12 Zoetermeerders Royal awards during the Ribbon Race
On April 26, 2024, 12 Zoetermeerders received royal honors for their years of voluntary and special service to society. 11 Zoetermeerders were surprised in the Stadstheater. One resident from Zoetermeer received the decoration in the municipality of Pijnacker-Nootdorp. A youth ribbon was also awarded to a young Zoetermeer resident who has dedicated himself to the city in a special way. In keeping with tradition, Mayor Michel Bezuijen awarded these ribbons on the day before King's Day during the annual General Occasion, also known as the Ribbon Rain.
Member in the Order of Orange-Nassau
On behalf of His Majesty the King, Mayor Bezuijen appointed 9 Zoetermeerders Member in the Order of Orange-Nassau:
Mr. J.B. van den Berg | Mr. Van den Berg has held many voluntary board positions for more than 25 years. From 1998 to 2006 he served as chairman of the Christian Education Association Zoetermeer (VCOZ). After this he was chairman of the Supervisory Board at the UNA scholengroep (now Unicoz) for another year. Since 2009, he has chaired the district church council of district church De Oase and became chairman of chess club Promotie Zoetermeer. In January 2022 he was appointed chairman of the general church council of the Protestant Municipality of Zoetermeer.
Mrs. P.M. Bierman-Verhagen | Since 1998, Mrs. Bierman-Verhagen has been active at Stichting Aktiviteiten Verstandelijk Gehandicapten (STAK). At STAK she gives music lessons to people with mental disabilities. By turning notes into colors, she teaches them how to use drums, percussion instruments and a keyboard. She also helps organize the annual fall camp. In addition, Stichting Pelgrimshoeve Zoetermeer has been able to count on her efforts as a sorter since 2008.
Mrs. A.C. Bosman-Asselman | For 25 years, Mrs. Bosman-Asselman has been a volunteer with De Zonnebloem, Zoetermeer-South division. She works with great enthusiasm and dedication in various fields. She is a member of the activities committee, sells Zonnebloem lottery tickets and has accompanied the Zonnebloem vacations a number of times. As a 'visiting volunteer' she also visits people who could use a helping hand.
Mr. J.H.W.B. Clason | In 1977, Mr. Clason took his first steps on the volunteer path. He founded badminton club Recrea '77 in Rijswijk. Until 1997 he was president of this association. From 1990 to 2000, he held various volunteer positions at the Indian Cultural Center de Graanschuur in Zoetermeer. From 2010 to 2017, he was a volunteer at Kumpulan, Palet Welzijn's Indian soos. Mr. Clason has also been chairman of a residents' committee of housing corporation Vidomes for more than 25 years. Here he represents the interests of 141 tenants.
Mrs. P. Feeke-Bosma | Since 1995, Mrs. Feeke-Bosma has volunteered for society in many ways. Until 2010 as hostess and flower decorator for the Huygens Museum Foundation in Voorburg. Since 2010 she has been a volunteer at community garden de Zoete Aarde where she is responsible for the berry and strawberry garden. She gives tours of the garden and created an experience forest for children. She is also active in the food neighborhood forest GeuzeGroen in the Nieuwe Driemanspolder, contributes to safety in her neighborhood with WAS (Wijk en Agent Samen), manages the love and sorrow pot of the neighborhood association and gives information to the Young Seniors Foundation ZM.
Mrs. V. van der Knaap-Niazian | As ambassador of freedom, Mrs. Van der Knaap-Niazian made an impressive contribution to the 2023 Liberation Festival. She has been committed to the Bahá'í community in Zoetermeer since 1980. Since 2012, she has been a board member of Bahá'i - publishing Netherlands. From 1992 to 2001 she was a board member for the Werkgroep Eenheid in Verscheidenheid and from 2001 to 2015 for the Steering Committee Geloven in Zoetermeer, forerunners of the InterLevensbeschouwelijk Overleg Zoetermeer (ILOZ) where she has been a board member since 2015. As of 2022, she provides support and involvement from Zoetermeer in the Respect Foundation.
