Florida Estos

Kallid Kesk Florida Eesti Seltsi liikmed ja sõbrad/Dear members and friends of the Estonian Society of Central Florida!

Please join us over lunch as we celebrate Eesti Vabariigi 108 Aastapäeva/108th Anniversary of Estonian Independence!

When?

Sunday, February 22, 2026

What time?

12:00-5:00 pm

Where?

Feather Sound Country Club

2201 Feather Sound Drive

Clearwater, FL 33762

Telephone: 727.498.0005

How much will lunch cost?

Feather Sound Country Club is offering a favorable price for a full luncheon meal. A cash bar will be open for our event.

Adults: $50 per adult and children over the age of 12

Children: $10 for children aged 12 and under

What is the lunch menu?

The adult menu includes three choices:

1. Citrus Rosemary Wild Salmon with Vegetables
2. Grilled Chicken Breast on top of Fettucini Alfredo
3. Vegan option

The children’s menu includes a fruit cup, beverage, and two choices:

1. Chicken Fingers, or
2. Macaroni and Cheese

What’s for dessert?

Inne Joonsar and Moonika Mägi will make Kringle and we will have a champagne toast!

In advance, thank you to those who will bring Kringle and the champagne!

Do I need to make reservations and pay in advance?

Yes, please, we need you to make reservations and pay in advance. Feather Sound Country Club cannot accommodate walk-ins.

By latest on Monday, February 16, 2026, please make your reservation by sending an email to Heikki Joonsar and let him know

1. the names of the adults and children over the age of 12 who are coming with you
2. the names and ages of children aged 12 and under who are coming with you
3. each adult’s and child’s meal choice

Please make the payment for your lunch by

1. Zelle to kfes1918@yahoo.com, or
2. Making a check payable to the “Estonian Society of Central Florida” and mailing it to

Heikki Joonsar, Treasurer

Estonian Society of Central Florida

14032 89th Ave

Seminole, FL 33776

Because the Country Club cannot provide refunds, we are sorry we cannot offer refunds after February 16, 2026.

Will there be a program?

Yes, we have planned a special program.  Estonian Honorary Consul Kaie Põhi Latterner has secured our guest speaker, Mikk Raud, Deputy Defense Counsellor at the Estonian Embassy in Washington. His resume will be sent in a separate email. Also, we will have drawings for the gifts that we hope many will volunteer to bring ($10-15 cost range). We also received permission to show scenes from the ballet “Kodumaa” (dances performed to “Mu Isamaa” and “Koit”). The video includes an introduction by Martin Roosaare Flowers, an Estonian by birth, who created this program for the Azara Ballet Company (Sarasota, FL). In the meantime, the KFES Juhatus is rounding out the remainder of the program and we will have more details in the coming weeks!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Elagu Eesti!

KFES Juhatus/Estonian Society of Central Florida Board

PS You may view KFES information on our private Facebook page, “Kesk Florida Eestlased.” Click on the link to ask to join. https://facebook.com/groups/2497393393890607/ . To join our email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com.

PPS If you have questions about this event, please contact the following: Heikki Joonsar at joonsar@cox.net , Heikki at (703) 593-5365. Inne Joonsar at innelj23@gmail.com and Inne at (703) 593-5364. 

Dear Members and Friends of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts!

Happy New Year! Head uut aastat!

We will be hosting our always popular January soup and sandwich lunch/supp ja võileiv lõunasöök on Sunday afternoon, January 25, 2026. We are invited to contribute soup, sandwiches, salads and other side dishes, and desserts to our smorgasbord table–all reflecting elements of Estonian cuisine if possible! To defray costs for room rental and supplies, adults are asked to contribute $10 per person and children under the age of 18 are free. Water and coffee will be provided, and you are welcome to bring your own non-alcoholic favorites. We will gather starting at 12:00 and we plan to dine at 13:00. The specific address of our location is shared through email and Facebook.

By Wednesday, January 21, 2026, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com to let him know (a) you are coming, (b) who is coming with you, and (c) what you plan to contribute to our scrumptious smorgasbord table. We want to be sure to set enough places at the tables and to coordinate what is always a deliciously wonderful lunch experience.

