Five community-impacting donations of $20,000 each, were awarded to Fundacion Pedal for Progress, Fundacion Respeta Mi, Fundashon Ultimo Deseo Aruba, Stichting Cas Marie and Stichting ScubbleBubbles, at Long Table Aruba.

Long Table Aruba, a one-night-only culinary charity pop up event hosted by Wind Creek Aruba held its 8th annual celebration last Sunday. Billed as the only meal worth $100,000 for Aruba, Long Table Aruba featured a delicious three course dinner served to ticket holders by more than 250 volunteer Wind Creek employees. The excellent entertainment was entrusted to the Sunny Ray Band with famed local musicians Reno Steba, and Jeremy Bonarriba. Raphael, a keyboard player whose last name I could not find, joined in to accompany a lovely female vocalist, who was never introduced by name. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of generous donations to five people’s choice local organizations.

Fundacion Pedal for Progress instructs toddlers riding bikes to conduct themselves safely in traffic, and navigate roads and vehicles carefully, a lifesaving skill. Fundacion Respeta Mi deals with unfortunate child and youth related issues on the island. Fundashon Ultimo Deseo Aruba, does just that, granting last wishes to residents. Stichting Cas Marie runs a daycare facility and social club for the elderly and Stichting ScubbleBubbles teaches high schoolers how to restore and regrow corals.

The public voted online for these foundations, and the five winners represent an excellent cross section of volunteer work on the island.

Compliments to that same public, all dressed in white with a touch of red!

Paul Gielen, General Manager, Wind Creek Aruba, had the pleasure again to hand out checks and thank his community for pitching in so generously.

Last year, I complimented the chef, for the excellent food he served. He managed to feed 1,000 guests, brilliantly, cold was cold, hot was hot. He then told me that he already started working on the 2026 menu and indeed it was an innovative three course delight.

It was.

The menu: Bread & butter – Flaky Pastry, Sun-Dried Tomato & Pesto, served with Herb Butter; PANNA COTTA  – Passion Fruit, Ajo Blanco, Serrano, Herb Oil, with the Chef’s Version of mini Pan Bati, paired with Josh Cellars Seaswept Pinot Grigio; SPINACH AND MORINGA CANNELLONI – Chicken Keshi Yena Stuffed Cannelloni, Parmesan Sauce, Raisin Glaze, Green Olive Crumble, and Gouda Crisp, paired with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Mapu Chardonnay or Three Thieves Pinot Noir. Two glasses of wine were included. The dessert was served in a bag to go, TRES LECHES – Ponche Crema Mousse & Caramel, Served with Traditional Cocada, with the recipe to go, for those of us with kitchen ambitions.

Especially notable, all three courses, the passion fruit glazed Panna Cotta, with a charming tuille net, and the Keshi Yena stuffed moringa pasta, and the elaborate dessert. How did the chef come up with that.

What is on the menu next year?

Since Wind Creek Aruba’s arrival in 2017, community impact has been a tenet of the property operations. As the main giving event for Wind Creek operations in Aruba, Long Table Aruba collected $60.000 from attending guests and pitched in with $40.000 on behalf of the organization.

The event brought the community together and the Wind Creek teams together, and it seems to us it is here to stay.

Renaissance Aruba received the cooperation from the authorities to close L.G. Smith Boulevard and set up the elegant white table just in front of Marina Tower. After 10pm the boulevard was opened again to traffic. That is an organizational/logistic miracle!

Erin Croes, Magic 96.5FM was the gracious event host. Long Table Aruba was made possible thanks to the contribution and support of many esteemed organizations, including Wind Creek Hospitality, Wind Creek Aruba, Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort, Caribbean Overseas, Balashi & Tropical Bottling Co, Boma Wines, Elite Production, Express Events & Party Rentals, Pepia Est., H & H Fine Wines and Spirits, Antilla Energy, Aruba Laundry, ASD, Andmar Manpower Services, Al Jazaar Trading NV, Bersah Aruba, Bite! Communications, Bright Impex. Enterprises, Bix Brandimport NV, Bright Bakery, Ecotech, Caribbean Bakery Supplies, CAVA Wine & Spirit, Compra, Flora Market, Frasa, Huan Zhan Trading, Interpan, Italia Aruba Corporation Nv, Martijn Trading, Mercal Trading, Micheal Salazar Photography, New York Laundry, Nu-Wave Entertainment, T2Pan, Sunny Ray Entertainment, Tara Eco, Tribe Pole & Aerial Studio, Romar Trading & Petite Greens.

