Heist-op-den-Berg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Special education students from Heist-op-den-Berg won a competition which secured free bus tickets through an anonymous sponsor to enjoy Plopsaland De Panne. Through Radio 2, Sofie Dekeersmaeker publicly asked for financial support because the travel expenses were too high.
An unknown donor fully covers the cost of transporting forty special education students from Heist-op-den-Berg’s Instituut Mevrouw Govaerts to Plopsaland De Panne. By winning the Bebat competition, students received complimentary entry to the amusement park. The process of finding transportation encountered difficulties because buses were scarce, combined with expensive transportation rates.
Miss Sofie made an appeal via Radio2 to find cheap bus transport.
“Since that day, our telephone has not stopped ringing. Several bus drivers have offered themselves. Many local companies also called us with the message that they would like to pay for (part of) the bus transport.”
An anonymous benefactor also came forward via Radio2.
“This person suggested paying our entire transport bill. We were so charmed by that proposal that we decided to accept it. In the meantime, the money is in our account and the children are counting down to May 13. This person has filled our hearts. We are amazed by so much goodness in the world.”
The Instituut Mevrouw Govaerts qualified for the trip by succeeding in Bebat’s campaign that promoted environmental conservation through battery collection. Students and personnel formed an organised workforce during several weeks of battery collection activities at the educational institution.
Dekeersmaeker expressed that the school worked extremely hard to achieve its goal. Forty students and six supervisors won entry to Plopsaland De Panne as part of the competition victory. The lack of cost-effective transportation threatened to stop the entire project when no suitable options became available. Almost all attempts to procure a bus failed until they managed to discover one transportation option at an expensive rate of €1,000.
Radio2 listeners became aware of Dekeersmaeker’s plea for assistance prior to the donation from an unidentified person. The teacher showed appreciation toward listeners who offered such generous help specifically because this support matters greatly to families who struggle with financial burdens.
What Makes This Trip Significant for Heist-op-den-Berg Students?
The municipality of Heist-op-den-Berg serves Antwerp Province by hosting multiple organisations that care for vulnerable populations. The Institut Mevrouw Govaerts dedicates itself to delivering customised educational programs to children with special needs, primarily from financially disadvantaged households. The Bebat competition provides educational benefits through environmental awareness while encouraging the development of team dynamics among participants.
One of Belgium’s most visited amusement parks is Plopsaland De Panne since its entertainment facilities appeal to people of every age. The amusement park has two signature attractions, The Ride to Happiness and DinoSplash, within three distinct thematic areas, including Mayaland and Bos Van Plop.
Many students and accompanying supervisors entered Plopsaland throughout 2024 as part of school visits at €22 student tickets, while six qualified supervisors gained free passes. The park runs continuously from De Panne beach town of Belgium, where it welcomes visitors from Belgium and countries in the region throughout the year.