For details about this event and its location–and future events–please see your email or Kesk Florida Eestlased Facebook post. To join our email list and/or Facebook group, please do the following:

1. To have your name and email address included on our email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com and ask to be added to the email list. Thank you, Heikki, for managing our email list!
2. To have access to our Facebook page, Kesk Florida Eestlased, please click on this link: https://facebook.com/groups/2497393393890607/ . To enhance security features for our Facebook account members, Kesk Florida Eestlased is a private account that asks you to click on a link to join. The account is managed by KFES member Birgit DeLaidatti, and she will respond to requests from prospective followers. Thank you, Birgit, for this wonderful service to Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts members! 

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Dear Members and Friends of Kesk Florida Eesti Selts/Estonian Society of Central Florida!

It’s never too early to offer season’s greetings! Season’s greetings to you all!

We will gather for our traditional Christmas luncheon:

Sunday, December 7, 2025

12:00-4:00 pm 

Volunteers are welcome to arrive at 11:00 am to help us set up and decorate and to remain after 4:00 to help us clean up.

We will gather at our familiar location: 

Heikki and Inne Joonsar’s community clubhouse

Tamarac by the Gulf Clubhouse

9099 141st Street North

Seminole, Florida  33776

Parking is available in the parking areas adjacent to the clubhouse. On street parking is ok as long as you don’t block a driveway. Thank you to Inne and Heikki for making this space available to us!

The main course (pulled pork, mashed potatoes and gravy) is catered from Pete and Shorty’s American Cuisine. Verivorst, sauerkraut, and cranberry relish are homemade.

Please plan to bring something for our smorgasbord table too: appetizers, salads, side dishes, and desserts are most welcome! When you make your reservation, please mention what you will be bringing. We bought the insurance so you are welcome to bring your own adult beverages; non-alcoholic options will be provided.

By Sunday, November 30, 2025, please send an email to Heikki and Inne Joonsar at kfes1918@yahoo.com to let them know you are coming so they may place an accurate catering order. Please include (1) the names of your guests and your children and their ages, and (2) what you will be bringing for the smorgasbord table.

As soon as Heikki Joonsar receives the catering quote he will provide the exact per person price. For planning purposes the cost to participate should be in the following range:

$20 per adult and children over the age of 12

$5 for children twelve and under

You may pay:

(1) with cash or check at the door

(2) in advance through ZELLE  (KFES1918@yahoo.com) to the KFES account, or

(3) in advance by mailing a check made out to KFES and addressed to Heikki Joonsar, 14032 89th Ave, Seminole, FL. 33776.

Jõuluvana will be visiting us! The FAA has agreed to clear Jõuluvana for a direct flight from the North Pole to Seminole!

Parents are invited to bring wrapped presents with clearly marked name tags for their children so Jõuluvana may begin Christmas deliveries at our party. Activities for children are welcome too!

We are looking forward to celebrating the holiday season with you!

Heikki and Inne Joonsar

Information about KFES events and photos may be found on this website, floridaestos.blog, in engaging post-event stories graciously written by KFES member Sirje Kiin and published by New York-based Vaba Eesti Sõna and Toronto-based Eesti Elu, and our Facebook page, Kesk Florida Eestlased https://facebook.com/groups/2497393393890607/ . To enhance security features for our Facebook account members, Kesk Florida Eestlased is a private account that asks you to click on a link to join. The account is managed by KFES member Birgit DeLaidatti, and she will respond to requests from prospective followers. Thank you, Birgit, for this wonderful service to Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts members! To join our email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com.

Members and friends of Kesk Florida Eesti Selts/Estonian Society of Central Florida were delighted to attend Azara Ballet’s engaging performance titled “Encore” on November 14 and 15, 2025, in the Riverview Performing Arts Center, Sarasota (FL). 

Martin Flowers (Roosaare), Azara Ballet’s co-founder and resident choreographer, graciously extended complimentary tickets to the Estonian community so we could become acquainted with this exciting professional ballet company. As one might correctly guess from Martin’s name, he is originally from Estonia. In 2022, he co-founded Azara Ballet with his partner Kate Flowers, Azara Ballet’s Executive Director and Associate Artistic Director. Please visit the Azara Ballet website to learn more about this unique professional ballet company and its schedule of upcoming performances.

