Truus Siemerink-van Rennes receives 1,000 birthday cards for 100th birthday

Truus Siemerink-van Rennes, a 100-year-old resident of Enschede, received nearly 1,000 birthday cards following a social media appeal by her drawing instructors, Patricia and Dennis Sierhuis. The cards arrived from various locations, including the Netherlands, Sweden, and Thailand.

Patricia Sierhuis, who has taught Truus drawing and illustration workshops for 15 years, initiated the campaign to celebrate Truus's milestone. Because Truus has outlived her immediate family, her birthdays had become increasingly quiet. The instructors aimed to surprise her with a celebration at their atelier on the van der Heydenstraat.

Truus, who began attending workshops at age 85, expressed being stunned by the volume of well-wishes. She attributed her longevity to a philosophy of “just going on and doing what you feel like doing.”