How ironic that a discussion regarding volunteerism in Toronto is being held at the same time as Seedrioru's AGM is being held at Seedrioru? How can interested individuals attend both? Here-in lies part of the problem. Shouldn't volunteer functions be "co-ordinated" by a central organization to ensure re-sources (and volunteers) are properly used?

Eesti Elu calls a meeting of organizations every year around this time and puts out a calendar of events in hopes that this calendar will be read and that events do not overlap.
From experience I can say that people don't read this because it happens every year.

First, no one reads the paper for obvious reasons. Second, there is no central organization that is currently taking on the role of central organizer. EKN has essentially stopped functioning and the others have not been mandated with the role. ESK is the closest we have to a central organization at this point. Maybe Anna (or ANYONE else who cares for the community) would care to take a stab at reforming EKN and fixing that ostensibly discarded and forgotten organization to provide some desperately needed leadership?

EKNs mandate has never been to be an umbrella organization. They have somehow faked themselves into that role as of late, probably because organizations who they liase with in other countries DO hold that role in their countries. EKN was created as a "rahvuspoliitiline" organization. Their mandate was (is???) political lobbying. In pre 1991, that meant making sure the west never forgot about Eesti and fought for her freedom. Sihtkapital's role is also different. The mostly forgotten about organization which to my knowledge still exists, but to my knowledge, hasn't done much (anything?) in the past years, whos mandate IS to be the central umbrella, is Eesti Liit Kanadas.
If someone reads this and knows better, please let me know. I don't mind being wrong. It would be nice to have clarity and understanding.

Hold on there Jack! This Nov 1st meeting discussing the future of our communities in Canada was organized and advertised way back some time in the spring, if not earlier, probably before Jõekääru organized their date.

This is an excellent overview of our situation. Eesti Liit Kanadas...well, I say let's revive it with a brand new leadership. Or create a totally new organization to help Estonians across Canada.

Who should lead it?
I say a cross-section of people from various areas of Canada who really care about the future of Estos across this country. We should really look at enlisting the leadership of active Estos in early retirement, who would have time to take this on.

EKN is not the right organization to lead this, by way of their own mandate, which is to be a political lobby group in Ottawa on our behalf. Let's call a spade a spade and move on.

Kudos to Sihtkapital! They have taken on many of these tasks and role, but with a limited staff, they cannot handle the huge scope of this task at this time.
OR, a Sihtkapital sub-organization of extremely dedicated volunteers could shape the future of our community.

Who are the people to lead the future of ALL ESTONIANS in Canada?

Let's work together to suggest a list of names of potential people in this article's comments section!

It's our future and this is the only true forum we have to communicate our wishes publicly.

Sorry, Jack, I meant Seedrioru...

Start organizing!
But...EKN does not do any lobbying. So we need a new group who can take on this responsibility too. Wedding singers need not apply.
Second, we don't need just retirees, we need youth too and middle agers. The list in this article features some wonderful names, but do the math for the avg age! We need to think about the future too!

sorry 123 you sorta got the point....does it really matter which organization advertised first?

Had there been a "central organization" in place it would have known that Seedrioru by-laws require their AGM be within a certain number of days after their year end (September 30th) which has been going on over 50 years.

Jack, you are right about a central organization having a list of activities available, but I doubt that anyone providing such a service would keep track of all AGM rules and details.

By the way, the Estonian Life newspaper already lists events in its "Tähtraamat", The tähtraamat is static, newer events that come along should get listed in their events calendar on Eesti Elu Online. If the community across Canada used and updated this events listing religiously, then we would have less problems with conflicts.

I'm just going to throw out some names of people who could possibly play some kind of role in such a new organization.

Dear readers, PLEASE do not start taking pot-shots at these people! That would be extremely destructive, these people have made an effort to give something back the community and deserve our respect:

Anne-Liis Keelmann is doing an amazing job with the Toronto Eesti Selts and plans to organize an anniversary event. She is an excellent planner and go-getter when things need to get done.

Heli Kopti - was she not a member of now defunkt Eesti Liit Kanadas? Also a dependable and dedicated individual.

Veiko Parming / a dedicated youth with opinions and vision.

