Mayor Nadine Stemerdink Presents a Royal Honor to Mr. Jan Berg

Mr. Berg joined the board of the Agrarische Bedrijfshulp Wassenaar-Leiden e.o. association in 1970. After serving as a general board member for five years, he became the association’s treasurer. In 1990, he switched from this position to that of secretary. The Agrarische Bedrijfshulp Wassenaar-Leiden e.o. association was founded to support farms facing labor shortages—due, for example, to accidents or long-term illness—by providing workers. In addition to his board duties, Mr. Berg visited the association’s members to check in on how they were doing. In the late 1990s, the association’s membership declined. In 2001, the association was dissolved.

Short-Track Trotting

In 1986, Mr. Berg became a member of the Voorschoten Short-Track Trotting Committee. Ten years later, he joined the board and became treasurer of the Voorschoten Equestrian Sports Foundation. To this day, Mr. Berg is responsible for the financial records. He engages in fundraising and maintains contact with sponsors, participates in various consultative bodies, and performs various practical and technical tasks on the day of the short-track trotting race.

Agriculture and Horticulture

In 1987, Mr. Berg joined the board of the Catholic Agricultural and Horticultural Association (KLTB). A year later, he became vice president. When the LTB merged with the Hollandse Maatschappij van Landbouw in the early 1990s, Mr. Berg became treasurer of the newly formed Western Agriculture and Horticulture Organization (WLTO), Wassenaar-Voorschoten chapter. During his tenure as treasurer, Mr. Berg also served for three years as the chapter’s representative in the Leiden region. In 2004, Mr. Berg received the WLTO Silver Award. After the WLTO merged with the Regional Agricultural and Horticultural Organization and the Northern Agricultural and Horticultural Organization on January 1, 2005, a partnership was formed among the eight WLTO branches under the name LTO Noord, Duin- en Bollenstreek. From that date onward, Mr. Berg served as a volunteer for the Wassenaar-Voorschoten-Warmond-Sassenheim-Oegstgeest sub-branch for eight years.

Pedigree Cattle

On January 1, 2006, Mr. Berg joined the board of the Dutch Herd Book Association for the Improved Red-Spotted Beef Cattle Breed as treasurer; this is the only beef-type cattle breed that originated in the Netherlands. He also became ring master, and in that capacity was responsible for enforcing the rules established by the committee. After eleven years, Mr. Berg stepped down from the board.

Bridge

Mr. Berg has been the president of the Boschbloem Bridge Club since September 2014. Every Monday evening, he is on site for the weekly bridge night. Mr. Berg creates the schedules and organizes the bridge course. He also sets up the room, cleans up afterward, and locks up.

Parish and Ice Skating Club

In addition to the aforementioned roles and activities, Mr. Berg served as president of the Association of Former Students of Agricultural Education for 10 years, and for more than 30 years he was actively involved with St. Augustine Parish, St. Lawrence Parish Center, and the Mother of God Parish. In November 2020, he received the Laurentius Medal for these contributions. Mr. Berg is also active as a volunteer at the IJsclub Voorschoten outdoor ice rink.

Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau

Mr. Berg is being honored as a Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his contributions in the fields of equestrian sports, agricultural advocacy, and bridge, among others, with a long-standing focus on his contributions to intangible cultural heritage.