Alan Aerts

Alan Aerts is a world powerlifting and benchpress champion, born May 6, 1956cite web|title=American Powerlifting Committee|url=http://americanpowerliftingcommittee.com/apc%20card%20sales.htm|accessdate=2008-09-15] . Aerts suffers from polycythemia, a fatal blood disease. He is also the owner and operator of the largest vending machine business in the San Jose, California area, " [http://customvendingsystems.com/ Custom Vending Systems] "cite web|url=http://www.svcn.com/archives/saratoganews/04.03.02/cover-0214.html|title=Coin Collector|accessdate=2008-09-15] . Aerts serves on the city council of Monte Sereno, Californiacite web|title=City of Monte Sereno Web Site|url=http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Amontesereno.org+aerts|accessdate=2008-09-15] .

Powerlifting and Bench Press

Alan is the current holder of the men's benchpress world record in the 140kg weight class for men 50 and over, at 202.5kg (446.2 lbs.)cite web|title=World Championship Meet Results|url=http://wvuspf.com/meetresults.htm|accessdate=2008-09-15] . Alan holds numerous powerlifting and benchpress championships and records in both open and master's competitions, including Californiacite web|title=California State Championship Results, March 29-30, 2008|url=http://wvuspf.com/smf/index.php/topic,157.0.html|accessdate=2008-09-15] , UScite web|title=APC Nationals Results|url=http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/8320|accessdate=2008-09-15] cite web|title=USPF National Championship Results, 2007|url=http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/5712|accessdate=2008-09-15] cite web|title=APC National Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships, 2008|url=http://americanpowerliftingcommittee.com/apc_national_powerlifting_and_be1.htm|accessdate=2008-09-15] , and World champion.

Alan Aerts serves as a California state powerlifting refereecite web|title=American Powerlifting Federation Referees|url=http://www.uspfpowerlifting.com/referees.htm|accessdate=2008-09-15] .

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 2006cite web|title=Stories That Helped Define 2006|url=http://www.campbelltimes.com/010907/2006.htm|accessdate=2008-09-15] .

Polycythemia

Aerts suffers from the rare blood disease polycythemia, 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.

Public Citizen

Aerts is prominent in Monte Sereno, California. He was awarded "Citizen of the Year" by the city of Campbell, California in 2006. He ran for mayor in 2006, and has been a commissioner (?-2006) and a city councilman (2007, 2008) for the City of Monte Sereno, Californiacite web|title=City of Monte Sereno, California Government|publisher=Wikipedia|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Sereno,_California#Government|accessdate=2008-09-15] . 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, " [http://customvendingsystems.com/ 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 Valleycite web|title=King Vendor|url=http://www.svcn.com/archives/lgwt/04.24.02/cover-0217.html|accessdate=2008-09-15] cite web|title=Yes, You Can Make a Million|url=http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2007/03/millionaire4.html?kipad_id=2?kipad_id=2|publisher=Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, March 2007|accessdate=2008-09-15] cite web|title=Vending Machine Dynamo|url=http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/slideshows/millionaires07/7.htm|publisher=Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, March 2007|accessdate=2008-09-15] .

After years of creating elaborate Christmas season displays at his home, some costing $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. Local residents signed a petition, and the city council voted in restrictions 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 showscite web|title=Couple points Grinchly finger at neighbors|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6590930/|publisher=MSNBC|accessdate=2008-09-15] cite web|title=City of Monte Sereno, California Notable Events|publisher=Wikipedia|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Sereno,_California#Notable_events|accessdate=2008-09-15] cite web|title=No lights in Whoville ... uh, Monte Sereno|url=http://www.community-newspapers.com/archives/lgwt/20041208/lgnews1.shtml|accessdate=2008-09-15] .

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