Eight residents of Voorschoten Receive Royal Honors

In 2004, Ms. Bos became a “clubhouse staff member” at the De Koenen Water Sports Club in Amsterdam. She cleans the clubhouse, works behind the bar, prepares lunches, and helps out with events held at the clubhouse. From 2004 to 2020, Ms. Bos was the “driving force” behind the club’s Koenen Choir. In addition, she also worked behind the bar on the evenings when the choir rehearsed.

For over 14 years, Ms. Bos has been active as a volunteer in many capacities at Topaz Vlietwijk in Voorschoten, a nursing home for people with dementia or chronic physical disabilities. Among other things, she volunteers as a cook; serves as a hostess during meals with the residents; and volunteers in the residential group. In addition, she has been a member of the client council since 2013 and, in this role, represents all residents of Topaz Vlietwijk. 

Since October 2011, Ms. Bos has been working with the Spiritual Care Service at Amsterdam UMC, VUmc location. From May through October, she visits patients weekly to have a chat, distribute weekly newsletters, and lend a listening ear to anyone who needs it. In addition to these activities, Ms. Bos also volunteers at polling stations during elections and previously served as coordinator of “Tafeltje Dekje.” 

Ms. Bos is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for her contributions to social welfare and water sports.

Mr. Cornelissen has been serving the Protestant Congregation of Voorschoten in various capacities for 20 years. From 2004 to 2012, as a deacon, he participated in meetings of the diaconate and the church council; he played a role in church services and was involved in global diaconal work, Christmas campaigns, and the secretariat. Since 2007, Mr. Cornelissen has been responsible for communications for the Christian Meditation Group; he prepares the meetings and leads the group’s sessions. He has been a member of the Intercessory Prayer Group since 2008. 

Since 2007, Mr. Cornelissen has been the organizer of the biweekly Eetcafé at ’t Voorhuys, part of the Dorpskerk; he serves as the point of contact; coordinates the volunteers; arranges transportation for guests to the Eetcafé; sets up the space; helps prepare the meals; and serves them. Since 2017, the Eetcafé has been combined with “Cooking with Children” once every two months. 

As a visiting volunteer, Mr. Cornelissen has been visiting parishioners since 2012; he offers them advice and assistance and helps them with their correspondence and paperwork. From 2014 to 2020, Mr. Cornelissen was involved in providing homework assistance to students in grades 7 and 8 at De Vink Elementary School. Since 2014, Mr. Cornelissen has served as chair and leader of the literature club. 

Mr. Cornelissen is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his contributions to religious life.

Ms. Ferguson-de Feijter began volunteering in 1992 at the Randstad Sport Athletics Association (AVRS), the predecessor of the current Voorschoten ’97 Athletics. She held various positions, ranging from judge and first-aid responder at meets to meet secretary, and from membership administrator to secretary on the athletics committee. In addition, Ms. Ferguson-de Feijter was one of the founders of the Standards and Values Committee of the multi-sport club Voorschoten ’97, which has since been merged into the Safe Sports Environment Committee. In October 2012, Ms. Ferguson-de Feijter was named an honorary member of the club. 

Ms. Ferguson-de Feijter became a volunteer with the Club van Polen Foundation in 2001. That same year, she joined an aid convoy for the first time, and in 2002 she joined the foundation’s board as secretary. In addition, as warehouse and transportation coordinator, she was responsible for streamlining the process of receiving goods and preparing shipments to various shelters in Poland. 

From 2004 to 2012, Ms. Ferguson-de Feijter served as the Youth First Aid coordinator for the Red Cross in Voorschoten. She was involved in and was the driving force behind organizing first aid classes and exams at all elementary schools in Voorschoten. 

In addition to the volunteer activities mentioned above, Ms. Ferguson-de Feijter has also been active with the De Zonnebloem Association, the former “’t Hofflants Huys” nursing home, and the Topaz nursing home at the Zuydtwijck location. 

Ms. Ferguson-de Feijter is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for her contributions in the fields of social services, welfare, and athletics.

At the age of 17, Mr. Zandbergen began designing and setting up a petting zoo on a piece of vacant land near his parents’ home. After it was announced that homes would be built there, it was decided—in consultation with the petting zoo’s founders—that space would also be set aside for a petting zoo in this new neighborhood. 

In November 1990, Mr. Zandbergen, together with his father and his neighbor, founded the “De Coebel” Animal Pasture Foundation. After the passing of his father and his neighbor, Mr. Zandbergen continued to manage the animal sanctuary on his own. He handles the daily maintenance and care of the animals at the sanctuary, supervises the volunteers, manages the finances, and recruits donors and raises funds.

Since the 2007–2008 season, Mr. Zandbergen has been filming Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden Basketball’s home and away games in the professional league on a volunteer basis. Initially in the Dutch Basketball League—now known as the BNXT League—which is the joint professional league of the Netherlands and Belgium. The footage is streamed online, allowing tens of thousands of viewers to watch the games live. The coaches and video analysts use the game recaps and highlights to improve the team’s own play and analyze the opponent’s strategy. After 12 years of filming the games, Mr. Zandbergen stopped his regular filming activities in May 2019 and now films home and away games on an ad hoc basis. 

Mr. Zandbergen is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his contributions to nature education and basketball.

Mr. Arends began working as a “brass instructor” at VIOS Zoeterwoude in 1980. A year later, he became the orchestra’s conductor. In addition to teaching and conducting, he also prepared the orchestra’s performances, developed activities for the association, and visited schools to inspire children’s enthusiasm for music. Even after he stepped down as conductor in 1999, he regularly filled in when no conductor was available. In 2008, Mr. Arends was named an honorary member and member of merit of the association. 

