Celebrating our Centenary Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon 1908 to 2008 Bulletin - January 2008 President’s Message Dear Member, us quite? As we herald in the year 2008, we also Ah! Let us wake from slumber’s welcome The Dutch Burgher Union soft repose, centennial and it would be appropriate for me to quote the following poem To the new promise of a nobler extracted from the DBU Journal Vol.1‐ day; Proud of ourselves, proud to No.4‐page 189 be kin with those, The President and the “Eendracht Maakt Macht Who won their homes from General Committee of (Original Poetry) Ocean’s grasping sway, Who dared unvoyaged seas, the DBU wish members Union is strength; and shall not tamed ruthless foes, we unite— and their families a And held embattled France and We who have known the shame Spain at bay.” healthy, happy and disunion brings: prosperous New Year Whose hearts oft glow with dim We have many plans for celebrating the centennial, commencing with our Remembering, function on the 18th January, the day President’s Message Of days when, yet unvex’d by on which the General Inaugural Meet‐ Editorial ing was held and the Office Bearers Fortune’s spite, were elected 100 years ago! Awesome Welfare Report Our fathers sojourn’d in this land and Inspiring! Launch of first audio book DBU New Year’s Eve Party of light? Wishing you Health…… so that you may Has the long lesson of a hundred enjoy each day in comfort, Love of B’day Greetings friends and family and Peace within Tournament Results years, your heart and home! Contents Mail Box Still to be learnt with bitterness Kem Martenstyn New Members and tears, President New Book on the Burghers And shall the fatal blindness end Dutch Burgher Union 2 Celebrating our Centenary Editorial – Compliments of the Season! very happy New Year to you Ladies resident there had a great time, all! Here’s hoping that the dancing away till late at night to the A year ahead will see peace music of DJ Aaron, and being visited and harmony in every home, which in by Santa Claus who brought them all turn will bring peace to the world. gifts. With plenty of delicious food and drink, and even Christmas Cake for all, The Christmas season saw a flurry of it was indeed very late at night that activity at the DBU, beginning with the the ladies finally found their way to Christmas Fete, where Burgher their rooms for a well deserved rest! delicacies sold out in no time, and Our thanks to Patrick Loos for continuing with St Nikolaas Day, where sponsoring the caterers, and to Lucian the children of the DBU members Pereira and Emil Cronenburg for their mingled with the children of the contributions. dancing, and truly beautiful Christmas Welfare beneficiaries, to greet St décor (courtesy of President Kem). Nikolaas and to receive their gifts, Thanks to Mrs Joyce Boks’s, (who calls Tickets were sold out far ahead of the whilst having pony rides, playing on the herself “resident of SNH for life”!) closing date and many were Bouncers and being treated to lots of disappointed, unfortunately. food and drink. The amazing talent in generous donation towards the cost of painting the Home and other these children came to the fore when a We ended 2007 and saw in our group of young teenagers performed expenses, St Nik’s was given a “facelift” before the party and was Centenary Year with a fantastic party “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Merry Christmas on New Year’s Eve, which finally Everyone” for all of us present, with looking quite smashing for the party. ended at 5.30 in the morning! incredible skill!. The entire performance Unfortunately the weather gods had been choreographed and arranged decided to pour down some showers 2007 saw lots of fun and activities for by themselves, and was truly of rain on us that day, and the party impressive. They danced and sang with had to be moved inside the building ‐ Members and their guests at the DBU, big smiles on their faces, and the although the downpour outside did and we promise we will continue to thought crossed my mind that these not dampen the spirits of the Ladies in provide the same for you all in 2008. kids could go really far if they had the the least! So, here’s hoping to see more of you right connections and backing. Our in this our Centennial! thanks to The Eighty Club of Melbourne A traditional four course Christmas Cheers! for sponsoring the party. dinner with Turkey, stuffing, cranberry Anne-Marie Kellar sauce and all else, was served out in Secretary The St Nikolaas Home had a grand grand style at the DBU on the 17th, th party on the 8 December, where the with Carols by candlelight, music for Welfare Report – 4th Quarter he 4th quarter payment to the Bouncer and Pony rides, games