The Holland Society of New York Fall Medalist Banquet

Sixty-four Members, Fellows, Friends, and their families and guests attended the 123rd Annual Banquet of The Holland Society of New York at the Union Club in Manhattan on November 13, 2008 . The gala event celebrated Dutch-American Heritage Day and honored this year's Society Gold Medalist, Len Tantillo. The evening began with a cocktail reception in the club's magnificent grand hall, where Members and guests mingled and met Mr. Tantillo, his wife, Corliss, the New York City Consul General of the Netherlands, the Honorable Mr. Gajus Scheltema, and New York City Commissioner of the Department of Records and Information Services, Brian G. Andersson, representing New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Following cocktails, Society President John B. VanDerbeek IV, his wife, Diane, Banquet Chairman Stephen S. Wyckoff, and his wife, Lori, formed a receiving line with the honored guests into the main dining room—adorned with large bouquets of flowers at each table—while two members of the Lester Lanin Orchestra played background music.

Chairman Wyckoff welcomed the gathering and requested that everyone stand for the traditional Parading of the Beaver. This was followed by the singing of the Dutch and American national anthems, the traditional Dutch hymn “We Gather Together,” and the American favorite “God Bless America .” After the invocation by the Reverend Everett L. Zabriskie III, President VanDerbeek gave the traditional toast to Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands , Consul General Scheltema to the President of the United States , Chairman Wyckoff to Mr. Tantillo, and Mr. Tantillo to The Holland Society. Chairman Wyckoff then introduced Commissioner Andersson, who presented a declaration to the Society from Mayor Bloomberg.

Following a delicious three-course dinner and dancing between courses to the music of the Lester Lanin Orchestra, President VanDerbeek introduced Mr. Tantillo and presented him with the Society's Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Fine Arts. Mr. Tantillo thanked the Society and then regaled the audience with a fascinating address about his meticulously-researched artistic representations of New Netherland , detailing how he gradually came to depicting the world of the New Netherland Dutch from his original interest in architectural drawings.

At the conclusion of the banquet, Chairman Wyckoff thanked all of those who had made the evening a success, including Society Executive Secretary Hanny Veenendaal, who was presented with a bouquet of flowers. Chairman Wyckoff then asked the gathering to continue dancing to the music of the orchestra.