The Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) House Eindhoven has been saved and so the first children can enter Steentjeskerk (stone church) on Saturday. Last week, chairman Olof van Gelder sounded the alarm because there was a major shortage of volunteers. Dozens of people have now registered and the five-year anniversary can be celebrated.
Van Gelder had sleepless nights last week, because the Sinterklaas celebration was still highly uncertain. “We have a permanent group of volunteers who fortunately help every year, but there are also people who can no longer do it. Because they have moved, have another job or no longer feel like it”.
So this year it was borderline, but thanks to last week’s call, the Sinterklaas House is running again. “Eighteen volunteers have registered within a week. We are now minimally occupied, so this means that some days there are more Sinterklaas helpers than others. In any case, we do not have to disappoint any children”.
Tickets available
This was a lot of reassurance for the organisation, because the preparations were already in full swing. “We had already advertised extensively in the city, the building obviously had to be rented and all kinds of other costs had already been incurred. If it had ultimately not gone ahead, this would have been a real blow to us”.
Fortunately, ticket sales are going in the right direction and have even been sold out for days. “There are still plenty of tickets available, but now that the Sinterklaas news has started, things are going extra fast”.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