“Encore” reprised five stories that had been performed by the company prior to this weekend. The highlight for the members of the Estonian community and culminating story danced by the company was “Kodumaa,” choreographed by Martin himself. We cannot give a better description than that written in the program: “Exploring Estonia’s liberation from the Soviet Union in 1991, commonly referred to as the ‘singing revolution,’ Martin weaves a mesmerizing story using the expressive language of dance, set to the evocative backdrop of Estonian music and compositions.” From our perspective—though we admit to having tears in our eyes at the conclusion—all audience members—as visibly moved as we—understood Estonia’s struggles and triumph as our story was told through Martin’s “Kodumaa.”

We hope that word will spread broadly about Azara Ballet and specifically about Martin’s “Kodumaa.” Estonians near and far would be fortunate to have an opportunity to be mesmerized too. If you would like to watch the show at home, please click this link here to purchase a digital ticket.

Martin Flowers (Roosaare) (center) is flanked by Astrid and Heinar Normet and Lisa Mets and Anneliis Kuusik, Matti Rukholm, Birgit DeLaidatti, Rein Allikberg and Ilvi Jõe Cannon, Riverview Performing Arts Center, Sarasota (FL), November 15, 2025. Photo was taken by an Azara Ballet company volunteer.

Season’s greetings!

Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, and Inne Joonsar, KFES Vice President, are delighted to announce the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts will be hosting our annual Christmas celebration in the Clubhouse in their Tamarac by the Gulf residential community, a location that is familiar to us. Jõuluvana/Santa Claus has been given the GPS coordinates, and the airways will be clear for his flight.

Details so far:

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Time to be announced

Location:

Clubhouse at Tamarac by the Gulf

9099 141st St.

Seminole, FL 33776

More details will follow in email, on our Facebook page, and this website. To join the KFES email list, please send an email to kfes1918@yahoo.com.

Information about KFES events and photos may be found on this website, floridaestos.blog, in engaging post-event stories graciously written by KFES member Sirje Kiin and published by New York-based Vaba Eesti Sõna and Toronto-based Eesti Elu, and our Facebook page, Kesk Florida Eestlased https://facebook.com/groups/2497393393890607/ . To enhance security features for our Facebook account members, Kesk Florida Eestlased is a private account that asks you to click on a link to join. The account is managed by KFES member Birgit DeLaidatti, and she will respond to requests from prospective followers. Thank you, Birgit, for this wonderful service to Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts members! To join our email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com.

Welcome to a new year of activities! Thirty-one members and friends and three children gathered over a delicious German-style lunch at the German-American Society Friendship of Pinellas County on Sunday, November 9, 2025, to kick off our new year of activities. We were delighted to welcome new friends Eda and Sonya Abolfathi and Leann and Jaan Taagepera. Naturally, it was wonderful to catch up with our regular members and wish Peep Rebane a very happy birthday too! Enjoy these photos from our afternoon. Note: Escaping the camera’s eye were Anneliis Kuusik and Rein Allikberg, Vincent DeLaidatti, Heinar Normet, Heikki Pajusalu, and our photographer Erkki Taada. [Click on the images to stroll through the gallery of photos.]

On Sunday, November 9, 2025, the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts is launching its 2025-2026 activities at the German-American Society Friendship of Pinellas County, 8098 66th St N, Pinellas Park FL 33781. We are in the room called Bierstub. The Bierstub is quite large and will accommodate all of us, which we hope is a very large number. Plan to arrive at 12:00 noon when there will be an open bar with reasonable prices for drinks. Lunch, served about 1:15 pm, will be a sit-down event where plates will be brought from the kitchen. There will be round tables with 8 seats. The German-American Society has a full-time chef. If you go to their web site, https://germantampabay.com/, you can see the large gatherings they have every week. We chose to have our event in the Bierstub instead of the Biergarten because of unpredictable weather conditions.

LUNCH PRE-ORDERS ARE REQUIRED BY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2025. SEND YOUR CHOICE(S) BY EMAIL TO HEIKKI JOONSAR AT KFES1918@yahoo.com.

There are two food choices: (1) roast loin of pork with potatoes and sauerkraut; and (2) chicken schnitzel with potatoes and mixed vegetables. Dessert for both is homemade apple cake with whipped cream.  

We need to know the number attending and food choice by 2 November 2025 so the right amount of food can be ordered in advance.

