European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 9, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Patrick Lebranch an army sergeant stationed in Darmstadt Germany sifts through ramp a magazines Contact ads which helped him find a  cruising from the cover people regularly meet through ads that appear in the Contact Section of newspapers and magazines. The ads come from people looking for Friendship Romance or even marriage. These ads Arentt merely submitted by men and women because they arc desperate or unattractive. Some people turn to the classified pages simply because their daily roil inc allows them to meet few outsiders or by caul they Are reluctant to Date people in the office. Oilers have difficulty meeting people because they Are Ruder and feel out of place in such traditional Sci a my places As discos where most patrons Are either too Young or too married. Lebranch placed the following and in the contacts Section of the combined ramp a and shoppers news Magazine because he does no to like meeting people in crowded places Quot Sam 27, looking for a slim pretty female Between 21-35 for love and Leisure Call or write Patrick  Lebranch said he takes ribbing from his fellow soldiers at the 11th signal brigade in Darmstadt Germany. They sometimes Call this sergeant the a walking  Lebranch does no to mind because he said he has met some a Good people during the 20 dates he has had since he placed his and three months ago. He has dated russians czechoslovakian and germans. Many of them have been older women who done to seem interested in a serious relationship but Lebranch is never swayed and said he will continue using the Contact ads until he meets the right woman. Lebranch a Telephone repairman is seeing a woman he met through a Contact and. He a a Happy camper especially after spending new years eve walking along the River with her. Lebranch mailed his and to Romana Lasc an advertising employee at ramp a and shoppers news Magazine. She has typed in thousands of Contact ads during the past four years. Has said that each month she receives about 2 h of the free ads. The volume increases before Christmas and in summer when people particularly dislike spending time alone she said. Arc ramp res Contact ads widely read you bet said Ailsa Matraj advertising services manager at ramp a and shoppers news in Leiden Germany. A i think everybody likes to read them a Matraj said. A i read them myself and in be been married for 17  advertisers know it too. Beer companies for instance request and placement beside the Contact Section. Although Hase said she has become adept at sniffing out prank ads a few have slipped through the past four years. At the of seas Post another free Magazine distributed to military installations one service member placed a prank and in the Contact Section with the name of his colonel said advertising manager Ray Fennell from his office in Frankfurt Germany. Fennell said the Magazine went against its policy of confidentiality in that Case and gave the original and to military investigators trying to track Down the culprit. Otherwise pranks ads Are rare. A people have serious needs to meet other people and this is a Way to fill those needs a Fennell said. A a it a a very ticklish area. People Are sensitive to their needs and you expose yourself when you put in an  Contact ads in ramp a hit Germany but most Are left out of editions that reach troops in the . And the Mediterranean Region. The of seas Post leaves most of its Contact ads in its . And med editions. Gas in England can also respond to ads in local newspapers such As the Bury free press in Bury St. Edmunds near Raf Mildenhall and London a weekly time out. Estella Irons said she needed help after moving to Germany five months ago. She found it difficult to meet people and have fun on weekends. Irons is a Dodds be Hrail teacher in Darmstadt who said she did no to like going to no clubs because they Are Boring and frequented by men who Are Quot too Young or  Irons heard about the Contant ads through a Friend and took out the following and in ramp a and shoppers news a african american California girl seeks tall male Between 35-43 to spend time  Irons had forgotten about placing the and when she received her first phone Call As she walked in the door alter returning from a vacation. She did no to know what the Guy was talking about at first and was abrupt with him before she suddenly remembered what was going on. A since then she has been on three dates with men she describes As a a gentlemen and of Quot Good  although no serious relationships have developed Irons said she will continue meeting people through the Contact ads and recommends the concept for others in a similar situation. Among the Calls she receives sometimes late at night Only two have been of the weird variety. During a conversation with one caller Irons was asked How she likes to dress. After she told the caller she liked wearing High heels and dresses she became curious and asked the caller How he liked to dress. He replied Quot i like to dress the same  Irons said she feels Safe meeting men through Contant ads in Germany but that Wasny to the cast when she used a dating serv ice in san Francisco. That service recommended meeting the Date in a Public place. After receiving about 100 phone Calls the past 1 / years Carol in Niernberg Germany says you just done to know exactly what a person is like until you meet. Quot you can talk to them forever but not know what they re like until you meet them a said Carol 45, who asked that her last name not be used. Carol said she has met interesting people through the Contact ads but has also had to Deal with rude men. She said some people will hang up in the Middle of a sentence and others never show up at the designated meeting place. But perseverance has paid off because Carol said she is dating a Nice Man she met recently through her and in the of seas Post that read Quot Syf 40-plus, american professional looking for Sam nonsmoker for companionship Romance and travel in Germany and Europe. My interests Are Many. I am looking for someone who is spontaneous honest understanding and  making Contact through classified ads in t perfect but Carol recommends it because its an easy and convenient Way to meet people. When you write your and or reply to someone else sad. Arol said there is one crucial Point Quot the Best thing is to be honest about  sunday february 9, 1992