The “Merck Mini Fit” project focuses on prevention and health in kindergarten-aged children
For around 150 years, SG Arheilgen has been a fixture in the sporting and social life of the district. As a modern, multi-sports club, it combines tradition with contemporary offerings and is involved in activities far beyond traditional sports. A particular focus is on promoting early childhood physical activity: With the Merck-Mini-Fit Pavel Noever discusses the club's importance to Arheilgen, current challenges, and the goals of Merck-Mini-Fit in this interview.
Mr. Noever, SG Arheilgen is one of the most influential sports clubs in the district. What role does the club play in community life in Arheilgen today?
SG Arheilgen has been a central part of community life in Arheilgen for many decades. As a multi-sports club, we offer not only sports activities for all age groups, but also an important social meeting place. We play a particularly important role in connecting people within the district. We bring together people of different generations, backgrounds, and life situations. Sport is the unifying element that fosters community, integration, and volunteerism. Therefore, we see ourselves not only as a sports provider, but also as an active participant in shaping local social life.
How has SG Arheilgen developed in recent years, and what challenges does a multi-sports club currently face?
For 150 years, SG Arheilgen has continuously evolved, both in its membership structure and its range of activities. We are increasingly responding to societal changes, for example, through our course program and our club's own fitness studio, the SGAktiv Health Center. At the same time, multi-sports clubs today face considerable challenges. Demographic change, the decline in volunteer engagement, rising infrastructure and energy costs, as well as changing leisure habits and the law on all-day schooling require a high degree of professionalism and adaptability. Our goal is to harmonize tradition and modernity and to position the club for a sustainable future.
With Merck Mini Fit, SG Arheilgen is specifically committed to promoting early childhood physical activity. What is the core of the project and why is it particularly important to the club?
Merck Mini Fit focuses specifically on promoting early childhood physical activity. At the SGA Sport Kita (sports daycare center), we observe the joy and enthusiasm of the youngest children for movement and nutrition every day. This gave rise to the idea of enabling other daycare centers in the district to access qualified physical activity programs. Thanks to funding from our premium sponsor Merck, we were able to launch the project and continuously develop it further over the past few years. The core of the project is to playfully introduce children to movement and develop fundamental motor skills even before they start school. Of course, having fun is also a priority. For us as a club, this program is particularly important because it lays the foundation for lifelong, healthy movement habits. At the same time, we reach families very early on and can spark enthusiasm for sports, community, and club life. Prevention begins in childhood. Merck Mini Fit is an excellent example of this.
What significance does Merck's support have for Merck Mini Fit, particularly with regard to quality, reliability, and long-term planning?
Merck's support is crucial for the long-term success of the project. It enables us to employ qualified instructors and external service providers, provide high-quality materials, and create stable conditions. The reliability of the partnership is especially important. It gives us planning security and allows us to continuously develop the program, rather than simply implementing short-term projects. Merck thus makes a decisive contribution to the quality and sustainability of Merck Mini Fit.
How exactly do children and families in Arheilgen benefit from Merck Mini Fit, and how is the program received in everyday life?
Children benefit primarily from age-appropriate, playful activities that promote coordination, balance, strength, and endurance. At the same time, they acquire social skills such as consideration for others, teamwork, and self-confidence. For families, Merck Mini Fit offers an easily accessible, local program that integrates well into the daily routine of daycare. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The courses are in high demand, and feedback from parents confirms that the program offers significant added value, both educationally and athletically.
How should Merck Mini Fit develop in the future, and what message does the project send, in your view, regarding the importance of exercise, health, and prevention in childhood?
The goal is to further expand Merck Mini Fit in the long term, create additional programs in local daycare centers, and recruit more qualified instructors. We maintain close contact with the facilities to develop programs tailored to their needs. The project sends a strong message. Exercise, health, and prevention in childhood are key issues for the future. Merck Mini Fit demonstrates how effective collaboration between an association and a company can be when both pursue a shared social goal.
Liveable Darmstadt
powered by MerckClubs and associations are the heart of a community. They foster social integration and bring people together. They enrich local life through cultural and sporting activities, offer educational opportunities, and are involved in social projects. In short: they make a city like Darmstadt a great place to live.
But this costs money. Membership fees aren't always enough. In this series, we present selected Darmstadt clubs and associations that are supported by Merck – be it in sports, culture, community service, or science education.
Each of these clubs has a unique story and contributes to strengthening the community in its own way. We asked the organizers what makes their club special and how the partnership with Merck not only provides financial support but also fosters growth and development.
Learn more about the diverse club and association scene in Darmstadt and how Merck and its partners are achieving more together – for a region worth living in.
