08.01.2025 - Career
As the shift supervisor in paper production at WEPA in Swalmen, my day-to-day work has a lot to do with machines and paper of course. My true passion though is in putting a smile on people’s faces. For me it’s important that my colleagues can laugh when they come to work and that, later on, they go home with a smile. I think this aspect’s very important, and especially in my free time when I try to achieve something positive through my hobby: and that’s hiking!
What started with a pair of hiking boots has turned into a passion that really changed my family and myself. The decisive turning point came when we experienced a serious loss in the family: my father-in-law died of cancer. That hit us deeply and also opened our eyes. My wife and I decided not just to mourn silently but to become active, so we started getting involved with cancer funds and combining our walks with fundraising.
Another defining experience was the illness of one of our children. During that difficult period we got to know CliniClowns – it’s an organisation that sends clowns to sick children to bring a smile to their faces. We were moved so much by that, so we decided to actively support them as well.
So this year, with my wonderful wife and my cousin I set myself a special challenge: to go up the Col du Galibier – it’s one of the highest asphalted passes in the Alps at 2,645 metres! To take part, everyone had to collect at least 450 euros in donations – and we easily beat that thanks to support from WEPA and the generous donations from many people in our collection boxes, including at the local supermarket and bakery. Together with 300 participants, we raised an incredible 350,000 euros for CliniClowns!
Hiking isn’t just a hobby for me but a credo for life. It teaches me to appreciate the beauty of nature and to challenge my mind and body – and now I can achieve some good with it as well. I want to pass on these values to my children, which is why we go on a short hike together each and every week. Also, despite my full-time job and large family I’m training and educating myself further, so I show my children that people should never stop learning.