President's Messages

Board of Trustees Meeting
October 11, 2007

"Gracious and loving God, you brought the Holland Dutch across the seas to a new and promised land in New Amsterdam to set up an outpost of freedom and commerce. We give thanks on this day for these ancestors" With these words recited by member Phillip Zabriskie, Charles Zabriskie's son, we began the afternoon luncheon in Sandwich, Massachusetts, gathering together to celebrate the 2007 New England Branch Meeting on September 15th. Nearly fifty attendees, including four generations of the Van Voorhis Family, arrived to celebrate "things Dutch" for a delightful affair at Daniel Webster Inn.

I begin my address tonight by "playing cheerleader" about the member who convened that luncheon, and by pointing out how appreciative I am of Trustee Charlie Zabriskie's zeal toward our organization. Not only has he begun the most successful endowment fundraising campaign ever undertaken by HSNY, as well, according to many of the New England members to whom I spoke, Charlie has invigorated them ("stirred up the pot" were member George Wiltsee's words) to such a degree that most at that luncheon wouldn't miss a New England HSNY function. Frankly, I understand this was a HSNY Branch fairly inactive before Charlie took the helm. As Diane and I have visited various Branch Meetings across America since April, we have quickly realized there are a number of Branch Presidents who have "stirred up the pot" in order to invigorate their Branch members to participate. Plans have already begun for the joint 2008 Virginia/Carolinas - Potomac Branch Meeting in Virginia, and multiple events have been held this year in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest Branches. New Amsterdam and Old Bergen County Branches are hosting the second function this year since June. Sean Palen's Burgherguard is attracting a loyal following with new events the day before Board of Trustee meetings, and Texas Branch has already held seven events in 2007. On the other hand, there are Branches that have not had a function in two years. I ask leadership around this table to assist your Branch Presidents to strive to become more active, using as examples the Branch Presidents who have taken the initiative to successfully "stir up the pots" of their membership. Please help them to strengthen the Branch to which you belong. What I hope is that in those less active branches, Presidents will look to the successes of others to find inspiration to invigorate their own branches. It is my belief that the work in the branches is at least as important to the membership as the work around this table at the Union Club.

In New York City, you will still get sawdust on your leather shoes if you happen by our brand new office space at 20 West 44th, but contractors are finishing the cabinets, installing light fixtures and performing the final painting. The work will be completed soon. I wish to tell you once again how appreciative we should be towards two of our members. Kenneth Barricklo and John O. Delamater took very little Summer vacation, as they worked on our behalf the entire time to take the lead to complete this beautiful HSNY headquarter space. Ken Barricklo is "sliding into homeplate" in his work. He was ably assisted by John Delamater who intervened on our behalf many times recently when hitches came up with recalcitrant contractors and such. Without them, the work simply could not have been completed as well as it has been without substantial costs being incurred by our organization. Ken and John have received assistance from a team consisting of John's associate Nancy Connery, Ken Demarest, Adrian Bogart, myself, and most recently David Nostrand, who has stepped forward to coordinate the final punch list of items. Charles Wendell's assignment is coming up as we physically move our offices in November. I thank all the individuals involved in this work.

I urge you to attend the events of 5 Dutch Days of NY in November. We are tentatively planning to dedicate our new offices at an open house event coordinated by Hanny and Charlie Zabriskie where we will recognize the generosity of trustees and officers leading the capital campaign funding for the expenses of the move. Festivities begin Sunday afternoon, as our organization is being hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the distinguished Rembrandt Exhibit. Later that day New Amsterdam/Old Bergen County Branches host a wonderful concert/benefit, followed on Monday by what will be an excellent Banquet Night with Medalist Ted Turner. That week, Trustee Courtney Haff will be speaking at the presentation named "Bringing 17th Century New Amsterdam to Life" at the New Amsterdam History Center. As well, HSNY has received invitations to events including the Holland Dames/Mercator Society map event at the New York Public Library, the Wyckoff/Durling Barnraising ceremonies in Brooklyn (transportation provided from our new offices) and of course the exquisite Peter Stuyvesant Ball hosted by NAF on Friday. Pick an event and plan to attend. Many of us can provide you the details of our HSNY involvement in this wonderful 5 Dutch Days of NY weeklong of events.