As Wind Creek Aruba looks to the future, the commitment to community impact remains a cornerstone of its operations. The success of the 8th Annual Long Table Aruba is a testament to the power of collective effort and the enduring spirit of giving.

For pictures of this successful culinary event, please visit www.facebook.com/LongTableAruba.

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The other day I watched a reel by #StansonTromp. In the reel he is barefoot, talking intensely into a handheld mike while pacing up, down and around, in his high-ceilinged room, wearing gym clothes, his hair uncombed. He is on fire. It is clear from the clever text that he is extremely educated and well informed. The reel tackles HOFA, a Dutch sustainable finance supervision proposal, a complex issue that is currently dividing the community. In the reel Stan lists names, he calls out political parties, describing their followers as brain dead meatheads and clearly says that the system which takes advantage of our autonomy for personal gains does not want to be fixed, does not want rules and accountability, it see HOFA as a direct attack on the way it does business, and evokes anti-Dutch sentiment to combat the proposal, though it is very beneficial for the island. All that piercing, candid text, in flawless English, recited/ranted to an Antillean Waltz by Padu del Caribe – it does not get more Aruban than that.

I called around to get his number. I found him. He is unique in the way he speaks both passionately and eloquently, with great candor. He has a drop-dead sense of humor. Most locals are shy, reserved, and avert confrontation, they speak softly, around subjects, rarely directly addressing the crux of the matter. To understand their message you must first peel away decorum, except when local politicians are speaking. Those can be rude. Very rude. But generally locals remain quiet for fear of retaliation, Stan explains, which discourages critical thinking.

According to Stan, the government does not want us to be informed, it exploits our colonial inferiority complex to keep us in the dark. The HOFA document is long and layered, and ordinary people do not take the time to read it. The government exploits that ignorance, hence the rant, to explain to the member of his generation, Gen-Z, which side is up.

Stan is a working man. His job took him to Bonaire, Curacao, St Martin, and the Netherlands, and he realizes the world is in turmoil, five minutes away from a war declaration, he adds, should any of our leaders desire. He had a modest upbringing, in Aruba. He remembers falling asleep on a plastic chair while his parents attended neighborhood parties playing music and drinking. He does not want his future to look like that, he knows that financial freedom is possible and lies within us. He decided to speak up, on his Instagram account.

Until today, the reel above has 1,301 likes, 82 comments, 96 reposts and 258 forwards. That is interesting.

Follow him. He deserves to be heard when he airs his views.

One of my friends, Candi, a doll of a woman who loves Aruba, from Michigan, almost on the border of Canada, happened to see one of Luna Foundation’s posts, highlighting the story of Delilah, an 8-year-old cunucu, with reddish hair and a black snoot.

The dog looked focused, alert, just beautiful.

Candi fell in love.

Her own dog passed away a few months ago and she decided Dalilah deserves a few good years, in her own back yard in the company of a cat, and two loving dog-parents.

She flew down to Aruba, to meet Delilah and made arrangement to fly her to Chicago, as soon as possible. She will be at the airport to meet her and drive her home.

Delilah received a new collar, hugs and kisses, a visit from the vet for her health certificate, then went back to her cage to wait for her new life to begin.

Delila has been living at the Luna Foundation sanctuary, waiting, for 8 years.

She was found with five siblings and a mom on the street. Luna Foundation took mommy and her just-born litter in. I am empathetic to mommies, says Zoey, my heart went out to that unfortunate dog, burdened with the responsibility of raising a family on the street.

Mommy got neutered and adopted. Four of the pups found homes in the U.S. Delilah was adopted in Aruba but her family left the island and dumped her in 2019. Zoey found Delilah back on the street.

She took her in.

Delilah has been waiting since then.

But she was lucky to catch Candi’s eyes. She will be living large from now on!

We cannot thank Zoey enough for the amazing service of our community. Over the years she thinks she helped the adoption of 700 dogs!

