Abel de Boer from Darp was decorated this afternoon as a Member of the Order of Orange Nassau. He received the award from the mayor of Westerveld, Rikus Jager. De Boer was one of the founders of two organizations in Havelte: the Havelter Mill Foundation and the Historical Association of Havelte and the Surrounding Area.
With four others, De Boer founded the Historical Association of Havelte and the Surrounding Area in 1989. He was a board member here for more than eleven years and, partly due to his efforts, the association currently has approximately 500 members. With this association he was also involved in the publication of the information magazine ‘Onsen Spiker’ and the annual publication of a historical calendar.
In 1991, De Boer was also involved in the establishment of the Havelter Molen Foundation. De Boer also served on the board of this foundation as secretary for many years. He also played an important role in the renovation of the outside of the mill and, in 1994, in making the mill rotatable and ready for grinding again.
De Boer even decided to become a miller and, for almost thirty years, could be found at the mill in Havelte almost every Saturday afternoon.
The payment took place during the New Year’s reception of the Havelter Molen Foundation.