Following  a Synopsis of the History of our Club as written by Pom van de Grondellen and  Yvonne Beckman

 Any Members that have additional information are requested to mail this or e-mail it so we can add to our "History"

All additions and comment will be posted in a different color and will list the person making the contribution
 
‘IN DEN BEGINNE….” Dutch people bought Dutch groceries at the private home of Ed and Carmen Wessels in South Miami, a tiny business in their 2 car garage. They poured their customers a cup of coffee after “the Sale” was done! As we visited with them and we met other Dutch customers and realized that there was quite an extensive Dutch community in the Miami area. Carmen and Ed Wessels decided to expand:
1973 ED wessels opens his store. the BIRTH of Hollindo / WETCO!
1977 Plans to start a Dutch Club by women socializing over a cup of coffee at irene carlyn’s house.
1978  FIRST QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY BALL at THE “FOUR AMBASSADORS”. A BLACK TIE AFFAIR, ARRANGED BY KLAAS DE JONG AND Ton De Vries (A dutch chef AT THE HOTEL).  100 GUESTS. first attempt to create a board for a DUTCH club BY KLAAS DE JONG, to no avail! MR. w  DAVID D. THOMSON IS consul.
1979 COFFEE FOR DUTCHMEN AT THE HOME OF TINE AND LEO KLINGEN IN KENDALL/MIAMI.
1980

FIRST Ad-hoc President, Klaas (john) de Jong; Secretary, Tine Klingen; TREASURER SYLVIA SNEL AND TONY VERBRUGGEN AS BOARDMEMBERS.  Newsletter FOR THE  “NETHERLANDS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA” CoMEs OUT. Soccer game for kids at THE German American club proposal for Klaverjas club.

FILM NIGHT IN PORT EVERGLADES, THE FILM NEVER SHOWED. (80 GUESTS) TO THE BAR INSTEAD!!  THE FILM WAS SHOWN AT A LATER DATE AND 53 PEOPLE ATTENDED! THE MOVIE WAS ABOUT THE INAUGURATION OF QUEEN BEATRIX! PROPOSAL FOR A CIRCULATING DUTCH LIBRARY! “COFFEE“AT IRENE CARLYN FOR THE CLUB. T-SHIRTS “KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE DUTCH”, MOLENTJE BY TINE KLINGEN. NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY AT STUDIO ONE, CORAL GABLES. DANCE MUSIC BY DUTCH JOE RENEE BAND. 120 GUESTS! DURING THE 80’S THERE WERE MONTHLY BUSINESS MEETINGS BUT NO OTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
1981

Klaas  DE  JONG RESIGNS AS PRESIDENT in  January AND SiegFRIED GUTH BECOMES president. NEW TREASURER MARIANNE BERLES. FIRST GENERAL MEETING FEB. 1981 AT THE “DORAL” 21 MEMBERS ATTENDING. VERY LITTLE INTEREST FOR THE CLUB.

NOVEMBER ’81 JOHN DE JONG / TON VERBRUGGEN / LUCAS WILLINK AND SIEGFRIED GUTH HAVE A MEETING TO FIND A WAY TO REVIVE THE CLUB! NOVEMBER, PICKNICK AT BILL BAGGS PARK ON KEY BISCAYNE.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE REGENCY ROOM AT THE DORAL ON THE OCEAN ( TON DE VRIES)
1982 PRESIDENT SIEGFRIED GUTH. Tine Klingen organizES ANOTHER DUTCH coffee. TELEPHONE LIST HAS 250 NAMES, FROM MIAMI /PALM BEACH/FT LAUDERDALE -NEW PORT RICHEY- POMPANO BEACH-DAVIE-HOMESTEAD-COOPER CITY ETC.
1983

VERY LITTLE INFORMATION.  

FIRST HARING PARTY AT DR. VAN LEENEN AT EL PORTAL! SIEGFRIED GUTH CONTACTED THE “BURGERMEESTER” OF LEIDEN CONCERNING DONATION OF THE HARING AND THEY WERE ORDERED FROM KATWYK AAN ZEE!  INVOLVED ARE YVONNE BECKMAN / IRENE CARLYN / SIEGFRIED GuTH.

 

1984
CLUB REVIVAL!

 AD HOC PRES. SiegFRIED GUTH TRIES AGAIN!
Mailing / phone list HAS  260 families
 Film night, T-shirts, Calenders.

