Meet Wendy Hehemann of Dutch Club of Arizona (DCAZ) aka Dutch Connection of Arizona

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Hehemann.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The Dutch Connection or Dutch Business Association in Arizona as they were started in 1988, when KLM (Royal Dutch Airline) was looking for an international airport, possibly Phoenix. The honorary consul Siebe van de Zee and other Dutch business people started the association. Eventually, KLM chose Los Angeles but the association remained. Most meetings were business-like but the main event was Koninginnendag to celebrate the Queens’ birthday on or around April 30.

I moved to Arizona in 1997 and the first event we attended was the Queen’s birthday, at the Pueblo Grande Museum that time. Since we had 2 little children, we started to go to the Sinterklaas afternoon as well. Sinterklaas or St Nicholas would arrive on a boat ( pontoon boat) with his helper and had small presents.

Over the years, my family and I attended several parties to celebrate the Queen’s birthday and Sinterklaas and would go to the McCormick Railroad Park in Scottsdale for Pannenkoeken in het Park in the spring. Older members would leave and new people would come to the events and then, for many years, I did not attend get together’s anymore.

In 2016, I went to a New year’s Happy Hour and realized the “gezelligheid”was still there and started to go again. When the then board members were looking for people to take over, I became more formally involved and now, I have been part of the board for a little over a year.

We started with a New Year’s toast and general member meeting to introduce the new board in January, had Pancakes in the Park in March with more than 60 people, King’s day (Queen Beatrix’ son Willem Alexander succeeded her) with an even larger group. We had a few smaller Happy Hours, a reception with the Dutch Consul from San Francisco; Gerbert Kunst, a potluck and Sinterklaas. And in January, we had a visit and reception with the Dutch Ambassador Henne Schuwer from Washington DC and the New Year’s toast again.

Has it been a smooth road?
The Dutch Club of Arizona has had many boards in the years since it was founded, sometimes a very active board, sometimes a not so active board.

Setting up the different events is often a lot of work for a small group of people but to see how many people are still interesting in maintaining that connection with the Netherlands, that is why we do what we do. Some of the first members still attend the festivities and newly immigrated families learn where to buy Dutch groceries for the people who have been here a while. Expats come and go and others stay in the Valley of the Sun.

In the beginning, we received a paper newsletter, by mail. Nowadays, we use email and social media!

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I think I addressed most things in an earlier bullet.

Dutch people like to get together and celebrate our old traditions. In the past, we had a paid membership but that became a cumbersome task, now, people just register and pay for the event they would like to attend.

DCAZ is more centered around the valley, however in Tucson is another Dutch group, that recently changed people and they have monthly Happy Hours.

Now, that I was writing the start of the club, I realize we can celebrate the 30th anniversary of the club, we should invite the members of the first hour and recognize them at the next King’s Day event!

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Dutch people live allover the state and it can be challenge to find a meeting place that works for all. The current board members are more in the east valley so events tend to happen around Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler.
The traditional location for Pancakes in the Park is and will remain the McCormick Railroad park in Scottsdale.

And, people just know they have to travel to see other Dutch people, still closer than to go to the Netherlands!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.dutchclubarizona.com/
• Email: dutchclubarizona@gmail.com

Upcoming events:

• March 18, Pannenkoeken in het Park (Pancakes in the Park) McCormick Railroad Park in Scottsdale
• April 28, Koningsdag (King’s Day) in Chandler
• November 16, Dutch American Heritage Day, Happy hour or visit to dairy farm in Gilbert
• December 9, Sinterklaas at Fountain of the Sun in Mesa

*Details will be shared on the website and Facebook page

Image Credit:
Suzy de Keizer suzyapple5@gmail.com

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