“We left Holland on the 22nd of October and arrived in New York in an immigration boat,” Bronius said. “We got off and saw the sights but had to also get everything checked and get immunizations. Then we were put on a train to Dayton.”
Bronius’ family was sponsored by a member of the Bear Creek Church, and he picked them up at the station in Dayton and took them to their new rental home on Hoover Avenue on Dayton’s West side.
“My dad started working for General Motors as a polisher and grinder,” Bronius said. “And my sister was 12 so she started school right away.”
To Bronius and her family, the new home seemed spacious compared to where they lived in Holland. They had three bedrooms, and a large kitchen and best of all, a back yard.
“In Holland no one had yards,” Bronius said. “We all lived in high rise apartments. It was a very impressive thing to us.”
Still reeling from the aftereffects of World War II, Holland struggled to rebuild. Two of Bronius’ uncles had already left the country to immigrate to Canada and were doing well. Bronius and her family came to Dayton because this was where they could get a sponsor.
“My dad ended up liking it here and he worked very hard,” Bronius said. “And my mother liked that she could get her groceries at the IGA store all at the same place. We didn’t have that in Holland.”
The family had its very first television in their rental house, which became a learning tool.
“You learn a lot from being with and talking to English speaking people,” Bronius said.
Bronius had already finished school before leaving Holland. She admits she wasn’t happy to leave her friends and the only home she ever knew. But she made the best of it, taking English classes at Patterson Co-Op and finding work.
“I worked at Grandview Hospital as a nurses aide,” Bronius said. “I did that for 40 years.”
The Dutch culture and language were important to the family, and they sought out other immigrants in Dayton. In 1958, Bronius’ father decided to start the Holland America Club to help maintain their culture and heritage.
“At that time especially we needed each other,” Bronius said. “Being with people from our own country helped us keep up with our Dutch language and develop a closeness.”
The club started small with just a few members but soon began meeting at different family homes and steadily grew Then in 1974, the first A World A’Fair was conducted in Dayton, a festival designed to celebrate the diversity of the local community. It started with local ethnic churches and became a three-day festival including food, dancing, music and exhibits of culture and heritage from more than 30 countries.
Members of the Holland America Club worked together to decide on what Dutch foods they would share with the festival goers and chose deep friend apples rolled in powdered sugar or “Appelflappen,” which were an immediate hit. The club joined the festival during the second year in 1975, making this year their 50th year of involvement.
“We have 65 members now and we also started a dance group,” Bronius said. “It’s nice to get the younger children involved in that to help keep it going.”
Today, at the age of 85, Bronius admits she knew nothing about Dayton or Ohio when she emmigrated all those years ago.
“I’m happy here now,” Bronius said. “I think about my mom and dad coming over here in their 40s and I wonder how they did that.”
Bronius and her sister continued to speak Dutch at home with their parents in order to keep their language. Her sister, Johanna, is married and now has two sons and she speaks Dutch to them as well. She also has four grandchildren.
“My dad was president of the club several times over the years,” Bronius said. “Then I was president and my sister, and her husband got very involved. Now my great nephew Zach Upton is president.”
Bronius said the most important thing to her preserving her heritage. And participating in the International Festival – A World A’Fair every year helps the members continue and share that legacy.
“It’s important to learn about other cultures,” Bronius said. “There’s also a lot to see in the US and I’m proud to be here and it’s a good life in America. But we should always remember where we came from.”
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