Since 2005, Daubenfeld, along with friend Julie Trenkamp-Jochum, of Preston, started a travel group called Building Bridges. Jochum became acquainted with Daubenfeld a number of years ago online while researching her own family history.
Daubenfeld said Building Bridges is in reference to the relationship between Luxembourg and the United States, as well as the connection between the past and present.
This group has been organizing trips back to the U.S. once or twice a year. This year they had a record turn out with 27 people. Some have relatives in the Midwest, some enjoy making the trip back each time and others came to the U.S. for the first time this year.
The 2009 trip started on Aug. 22, when the group flew into Chicago. Some of the major sights Building Bridges planned on visiting were a Civil War museum in Kenosha, Wis., the House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wis., and
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Once they made their way into Dyersville, the group ate lunch at Country Junction, browsed the Plaza Antique Mall, visited the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier and the Dyersville Area Historical Society.
Judy Weber, director of the local historical society, was pleased to have the group come back. The historical society contains genealogy information for numerous families, including obituaries and local cemetery records.
The Basilica contains a stained- glass window, called the "Luxembourger Window," installed in 1889. Those members of the parish who had immigrated from, or whose parents had come from Luxembourg, donated it. The window is located on the south side of the church.
Also on their tour of the Dyersville area was the Luxembourg Milestone and cemetery in the community of Luxemburg.
Before they left the area, the Building Bridges group made its regular stop at Breitbach's Country Dining in Balltown. Daubenfeld said they were excited to see the new building, which recently opened on Aug. 1. In addition to the 27 group members, 20 more were slated to join them in Balltown.
After leaving Iowa, they had scheduled stops in Nebraska and Minnesota. The last day of the trip will be Sunday, Sept. 6.