Bostoni Eesti Seltsi Uus Aasta
(English Version Below)
Neljandal mail pidas Bostoni Eesti Selts oma järjekordset aastakoosolekut ja andis sellega hoo sisse uuele seltsi-aastale. Koosolekule oli kogunenud paarkümmend tegusat inimest, nende seas nii noori ja vanu ning uusi entusiaste kui ka vanu olijaid.
Nagu tavapärane taolistele koosolekutele, siis esmalt vaadati tagasi ja siis peeti plaane tulevikuks. Tuleb tunnistada, et eelmine aasta oli seltsile ülitegus, kuna tavapärastele toredatele plaanipärastele üritustele panustati palju aega, energiat ja raha ka Baltic Boston Centenniali ja rändnäituse "Masters of our own Homes: Estonia at 100" korraldamiseks. Kõik ettevõetud üritused möödusid väga hästi, sest nad kõik täitsid oma funktsiooni ideaalselt: hoida eestlust, tutvustada Eestit mitte-eestlastele, luua soodne pinnas uute ürituste jaoks ja pakkuda head koosolemise võimalust.
Bostoni Eesti Kooli direktor Airi Talluri tegi ka ettekande koolis toimuvast ning nentis, et kuigi vanemad lapsed hakkavad kooli juba lõpetama, on kooliga liitumas üha rohkem väikeseid särasilmseid põnne. Positiivse uuendusena hakatakse koolis eesti keelt õpetama ka täiskasvanutele hakkaja Jeffers Engelhardti juhendamisel. Uuest aastas hakkab kooli juhtima energeetiline ja headest mõtetest pakatav Triin Vallaste. Bostoni Eesti Selts tänas kümme aastat kooli juhtinud Airit ning kinkis mälestuseks kevadised tulbid ning LeeAnn Herreid'i (www.individualicons.com) poolt disainitud sini-must-valgega sõrmuse.
Päevakorra kohaselt käidi üle kõik aruanded (aasta kokkuvõte, finants ja kool) ning valiti uus president ja asepresident. Kui pikka aega on seltsi elu vedanud neli juhatuse liiget siis alates sellest aastast on tegevad seitse liiget. Ükshäälselt valiti tagasi presidendiks Paul Attemann ja asepresidendiks Anastassia Kolde ja lisaks neile soovisid juhatusega liituda viis liiget; Merit Saar-Beckles, Marii Engelman, Raimo Kalvi, Airi Talluri ja Madli Mangum.
Edasivaatavalt arutati ka tulevasi üritusi ning plaani võeti kaks uut ettevõtmist lisaks tavapärastele plaanipärastele üritustele (jõulupidu, vabariigi aastapäev ja suvepiknik). Paul Attemanni eestvedamisel korraldab Bostoni Eesti Selts kahasse Bostoni Eesti Kooliga sügisel põgenike päeva, mille raames austatakse ja peetakse meeles teise maailmasõja Eesti põgenikke. Lisaks paneb Selts õla alla Eesti osa korraldamisele oktoobris toimuval Baltic Boston Filmfestivalil.
Peale koosoleku ametliku osa lõppu tutvustati dokumentalist Helga Meritsa uue filmi kavandit, mis keskendub Seabrooki farmi saabunud eesti sõjapõgenike elule. Temaga teeb tihedat koostööd Marilem Ferentinos (mariferentinos@gmail.com), kelle poole võib ühtlasi ka pöörduda, kui teil juhutub olema Seabrook farmiga seotud materjali või mälestusi. Lisaks vaadati üheskoos Helga Meritsa esimest dokumentaalfilmi "Baltic University", mille käigus sai tutvuda Saksamaal põgenikelaagris olnud baltlaste loodud ülikooliga, mis sai asutatud keset ajaloo virr-varri ja ebakindlust.
Hoolimata sellest, et liikmete arvukuse järgi on preagu seltsil mõõna aeg, on siiski selts tegus ja elujõuline - väike, aga väga tubli. Head uut seltsi-aastat!
Boston Estonian Society's New Year
On May 4th, the Boston Estonian Society held its annual meeting and gave it a new impetus for the Society’s new year. The meeting had gathered a few dozen people, among them both the young and the old, new enthusiasts as well as dedicated veterans. As is customary at such meetings, first step was to look back, and then, plans were made for the year to come. It should be recognized that the previous year was incredibly busy for the Society in which we invested a lot of time, energy and money in celebrating Estonia’s 100th Independence, Baltic Boston Centennial, the traveling exhibition "Masters of Our Own Homes Estonia at 100" organization as well as our annual events such as the Summer Picnic, blood sausage making, Christmas Church and Banquet. All events went very well taken, because they all served their function perfectly: to keep Estonia culture alive, introduce non-Estonians to Estonia, and create a breeding ground for new events and offer a good opportunity of being together. Airi Talluri, the director of the Boston School School gave a presentation on the school conditions and noted that while older children begin school already completed the school to join a growing number of small bright-eyed toddlers. A new adults language class has been established in which adults will be taught the Estonian language by Jeffers Engelhardt’s guidance. The new school year will be lead by the new director, Triin Vallaste. The Boston Estonian Society, thanked Airi for the ten years she served as the school director and presented her with a bouquet of spring tulips and a sini-must-valgega värvidega (with blue-black-white colors) silver ring designed by LeeAnn Herreid (www.individualicons.com).
According to the agenda various reports were shared and discussed (annual summary of finances, school year, activities) and elections for new board members were held. Unanimously re-elected as president and vice-president were Paul Attemann and Anastassia Kolde. Besides them five members were elected to the Board; Merit Saar-Beckles, Marii Engelman, Raimo Kalvi, Air Talluri and Madli Mangum. The Society also discussed the upcoming events. In addition to the usual traditional events (Christmas party, summer picnic and Independence Day), the Society and the School plan to organize a ‘Refugee Day’ to honor and remember the generation that fled their homeland 75 years ago in 1944 leaving behind family, friends and a country dear to their hearts. In addition, the Society will help organize the Estonian portion of the second Baltic Film Festival to be held in October in Boston.
After the end of the official part of the meeting, people gathered over delicious pizza , delectibles, desert and coffee to watch Helga Merit’s first documentary film, "The Baltic University" which is about a university established in a Baltic refugee camp, by Baltic refugees, for Baltic refuges post WWII Germany. A must see for any person with Baltic roots.
Helga Merti’s new documentary which is already in the works will focus on the large Estonian war refugee population who arrived in Seabrook, New Jersey and established a thriving Estonian society. Marilem Ferentino (mariferentinos@gmail.com), a BES member and former Seabrook resident, is working closely with Helga Merits on this new film. Please contact Marilem if you have any related material, or memories you would like to share of Seabrook. The society is busy and vibrant. Step in, join us, participate so that the Boston Estonian Society can continue to keep Estonian culture alive, current and enjoyable to all here in America. Happy new year BES!
