It is human nature to have a desire to belong to a group or organization, and
that feeling was certainly strong for some of the earlier Dutch settlers to the
Pacific Northwest back in the 50's and 60's. Most immigrants left the
Netherlands for economic reasons, and to find a better life somewhere else,
while the emotional bond with the homeland remained strong. During those
years, a plane trip was a big deal, and communication with friends and relatives
back in Holland was not as low-threshold as everyone expects today. It made
sense to start a club for people from and friends of the Netherlands could meet
and stay connected, and the Holland America Club was born.
It was through the hard work of these early founders that the club grew big
and strong. Strong in numbers and cohesion with camping trips, a
flourishing Wind Mill magazine, Queen's day and Sinterklaas celebrations, the
Zevensprong klompendans group, the Senior luncheon and the Oranje Boven soccer
team. The club was a social and cultural stronghold for anything Dutch related
in the greater Seattle area. The ultimate mission to maintain contact with the
Netherlands for the benefit of the members and their American friends has never
changed. The club has always seen great interest from the first generation of
members and their families as well as to new settlers in the Pacific
Northwest.
Fast forward to today, the mission of the HAC remains the same: to be a
platform for the community of Dutch, people of Dutch descent, and anyone with an
interest in the Netherlands. At the same time, a number of other Dutch
organizations have been successful at addressing particular needs of the Dutch
community in the area. For example, the Oranjeschool is teaching Dutch language
and culture to 85 elementary-level kids on Saturday mornings. And the Hansje
Brinker Guild organizes fundraiser events for the Child Life department of
Seattle Children’s Hospital, providing a means for the Dutch and anyone else to
contribute to the greater Seattle community.
50 year HAC celebration – October 2012
that feeling was certainly strong for some of the earlier Dutch settlers to the
Pacific Northwest back in the 50's and 60's. Most immigrants left the
Netherlands for economic reasons, and to find a better life somewhere else,
while the emotional bond with the homeland remained strong. During those
years, a plane trip was a big deal, and communication with friends and relatives
back in Holland was not as low-threshold as everyone expects today. It made
sense to start a club for people from and friends of the Netherlands could meet
and stay connected, and the Holland America Club was born.
It was through the hard work of these early founders that the club grew big
and strong. Strong in numbers and cohesion with camping trips, a
flourishing Wind Mill magazine, Queen's day and Sinterklaas celebrations, the
Zevensprong klompendans group, the Senior luncheon and the Oranje Boven soccer
team. The club was a social and cultural stronghold for anything Dutch related
in the greater Seattle area. The ultimate mission to maintain contact with the
Netherlands for the benefit of the members and their American friends has never
changed. The club has always seen great interest from the first generation of
members and their families as well as to new settlers in the Pacific
Northwest.
Fast forward to today, the mission of the HAC remains the same: to be a
platform for the community of Dutch, people of Dutch descent, and anyone with an
interest in the Netherlands. At the same time, a number of other Dutch
organizations have been successful at addressing particular needs of the Dutch
community in the area. For example, the Oranjeschool is teaching Dutch language
and culture to 85 elementary-level kids on Saturday mornings. And the Hansje
Brinker Guild organizes fundraiser events for the Child Life department of
Seattle Children’s Hospital, providing a means for the Dutch and anyone else to
contribute to the greater Seattle community.
50 year HAC celebration – October 2012