From 1992 to April 2018, Mr. Arends served as conductor of the Suetana Musica brass ensemble from Zoeterwoude. He led the ensemble every month during a church service in Zoeterwoude, as well as during concerts at care and nursing homes. On the occasion of his 25th anniversary as conductor, he received the silver badge of honor from the “Rond de Dorpskerk” parish in Zoeterwoude. 

From 2002 to 2009, Mr. Arends served as a volunteer and general staff member during the vacation programs of the National Association De Zonnebloem. From 2009 through 2017, he served as a staff member and vacation program director for the National Association De Zonnebloem’s bus and air travel vacations to various countries. From 2011 to 2020, Mr. Arends served on the board of the Noord Hofland Association. Among other things, he revived the youth program; established the first senior citizens’ café in Voorschoten; and launched new activities, such as English classes and workshops at the senior citizens’ café. In 2020, he stepped down from his board position. 

In May 2012, Mr. Arends founded Dagorkest Vlietstreek, a daytime orchestra for seniors and people who are no longer part of the workforce. Mr. Arends encourages them to make music; he recruits new members and is fully committed to maintaining and expanding the orchestra; he also organizes performances for the orchestra at residential, care, and nursing facilities. 

Mr. Arends is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his contributions in the fields of music, social cohesion, and welfare, among others.

Ms. Kokshoorn-Heijn served as a lector at the parish from 1976 to 1990. In 1976, she became an assistant to the children’s choir at the Moeder Godskerk. She helped the children with their singing, prepared the liturgical booklets, and kept track of the choir’s music. That same year, she joined the women’s choir at the Moeder Godskerk. To this day, she sings with the choir during special services such as funerals and weddings. In 2016, Ms. Kokshoorn-Heijn received the St. Gregory Medal (medal of honor) in gold in recognition of her 40 years of dedication to music in the liturgy and her membership in the church choir. 

In 1980, Ms. Kokshoorn-Heijn became treasurer of the women’s choir. For forty years, she collected membership dues; recorded all of the choir’s expenses and income; attended meetings several times a year; and prepared the year-end financial report. During her time on the board, she also organized the annual weekend trip for the members of the church choir and their partners. Ms. Kokshoorn-Heijn remained a member of the board after stepping down as treasurer in 2020. 

As a representative of the women’s choir, Ms. Kokshoorn-Heijn served as a member of the Liturgical Council at the Moeder Godskerk and the H. Laurentiuskerk for over 30 years. When the Moeder Godskerk closed in 2016, Ms. Kokshoorn-Heijn arranged a farewell gift for the parishioners: a glass with a special print depicting the church’s distinctive stained-glass windows, designed and crafted by a glass artisan. 

Ms. Kokshoorn-Heijn is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for her contributions to religious life.

Ms. Ravensbergen-van Zandbergen became a volunteer at the Leiden Skating Rink Foundation on October 1, 1976. She gave skating lessons at the “Ton Menken Hall” on Vondellaan; organized holiday events on the ice for children; was responsible for drawing up the schedules for rink rentals and billing the various skating clubs that used the rink; and, as a cashier volunteer, drew up the schedules and also staffed the cash register herself. On her initiative, Bavarian Curling was established in 2019. In addition, Ms. Ravensbergen-van Zandbergen served as Leiden’s representative to the Association of Artificial Ice Rinks in the Netherlands, the trade association for artificial ice rinks in the Netherlands. 

After 47 years, the Ton Menken Ice Rink closed its doors in 2023, and on October 1, 2023, Leiden’s new ice rink opened: IJshal De Vliet. Ms. Ravensbergen-van Zandbergen was involved in the discussions with the municipality regarding this new ice rink. As a board member, she is responsible for scheduling reception staff and also works at the ticket counter several times a week. 

Ms. Ravensbergen-van Zandbergen has been involved in organizing the annual tournament for the “Arie Ravensbergen Cup” from the very beginning, serving, among other roles, as the finish judge for this official KNSB competition and as the presenter of the challenge cup. 

Ms. Ravensbergen-van Zandbergen is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for her contributions to the sport of speed skating.

After studying electrochemical engineering in Germany and earning a degree in electrochemical engineering from Delft University of Technology, Mr. Meijer worked in various fields. He eventually specialized in cathodic protection, a method used to protect metal objects—such as ships, piers, and ship control systems—that come into contact with (seawater) from corrosion. 

Mr. Meijer continued to develop his expertise in his field, designed cathodic protection projects for domestic and international clients, served as a consultant, and was invited to give lectures both at home and abroad. Due to the lack of a training program in this field, Mr. Meijer developed one himself after his retirement in 2001. He developed the internationally recognized and accredited “Cathodic Protection” training program—including course materials and exam requirements—on behalf of The Welding Institute (TWI) in Cambridge, England. To this day, Mr. Meijer ensures that the course materials are and remain up-to-date and also teaches upon request. In addition to training the next generation of professionals, Mr. Meijer has also served as an electrochemical consultant for various companies both in the Netherlands and abroad.

In 2006, Mr. Meijer, together with a number of residents from the apartment complexes on Planciusplantsoen and Jan Evertsenlaan, founded the Planciusplantsoen/Jan Evertsenlaan Tenants’ Association. After serving on the board for two years, he became a “general” volunteer and technical advisor in 2008. Mr. Meijer subsequently served as a member of the audit committee for five years. Since 2023, Mr. Meijer has been a member of the “Major Maintenance of the Hofland Shopping Center Area” working group on behalf of the tenants’ association. 

In recognition of his achievements as an electrical and chemical engineer, particularly in the field of cathodic protection, Mr. Meijer is being awarded the title of Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau.