Kaitlin Doherty / DELHI NEWS-RECORD
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
    
After 60 years the Delhi Belgian Club is still the place to be seen.

With glitz and glamour galore, hundreds of Belgians – including plenty of guests that were not – dressed to the nines to celebrate family and heritage history.

Years ago, ancestors of Delhi residents made an emotional choice to gather their belongings and family and made their way to start a new and bright future in a new land.

To help celebrate at a gala on Saturday, the Belgian Club welcomed Paul DeVos, Council General of Belgium.

“I’m here on this great occasion to encourage everyone,” he said. “I know that most guests here tonight have family back in Belgium and are missing them. We are all very proud and very attached to where we come from, and that’s something to celebrate.”

Stepping foot on North American soil for the first time two months ago, DeVos, was thrilled to tour Delhi and take in all that it has to offer.

“Seeing the tobacco farms and the tobacco museum was very interesting,” he said. “I have now witnessed firsthand second and third generation Belgians succeeding and they are very present here in this community. I would like them to maintain this presence and identity in the future.”

After travelling the world for many years, DeVos said he is glad to have his wife Huong, and children San, 11, and Van, 10, in Canada.

“We consider ourselves a part of an international community and we are so excited to be here in Canada and especially Delhi. Everyone has been very welcoming,” he said. “I have noticed that even Delhi is multicultural, and that is nice and something to be proud of.”

As guests mingled among each other and enjoyed music, food and drink, the atmosphere was filled with fun, laughter and pride.

“Everyone is out enjoying each other,” said Delhi council representative Mike Columbus. “Everyone is talking about their heritage and sharing stories. There are many different nationalities here and that is nice to see. This means a lot to everyone.”

Columbus and Belgian Club president Marc Vanden Bussche had the honour of touring Norfolk County with DeVos.

“We went to the museum and took in the sites,” Columbus said. “It was great to show him that the heritage has remained very strong here.”

Entertaining the crowd after dinner was Tony Sandler “Son of Flanders” and pianist Dave Gross, accordionist Ludo Marien and The 905 Band.

“Everyone has been very hospitable and it has been a wonderful evening,” DeVos said.

“Everything that the Belgian Club has done recently, from the bands and music to the renovations, has rejuvenated and rekindled the spirit of what it was years ago,” Columbus said. “This was and still is the place to be. They have done very well.”