Sunday, August 10, 2014

Gazette van Detroit - 100 Years of Volunteers


  
 This week the Gazette van Detroit reaches a milestone: 100 years since the first edition was published on August 13, 1914. Below I have included copies of the very first edition - a 'boterbladje' of four pages. This simple paper written in common (and often dialectal) Dutch, it is the chronicle of a people who have immigrated to North America, yet retain an affection for their ancestral homeland.

But it would be a mistake to think that the Gazette van Detroit is only a newspaper or even an archive. Rather, it is an expression of a shared community. This community transcends Detroit: over the 100 years of its existence subscribers came from almost every state and province of the United States and Canada. Moreover, it would never have survived without the support of Flemings in Flanders. The common thread is our DNA and a recognition of the link between Flanders and the Flemish diaspora.   

Below I have attempted to list everyone who has and is involved with the Gazette van Detroit. The sources of this list is primarily from Karel Meuleman's & Ludwig Vandenbussche's "Het Verhaal" which in turn pulls the names from editions of the Gazette as well as from Arthur Verthe ("Vlamingen in de Wereld") and Robert Houthaeve ("Camille Cools en zijn Gazette van Detroit"). Supplementing this I went thru my own collection of Gazettes back to the 1980s and pulled names. I also went thru online files of old newspapers in Dutch and English who listed names of GvD correspondents as well as DBNL files. I have also reorganized these so they are alphabetical.


Editors/Owners/Publishers:
Camille Cools
Original December 2, 1913 owners were Camille Cools (President), Jules Vandenbussche (Vice President), Camille De Buck (Secretary-Treasurer), George Callewaert (Controller), and Leo Leplae (Editor)
1914-1916
Owner, Printer, Editor-in-Chief
Frank Cobbaert
1916-1922
Editor-in-Chief
Peter Corteville
1920-1966
Owner, Printer
Hortense Leplae
1922-1954
Editor-in-Chief
Godelieve Van Reybrouck
1954-1974
Editor-in-Chief
Richard L. Corteville
1966-1974
Owner, Printer
The Belgian Publishing Inc. whose investors were: Rene De Serrano, Leon Buyse, Robert Devos, Richard Corteville, Maurice Sartrys, George Decraene, Albert Vandenbergh Sr., Morris DeFour, Remi Van Ackere, Joe Van Hoet, Oscar Hazebrouck, Henry Depoorter, Al Geldhof, Godelieve Van Reybrouck 
1974-
Owner(s), Printer
Leon Buyse
1974-1982
Editor-in-Chief + Karel Denys & Oscar Hazebrouck
Karel Denys
1982-1997
Editor-in-Chief (1982: + Oscar Haezebrouck)
Gabriëlle Casteleyn
1997-2006
Editor-in-Chief + Martha Vandenbergh + Margaret Roets
Elisabeth Khan-Van den Hove
BPI becomes an official 501c3 non-profit organization
2006-2012
Editor-in-Chief (2012: +Christine Vaughan-Naert)
Wim Vanraes
2012-2013
Editor-in-Chief (to April 18, 2013)
Interim Editors
April 18, 2013 to the end of 2013
Carine Christiaens Acks, Thomas Lambert, Monique Vangrieken, Denice Schomer, Michel van Hee and  Jeroen Van Cauwelaert
Carine Christiaens Acks
Starting 1/1/14
Editor-in-Chief printed version
Karen. A. DeCoster
Starting 1/1/14
Editor-in-Chief digital version
  