We will hear tonight from Bromme about our 2009 Hudson Celebration. The new Consul General, Hugo Gajus Scheltema, has met with Jim Van Wagner, Bromme Cole and me to introduce himself to us, but also to express the message that Holland indeed wishes to be included in our exciting 2009 Hudson Quadricentennial Celebration. His questions to me centered on ways he may assist us with our events that year, culminating in a possible royal visit during Fall 2009. Bromme and Jim have been extremely busy on our behalf meeting with individuals here in New York and Europe to put us in a position of being in the middle of the leadership of the 2009 Celebration. When you have a moment, please express your appreciation to them for the enormous amount of work they have performed for Holland Society of New York.

Also I ask you to continue to support the Hudson 400 Membership Drive as many of you have done this past year, particularly by encouraging your extended family members to join our organization.

To support the membership drive, I want to emphasize my belief that we should support activities outside this Union Club leadership table. Our Second Branch Presidents Sailing Challenge at Seawanhawka Yacht Club was a great success. Again this year, the event was hosted by Adrian Bogart, Jr. with able assistance from Friend Diane VanDerbeek, members Donald Van Riper, David Nostrand, Bill and Garrett Snedeker, and Bill Van Winkle's entire family, who happened to convincingly win the sailing races, son Stuart at the helm. Congratulations to New Jersey Shore Branch for the win!

We celebrated Flag Day with Walton Van Winkle, Dick Ten Eyck and Wells Van Pelt leading us in front with our HSNY banners. Together with our good friends from Society of Holland Dames, we paraded from City Hall through the streets of lower Manhattan, ending at historic Fraunces Tavern. After many years absent, our participation was particularly noticed and acknowledged by our hosts, the Sons of the Revolution.

And I again encourage us to use one of our best membership tools, our HSNY website. Following a false start with one web designer, Bob Banta has secured the services of a new web designer, Howard Funk. Funding is in place, and we hope to make the site much more dynamic. Bob is being helped by members Alexander Simonson, Patrick Van Pelt, Dr. Robert Schenck, Dick Ten Eyck and Holland Society Friends, Martha VanDerbeek Unger and Diane VanDerbeek, with help from David Voorhees, Hanny Veenendaal, Rob Bruno and members of the Membership Committee.

As I began writing about Charlie Zabriskie, I will end writing about him also. His Hudson 400 Campaign, since last meeting in June, has been buoyed by gifts from Jim Van Wagner, Charles Wendell, Joseph Hoagland, Patrick Van Pelt, the Ferdinand Wyckoff Family, Peter Van Dyke, John VanDerbeek, Robert Nostrand and Robert G. Goelet. With notice of stock transfer received from Robert Terhune last Thursday, the total amount donated just from June to date exceeds $405,000.00. What a Summer for the Campaign! This total does not include the extraordinary amount of "pro bono" architectural and legal services from Kenneth Barricklo and John O. Delamater during this entire summer. These gifts have benefited us all and our organization. I thank all members who have stepped forward to contribute with financial support and with service to our Holland Society, contributions which strengthen our organization, allowing us to continue to support our important work of preserving and presenting our Dutch history in America.

To conclude, Patrick Van Pelt wrote these words following hospitalization of his Father last month,

"I found it impossible to focus upon anything other than the business at hand . . . my Dad's diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, etc. . . The HSNY is not a worry…it is a constant source of delight and refreshment to me . . .and, a much needed one in the coming weeks and months . . . to honor my father and all of our forefathers through the work that we do together." Patrick Van Pelt, Saturday, September 29, 2007.

My best to you all tonight,
John B. VanDerbeek IV
President, Holland Society of New York