The residents of Heeze are full of confidence about the future at the Brabant Day. This Sunday, the theater parade will be driving through the streets of their village for the 66th time, and they are convinced that many years will follow. Because the youth is fully involved in the event. “We sometimes have to slow them down, otherwise they will already take over,” says Joost Haneveer of Bouwgroep ‘De Rooie Hoek’ laughing.
His construction group consists of approximately 170 members, of which about 50 under 12 years old. “So we have enough future,” says Joost Haneveer. We see the evidence around him in the tent where the Red Hoek builds. Many young people who are building a car this evening that they adorn with the beautiful slogan: ‘From spirit companies to party companies’, all within the theme ‘carnival unmasked’.
Prices scrapped
Joost Haneveer was on behalf of the construction groups in a working group that has bent over the judging of the Brabant Day. Some prices have been deleted for the clarity. But what remains are the ‘honorable mentions individually’. “But,” says Joost Haneveer, “they are now only for children who distinguish themselves one way or another on the course.”
Last year the honor of the now 13-year-old Sven Vermeulen from Friends Group Kapelstraat. He no longer knows what the price is called. “But I noticed,” he says proudly. Sven is in a wheelchair. An installation was built around it. And so he drove around at the theater parade while he lived in his role. Even now, Sven can be found at the construction site again after night and is reserved for him on the car.
If you ask Joost Haneveer how it is possible that the young people do not play in Heeze but build, he does not have to think long. “Just pour in with the spoon. In the winter we will play gaming, we will build in the summer.”