the calendar year. Memberships are active per calendar year and fundraisers are staged frequently.
See Calendar and Membership for more information.
See Calendar and Membership for more information.
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Each alternating month we hold a board meeting and general meeting. If you are interested in becoming involved or hearing about what is happening in the York Twinning Association, feel free to join us at any general meeting! Everyone is welcome!
If you are a member of the York Twinning Association, you are also invited to join us at any board meeting to take part in our discussions. See Meetings for more information. |
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A Special Celebration of International Friendships
(Information collected from Mayor Michael Helfrich and Laura Koebnick. Compiled for Tete by Betty Stein)
Photos provided by Mayor Helfrich, Courtney Shumway, Laura Koebnick, and Evelyne Laurent.
(Information collected from Mayor Michael Helfrich and Laura Koebnick. Compiled for Tete by Betty Stein)
Photos provided by Mayor Helfrich, Courtney Shumway, Laura Koebnick, and Evelyne Laurent.
1954 marked the year York, Pennsylvania and Arles, France began an international friendship, as ’twinning’ exchange cities, that has continued for 70 years. In fact, this relationship is recognized as being the oldest, continuous sister city relationship in the United States!
A three day celebration was held in Arles on September 20th, 21st, and 22nd to honor that friendship and those of several other cities around the world that have also ‘twinned’ with Arles, France. York Twinning Association’s (YTA) Vice President, York’s Mayor Michael Helfrich, and former YTA exchange student Courtney Shumway reported they were treated royally while representing York and York Twinning Association during that celebration.
Mayors and representatives from cities twinned with Arles were greeted by Roman soldiers, given a reproduction of a Roman coin, and treated to a Roman feast at Salles des Fetes. Delicious, authentic foods, including pea soup, bread with anise, stuffed octopus, and quail eggs, were prepared using original Roman recipes and served with wine. The evening ended with participants singing songs from their respective countries. The group enjoyed Mayor Helfrich’s performance of John Denver’s song, “Rocky Mountain High”.
Mayor Helfrich woke up early Saturday morning to walk around and pick up energy from buildings and historic architecture before meeting up with the group. They enjoyed pastries, coffee, and juice served inside the Roman amphitheater while watching a fashion show of clothing designed with nods to traditional Roman dress, but including modern colors and lights. An international buffet lunch was later served at Le Club des Jumelages prior to a walking tour of the city.
Laura, the Mayor, Courtney, and representatives Michele Laffe and Evelyne Laurent from the Arles club, met to lay flowers at the location honoring Marguerite Eriksson. Marguerite, a former French teacher in the York City School District, assisted in the founding of the York-Arles twinning project. In 1977 she was named an honorary citizen of Arles. Marguerite was tragically killed during a visit to Arles in 1984.
Saturday evening the group was met by folk dancers and the Mayor of Arles at their Town Hall. The Mayor of each twinning city was recognized, given a chance to speak, then signed a new charter renewing their relationship with Arles. Since York and Arles have the longest continuous relationship, Mayor Helfrich spoke last. Laura reported that he did a fantastic job addressing the group and explaining the importance of our York-Arles relationship. A formal dinner was served at Restaurant Le Calendal following the ceremony.
Sunday, the last day of festivities, the group traveled to Carmargue and took a wagon ride to watch a demonstration of gardians herding the famous white, French Camargue horses and the black, long-horned bulls. The bulls are bred for “The Course Carmarguaise”, a traditional and bloodless form of bullfighting done in the Carmargue area of France. Everyone enjoyed the demonstration and had a wonderful day feasting on snacks, mussels, and wine.
The busy weekend schedule precluded Laura from an opportunity to formally address Le Club des Jumelages, so before returning to the United States she presented an engraved silver bowl to Evelyn Laurent, to present to Le Club des Jumelages from York Twinning Association, commemorating our 70 years of friendship. Additionally, the arrival of a painting commissioned by Mayor Helfrich, by York artist Ophelia Chambliss, was caught in French customs and didn’t arrive at the Mayor’s office in Arles until many days after the celebration. Ophelia said she was deeply honored to do this project which represents key landmarks and objects from York overlayed onto images like those painted years ago by another York artist and YTA member, Andy Case. We hope to receive a photo of the Mayor of Arles and representatives of Le Club des Jumelages with this painting.
Mayor Helfrich and the York Twinning Association are committed to continuing and growing our friendships and exchange programs between York, PA and Arles, France. We look forward to welcoming Arlesians to York for another celebration in 2026!
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