Petra de Jager from Zevenbergen is the Brabander of the Year 2020. Petra makes the wish of her deceased daughter Prisca come true by handing out shopping packages at Christmas time to people who have hardly anything to spend. Petra is honored to have received the most votes. “I’m sure Prisca looks down very proudly from her cloud.”
The announcement of the Brabander of the Year:
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Prisca was only 17 when she died in a motorcycle accident with her father Remco. Two months earlier, she had told her mother that if she got a job later, she wanted to do something good for people who are struggling this Christmas.
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Petra: “Unfortunately it never came to that. So I decided to hand out shopping packages on her behalf around Christmas. The Prisca Christmas Promotion. That was her wish. Such a shame that she was not able to make it happen herself.”
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The moment it is revealed on a big screen that Petra is the Brabander of the year 2020, she bursts into tears. Petra puts her hand over her mouth and looks up.
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Recovering from the shock a bit and with a glass of champagne in her hand, she explains radiantly: “I only do it because she can’t do it anymore, but it is Prisca’s wish. She deserves the honor and the credits. Wow, I really didn’t expect this. ”
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“I know that Prisca looks very proudly. And that she is very happy that we do this every year for the minimum age. It is such a shame that she was not able to do it herself. But I am sure that she is very proud of her cloud. look down now. “
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Although she does not have a lot of money herself, Petra pays all groceries for the Prisca Christmas Promotion out of pocket. Every year she saves about 800 to 1000 euros. She will use it to buy groceries in December for people who cannot afford it themselves. “For example a gourmet dish. Some people eat sandwiches differently for Christmas dinner. How sad is that?”
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In 2015, Petra distributed the packages for the first time on behalf of Prisca. More families join every year. Petra beams: “I’ve done it for five years in a row now. Last year I was able to give no fewer than 43 families a beautiful Christmas. And this year we’re going for a hundred.”
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Not only Petra, but also all care workers were put in the spotlight. Before the lockdown, Christel de Laat made a tour of honor past all Brabant hospitals and various care centers to thank them for their efforts and hard work this year. Armed with a cake and a beautiful statue in the shape of a heart, she thanked the caregivers, nurses and doctors in their very own way.
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Christel’s tour of honor for healthcare:
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