Belgian Heritage Center gets funding for outdoor exhibits

BRUSSELS – The Belgian Heritage Center was the recipient of a $3,000 grant from the Green Bay Packer Foundation.

The grant will be used to professionally design and curate outdoor exhibits at the Belgian Heritage Center.

A series of five new exhibits will share the story of the Belgian settlers in Southern Door, Brown and Kewaunee counties and the significance of the campus’ former church, school/convent and cemetery.

Outdoor exhibits will provide all day, year-round insight into local history for visitors stopping after hours or off season.

“The Belgian Heritage Center is especially pleased to be recognized by the Green Bay Packer Foundation because of the many connections between the Packers and the Belgian community,” a release from the Belgian Heritage Center stated.

“Curly Lambeau was known as the ‘Bellicose Belgian’ because of his roots. His grandparents all immigrated from Belgium and many of the early players had Belgian roots. Others of Belgian ancestry made significant contributions to the Packers. Frank John Jonet (1883-1951) from Tonet, Wisc., was an accountant with the Packers and guided the reorganized Packers when they emerged from receivership in early 1935. Judge Robert James Parins (1918-2017), was born in Namur, Wisc., and became the first full-time Green Bay Packers president in 1982. Judge Parins served as a member of the Packers Board of Directors for 28 years. “

To learn more about these connections, visit the Lambeau exhibit at the Belgian Heritage Center, located at 1255 County Road DK, Brussels.

For more on the center, visit https://www.belgianheritagecenter.org.