On Saturday, about 60 motorcyclists braved the cold and fog to join the Santa Máxima tour through North Holland dressed as Santa Claus. This raises money for the Princess Máxima Center in Utrecht, where children with cancer are treated. The counter is already over 15,000 euros. “We ride with a smile and a tear.”
It is bleak in Abbekerk, where the participants gather. But that doesn’t stop countless motorcyclists from taking a ride through North Holland. Santa Máxima has been committed to the ‘accommodation and activities’ department of the Princess Máxima Center in Utrecht for several years, so that activities can be held during the treatments. “So that the children forget the illness for a while and can be a child again,” says organizer Minko van Es from De Rijp.
Together with Arno van Kampen from Abbekerk, he is the face behind the Santa Máxima. The tour once started in North Holland, but is now held in 7 provinces. “I think there are between 350 and 500 Santa Clauses riding a motorcycle throughout the Netherlands today.”
Heart warming
Vince (5) from Beverwijk also rides today, in a sidecar. He suffers from lymph node cancer. Father Thomas more than applauds the action. “When we came to the hospital last year, Vince was sent a big hug. It turned out to be from Arno and Minko. We love what they do and support them 110 percent. The children stay in a hospital for a long time during treatment. hospital and then it is important that they can still be a child now and then and have distractions. Heartwarming when you see how many people want to be involved here.”
“We ride with a smile and a tear,” says Minko. “We try to bring a lot of fun to this day. We try to create that with this ride.”
The journey also has a personal meaning for Sandra van Laar from Purmerend. Two years ago she lost her son Arno to a rare form of cancer. He was only 15 years old. His photo is glued to the engine screen. “That’s how he is with us. Everyone joins in, that’s great. If you’re talking about the ultimate Christmas feeling: I can’t describe it better than this.”