 
1985 August 31, QUEENS BIRTHDAY PARTY AT KEES AND EMMA Potharst. NEXT COFFEE AT PIETER sUZY kaNAAR. SUGGESTIons for MONTHLY COFFEEs! GARUDA RICETABLE BY Klaas bosma in his restaurant in ft’lauderdale. arranged by Irene carlyn, yvonne beckman AND Siegfried guth. suggestions to start paying membership fee $5.00
1986 PRESIDENT AD-HOC SIEGFRIED GUTH STARTS BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.   Thai dinner arranged by jan and marijke paans (33 GUESTS). MOtherday LUNCH AT KEY BISCAYNE. COFFEE CLATCHES ONCE A MONTH ARE FLOURISHING/ VAN DE KREEKE/ HARTOG/ BERNABEI/VAISMAN/van DE KREEKE/admiraal /BOERSMA. HARING PARTY AT  KEES AND MIA RUZIUS.  RICETABLE IN THE GARUDA RESTAURANT, PLANTATION, 70 GUESTS. SINTERKLAAS AT THE BERNABEI’S Sinterklaas SUIT OF “FATHER WENDT ”. PRIEST/FRIEND OF KAATJE AND JOHN BERNABEI, OUR DUTCH MEMBERS! PROPOSAL FOR A“LITTLE THEATER” STAGE GROUP. THE NEWSLETTER GETS ADORNED WITH “BOOMPJE/PALMPJE/MOLENTJE “ BY PRESIDENT SIEGFRIED GUTH.
1987 175 MEMBERS. CLUB BUYS COFFEE PERCULATOR AFTER “ MET DE PET ROND TE GAAN!”FOR THE MONTHLY COFFEES.   4TH OF JULY PARTY AT LEO AND TINE KLINGEN, 80 GUESTS! ZIGGY GUTH IS SEEKING A TREASURER AGAIN TO RELIEVE HIS WIFE DITA OF CLUB RESPONSIBILITIES.  QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE HOLIDAY INN ON LE JEUNE ROAD. WOODENSHOES WERE STOLEN BY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS! BUT THEY SHOWED UP ” IN FRONT OF THE OWNERS DOOR “AFTER A SERIOUS REPRIMAND IN OUR NEWSLETTER! COFFEE AT HARTJES /VAN BALDEREN/ DE BRUYN ETC. “LEIDEN’S ONTZET PARTY” AT KLAZINA AND RENEE VAN BALDEREN. OFFICIAL START OF A REGULAR NEWSLETTER “T BLAADJE.” SIEG GUTH INTRODUCES FIRST CAR//BIKE RALLY HELD AT THE HOME OF KEES AND MIA RUZIUS. NOVEMBER 22! SINTERKLAAS PARTY AT JOHN AND KAATJE BERNABEI.CHRISTMAS EGGNOG  PARTY AT POM AND HANS VAN GRONDELLE.
1988 250 MEMBERS. RICETABLE FOR THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY  AT THE ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL OF THE UFM. ARRANGED BY HETTY AND CO VAN DE KREEKE. 85 GUESTS. DANCE WITH FRANK HUBBELL. JUNE 11TH. EASTEREGG HUNT AT KEITH AND FEMMY MC COMAS.  ERNIE STUBBS TAKES CARE OF THE ENGLISH ADDITION OF ‘T BLAADJE’.  KEES AND MIA RUZIUS HAVE 60 GUESTS AT THE HARINGPARTY. FRED ROOS IMPORTS HARING. BIKE/CAR RALLY IS AT PETER/ SUZY KANAAR. DOUGLAS BECKMAN /KEES RUZIUS SET OUT THE TOUR IN THE CORALGABLES. SINTERKLAAS AT VAN BALDEREN. POM AND HANS VAN GRONDELLE HAVE THE CHRISTMAS EGGNOG PARTY.  $500 IN THE BANKFOR THE CLUB!! OUR CLUB ORIGINATOR IRENE CARLYN RETURNS TO HOLLAND!  ROBBIE WESSELS TAKES OVER THE DUTCH STORE
1989 175 MEMBERS // 4TH OF JULY PICNIC.  LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL PARTY AT THE HYATT REGENCY HOTEL. DONATION TO MIAMI MISSION. HARINGPARTY AT THE MC COMAS’. EASTER EGG HUNT AT GRE AND LEEN VAN NOOD. QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT ROSENSTEIL SCHOOL (HETTY/CO VAN DE KREEKE) 130 GUESTS. BIKE RALLY ON MIAMI BEACH AT THE VAISMAN’S. SINTERKLAAS AT VAN BALDEREN/ JAN PAANS IS SINT, SIEGFRIED GUTH IS ZWARTE PIET.
1990 SIEGFRIED GUTH TRIES AGAIN TO GET A BOARD TOGETHER. QUEENSBIRTHDAY PARTY “ORANJE BUFFET “ AT HOTEL INTERCONTINENTAL, DOWNTOWN.  RECOMMENDATION FOR MEMBERSHIP FEE INSTEAD OF SIEGIE  “MET DE PET RONDGAAN “AT THE MONTHLY COFFEE. EASTER EGG HUNT. LECTURE ABOUT VERMEER BY A NEW GROUP NAMED “FRIENDS OF THE NETHERLANDS” BY ANNETTE BANENS. (THE GROUP DID NOT LAST). COFFEE’S ONCE A MONTH IN TOP SHAPE. HERRING PARTY. 3RD RICETABLE. BIKE RALLY.
1991

