Welcome to the
Kolping Society of San Francisco
Meetings
We hope you are able to join us for many (if not all) of our events and activities. We are planning our bingos and lunches for the 3rd Saturday of the month (with the exception of March) to help you plan ahead. Please note, we will be offering a few new activities – Kolping Stitchers, Virtual Travel, Sip and Paint – to name a few. Mark your calendar.
Below are the upcoming activities, plan for the 3rd Saturday of the month. Mark your calendars!
January
Wednesday, January 8, 2025 – 11:00 – 2:00
Kolping Stitchers – Come join us to work on or share your needlepoint, embroidery, crochet, knitting or other project or idea for a project. Bring your own lunch (brown bag.). Kolping will have coffee, tea, and/or water available.
Saturday, January 18, 2025 – 1:30 – 4:00
Post-holiday/New Year Bingo – Start 2025 off with good company, fun raffles and maybe even a Bingo black-out! Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 – 4:00 – 7:00
A “Virtual” Evening in Italy – We will be partnering with YouthSF to host this special “Evening in Italy”. It’s our first time doing this, so be prepared. Kolping will provide an Italian dinner, drinks and the opportunity to “virtually” visit the Vatican or ride with the gladiators through YouthSF’s virtual reality readers.
Please rsvp to Lisa or kolpingus@gmail.com by January 25th. Dinner is $15/member. $20/guest.
February
Wednesday, February 3, 2025 – 5:45 – 8:00
Kolping Board and General Meeting – All members are welcome. We hold the Board meeting first and then open discussion up. If you’d like to join us for a pizza or Chinese dinner beforehand, let Lisa know.
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – 11:00 – 2:00
Kolping Stitchers – Come join us to work on or share your needlepoint, embroidery, crochet, knitting or other project or idea for a project. Bring your own lunch (brown bag.). Kolping will have coffee, tea, and/or water available.
Saturday, February 15, 2025 – 1:30 – 4:00
Valentine’s Day Bingo – Will you be mine? Come enjoy the afternoon – and feel free to bring your Valentine!
March
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 – 11:00 – 2:00
Kolping Stitchers – Come join us to work on or share your needlepoint, embroidery, crochet, knitting or other project or idea for a project. Bring your own lunch (brown bag.). Kolping will have coffee, tea, and/or water available.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
St. Patrick’s Day Parade – NO Bingo! Join many of our members as they perform/march/participate in the St. Patrick’s Day parade!
April
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 – 4:00 – 7:30
Sip & Paint – Would you like to find the artist in you? The Kolping will host a special Sip & Paint. This event is facilitated by a professional who will help us all create a special masterpiece, which we can bring home (or hang in the Kolping Hall!). Kolping will provide pizza, salad and wine. Cost: $25/member, $35/guest.
Please rsvp to Lisa or use kolpingus@gmail.com. (Note: these events usually cost $40+)
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 – 11:00 – 2:00
Kolping Stitchers – Come join us to work on or share your needlepoint, embroidery, crochet, knitting or other project or idea for a project. Bring your own lunch (brown bag.). Kolping will have coffee, tea, and/or water available.
Sunday, April 13, 2025 – 11:00 – 1:30
Palm Sunday Mass and Brunch – We are so fortunate to have Father Paul and Deacon Bill preside over our very own Mass at the Kolping Hall. A Brunch will follow. RSVP’s will be sent out.
Sunday, April 19, 2025 – 1:30 – 4:00
Hippety, hoppity Spring Bingo – Celebrate the beginning of Spring with us. Beverages, snacks, raffles, bingos, fun!
May
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 – 11:00 – 2:00
Kolping Stitchers – Come join us to work on or share your needlepoint, embroidery, crochet, knitting or other project or idea for a project. Bring your own lunch (brown bag.). Kolping will have coffee, tea, and/or water available.
Saturday, May 17, 2025 – Noon – 4:00
Installation Luncheon – This special event celebrates our long-term members as well as welcomes our new members. Officers are introduced and members hear our plans and projects. It’s always a lot of fun.
