Päikesepaiste, seltskond ja Ukraina solidaarsus / Sunshine, friendship and solidarity with Ukraine
Bostoni Eesti Seltsi (BES) iga-aastane suvepiknik toimus 27. augustil Soome keskuses Saima Pargis, Massachusettsi osariigis, Fitchburgis.Sellel ilusal suve päeval kogunes umbes viiskümmend külalist. Külalisi saabus lähedalt Massachusettsi kogukonnast ja ka kaugemalt nagu New Hampshirest, Vermondist, Rhode Islandist, New Yorgist ja isegi Eestist, et jälle häid sõpru ja tutavaid näha ja ka uute inimistega tutvuda. Samuti, tähistati Eesti Vabariigi taastamise 31. aatapäeva BES-i Presidenti tervitusega. Lapsed ja ka täiskasvanud mängisid murumänge, sealhulgas populaarset soome mängu Mölkky, ja lapsed jahutasid end Slip-n-slide'il.Tänavuse pikniku fookuses oli raha kogumine Ukraina humanitaarkriisi toetamiseks, annetades loosimise ja pikniku tulu Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Boston Chapter. UCCA kogub raha, et saata meditsiini- ja farmaatsiakomplekte jätkuva konflikti tõttu kannatanutele. 50/50 loosimise võitis kauaaegne BES-i liige Epp Sonin, kes annetas oma osa peaauhinnast lahkelt selle nimel. Suur aitäh talle! Jagati välja ka muid toredaid auhindu teistele võitjatele. Äärmiselt kuivade olude ja jätkuva põua tõttu otsustati mitte plaanitud lõkket teha, et koos teiste eestlastega üle maailma tähistada Muinastulede ööd – aga hinges me seda ikkagi pühitsesime! Grillimeister oli BESi juhatuse sekretär Aadu Pirn, tseremooniameister oli president Paul Attemann, loterii korraldaja oli abi-sekretär Louise Jakobson, ja teised pikniku korraldajad olid laekur Merit Beckles-Saar, ja abi-laekur Madli Mangum. Täname neid ja kõiki teisi abilisi, kes selle toreda ja eduka ürituse korraldasid!__________________________________________________________________The Boston Estonian Society's annual summer picnic was held on August 27th at the Finnish Center in Saima Park, Fitchburg, Massachusetts.About fifty guests gathered on this beautiful summer day. Guests came from the nearby Massachusetts communities and from as far away as New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and even Estonia to see good friends and acquaintances again, and also to meet new people. The 31st anniversary of the restoration of the Republic of Estonia was celebrated with opening remarks from the President of BES, Paul Attemann. Children and adults alike played lawn games, including the popular Finnish game Mölkky. The kids enjoyed the Slip-n-slide.The focus of this year's picnic was to raise money to support the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine by donating the raffle and picnic proceeds to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Boston Chapter. The UCCA is raising money to send medical and pharmaceutical kits to those affected by the ongoing conflict. The 50/50 raffle was won by long-time BES member Epp Sonin, who generously donated her share of the grand prize to the cause. Many thanks to her! Other nice prizes were also handed out to other winners which included jewelry, a Nublu t-shirt, Estonian handcraft and a year’s membership to the Boston Estonian Society. Due to extremely dry conditions and the continuing drought, it was decided not to have the bonfire we had planned for to celebrate the Night of the Ancient Bonfires with other Estonians around the world - but we celebrated in spirit anyway! The grillmaster was Aadu Pirn, Secretary of the BES Board, the master of ceremonies was President Paul Attemann, the lottery organizer was Assistant Secretary Louise Jakobson, and the other picnic organizers were Treasurer Merit Beckles-Saar, and Assistant Treasurer Madli Mangum. Thank you to them and all the others whose helped make this a fun and successful event!
By: Madis Idarand
