May was a special month for Sid van der Meulen of Ada Realty in Edmonton, as he found a unique way to remember the liberation of Holland in 1945.
“I will never forget that Sunday afternoon when the Canadian tanks rolled through our village to set us free,” says van der Meulen. “I feel such abundant gratitude to those who gave us kids a piece of chocolate bar, a luxury we had never before enjoyed.
“In 1957, I immigrated to Canada with my parents’ permission. It was in October 1962 that I became a Canadian citizen complete with all its privileges and obligations. This year, on the 65th anniversary of the liberation, I want to pay tribute to all Canadians who gave freedom to my home country, in particular those who gave their lives, many of them buried in foreign soil.”
So van der Meulen was scheduled to go to the Netherlands and cycle the Elfstedentocht, a 240 km route, on May 24. “I plan to raise funds for the Youth Emergency Shelter Society and E4C’s School Lunch program, organizations that I have personally worked with and financially supported for many years. My goal is to raise $65,000 for these organizations through sponsorships and donations – $1,000 for every year we have enjoyed freedom.”
To help him reach his goal, contact van der Meulen at adareal@telusplanet.net.
