Meet Council Member Louise Boom
From the trombone to the city council
To be honest, introduction rounds sometimes make me a little restless. Do you know what I mean? You want to get right to the content, but first you have to say something about yourself. That probably says something about me. I’m no stranger to that Achterhoek modesty.
I was born and raised in Aalten, in the “ Hogestraat.” Back in the 1970s, almost every building there still had a store, often with a hardworking family living behind or above it. When you grow up like that, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll develop a deep love for the place where you live. I still think Aalten is a wonderful town, and I often find myself thinking: we really have it good here together.
Always curious about something new
Every year, I try to do something that takes me out of my comfort zone. For example, I once took a course called “Build Your Own 3D Printer.” I also took music lessons at De Eendracht, because I thought I might one day be able to march in the Volksfeest parade playing a trombone. That didn’t work out, though.
A little over a year ago, I took the “Politically Active” course. Given my work experience in commercial manufacturing and trading companies, local politics seemed like something completely out of my league. But it turned out to be more interesting than I’d expected. Before I knew it, I was participating in the VVD campaign for the municipal elections and was on the candidate list. Thanks to the preferential votes, I actually won a seat on the city council. It was a leap of faith. I love it!
With both feet firmly planted in Aalten's community
Over the next four years, we’ll be facing quite a few major and complex issues. I consider it an honor to be able to contribute to addressing them as a council member. Above all, I want to listen carefully to what’s going on in our community and then try to address those issues in a level-headed and practical way.
I hope that in four years, we’ll be able to look back on a period in which we kept our finances in order and organized the social sector in such a way that people do not remain unnecessarily dependent on support, but instead are given the opportunity to participate and take responsibility.
What makes me personally proud of Aalten is how many residents volunteer their time. Sports, community welfare, events, clubs—so much is organized by people who dedicate their time and energy to these causes. To me, that’s the strength of our community. Together, we’re incredibly strong.
Want to know more about me? You can find my professional profile on LinkedIn. And for everything else, feel free to email me.
Louise Boom, VVD Aalten