Our president receives a royal honor!

The program surrounding Her Majesty Queen Máxima was complete. Everywhere there were pleasant murmurs of drinks.

Suddenly the Mayor of Nuenen, Gerwen and Nederwetten, Maarten Houben, had the chain of office back on. Children and grandchildren of Jan Kees Lemkes, our chairman of Van Gogh Village Nuenen, walked to the front together with Mrs. Lemkes. And when Jan Kees and Simone (our director) were called to the front, a lot of pennies dropped.

Moments later, Mayor Houben spoke the familiar words: It has pleased His Majesty the King to appoint you Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Jan Kees Lemkes has been chairman of the Van Gogh Village Nuenen Foundation and many Van Gogh related activities for many years. He is also chairman of Voedselbank Nuenen, and closely involved in fundraising for charities of Lionsclub Nuenen.

With a script at the minute, this part of the program was well kept secret!