Jaak Järve - a creative mind with wonderful ideas, energy.

Elva Palo - wonderful ideas and vision for the youth of our community, truly an asset

Reet Marten-Sehr / is doing an amazing job of promoting the new Tribute to Liberty organization in the Estonian community. She is a woman with strong opinions, especially where Estonian politics is concerned and would be an asset to such a new group.

Dave Kiil and other members of the Alberta Estonian Heritage Society. This group is doing an amazing job of keeping the community alive with a wonderful newsletter, events and an archival website.

Karl Raudsepp in Montreal / dedicated and would represent the needs of Montrealers

Youth in Montreal - I don't know them, there may be someone among them with vision

Tiina Paluoja / another younger Estonian with excellent organizational skills and drive.

Aarne Tork in Vancouver, another dedicated Estonian, a logical thinker.

Eva Eichenbaum-Barnes in Kitchener / A woman with vision and drive, who put an ad in the local paper "calling all local Estonians", and ended up creating a new Estonian organization there.

Andrus Voitk or his children on the east coast / might he or they be persuaded to see how Estos in the eastern provinces might provide some support for each other?

Marcus Kolga / All politics aside, this man has vision in regards to the community and would be a tremendous asset with ideas and enthousiasm

Taimi and Paul Marley, Peeter and Kristina Nieländer - again younger Estonians with opinions and dedication to whatever they comit to

Leila Hess-Puust and other youth originally from the Hamilton area - another person who is dedicated, has determination, is an organizer

Killi MIrka and Ellen Valter - they have their hands full with EstDocs...but? Good organizers and they "think outside the box".

Silvi Verder is a dynamo when it comes to organizing, she is well connected, dependable, comes up with new ideas.

Viive Tork-Hiis / active Estonian with a big heart, has expertise with Meals on Wheels volunteering.

There are many more good people, my apologizes for not remembering more of them. .


Who else? Now it's your turn to list possible people for this new organization to guide the Estonian community in Canada to a vibrant future.

What would this organization do?
Reconnect communities across Canada.
Do research to see what is actually needed.
Educate the Canadian public about Estonians in Canada.
Create new programs to involve "Canadians of Estonian heritage", the people who are not involved with our community -- we will really need these people in the future!
Help find a solution to finding people to visit Estonian seniors in residences and their homes.
Possibly do genuine lobby work in Ottawa to promote the interests of Estonians in Canada.

I'm just going to throw out some names of people who could possibly play some kind of role in such a new organization.

Dear readers, PLEASE do not start taking pot-shots at these people! That would be extremely destructive, these people have made an effort to give something back the community and deserve our respect:

Anne-Liis Keelmann is doing an amazing job with the Toronto Eesti Selts and plans to organize an anniversary event. She is an excellent planner and go-getter when things need to get done.

Heli Kopti - was she not a member of now defunkt Eesti Liit Kanadas? Also a dependable and dedicated individual.

Veiko Parming / a dedicated youth with opinions and vision.

Jaak Järve - a creative mind with wonderful ideas, energy.

Elva Palo - wonderful ideas and vision for the youth of our community, truly an asset

Reet Marten-Sehr / is doing an amazing job of promoting the new Tribute to Liberty organization in the Estonian community. She is a woman with strong opinions, especially where Estonian politics is concerned and would be an asset to such a new group.

Dave Kiil and other members of the Alberta Estonian Heritage Society. This group is doing an amazing job of keeping the community alive with a wonderful newsletter, events and an archival website.

Karl Raudsepp in Montreal / dedicated and would represent the needs of Montrealers

Youth in Montreal - I don't know them, there may be someone among them with vision

Tiina Paluoja / another younger Estonian with excellent organizational skills and drive.

Aarne Tork in Vancouver, another dedicated Estonian, a logical thinker.

Eva Eichenbaum-Barnes in Kitchener / A woman with vision and drive, who put an ad in the local paper "calling all local Estonians", and ended up creating a new Estonian organization there.

Andrus Voitk or his children on the east coast / might he or they be persuaded to see how Estos in the eastern provinces might provide some support for each other?

