PDG Aadu Abel

PDG Aadu was born at a very early age in Tartu, Estonia where he survived the first ten years of his life. During that time the Russians and then the Germans occupied Estonia. Then in 1944 when another Russian occupation was imminent the family escaped to Germany. Here his father died during the first year of the five they lived in there in different locations and camps. At the age of 15 he, his mother and brother arrived in New York, USA. Here he finished High School, spent two years in the US Army. Most of it in the Panama Canal Zone as a jungle bunny. Back in the USA he married Ana , they have two sons and four grandsons. While already married he attended the NY City College where he attained the Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree. While in the NY area he was involved in many Estonian organizations. In 1970 the family packed up its belongings and moved to Sint Maarten where he owned a construction company and later sold construction materials and equipment. He was intently involved in secondary education in the English language. He and a few others, including PDG Rein, started the first high school where English was the language of instruction.

He was asked to join Rotary in 1977. He served in many functions including Club President in 1982/83, DG in 1987/88 and as a member of the Rotary Volunteers in Action Task Force in 1992/93. As DG, with the help of many, he added 3 clubs to the District.