Eestlaste Kesknöukogu Kanadas esimees
As we celebrate the 98th anniversary of Estonian independence and the 117th anniversary of the arrival of the first Estonians in Canada, we should take time to reflect upon the contributions our community has made to the development of our great country, Canada.
We celebrate those who helped build the Estonian community in Canada: from the founding women and men who dedicated their time, labour and money to build Estonian cultural centers, churches across this nation and camps at Lätemäe, Jõekääru, Mäeotsa, Seedrioru, Kotkajärve and elsewhere. Those families established a tradition of commitment, volunteerism and cooperation which have helped secure a strong and vibrant community for generations to come.
By rolling up our sleeves and maintaining the foundations that were set by our forefathers we give our children and their children the opportunity to inherit a unique cultural vibrancy that will enrich their lives, forever. Like those of our founders, your contributions and volunteerism will go a long way to sustaining our community - whether it’s a few hours a month helping our seniors; a weekend helping maintain our cultural facilities; a week helping guide our youth at one of our summer camps; or a financial donation to help fund community programming and advocacy.
We can also offer support to our community by offering to mentor our youth and support our community businesses. If we know of young Estonians who have just graduated from school, we should ask ourselves how we can help guide them to success. When our businesses and organizations need work done we should look within our community to support our entrepreneurs and small business owners. A community that is supportive of its own members helps breed further success and a stronger community.
We can learn from the successes of other communities and can adopt their models as we strive to continuously improve our community and the lives of each of our members - regardless of whether they have lived in Canada for multiple generations, or have arrived just recently.
EKN and its newly elected members are committed to renewing a culture of meaningful and productive cooperation between Estonian-Canadian groups and organizations across Canada. The Estonian Central Council, will undertake to strengthen cooperation and advocacy for our issues as we reconnect and work together with government representatives from all three levels of government, both here and in Estonia by uniting in building a stronger community in Canada.
Head Vabariigi Aastapäeva.
Marcus Kolga
Eestlaste Kesknöukogu Kanadas esimees