Mrs. P. van Pelt-Spaans | In the 1980s, Mrs. Van Pelt - Spaans was a volunteer at the Hague foundation Peuterspeelzalen. Then - from 1990 to 1995 - at Haagse zwemvereniging HZ ZIAN, where she was part of the swimming committee and secretariat. Shortly after her retirement, in 2011, she became president at De Zonnebloem department Zoetermeer-Zuid. During her presidency, the number of volunteers grew to about seventy. These volunteers focus on over two hundred people who belong to the target group of De Zonnebloem.
Mrs. C.M. Plug-Seefat | For almost 40 years, children in Zoetermeer have received swimming lessons from Mrs. Plug-Seefat. From 1985 to 1995 she was swimming instructor at Watervrienden Zoetermeer. From 1990 she joined swimming club De Spetters. This association focused specifically on swimming lessons for children who did not make it within regular swimming education. De Spetters ceased to exist in 2017, after which Ms. Plug-Seefat transferred to Het Startblok.
Mr. F. Versluis | Mr. Versluis is one of the founders of Buyers' Association de Vogelhoek, where he is also treasurer. He is the driving force of the association and among other things organizes the neighborhood parties, cleaning days and takes care of distribution of the newsletter. In addition, he has been a volunteer with the Zoetermeer baseball and softball club the Grizzlies (formerly the Birds) since 2000. Here he was an umpire for many years, takes care of the sports complex and the fields and has been a member of the board for more than 10 years.
On behalf of His Majesty the King, Mayor Björn Lugthart of neighboring Pijnacker-Nootdorp appointed a resident of Zoetermeer a Member in the Order of Orange-Nassau:
Mrs. Van der Burg-Broersen | Mrs. Van der Burg-Broersen has been very involved with the Orange Association of Pijnacker for 35 years. Since 2003, she has been active as a volunteer at soccer club Oliveo in Pijnacker. Here she takes care of everything related to canteen matters, cleaning the dressing rooms and washing the match clothes. More than 20 hours a week, soccer club Oliveo can count on the voluntary efforts of Mrs. Van der Burg-Broersen.
Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau
On behalf of His Majesty the King, Mayor Bezuijen appointed two Zoetermeerders to Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau:
Mr. R.C. de Gier | The church is an important beacon in Mr. De Gier's volunteer work. This began in 1986 with the Ichthuskerk Zoetermeer and Hervormde Kerk Zoetermeer. But Mr. De Gier also showed great involvement in the field of public housing. For example, from 1999 to 2003 he was chairman and member of the supervisory board of housing corporation Vidomes. Since 2015, he has been a member of the supervisory board and audit committee for Veilig Thuis Rotterdam Rijnmond and Jeugdbescherming Rotterdam Rijnmond. Since 2012, he has been elder-scriba at the reformed Morgenstergemeente Zoetermeer and since 2019 he has been treasurer for the ChristenUnie Zoetermeer.
Mr. A.P. Pet | Mr. Pet suffered a spinal cord injury 28 years ago. 'Being able to have a beautiful and nice life with a disability,' Mr. Pet uses this fact for the special volunteer work he does. Since 1998, he has been a member of the Dwarslaesie Organisatie Nederland (DON), an association that strives to improve the quality of life of people with a transverse or cauda equina lesion. Since 2008, he has been a volunteer expert by experience at Rijndam Rehabilitation in Rotterdam. He has contact with the rehabilitants during rehabilitation and afterwards. He has also been involved in setting up and providing the course 'Weer op Weg'.
Youth ribbon
Jelte Petri | In 2021, Jelte Petri sent a letter to the mayor with his idea for a Skatepark in Oosterheem. He collected more than 600 signatures and spoke to the city council for the budget. With children from his class, he collaborated on the design. The Skatepark has been realized and will be officially opened soon. For this initiative and his special efforts, the mayor and aldermen of the municipality of Zoetermeer have awarded Jelte Petri a youth ribbon.