The cost per person will be $30 and children under 12 will be $10. You can pay with cash or check at the door or beforehand via ZELLE to the KFES bank account (KFES1918@yahoo.com). Please do not mail any checks in advance. If you need to pay by check, bring it to the event.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Tervitusi,

Inne ja Heikki

Information about KFES events and photos may be found on this website, floridaestos.blog, in engaging post-event stories graciously written by KFES member Sirje Kiin and published by New York-based Vaba Eesti Sõna and Toronto-based Eesti Elu, and our Facebook page, Kesk Florida Eestlased https://facebook.com/groups/2497393393890607/ . To enhance security features for our Facebook account members, Kesk Florida Eestlased is a private account that asks you to click on a link to join. The account is managed by KFES member Birgit DeLaidatti, and she will respond to requests from prospective followers. Thank you, Birgit, for this wonderful service to Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts members! To join our email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com.

Thirty-three enthusiastic members and friends of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts gathered for their annual spring potluck picnic in Walsingham Park, Seminole, Florida, on Sunday, March 23, 2025. We were delighted to welcome first-timers Eric and Ilmar Tarikas, who live in Tampa and Pensacola, Florida. We were also delighted to welcome Livija and Peep Rebane’s relatives, Toomas and Ann Rebane, who were visiting from Canada. We hope to see you and all of our newcomers this year again!

A huge thank-you to Heikki and Inne Joonsar for their leadership organizing this and all our events throughout our year of activities! Heikki is Treasurer and Acting President and Inne is Vice President of Kesk Florida Eesti Selts. Thank you too to Birgit and Vincent DeLaidatti and Anneliis and Rein Allikberg for your unselfish support behind the scenes. A big hurrah to our members who brought delicious contributions to our smorgasbord table! Kesk Florida Eesti Selts is truly a wonderful community.

Formal remarks were few and appropriate for this lovely picnic setting. Heikki Joonsar warmly welcomed everyone. Vincent DeLaidatti offered a blessing. Sirje Kiin shared a communication from our friend and former longtime member Elin Toona, who now resides in Haapsalu, Eesti. Elin, through remarks read by Sirje, invited us to remember her grandfather Ernst Enno, well known Estonian poet and writer, on the occasion of what would have been his 150th birthday. Elin’s remarks are published on page 10, in the April 3, 2025, Nr. 7 (3891) edition of our Estonian-language newspaper, Vaba Eesti Sõna (New York).

This picnic closes our 2024-25 year of activities, and we are now on summer hiatus. We will send an email and post information on this website and our Facebook page when we are ready to resume our activities in the fall. In the meantime, please enjoy these photos!

The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts poses for their traditional group photo at the yearend picnic in Walsingham Park, Seminole, Florida, Sunday, March 23, 2025. We were lucky this time capturing all our participants (missing from the photo: Lisa A. Mets, the photographer)!

Note: A group of multiple photos below the opening group shot in this report is arranged in a gallery. Please double click on the first photo or the last photo to launch the carousel of photos.

Information about KFES events and photos may be found on this website, floridaestos.blog, in engaging post-event stories graciously written by KFES member Sirje Kiin and published by New York-based Vaba Eesti Sõna and Toronto-based Eesti Elu, and our Facebook page, Kesk Florida Eestlased https://facebook.com/groups/2497393393890607/ . To enhance security features for our Facebook account members, Kesk Florida Eestlased is a private account that asks you to click on a link to join. The account is managed by KFES member Birgit DeLaidatti, and she will respond to requests from prospective followers. Thank you, Birgit, for this wonderful service to Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts members! To join our email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com.

See you in the fall!

Dear Members and Friends of Kesk Florida Eesti Selts (KFES)/Estonian Society of Central Florida!

Please join us for one of our favorite activities: A picnic!

Sunday, March 23, 2025

12:00-5:00 pm

Shelter #2

This shelter is next to the new children’s playground.

Walsingham Park

12615 102nd Ave N

Largo, FL 33776

https://pinellas.gov/walsingham-park-map

Entrance to the park is free. The KFES fee to help underwrite our costs is minimal at $10 for adults and children over the age of 12. Children under 12 are free. You may pay by cash or check at the door; by Zelle (KFES1918@yahoo.com); or by mailing a check in advance to

Mr. Heikki Joonsar

KFES Treasurer

14032 89th Ave

Seminole, FL 33776

KFES will provide hamburgers, hotdogs, buns, pork and beans, potato chips, and fixings as well as non-alcoholic beverages (water and soft drinks). Our members and friends are invited to contribute salads, side dishes and desserts to our smorgasbord table. Please note: This shelter does NOT have an electrical connection. The grill we will be using will provide space for dishes that may need to be warmed before serving.

