Gathering is around noon with the welcome and flag raising ceremony at 1:00 pm followed by pioneer games and musical entertainment at 2:00 pm. Picnic meals will be eaten later in the afternoon. Bonfire and singsong begins at 7:00 pm.
Linda Hall is located approximately 8 miles/ 12.5 km south of Stettler along Hwy 56, then 2 miles/3 km east along Linda Hall Road.
This is the first event organized by the newly formed Alberta Estonian Heritage Society (AEHS), and, true to its “heritage” name, part of the June 25 program will focus on the Kerbes pioneer family.
The Alberta Estonian Heritage Society had its start at three formative meetings: November 6, 2004 in Red Deer, presided by Dave Kiil; December 17, 2004 in Calgary, presided by Argo Küünemäe (Estonian Charge d’Affaires at Ottawa); April 23, 2005 at Red Deer, presided by Dave Kiil.
Interest in forming this Society was spurred by the three highly successful recent centennials celebrating Estonian pioneers arriving in Canada and settling in three different areas within Alberta. Also by the year 2000 visit of then President of Estonia, Lennart Meri. These events in turn have been responsible for many visits to Estonia by third, fourth and fifth generation descendants of Estonian pioneers. It is delightful to hear the resulting stories of long-lost relatives found in Estonia, and of the continuing contacts with them.
Further, the WWII refugee immigrants who initiated the Edmonton and Calgary societies in the 1950’s, are no longer as active as they used to be; and the functioning of those societies has changed since Estonia regained its independence. These two older societies will soon quietly cease to exist.
The consensus at the formative meetings for the Heritage Society was that it is time to form a new organization with a broader base and different goals. Thus, it has representation from five regions of the province: Gilby/Eckville, Edmonton/points north, Stettler/Red Deer, Calgary, and Barons/Medicine Hat/southern Alberta.
The working language of the society is English. It would be unrealistic to use the Estonian language because most of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth generation descendants of Estonian pioneers do not speak Estonian.
Email will be used where possible for contacting members. Ajakaja newsletter, formerly produced by the Edmonton Estonian Society, will now be produced by the Alberta Estonian Heritage Society and will have a wider focus. Only AEHS members in good standing will receive Ajakaja. Others may purchase copies at $5.00 per issue while the supply lasts. Plans are underway to establish a website which will serve as a communication centre as well as an information centre for Albertans of Estonian extraction. Part of the website will be accessible to members only; other parts can be read by the general public.
Programming for the new organization will be aimed to include children as well as adults. The Government of Estonia will be approached to provide support for cultural programming in a year or two, when the new society has had a chance to get itself organized and fully functioning.
The organization is in process of being formally registered under the Alberta Societies Act. The objectives of the AEHS are:
• To promote and preserve Estonian heritage and culture in Alberta.
• To facilitate contact and current awareness among persons with an interest in Estonian heritage and culture in Canada, Estonia and elsewhere.
• To provide for the recreation of the members and to promote and afford opportunity for friendly and social activities
Alberta Estonian Heritage Society Membership cost is $20 for one person or $25 for a family for the year. Anyone wishing to join, should contact Toomas Pääsuke at #9 -127 Carey, Canmore, AB; tel. 403-678-0737.
Attendance at all three formative meetings has been enthusiastic and encouraging with 17 at the first one, 15 at the second and 33 at the third. Each time there has been representation from most regions of Alberta. To date AEHS has over 100 paid up members.
The members of the first board of the Alberta Estonian Heritage Society are:
Bob Tipman, president
Helgi Leesment, vice-president
Toomas Pääsuke, treasurer
Jüri Kraav, secretary
Alllan Posti, Gilby/Eckville director at large
Deane Kerbes, Stettler/Red Deer director at large
Eda McClung, Edmonton/points north director at large, and Ajakaja editor
Martha Munz Gue, Barons/Medicine Hat/ southern Alberta
Arne Matiisen, member at large
Liia Herman, member at large
Peter Asmus, member at large
Karl Vollman, membership
Dave Kiil, communications
Bob Kingsep, website
Many thanks are extended to Dave Kiil, Eda McClung, Argo Küünemäe and assistants for organizing and leading the meetings which have resulted in the successful start of this new society.
The new organization already owns a historic flag. The first meeting, held last November, included a brief flag ceremony. During the Barons Centennial in July 2004, Avo Kittask and Laas Leivat of the Estonian Central Council in Canada had presented an Estonian flag to Alberta Estonians. This particular flag had flown on the Pikk Herman or Tall Herman tower beside the Estonian Parliament/Riigikogu building in Tallinn, on the occasion of ceremonies celebrating the 120th anniversary of the blue-black-white flag in Estonia. The tower is the location of the government’s official Estonian flag, so it is a very great honour to have in Alberta a flag with such a history. Four Albertans jointly accepted that flag, and Otto Nicklum of Stettler was designated as the flag keeper. This flag was suitably inaugurated at the first meeting to form the new Alberta Estonian Heritage Society in November 2004. That same flag will fly at the Jaanipäev celebration at Linda Hall.