PBAC to host presentation on Belgian social history

From the Belgian Heritage Center,

BRUSSELS – The Peninsula Belgian American Club (PBAC) is sharing a special presentation to the community to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Belgian American clubs focused on social, charitable and fraternal objectives in northeastern Wisconsin starting over 100 years ago.

Eventually the clubs dissolved; however, a group would arise to address a common concern and again have a new purpose and achieve new objectives.

These clubs helped people of Belgian ancestry locally, as well as providing for the needs of the oppressed Belgians during the World Wars.

The first local club existed in the 1890s out of Green Bay.

By 1913, the membership had increased to 500 members.

With the outbreak of World War I, the members, along with coordination with the Chicago Belgian American Club, raised over $2000 and shipped flour to Belgium.

A ladies’ group called the Queen Elizabeth Belgian American Club sent food baskets to the sick,

and during World War II sent clothing for the Belgian relief fund.

In 1935, the Wisconsin Belgian American Club disbanded but the Queen Elizabeth Belgian American Club continued and invited the men to join their group.

Please join us on Aug.15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Belgian Heritage Center, 1255 County Rd DK,

Brussels, to learn more from two current members of the Peninsula Belgian

American Club — Gary VandenHouten and Jack Alexander — as they take you through the history of the Belgian-American clubs in northeast Wisconsin.

Also included will be a history of local events from the past 65 years that changed current-day Namur.

Gary VandenHouten grew up on a farm near Brussels, and studied history as an undergraduate and clinical psychology in graduate school.

Upon retirement, he is back into history researching his ancestry.

He will share through research in local newspapers the early years of the Green Bay clubs.

Jack Alexander grew up in Namur with his parents who ran a tavern business.

He graduated from Southern Door Schools, earned a degree in business education from UW- Whitewater, taught at West De Pere High School for 35 years, and earned a master’s degree in school counseling from UW-Stout.

Now retired, Jack lives a short distance from Namur and is currently completing research on tavern businesses in the towns of Union and Brussels.

He will share the history and the activities of the Peninsula Belgian American Club that started in 1964 that continues today.

He will also describe the efforts to start a National Belgian Village in the Namur area.

A small exhibit is now on display at the Belgian Heritage Center through Aug. 18 to commemorate the Peninsula Belgian American Club’s 60th anniversary.

For information, contact Gary VandenHouten at 920-382-9638 or

garyvandenhouten1947@gmail.com.