and There was a guitarist to keep everyone locally sponsored children was competitions and plenty of food, ice on their toes with Carols being sung T made on Saturday the 8th of cream and soft drinks. St. Nikolaas lustily. There were games with cash December 2007. There are now 88 who was present to distribute the gifts prizes awarded to the winners and children being sponsored on this from under the Christmas Tree, made crowning of the Beauty Queen. A lucky programme. Present with me that his appearance down the staircase draw was held and there were prizes morning were Mrs. Mystica Flamer amidst the sound of bursting of of Hampers, Breudhers, Pocket Radios Caldera and Mrs. Rosemary balloons and loud cheers from all the and Boxes of Biscuits. Practically all Outschoorn. children. present received a prize. All of them in addition received cash bonuses and I regret to announce that during the Gracing this occasion were our had a spread of delicious eats and soft period under review, one beneficiary President Mrs. Kem Martenstyn, drinks and I have no doubt enjoyed passed away. The Eighty Club was Secretary Mrs. Anne‐Marie Kellar, and themselves thoroughly. informed and a new beneficiary Mr & Mrs. Rodney de Kretser Snr. Vice selected. President of the Eighty Club of Payment of the 3rd and 4th quarters to Melbourne. the sponsored children by the Burgher On Wednesday the 19th of December Association of Melbourne is scheduled 2007, the Eighty Club combined with On the 21st of December 2007, both to take place on Saturday, 12th the locally sponsored children from the locally sponsored and Eighty Club January 2008. the Christoffelsz Fund celebrated St. sponsored beneficiaries had a joint Nikolaas’ Fete. A few DBU Member's Christmas Party in the morning in the Anthea Muller children also participated. It was a DBU Hall. Also present that morning Chairperson ‐ Social Welfare morning of fun and frolic with a were Mr & Mrs. Rodney de Kretser. Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Prev Page Next Page 114, Reid Avenue, Colombo 4/Tel: 258 4511/E‐mail: [email protected]/Website www.dutchburgherunion.org Dutch Burgher Union 3 Celebrating our Centenary Launch of Sri Lanka’s first Audio Book n Friday 4th January 2007, all overarching Sri Lankan identity and an identity of their own. With the those present at the Sri plainly states that Sri Lanka is the blessings of all may the venture of JB O Lanka National Library in Motherland of the Burghers–their and his sponsors reach the zenith of Colombo witnessed a historic event in only homeland. their success in a short spell of time.” Sri Lanka’s publishing history with the launch of the country’s first audio J.B. Müller’s audio book was introduced More and more young people today book. The book chosen was “The to the audience in a dramatic fashion by would rather listen to the narration of Burghers’ authored by J.B. Müller. It Master of Ceremonies Errol Alphonso, a story than read it in the pages of a was chosen because J.B. Müller made himself a Burgher. It was completely book; then, there are people who are a point in his book that brought all non‐traditional dispensing with the blind or have their sight impaired and Burghers within the fold of that usual rituals that attend such occasions. cannot read because of that Community without distinctions as to The Keynote Address was delivered by impediment. NetSeequal is catering being of Portuguese, Dutch, or British eminent academician Dr. K.D. to these consumer segments by descent. He also made the point that Paranavitana of the Department of starting this new, digital trend in book the Burghers are fully and completely Humanities of Rajarata University, publishing in Sri Lanka. It may even coequal citizens of Sri Lanka and Mihintale, who spoke with authority revolutionize book publishing with proud to be Sri Lankan–flying in the about the Burghers, providing authors seeking to put their books on face of chauvinism and bigotry that perspective to this event. In conclusion, easy‐to‐listen CDs and it could be has brought so much misery to so he said: “The Burghers remain as a done in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. many. He believes in a common and charming community in the Island with New Year’s Eve Party at the DBU! super buffet dinner was served at 12.30a.m. followed by breakfast of Breudher with Kiribath and Lunumiris at 4a.m. Every table of 10 was given a bottle of Smirnoff Vodka, and heaps of prizes were given away for a host of fun ore than a 100 members competitions and games all through and guests saw the old the night, in between the dancing M year out and the New to non‐stop music by DJ Aaron who Year in at the DBU on New Year’s Eve did a great job.