Contributors of Articles From the Detroit Metro Area (alphabetical):
Evarist Baetens (Water Street, Detroit); George Callewaert (Mt Elliot Ave- Detroit); Cy Carels; Charles Cools (Concord Ave- corner of  St.Paul, Detroit); Agnes Czerwonka; Louis Danckaert; John Debaets (Jefferson Avenue, East-Detroit); Angie DeCoster; Victor De Ketelaere (Mt Clemens, MI); Jerry Deneweth; Remi Dewilde (Gratiot Road, Detroit);  Art Eckhout; Etienne Elskens; Pat Fouchey; Ray Govaere; Cheryl Heckla; Norman Kay; Dorothy Lefief; Emma Mahieu ("Cheery Chatter"); Nathalie Padilla; Joseph Renier; Margaret Roets- Pattyn (Roseville); Dennis Pattyn; Henri Sabbe; Constant Sorgeloos; Elizabeth A. Stevens; Al VanDenBergh, Jr.; Patricia VanDenBergh; August Van Heck (Gratiot Road- Detroit); Alica VanLerberg McEndree; Cyril Verla (West Detroit); Elsie Verstraete.

US Contributors (outside of Detroit) alphabetical by state then town:
Carine Christiaens Acks, David Baeckelandt, Marie Bousfield, Robrecht Fossez & Diane Van Hoof (Chicago, IL); Omer Bonduelle & M. DE SMET (East Moline, IL); Louis De Keyser (Kewanee, IL); Richard Smits (Moline, IL);  William Braeckelaere (Mishawaka, IN); Albert Cashier (Shawnee, KS);  Louis Paul Rabaut (Louisville, KY); Patrick Cornelissen (Beverly, MA); Sandy Dhuyvetter (Emerald, MI); Greg Heller-LaBelle (Allentown, PA);  René Vanmulem (Rochester, NY);   Michel Van Hee, Jeroen Van Cauwelaert & Monique Vangrieken (Dallas, TX); Wim Vanraes (NJ); Jacqueline Goossens & Jason-Louise Graham (New York City); Guido DeBoeck & Thomas Lambert (Washington, DC);  Fr. Van Keymolen (Superior, WI); 


Contributors of Unknown Location but in the US:
Camille Alleene ; Marcel Alberic Defever; Cordula De Vlieger; Egbert Hans in ‘Kroniek der Week’: and his brother A.Hans; A. Godderis; Frank Lenssens; Erica Lutes;  Leon Meersseman; Nancy VanOphem; JoAnne Viviano.

Contrbutors in Canada (alphabetically by province then by city):
Karel Geeraert  (Calgary, AB); Emiel Bogaert: (Bruxelles, MB); Camiel De Buck (St. Boniface, MB); Andre Delbaere, Neil Pryce, Koen Reynaert, & Doug Speirs (Winnipeg, MB); Lester Bartson (NS); Judy Mendicino, Frank Van Raemdonck (Chatham, ON);   Constant Verschoore : Tobacco Growers around Delhi, Ontario under the banner ‘Ons Volk in Canada’;   Frank De Kort (Wallaceburg, ON) Paul Vergeylen (Montréal- QC).

Contributors in Belgium (alphabetical by city):
André De Ké (Aalter) under ‘Nieuws uit België’; Anna DeMuylder & Robrecht Sierra and Bruno Scheers (Antwerp); Paula Marckx (Berchem)’ Paula’s Place’; Hans Robberechts (Brasschaat); Rik Coolsaet  & Janine Denis (Brussels);  Annie Van Hee (Deerlijk); ‘Fine Arts’; Geert Deceuninck (Hooglede); Bert Segier (Ieper); Edith Vervliet (Knokke);  Ludwig & Doreen Vandenbussche (Leke) ‘In Flanders Fields’; Kim Torfs (Lier); Kaitlin N. Loomis (Meerbeek); Harold De Bruyn & Maria Keymolen (Ninove); André Bollaert (Nevele); Paul Callens (Pittem); Karel Meuleman (Rijmenam) ‘Sprokkels uit de lage landen’; ‘Sports’;  Marcel Supene ‘ Sport in ’t kort’; René De Langhe ‘In en om Tielt’ en ‘Onder de halletoren’ (Tielt); Guy and Leen (+) Cleymans- De Doncker (Zemst);  Pieter De Backer (Zwijnaarde- Stuttgart). Unknown Location: F.R. Boschvogel; Joost De Bleeckere; Wim De Weerdt;  Johan De Vriendt; Ernest & Willy Clarysse; Nina Daems; Emmy Swerts; Jozef Vandromme; Dominique L. Van Rentergem;


Siginificant Financial Donors: His Excellency Dr. G. Andre Bens; King Baudouin Foundation U.S. (Jean-Paul Warmoes & Ellena Fotinatos); His Excellency Herman Portocarero; Mr. Georges Picavet.

