Although Donald Debel had an impressive sporting career, he is mainly known in Ardooie as a bellman. Since 2009 he has also been a member of the prestigious Gilde der Bellemannen. Mayor Véronique Buyck calls him a “unique ambassador of the municipality”. “It is the most original form of city marketing, Ardooie’s best export product,” she adds.
The efforts of the retired professional soldier were previously recognized with the sports prize in 1979 and 1983, the Press Prize in 2012 and the Culture Prize in 2020.