A boy who destroyed Sinterklaas decorations in Sint-Oedenrode last weekend has reported. On December 5, he reported to the committee that had arranged the decorations. The perpetrator has apologized. “He wants to compensate for the damage and is even willing to help paint for next year,” says chairman Ed Steenbakkers delighted.
The chairman and the other members of the committee were faced with an unpleasant surprise on Monday morning. The decorations on the roundabouts in the village, which volunteers had worked on for days, lay in pieces on the ground. Vandals had torn loose the decorations and smashed them, among other things, with paving stones removed from the street.
“He didn’t want to ruin the Sinterklaas party in the village.”
While Sinterklaas and his helpers visited the living rooms in the village on Monday, it started to gnaw at one of the vandals. “A little before six o’clock tonight we were called by a boy who confessed that he destroyed the things after going out in a drunken stupor,” says Steenbakkers. “He also thinks that Sinterklaas should be celebrated as always in the village. So make a fun party with many volunteers. He didn’t want to ruin that.”
The boy let it be known that he wants to compensate the damage of 100 euros and has already signed up to paint as a volunteer for next year. “I really appreciate that,” says Steenbakkers. “When I think back to my childhood, things happened with a beer that shouldn’t have happened. So I think it’s great that he’s reporting. Then you have balls.”
“This is a signal to the rest of the walkers.”
Soon Ed will sit down with the boy ‘and a cup of coffee’ to solve it together. There are no doubts whether there will be a re-decoration next year. “This is a signal to the rest of the walkers that this is not appreciated and tolerated here. Then we also have to take the step that all six roundabouts will be decorated,” says Steenbakker. “And with the extra help, I am convinced that we will succeed.”
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