Alan Aerts
Encyclopedia
Alan Aerts is a world powerlifting and benchpress champion, born May 6, 1956. Aerts has polycythemia
, a fatal blood disease. He is also the owner and operator of the largest vending machine business in the San Jose, California
area, "Custom Vending Systems". Aerts served on the city council of Monte Sereno, California
.
and benchpress championships and records in both open and master's competitions, including California, US, and World champion.
Alan Aerts serves as a California
state powerlifting referee. He also serves as the World Powerlifting Federation records chairman.
His wife, Bonnie Aerts, is also a powerlifting and benchpress champion and bodybuilder, holding the United States Powerlifting Federation bench press record in her weight class in 2006.
, which causes the body to produce excess red blood cells. Although the disease can be treated for a time, this disease is always fatal. Despite this condition, Aerts continues to compete in powerlifting
and bench press
competitions, and has become world champion in his weight class after being diagnosed with the disease.
. He was awarded "Citizen of the Year" by the city of Campbell, California
in 2006. He ran for Monte Sereno City Council 2006, and has been a commissioner (?-2006) and a city councilman (2007, 2008) for the City of Monte Sereno, California
. He has been a very generous philanthropist, donating significant money and time to charities including Guide Dogs for the Blind
, Special Olympics
, and local charities.
His business, "Custom Vending Systems," was named "Business of the Year" by the city of Campbell, California in 2005, and is the leading vending machine business in Silicon Valley
.
After years of creating elaborate Christmas
season displays (including cookies and punch for visiting children) at his home, with decorations costing in excess of $150,000 and drawing tens of thousands of visitors, Aerts became the target of neighborhood controversy over the traffic, parking, and other disruption to the neighborhood resulting from all the attention to the displays. Mr. Aerts attempted to alleviate concerns by hiring private security to help with traffic management on the four-home court where he lived.
Local residents signed a petition, and the city council voted in an ordinance, often referred to as the "Alan Aerts" ordinance, that prevented the popular display starting in 2003. In protest, the Aerts' raised a statue of The Grinch, which garnered the event attention and coverage in media including The Associated Press
, The New York Times
, The Daily Show
on Comedy Central
, MSNBC
, Jimmy Kimmel
Live, National Public Radio (NPR), and local newspapers and television shows.
Polycythemia
Polycythemia is a disease state in which the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells increases...
, a fatal blood disease. He is also the owner and operator of the largest vending machine business in the San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
area, "Custom Vending Systems". Aerts served on the city council of Monte Sereno, California
Monte Sereno, California
Monte Sereno is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. The population was 3,341 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 10 miles southwest of San Jose and is immediately northwest of Los Gatos. The city is named for the 2249 ft...
.
Powerlifting and Bench Press
Alan is the current holder of the men's benchpress world record in the 140 kg weight class for men 50 and over, at 202.5 kg (446.2 lbs.). Alan holds numerous powerliftingPowerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
and benchpress championships and records in both open and master's competitions, including California, US, and World champion.
Alan Aerts serves as a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
state powerlifting referee. He also serves as the World Powerlifting Federation records chairman.
His wife, Bonnie Aerts, is also a powerlifting and benchpress champion and bodybuilder, holding the United States Powerlifting Federation bench press record in her weight class in 2006.
Polycythemia
Aerts has a rare blood disease called polycythemiaPolycythemia
Polycythemia is a disease state in which the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells increases...
, which causes the body to produce excess red blood cells. Although the disease can be treated for a time, this disease is always fatal. Despite this condition, Aerts continues to compete in powerlifting
Powerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
and bench press
Bench press
The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight...
competitions, and has become world champion in his weight class after being diagnosed with the disease.
Public Citizen
Aerts is prominent in Monte Sereno, CaliforniaMonte Sereno, California
Monte Sereno is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. The population was 3,341 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 10 miles southwest of San Jose and is immediately northwest of Los Gatos. The city is named for the 2249 ft...
. He was awarded "Citizen of the Year" by the city of Campbell, California
Campbell, California
Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, a suburb of San Jose, and part of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 39,349...
in 2006. He ran for Monte Sereno City Council 2006, and has been a commissioner (?-2006) and a city councilman (2007, 2008) for the City of Monte Sereno, California
Monte Sereno, California
Monte Sereno is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. The population was 3,341 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 10 miles southwest of San Jose and is immediately northwest of Los Gatos. The city is named for the 2249 ft...
. He has been a very generous philanthropist, donating significant money and time to charities including Guide Dogs for the Blind
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Guide Dogs for the Blind is a guide dog school located in the United States, with campuses in San Rafael, California, and Boring, Oregon. It was founded in 1942 to help veterans who had been blinded in World War II.- History :...
, Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
, and local charities.
His business, "Custom Vending Systems," was named "Business of the Year" by the city of Campbell, California in 2005, and is the leading vending machine business in Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
.
After years of creating elaborate Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season displays (including cookies and punch for visiting children) at his home, with decorations costing in excess of $150,000 and drawing tens of thousands of visitors, Aerts became the target of neighborhood controversy over the traffic, parking, and other disruption to the neighborhood resulting from all the attention to the displays. Mr. Aerts attempted to alleviate concerns by hiring private security to help with traffic management on the four-home court where he lived.
Local residents signed a petition, and the city council voted in an ordinance, often referred to as the "Alan Aerts" ordinance, that prevented the popular display starting in 2003. In protest, the Aerts' raised a statue of The Grinch, which garnered the event attention and coverage in media including The Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
, MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host and comedian. He is the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that airs on ABC. Prior to that, Kimmel was best known as the co-host of Comedy Central's The Man Show and Win Ben Stein's Money...
Live, National Public Radio (NPR), and local newspapers and television shows.