Marcus Kolga / All politics aside, this man has vision in regards to the community and would be a tremendous asset with ideas and enthousiasm

Taimi and Paul Marley, Peeter and Kristina Nieländer - again younger Estonians with opinions and dedication to whatever they comit to

Leila Hess-Puust and other youth originally from the Hamilton area - another person who is dedicated, has determination, is an organizer

Killi MIrka and Ellen Valter - they have their hands full with EstDocs...but? Good organizers and they "think outside the box".

Silvi Verder is a dynamo when it comes to organizing, she is well connected, dependable, comes up with new ideas.

Viive Tork-Hiis / active Estonian with a big heart, has expertise with Meals on Wheels volunteering.

There are many more good people, my apologizes for not remembering more of them. .


Who else? Now it's your turn to list possible people for this new organization to guide the Estonian community in Canada to a vibrant future.

What would this organization do?
Reconnect communities across Canada.
Do research to see what is actually needed.
Educate the Canadian public about Estonians in Canada.
Create new programs to involve "Canadians of Estonian heritage", the people who are not involved with our community -- we will really need these people in the future!
Help find a solution to finding people to visit Estonian seniors in residences and their homes.
Possibly do genuine lobby work in Ottawa to promote the interests of Estonians in Canada.

This is a long and impressive list. Is it complete? I doubt it.
Is there no place here for Aarne Vahtra, "Anna Nüüm", Toomas Merilo, Rutt Veskimets, Tarmo Lõbu & etc.? What about the "old guard"? - Laas and Ellen Leivat, Aavo Kittask & etc.

Excellent additions to the list, of course.

I would focus on finding leaders, organizers, planners, who are not already spread thin with major responsibilities with one or more organizations already.

It's you and your old guard who has left us in this mess to begin with and is getting paid for it. This is exactly what we need to fix and add democratic accountability and transparency where the is currently none. Pehaps intentionally so?

No need to get testy, You Broke It.
Let's keep things positive and let's move forward out of the past. We don't have time to waste.

Great start!
How about you?
So many of these people are already drained.
Hence the problem.
If Esto stuff could pay my bills, I'd take it on, ... unfortunatey, I have to have a day job ontop of my community responsibilities.

You could run for EKN president. That's a well salaried job.

It's also a thankless job. (like so many others) Our community should learn to thank our volunteers and not criticize everything they do.

I'm not sure who it is that were supposed to thank for draining community resources without ostensibly producing a single tangible result in the past 10 years. Are we supposed to be giving EKN a pat on the back for this?

True enough! You're right! I can't think of a single thing that the EKN has achieved in the past 10 yrs.
There have been numerous opportunities to write letters to the editors of our major papers. How about drawing some attention to things like the mass-deportations that our fellow Canadians know nothing about? The Jewish community has done a fantastic job making sure the world knows their plight. THIS kind of work is what the EKN should concentrate on. Let's bring back ELK (Eesti Liit Kanadas) to be our umbrella working together with ESK who holds our purse.

Dear Anna Nüüm,
I'm a volunteer and I don't need thanks from our broader community. With a very small effort, I provide small services to some of our people in need. In response, I get heartfelt thanks. That is plenty of reward for me.
In future, I'll be frail and desperate for assistance. I expect that some will then come forth.
My Estonian community gave me a happy childhood. Now, I give something back.
As we speak, I must say that I'm disgusted by some of our community big-wigs. Nowhere, anywhere, have I encountered comparably haughty, rude, arrogant, insulting people. They are not typical Estonians! They are otherwise unemployable riff-raff.
Anna Nüüm, you are a fine, decent person. I'm almost angry with you for pushing me over the edge here. Yet it's undeniable that we need new blood in our community.

I'm sorry for pushing you over the edge.
I also do it, not for the glory, but for the satisfaction that my little bit has helped our community in some way.
I do know, however, that people in leadership positions are often criticized by armchair critics. TRUE - the ones we're talking about here deserve the criticizm, but many people don't even try for positions they'd be more than qualified for simply because they don't want the head~ and heartache of some backstabbers in our midst.
Keep up the good work!
Actually, I do believe "the times they are a changing"! (for the better)