She runs a sanctuary in the San Nicolas area, and right now there are 185 adult dogs waiting for adoption. All abused, old, previously neglected. In peak times, the sanctuary has over 200 dogs and it operates exclusively with volunteers who clean cages every day, feed the residents and love them. Zoey explains she especially welcomes dogs with mange, those smelly ones, with bald spots. She knows it can be cured easily, to bring out the dog’s potential. Aruba no longer puts down dogs and all the severe cases come to Luna Foundation. Puppies mostly go to Sgt, Peppers.

Zoey’s son Dalton works at the Sanctuary, and he will hopefully become a vet one day!

In recent months, Betsy a pregnant cow was adopted by Zoe, she meeded a home. She  now live at the sanctuary in the company of five enormous pot belly pigs, about half a dozen goats, at least a dozen rabbits and a similar number of morrocoys.

In the coming week, Zoey is organizing a Spay & Neuter campaign around San Nicolas in collaboration with Crossroads Animal Aid, Caduary Vets, and Stimami Sterilisa Mi, at Graf van Zinzendorf School. Six vets are coming from the U.S. supported by one local vet, Eduardo Colina, and volunteer assistants

The organization needs help: They are looking for people to drive around and identify stray animal locations, and yards where dogs/cats are held. They need registration teams, surgery teams, pre-op, post-op, drivers, F&B teams,

Over 4 days, June 15, 16, 18, and 19th, Zoey is hoping to neuter 400 animals, to drastically reduce the number of unwanted ones on the street.

HELP THEM CREATE A HEALTHIER, HAPPIER COMMUNITY for our pets. By spaying and neutering we can reduce the number of unwanted animals and give our furry friends a better future.

You may come by for advice regarding any challenge with your pets, eyes, ears, they will help, all you must do is show up, at Graf van Zinzendorf School.

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A reader sent me an opinion column and I found it truly relevant because of the events reported in the news this week: A former minister in court for corruption. A 23-year-old suspected of killing his aunt. Three girls arrested for fighting and excessive aggression. An 18-year-old accused of shooting a 73-year-old to death. Shooting in SN result in three arrests. Thirteen drivers detained for drunk driving. A 32-year-old violated a minor. Local drug smugglers on the refinery terrain, one 23-year-old dead. Six locals detained with drugs on Rodger’s Beach. And that is only in the past few days! I think this reader’s opinion is on target.

READER’S OPINION: The World’s Growing Imbalance – Why Character Matters More Than Ever

Recent scandals, fraud cases, ethical lapses, and court proceedings involving public officials from different political parties in Aruba raise a broader question about society itself. In too many cases, the pursuit of money, power, status, or personal gain appears to have taken precedence over values such as integrity, honesty, humility, responsibility, and respect for the public trust. We devote enormous effort to teaching success, achievement, and financial advancement, yet far less attention to developing the character and values needed to use those advantages responsibly. The consequences of that imbalance are becoming increasingly visible.

Every day, we are taught how to become more successful. We learn how to build careers, grow businesses, invest wisely, increase productivity, and accumulate wealth. Financial stability is important because it provides security, opportunity, and a better quality of life, and there is nothing wrong with ambition or the desire to improve our circumstances. Yet one important question receives far less attention: Who are we becoming while we pursue all of this?

Modern society places enormous emphasis on achievement, income, status, and material success. Social media highlights lifestyles and possessions, advertising encourages us to consume more, and professional success is often measured by what we earn, own, or accomplish. As a result, we spend years learning how to make a living but comparatively little time learning how to build character. Qualities such as integrity, honesty, humility, empathy, respect, gratitude, and self-discipline rarely receive the same attention as money and achievement, even though they form the foundation of strong families, trusted leaders, successful organizations, and healthy societies.

Around the world, headlines are filled with stories of fraud, corruption, abuse of power, and ethical failures. Many of the people involved are highly educated, financially successful, and influential. What is often missing is not intelligence, but the values needed to guide the responsible use of success. Money itself is not the problem. The problem begins when it becomes the primary measure of a person’s worth. Wealth can be lost and rebuilt. Careers can recover. Trust is far more difficult to restore once integrity has been compromised.