HARING

T-SHIRTS
1992

175 MEMBERS//  HURRICANE  ANDREW! AUGUST 22. LOTS OF DAMAGE TO MANY OF OUR HOMES! SADLY, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS LOST THEIR 12 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER NAMED “NAOMI “IN THE FURY OF THIS HURRICANE A DONATION WAS GIVEN IN HER NAME TO THE MIAMI ZOO!

BIKE/CAR RALLY AT DANNY AND TEDJE VAISMAN ON MIAMI BEACH. DINNERPARTY AT “THE BANKERS CLUB” DOWNTOWN ARRANGED BY DANNY VAISMAN.  QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE SONESTA BEACH HOTEL. SINTERKLAAS AT THE SIMERLY’S. NO COFFEE AT KEES AND EMMA POTHARST, THEIR HOUSE WAS DISTROYED! HERRING PARTY AT KEES AND MARISA KUYPER. CLUB DONATION TO “MAY VAN SICKLE DENTAL CLINIC FOR CHILDREN” OF MIGRANTS.
1993 175 MEMBERS //. PIETER GEMKE BECOMES HONORARY CONSUL. ANNELIES COMBS HIS SECRETARY. QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE HOLIDAY INN THROUGH RENEE VAN BALDEREN, 95 GUESTS,  bUFFET  STYLE DINNER. AUGUST, NASI GORENG ARRANGED BY SHIRLEY BUSHBY IN PLANTATION. HARINGPARTY AT THE KUYPERS.  SINTERKLAASPARTY AT THE SIMERLY’S.
1994 175 members. FAREWELL PARTY FOR AD-HOC PRESIDENT SIEGFRIED GUTH AT THE HOME OF HANS AND POM  VAN GRONDELLE. Pom VAN GRONDELLE BECOMES AD-HOC PRESIDENT AND resumes all duties FOR THE CLUB. QUEENS BIRTHDAY PARTY AT the rod&reel club! (120 guests) JAN PAANS DECORATES THE MENUES.  MR.Wijn perle  (DUTCH) DONATES tulips FOR THE PARTY. (THERE IS A VIDEO OF THIS PARTY!) SOccer party t the Hoffbrau RESTAURANT IN THE CORAL GABLES. HOLLAND/BELGIE AND WE LOST! 140 GUESTS / teashirts for thIS worldcup. PROPOSAL FOR A DUTCH CHOIR,  never TOOK HOLD. “Bordje Nassi “ at the Galleria Room IN The Crossings. MARISA/KEES kuypers AND FRIENDS do the cooking. 100 GUESTS. First Tennis Tournament  “SORRY SCHAT” arranged by hetty van de kreeke. Pom is trying TO PUT A BOARD TOGETHER FOR THE “NO CLUB, CLUB!” T-SHIRTS FOR THE DUTCH CLUB BY POM VAN GRONDELLE, MIA RUZIUS IS SELLING THEM FOR THE CLUB! HARINGPARTY AT THE KUYPERS.
1995

1/12/95 NASF official meeting OF THE NEW BOARD!

170 MEMBERS.

POM VAN GRONDELLE IS PRESIDENT. Pieter  Rijken,  Mieke Grayson,  Pieter Kanaar,  Marisa Kuyper,  Jan PaanS, Yvonne Beckman, BECOME BOARDMEMBERS!