Volunteers:
Marion Allemon : Volunteers Mailing Out & Annual Dinner Volunteer
Paul Allemon : Volunteers Mailing Out & Annual Dinner Volunteer
Diane Baier : Board Member & Annual Dinner Organizer
Walt Baier : Board Member
Alberta Bauer: Volunteer Mailing Out
Donn Brooks: Volunteer Mailing Out
Marge Brooks: Volunteer Mailing Out
Clyde Bender : Volunteer Mailing Out
Rick Biggs, CPA: pro bono Tax Filing for BPI
Philippe Byosiere: Advisory Board Member
Nina Daems:  Advisory Board Member
Patrick (Pat) Delaere : Volunteer Mailing Out
Anna DeMuylder: Advisory Board Member
Mareille de Barry- Willkenson : Annual Dinner Volunteer
Aline De Serrano: Board Member and Donor
Ivan Dewilde : Created the Gazette website in March, 2007
Nancy Fisher: Annual Dinner Volunteer
Betty Ghesquiere: Proofreader.
Bob Joye: Volunteer Mailing Out           
Rika McGie (Lannoo): Annual Dinner Volunteer
Nathalie Padilla : Translator- Volunteer
Denise Paulauskas- Opsommer : Proofreader
Joe Samyn: Board Member
Denice Schomer (Destross): Business Manager since 2009.
Olivier Smekens: Board Member
Richard  Tanghe:  Annual Dinner Volunteer and pro bono Accountant CPA  
Luc Van Braekel: Board Member & Website Manager 2012
Karl Van den Broeck: Board Member & MC of Knokke-Heist Fundraiser
Jeroen Van Cauwelaert, Esq.: pro bono Legal Advice and Filings
Paul Van Halteren: Honorary Belgian Consul, Midwest
Irma Van Massenhove : Volunteer Mailing Out
Matthew Steenkiste, Esq.: pro bono Legal Advice and Filings & Board Member
Edith Vervliet: European Editor & Fashion Editor
Jan Vroman:  Annual Dinner Volunteer  
Vilma Vroman:  Annual Dinner Volunteer  

Special Vendors:
Dan DeRoeck (web services)
Alex Lumelsky (printing and Creator of 100th Anniversary Logo)

Notable Advisory Board Volunteers:
Wouter Bossu; Mieke Cloet; Nina Daems; Anna DeMuylder; Sandy Dhuyvetter; Dimitri Hoegaerts; Thomas Lambert;  Jan Offner; Bart Ryckbosch; Ellen Samyn; Bart Servais;  Robrecht Sierra; Matthias Storme;

Het Verhaal Translators:
Beatrice Blindeman; Caro Henauw; Jan Offner; Arlette Querval; Jeroen Van Cauwelaert; Michel Van Hee; Diane Van Hoof.

Editor-in-Chief: Carine Christiaens Acks

The Board of Directors, August 13, 2014:
David Baeckelandt (President & Chairman of the Board) – Chicago, IL
Evert De Bock 
Karen DeCoster – Detroit*
Maureen Mahieu Kay – Detroit
Johan (Joe) Mares - Chatham, ON, Canada**
Karel Meuleman – Rijneman, Belgium
Margaret Pattyn-Roets – Detroit
Bruno Scheers – Kortrijk, Belgium
Dr. Bastiaan Vanacker – Chicago
Al VanDenBergh Jr. – Detroit
Pat VanDenBergh – Detroit
Ludwig Vandenbussche – Leke, Belgium
Michel Van Hee – Dallas, TX

* Incoming Vice-President
** Incoming President



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