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MARCH 2015 NEWSLETTER
Edmonton Latvian Society
IMANTA
Edmontonas Latviešu Biedrība
March 2015
Hello everyone,
For those of you who don’t know, March is our anniversary month. IMANTA was founded on March 4th, 1947, and registered as a society a few days later on March 8th.
Much has changed over the years. Ten years ago, we rewrote our by-laws in English and adopted English as our business language. This was controversial at the time but it was made necessary by our changing membership and by our connection to casino funding, to which we send regular reports. Despite the changes, IMANTA has remained true to its mandate of connecting Latvians in
Edmonton and area over the years. We are still a Latvian society, and the oldest active Latvian organisation in Canada.
Our spring meeting and get-together will be held on Sunday, March 29th,
at 1 pm at the Laurier Heights Hall at 14405 – 85 Avenue. A light lunch will be served – we’re calling it A Taste of Latvia.
If anyone in your family has taken part in our scholarship program, our taxi program or the monthly children’s activity group, or if you’ve attended any of our other events, come out on March 29th ! We are encouraged by the turnout of young children and families at the children’s group and welcome new ideas and suggestions.
We have a source of good funding for community activities but we don’t know what the community wants. Līgo this year? English or Latvian language lessons? Sports? We need your input.
If you are unable to attend, please write to us at imantaedmonton@gmail.com Seniors, remember that you can phone Yellow Cab and use taxi vouchers for transportation to meetings, doctors’ appointments or any other event. Our transportation program is well-used and we’re able to offer it through our casino funding. If you need vouchers, please phone Ena at 780-468-2728.
IMANTA has supported several local organisations over the years. We review donation requests twice a year, in May and in November. If you’re involved with a non-profit group, please write to imantaedmonton@gmail.com to request an application form. The deadline is May 1st.
IMANTA also supports a scholarship at NAIT. Information is available at http://www.nait.ca
The next application deadline is August 30, 2015.
If anyone is still wondering where to buy Latvian products in Edmonton, several items can be found at European Market & Produce at different times of the year. 6607 – 177 Street
Remember – we’re on Facebook – Post your comments or share your news.
Other links:
http://www.latviansongfest2015.org
http://www.latviansonline.com
http://www.lnak.org
2014 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,600 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 43 trips to carry that many people.
November Independence Day Celebration and October 2014 Newsletter.
(Please click on invitation to enlarge)
We are very pleased that Juris Ķeniņš, a well-known Latvian and Canadian cellist from Toronto, will be visiting Edmonton and performing at our November celebration. Juris and his wife spent 4 weeks in Riga this fall on a visit that included a concert and lecture tour. The program for us will feature music by Latvian composers. Pianist Renna Hoang will also perform.
We have changed venues to accommodate the program and because of this, tickets MUST be purchased in advance. The Polish Hall has a strict catering policy. Seating will be limited and we need to have a confirmed number of guests to ensure that we can cover the cost of dinner.
A ticket order form is attached. Please note the RSVP deadline of November 8th. Tickets will be mailed starting October 25th.
If you have further questions, please phone any member of Imanta’s executive or email : imantaedmonton@gmail.com
Transportation for Seniors: This is available to seniors through our casino funding. Please take advantage of it! Phone Yellow Cab at 780-462-3456 for a ride. If you have no vouchers, they are available at every event and the driver will come in with you to fill one out. You will be given another voucher to use for your return trip.
THANK YOU to all our members who volunteered at our Casino in July. Through this program we are able to offer scholarships, the seniors’ program, events in cooperation with other organisations, and other special events.
Sandis Kondrats, our favourite Latvian sculptor and now living in Seattle, was back in Edmonton in early July 2014 to take part in Sand on Whyte, a
sand-carving exhibit in Old Strathcona. Those who attended the festival and met with him were able to see the art form in which he excels.
Two of IMANTA’s staunchest supporters and hardest workers are leaving Edmonton for a milder climate. Daina Bruners, IMANTA’s former president, and her mother, Vilma, have contributed to our Latvian society for so many years, in too many ways to count. Daina was instrumental in modernising IMANTA and revising its constitution to keep up with the reality of our local Latvian society.
We will miss them greatly and wish them all the best as they settle into their new home on Vancouver Island!
Save the Date! Saturday, November 22: Latvian Independence Day Dinner & Celebration
Planning is underway for ‘Imanta’s’ annual commemoration of the anniversary of the independence of Latvia. Our dinner this year will be held in the Polish Hall on Saturday, November 22nd and we are delighted to have guest cellist Juris Kenins from Toronto attending. Seating for this event is limited and tickets must be pre-purchased. There will be no tickets available at the door. More detailed information on how to purchase your tickets will follow in the next few weeks.
Black Ribbon Day
Seventy-five years have passed since the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was signed on August 23, 1939, creating a partnership between two totalitarian regimes that resulted in the second world war and horrendous crimes against humanity.
Twenty-five years ago, also on August 23rd, people in all three Baltic countries joined hand-in-hand to form the Baltic Way from Tallinn to Riga to Vilnius.
This event stands as a unique expression of peaceful protest.
It’s important that we of Latvian heritage or affinity continue to mark these occasions, especially in light of the situation in Ukraine.
In 2009, the Canadian Parliament passed a resolution declaring August 23rd Black Ribbon Day, an annual day of remembrance commemorating the victims of the Nazi and Soviet regimes.
The Black Ribbon Day event in Edmonton will be held at the Alberta Legislature Building on Saturday, August 23, from 2:30 – 3:30 pm.
Entrance is through the main doors.
Elevator access into the building is through the east entrance only.
For seniors arriving by taxi or anyone else needing elevator access, tell the security guard at the gate that you need to go to the east door.
We hope for a good turn-out from the Latvian community.
Additional information:
http://www.balticway.net
http://www.blackribbonday.org