This imbalance can also be seen in everyday life. Families increasingly compete with smartphones, social media, streaming services, and a constant flow of digital distractions. It is common to see people sitting together while remaining disconnected. Yet it is through conversation, shared experiences, and personal interaction that values, wisdom, and character are passed from one generation to the next. Technology is not the enemy. Smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence have brought tremendous benefits. The challenge is ensuring that these tools enhance our lives rather than replace the human connections that help shape who we are.

The education system reflects a similar imbalance. Schools devote years to developing academic and professional skills, but far less time to ethics, emotional intelligence, personal responsibility, and civic engagement. Students graduate prepared for employment but often receive limited guidance on navigating the moral and social challenges of adulthood.

The good news is that character is not something we are born with or without. It is developed through daily choices, personal responsibility, self-reflection, and consistent habits. It is revealed in how we treat others, how we respond under pressure, and whether we do the right thing when no one is watching.

As we continue to pursue success, innovation, and prosperity, we should remember that the strength of a society is measured not only by its wealth but also by the values it chooses to uphold. Financial success can improve our standard of living, but character determines the quality of our lives. In the end, the most valuable legacy we leave behind is not what we accumulated, but the principles by which we lived and the example we set for others.

On Friday, June 5, 2026, the Rotaract Club of Aruba successfully hosted the 11th edition of its annual YOU Inc. seminar, an event dedicated to personal and professional development through dialogue, inspiration, and the exchange of knowledge.

From its inception, YOU Inc. has maintained a clear focus on one central theme each year, bringing experts and community voices together to explore relevant topics. Previous editions addressed mental health, entrepreneurship, and tourism, always with the same objective: to empower all attendees, stimulate important conversations, and motivate people to invest in themselves and in their professional careers.

This year, the seminar placed emphasis on the Orange Economy, a topic the Rotaract Club of Aruba believes needs more attention. The Orange Economy refers to the creative industry, encompassing sectors such as art, design, music, film, fashion, digital media, and other creative expressions that generate cultural, social, and economic value. With innovation always in mind, Rotaract completely transformed the event experience by hosting the seminar in San Nicolas, known as Aruba’s art district. Held in the open air, this marked a first for YOU Inc., creating an atmosphere that reflected the creativity of the theme.

The evening began with a dynamic first panel, shifting from the traditional program that usually opens with a keynote speaker. The audience heard honest and real reflections from young creatives actively working within the industry. Mauro Caralps, Rocco Franken, Julissa Ras, and Sharkk Gario shared their experiences, challenges, and perspectives, giving the audience a clear look into the reality of building a creative career.

The first panel set the stage for the keynote address by lawyer and expert Lincoln “Dello” Gomez, who delivered a powerful explanation on the importance of protecting creativity, the intellectual property of all creatives, drawing from his own professional experience. His message resonated strongly with the audience and was summarized in four key words: create, own, protect, and grow.

The seminar concluded with a second panel featuring experienced creatives and agents of change within the creative industry: Edjean Semeleer, Ronchi de Cuba, Tito Bolivar, and Armando Goedgedrag. They shared challenges from both the past and present, as well as their vision for the future of the creative industry, emphasizing that formalizing and strengthening the Orange Economy requires a collective effort among creatives, institutions, and all relevant stakeholders.

The program was directed by Jonathan Trinidad, who guided the audience throughout the entire evening. Both panels were moderated by Derchlien Dijkhoff, a professional with extensive experience working within the creative industry, ensuring deep dialogue and meaningful exchange.

The Rotaract Club of Aruba sincerely thanks all sponsors and partners for their valuable support. Special thanks goes to Aruba Bank, Aruba Tourism Authority, Aruba Airport Authority, Elite Productions, Setar N.V., Pepe Margo Distillery, Total Services, Albo Aruba, Express Events, and Accurate Security for their contributions. A special word of appreciation is also extended to all panelists and speaker whose participation helped make the YOU Inc. Seminar 2026 a success. Finally, the Rotaract Club of Aruba thanks the YOU Inc. committee and all Rotaract members for their dedication and hard work.

For more information and updates, follow the Rotaract Club of Aruba on social media @rotaractaruba.