Royal decoration for Mr. Van De Weijer

Mr. A.J.M. (Loek) Van De Weijer (age 76) received a Royal Decoration on November 4 from the hands of Ms. Petra Dassen-Housen, Mayor of Kerkrade, for his many achievements, including in the fields of culture, Health, politics and dialect. He was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Dialect

Mr. van de Weijer is best known for his efforts on behalf of the Kerkrade dialect. For example, since 2007 he has played a major role in the Dialect Working Group of the Municipality of Kerkrade. He has also been closely involved in this biennial dialect festival since the first edition of Kichroa Jeet Plat in 2007. In addition, texts of his appeared in dialect in various editions of 'Platbook', a series of anthologies in Limburgish.
 

Since 2018, together with dialect writer Wim Heijmans, he has been writing the online feuilleton in Kerkrade dialect 'Jinne Prul' in Dagblad De Limburger. In addition, he posts short limericks, or 'Sjlauwberjer', daily on his Facebook page, where he has gathered a large number of dialect-loving followers.

Carnival

Mr. Van De Weijer is also a familiar figure during carnival. As court jester, he was associated with Kirchröatsjer Vasteloavends Verain (KVV) Alaaf Kirchroa 1936 from 1992 to 2001. Since 2018, he has been one of the editorial board members within the association's Kommissiejoeën Vasteloavendstsiedonk. In addition, from 2004 to 2010 he was the driving force behind the Balla Zietsóng, the alternative carnival sitting in Kerkrade.

Music

Mr. Van De Weijer has been a volunteer with the World Music Contest (WMC) Foundation for more than 50 years. During the WMC editions of 2009, 2013 and 2017, he was the initiator of the Paramusicadag, a day when people with disabilities are given the opportunity to make music and enjoy music together.

He was also involved as a singer and lyricist from 2000 to 2005 with Lidsjerverain 't Darf jinne naam han, a five-member music formation that participated several times in the Limburgs Vasteloavends Leedjes Konkoer (LVK).

Health

From 2011 to 2021, Mr. Van De Weijer has been a volunteer at Hospice De Vlinderhof. In his own quiet, amiable way he has contributed during this period to a dignified stay of many people in their last phase of life. He has also been active as an unpaid caregiver for two people in his immediate vicinity since 2012.

(Hiking) guide

Since 1997, Mr. Van De Weijer has been involved in organizing the Vierge Tour, a three-day contemplative journey from Chèvremont to the chapel on the mountain near Vaux Souz Chevremont in Belgium. He is making the necessary preparations for this pilgrimage.

In addition, he has been regularly setting out beautiful hiking routes in the South Limburg region and the Voerstreek since 2012. He has also been serving as a city guide on the Beleefbus Kerkrade since 2017.

Politics

Finally, Mr. Van De Weijer has been involved in local politics within Gemeente Kerkrade since 2005.

He provides advice, hands-on services and, of course, translation work if a party wishes to make an expression in the Kerkrade dialect.