Thursday and Friday (September 6th & 7th) the Genealogical Center for Goeree-Overflakkee in Dirksland opened their doors in the evenings especially for us. We appreciated them opening for us and allowing us to research after hours. Several ancestors were dug up on those two nights.

Friday, September 7th we enjoyed a fabulous bus tour of the Goeree-Overflakkee island. We started out in Ouddorp and went to the Raad and Polderhuis. From there we traveled to Sommelsdijk and enjoyed the Streekmuseum. Then to Middelharnis for lunch on the harbor. After lunch we went to the village of Goedereede and went on a fantastic walking tour. Goedereede is a very interesting village and full of history... witches and all. Back on the bus to return to Ouddorp and take a tour of the windmill "De Zwaan," where they also made wooden shoes.

Saturday, September 8th, GOEREE REUNION DAY, in the MFG-Center, Dorpstienden 4, Ouddorp. The doors opened at 8:45 and at about 9:15 the Mayor of Goedereede welcomed us while we enjoyed a traditional Dutch pastry and a drink. Several locals had set up some interesting genealocial displays, including some computers, books, etc. The Genealocial archives of Dirksland brought several index books for our use for finding ancestors. We spent time finding dead as well as "alive" relatives. Many of us met cousins we never knew existed!

Afternoon they served us a delicious typical Dutch lunch. Then we had a very pleasant surprise! A group of about 20 people all dressed in native costumes came walking into the hall. It was such a special treat to see how our ancestors used to dress!

At 6:00 p.m. a dinner was held for us at the Gouden Leeouw in the room in which the RC priest, Adriaan Florisz Boeyens (1459-1523), once lived. The pastor later became Pope Adrianus VI, the only Dutchman to reach this office.

It was very obvious to all who attended that Leo Akershoek had gone to a great deal of work to make these reunion days very special for us. Without Leo's generous talent of giving, organizing, and enthusiam for genealogy, many of us would not have been in The Netherlands. It was a marvelous experience for everyone!

Leo Akershoek

View my Goeree-Overflakkee SURNAME list of over 25,000 persons!

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