Nicks at Rockaway Beach, in Pacifica. RSVPs will be required – stay tuned.
Please feel free to download our most recent newsletter to see what is happening!
Officers & Contact
President – Lisa Brinkmann
Vice President – Anmarie (Muffy) Friel
Treasurer – Catherine Vennemeyer
Recording Secretary – Monika Weiss
Corresponding Secretary – Petra Stottmeister
Praeses – Deacon William McLoughlin
Contact: sfkolping@mac.com
440 Taraval Street, San Francisco, CA 94116
Kolping Hall
Kolping Hall
History of San Francisco Kolping
In August, 1887 a small group of men belonging to St. Boniface Parish in downtown San Francisco got together and formed the “Musikalischer Dramatischer Kolping Verein”. For reasons not known, after 12 years this group disbanded.
It took more than 25 years, in 1925, to see a successful effort in reviving the Kolping Society in San Francisco. A group of 18 men, led by Messrs. H. Bukowsky and A. Stangl gathered at St. Boniface Church and under the guidance of Mr. J. Muessiggang, re-established the society in San Francisco. The first regular meeting in St. Boniface Church hall on July 25, 1925.
One year after its founding, 1926, the Kolping General Praeses, Fr. Hurth, and the then General Secretary, Fr. Johannes Natterman, visited San Francisco. They were delighted to find a band of eager Kolping members. Fr. Hurth, in a speech during his stay, exhorted the members to establish a home in San Francisco. His words fell on fertile ground. The members went to work collecting funds, and at the same time looking for a suitable building. In 1927, they purchased a large Victorian on the corner of Oak and Fillmore. Although the house was in need of repairs, the society moved in and had the premises blessed by the then reigning Archbishop Edward Hanna.
The members giving unstintingly of their time and skill made all the necessary repairs. However, it soon became apparent that the house was too small. An annex was built onto the existing structure, adding six single rooms and a large social hall. The house now had 17 rooms for residents and transients, bringing the capacity up to 35 beds. Many fund raising affairs were held to defray the cost of remodeling.
The Kolping family in San Francisco grew and prospered. In 1940 two vacant lots adjoining the Kolping house were purchased. These were paved and converted into parking facilities for residents and members. Then came the big year, 1945 when the mortgage was paid off, and Kolping House San Francisco was finally free of debt.
On October 28, 1951 Kolping San Francisco celebrated its 25th anniversary with pomp and circumstance. The climax was a banquet in the St. Boniface Church hall. This, unfortunately, was also a sad year for Kolping San Francisco. Times were changing, and it was no longer possible to maintain the house at its present location, and it was decided to sell the property which had served this band of devoted Kolping members for over 30 years.
So in 1957 the property was sold. A lot was purchased on Baker and Grove Streets and elaborate planes were drawn up for a Catholic Kolping Center, combining a home, a club, a gymnasium with swimming pool, along with social facilities, all to be housed in a modern multi-storied structure. Unfortunately, the plans did not materialize. The Kolping Society was without a home for many years.
It was not until 1970 that a new home was found at 440 Taraval Street. The property was purchased and after extensive remodeling, the Kolping family moved in. During the intervening years the Kolping members conducted their meetings in the St. Boniface parish hall and at 50 Oak Street.
1976 found the Kolping San Francisco alive and functioning, ready to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. Membership had been restricted to men only, and the time had arrived to open the membership up to ladies as well.
The Golden Jubilee of Kolping San Francisco was celebrated on November 13, 1976 with a Mass at St. Boniface Church and followed by a banquet and dance.
Activities at this time consist of monthly meetings with social functions taking place for members and friends at the Kolping house at 440 Taraval Street. We welcome new members.
National Kolping Families
United States
National Officers
Kolping Society
at the United Nations
United States Kolping Families
Organization
Officers
Contact
Lisa Brinkmann
311 Greene Street
Mill Valley, CA 94941
kolpingus@gmail.com