GRE VAN NOOD TAKES CARE OF THE COFFEE CLATCHES. VISIT TO DUTCH WARSHIP ORGANISED BY ANNELIES COMBS. QUEENSBIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE CORAL GABLES WOMEN’S CLUB. (85 GUESTS) HEINIKEN DONATES 5 CASES OF BEER. NO POLITICS ALLOWED  IN “T KRANTJE”.

second “SORRY SCHAT” Tennis Tournament. Bike rally AT Norm/ Margareta LEATHERS IN THE COCONUT GROVE. Sinterklaas at Simerly’s. DONATION TO THE MAY VAN SICKLE CHILDREN’S DENTAL CLINIC FOR MIGRANTS. CHRISMAS BRUNCH by KEITH AND FEMMY McComas IN THE REDLANDS. Anita Fraley AND POM VAN GRONDELLE  WILL  BOTH TAKE CARE OF THE NEWSLETTER. ANITA PUTS NEWSLETTER ON THE COMPUTER. HaringPARTY at THE Kuypers.  Jan Paans’ artwork adorns  invitations  FOR THE HARING PARTY!  SINTERKLAAS PARTY AT ANGELIQUE BOYERS. DUTCH tourist IS ROBBED in Miami. TIne  Klingen  moves to  NY. 
1996

Krantje gets Cultural Corner. Loes NICHOLICH and Yvonne BECKMAN BECOME  editors OF “T kRANTJE” .

 T-Shirts by  POM VAN GRONDELLE, MIA RUZIUS SELLS THEM AT THE PARTIES. QUEENS  BIRTHDAY PARTY at THE Rod and Reel CLUB.  Happy Hour “Afzakkertje “started AT “MY FATHER’S MUSTACHE’ IN SOUTH MIAMI. New P.A. system purchased FOR THE CLUB. WalkING group “Zwaan Kleef Aan “ AT THE GROUNDS OF the university of Miami with Bob Schuyt AND YVONNE BECKMAN, later moved to Baptist Hospital.  Tennis Tournooi “SORRY SCHAT” ARRANGED BY HETTY VAN DE KREEKE / MIEKE GRAYSON. Contest to REname THE NEWSLETTER! Ajax-Juventus at Ruby Tuesday’s. Walter Hekster, Dutch Clarinetist performs at the University of Miami. HaringPARTY at FRED/ARLENE  Roos. Kids Club//. Telephone Tree. Bike rally at Bill Sadowsky’s park. WE PLANTED A TREE IN THE NAME OF THE CLUB ARRANGED BY Kees and Mia RUZIUS BBQ AT THE PARK AFTERWARD. APPRECIATION DINNER FOR BOARDMEMBERS AT THE CLUB’S EXPENSE. CHRISTMAS BRUNCH at FEMMY AND KEITH Mc.Comas.  SADLY OUR CLUBMEMBER Tosca Diepering was murdered in Liberty City.
1997

First By-laws FOR THE NASF WERE prepared. MONTHLY Coffee clatches CONTINUES.

CEES Wervenbos suggestS AN address booklet. Happy Hour ONCE A MONTH at Scotty’s LANDING IN THE GROVE. Dutch Business Forum of NASF CREATED BY K.C.MEYAARD, Jan Wessels and Cees Wervenbos. Tennis TOURNAMENT “SORRY SCHAT” ORGANISED BY HETTY VAN DE KREEKE /MIEKE GRAYSON. “Goodies OF HOLLAND” RESTAURANT/STORE, opens up! Kinderuurtje IS going strong. 

QUEENS BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE Rod and Reel CLUB. CLUB VISITS DUTCH WARSHIP IN FT.LAUDERDALE. Marjolein vAN dER Sluis has HER ART exhibit. “Nassi RAMAS” PARTY in San Villa DOWNTOWN MIAMI. Mieke GRAYSON IS elected preSIDENT for THE 1997-1998 season. 

Haring PARTY at Arlyn and Fred ROOS.  Bike rally at YVONNE /DOUGLASS Beckman.  Sinterklaas PARTY BY Loes and Nick NICHOLICH.
1998

Mieke GRAYSON IS OUR NEW preSIDENT. 

The Dutch National Soccer Team comes to Pro Player Stadium.  Sjef OTTEN is soccer reporter for “t Krantje “. New “Volksfeest” FOR THE QUEENS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION BECOMES A GRAND PARTY at THE HOME OF Lucy and Peter VERKRUYSSE 

Marisa KUYPER, Lucy VERKRUYSSE and Pom VAN GRONDELLE edit “t Krantje” 

Pieter Gemke OUR CONSUL retires.  Mark Bruning resumes Consular duties.  Annelies COMBS remains in her spot as consular assistant.

5th  Tennis tournament IN KENDALL. Trudy and Emile LOEW ARE MARRIED 60 YEARS. 

Our Thanks to Pom and Yvonne for their valuable work