Royal decoration for past-president Dr. Adriana Zylmans
Welkom / Welcome to the website of the Dutch Network!
Events are organized for Dutch-Canadians so that they can get together to celebrate, enhance and preserve the Dutch heritage, Dutch language and Dutch cultural traditions in BC, such as: monthly pub nights and coffee clubs, annual events which include King’s Day, Sinterklaas and the Easter Egg Hunt. Find an overview of our events below. We look forward to seeing you at our events!
If you are interested in getting involved, please click on the link for volunteers in the link above or write us a message via Contact Us.
Royal decoration for past-president Dr. Adriana Zylmans
Royal decoration for past-president Dr. Adriana Zylmans
It is a great honour and with tremendous joy that I am able to share with you that our past-president Dr. Adriana Zylmans received a royal decoration from His Majesty The King of the Netherlands. At the residence of our Consul-General Henk Snoeken, Adriana received her well deserved ‘Lintje’ for her years of service to the Dutch community in British Columbia.
Adriana is past-president of Je Maintiendrai, a 56 years old association that changed its name to Dutch Network a few years ago. There is no doubt by anyone that Adrian’s participation to the association has been instrumental in the preservation and growth of Je Maintiendrai – Dutch Network. She was also long-time President and Executive Board member of other Dutch organisations, such as Haro Place and the Dutch Liberation Canadian Society 2020, just to name a few. It was all this work, across many organizations, that made her a successful candidate to be acknowledged by the King of The Netherlands.
Adriana was part of the organized Dutch community her whole life. The Zylmans family settled in Richmond, BC after immigrating from The Netherlands. Her membership with Je Maintiendrai goes back to the early days and she herself became a member of the association more than 25 years ago. Throughout her membership Adriana participated and volunteered. She was well known in the community for her participation during Sinterklaas celebrations. Even today, senior members of the association know Adriana well and always recall all the things she and her family have done for the community during her life.
Meeting Adriana at home is like walking into a Dutch museum. Her house is filled with traditional memorabilia. Delft’s blue, tiles with Dutch phrases, clogs and farming references, brings your emotions back to a traditional farm along the famous Dutch dikes. Her love for our home country is clear for all to see and there is no doubt that The Netherlands holds a special place in her heart. Her love for Holland created the force of energy and drive needed to transform our association and influence our community.
It is without any doubt, by me, our executive board, by our members and by the Dutch community-at-large, that Adriana deserves recognition for representing The Netherlands and its culture. She does it daily with everything in her heart. I encourage you to congratulate Adriana in the coming days.
Adriana, congratulations! We are proud of you. Thank you for everything you have done for us.
John van Rij
President, Dutch Network
Koninklijke onderscheiding voor voormalig president Dr. Adriana Zylmans
Het is een grote eer en met een enorme vreugde dat ik met u kan delen dat onze voormalig president Dr. Adriana Zylmans een koninklijke onderscheiding heeft ontvangen van Zijne Majesteit de Koning der Nederlanden. Bij de residentie van onze consul-generaal Henk Snoeken ontving Adriana haar welverdiende Lintje voor haar jarenlange dienst aan de Nederlandse gemeenschap in British Columbia.
Adriana is voormalig voorzitter van Je Maintiendrai, een 56 jaren oude vereniging die een paar jaar geleden haar naam veranderde in Dutch Network. Niemand twijfelt eraan dat Adrian’s deelname aan de vereniging een belangrijke rol heeft gespeeld bij het behoud en de groei van Je Maintiendrai – Dutch Network. Ze was ook lange tijd voorzitter en lid van het Raad van Bestuur van andere Nederlandse organisaties, zoals Haro Place en de Dutch Liberation Canadian Society 2020, om er maar een paar te noemen. Het was al dit werk, bij vele organisaties, dat haar tot een succesvolle kandidaat maakte voor erkenning door de Koning der Nederlanden.
Adriana maakte haar hele leven deel uit van de georganiseerde Nederlandse gemeenschap. De familie Zylmans vestigde zich in Richmond, BC na immigratie uit Nederland. Haar lidmaatschap bij Je Maintiendrai gaat terug tot de beginperiode en zij werd zelf meer dan 25 jaar geleden lid van de vereniging. Tijdens haar lidmaatschap was Adriana een vrijwilliger. Ze stond in de gemeenschap bekend om haar deelname aan Sinterklaasvieringen. Zelfs vandaag de dag herkennen onze ourdere leden Adriana. Ze herinneren zich altijd alles wat zij en haar familie tijdens haar leven voor de gemeenschap hebben gedaan.
Adriana thuis ontmoeten is alsof je een Nederlands museum binnenloopt. Haar huis is gevuld met traditionele memorabilia. Delfts blauw, tegels met Nederlandse zinnen, klompen en boerenreferenties, brengt je emoties terug naar een traditionele boerderij langs de beroemde Hollandse dijken. Haar liefde voor ons thuisland is voor iedereen duidelijk zichtbaar en het lijdt geen twijfel dat Nederland een speciaal plekje in haar hart heeft. Haar liefde voor Holland creëerde de kracht van energie en drive die nodig was om onze vereniging te transformeren en onze gemeenschap te beïnvloeden.
Het is zonder enige twijfel, door mij, onze raad van bestuur, door onze leden en door de Nederlandse gemeenschap in het algemeen, dat Adriana erkenning verdient voor haar vertegenwoordiging van Nederland en haar cultuur. Ze doet het dagelijks met alles in haar hart. Ik moedig je aan om Adriana de komende dagen te feliciteren.
Adriana, gefeliciteerd! We zijn trots op je. Bedankt voor alles wat je voor ons hebt gedaan.
John van Rij
Voorzitter, Dutch Network
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