By Wednesday, March 19, 2025, please send an email to KFES Treasurer and Acting President Heikki Joonsar at kfes1918@yahoo.com to let us know you are coming. Please provide the names of all adults, names and ages of children, and the items you will be contributing to our luncheon offerings. If you have some favorite outdoor games for children to play, please bring those too! Restrooms are located near our shelter.

We look forward to seeing you soon to welcome in spring together!

Heikki and Inne Joonsar

Note: Groups of multiple photos below the opening group shot in this report are arranged in galleries. In each gallery of photos, double click on the first photo or the last photo to launch the carousel of photos in each group.

With pride 54 members, friends and children of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts celebrated the 107th Anniversary of Estonian Independence over a formal luncheon on Sunday, February 16, 2025, in the beautiful and familiar Feather Sound Country Club Ballroom in Clearwater, Florida.

KFES Treasurer and Acting President Heikki Joonsar and KFES Vice President Inne Joonsar greeted guests at the door. Just inside the entrance, Estonian Consul hr. Tarmo Punnik, from Washington, DC, offered consular services to Estonians renewing fingerprints, ID cards and passports.

KFES Treasurer and Acting President Heikki Joonsar hosted a fulfilling program that included the following: the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, an invocation by KFES member Monika Orumaa, unison singing of Hoia Jumal Eestit and Eesti lipp led by KFES members Vincent and Birgit DeLaidatti, and a commemoration of the fallen led by KFES member Virve-Kai Bulla. It was wonderful to see Virve-Kai Bulla in traditional Estonian costume and Moonika Mägi in patriotic Estonian colors.

Estonian Consul Mr./hr. Tarmo Punnik was our invited keynote speaker. Hr. Punnik is posted to the Estonian Embassy in Washington, DC. Estonian Honorary Consul Kaie Põhi Latterner presented a thank-you gift to hr. Punnik following his remarks.

We were delighted that hr. Punnik accepted our invitation to accompany us on guitar–along with Rein Männik–as we sang Läbi päeva ja öö following his remarks.

When Heikki and Inne Joonsar were home in the Washington, DC area last summer, they had the pleasure of meeting an extraordinary University of Florida college student named Sophia Abolfathi, who describes herself as a filmmaker, writer and intern with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Sophia currently is dedicating herself to academic work she calls Project Estonia. Returning after her visit to our fall picnic, Sophia described her project about Estonian experiences in Florida and the United States and the interviews she has already conducted with KFES members. Sophia will be conducting additional interviews before she brings her project to a close with a short film and article to be published in Smithsonian Folklife Magazine later this year. Sophia could be seen with a video camera throughout the afternoon documenting our special event. Sophia can be reached through this site sophiaabolfathi.com.

We closed our formal program reciting in unison Silvi Ann Verder’s poem Eesti, Eesti ela sa. Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch punctuated with homemade kringel and festive cakes and lots of great conversations at our tables. Thanks to a generous donation from KFES member Tõnu Toomepuu we offered a champagne toast to Vaba Eesti. Our fun-filled loterii and unison singing of familiar songs learned around campfires in our youth enlivened our lunch break. Estonian Honorary Consul Kaie Põhi Latterner then offered closing remarks and we filled our hearts as we sang the Estonian National Anthem to close the afternoon.

In a tradition we started in 2024, we invited members and friends to share some of their favorite Estonian recipes. Here are this year’s offerings. Enjoy!

Please enjoy these photos from our event. Information about KFES events and photos may be found on this website, floridaestos.blog, in engaging post-event stories graciously written by KFES member Sirje Kiin and published by New York-based Vaba Eesti Sõna and Toronto-based Eesti Elu, and our Facebook page, Kesk Florida Eestlased https://facebook.com/groups/2497393393890607/ . To enhance security features for our Facebook account members, Kesk Florida Eestlased is a private account that asks you to click on a link to join. The account is managed by KFES member Birgit DeLaidatti, and she will respond to requests from prospective followers. Thank you, Birgit, for this wonderful service to Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts members! To join our email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, KFES Treasurer and Acting President, at kfes1918@yahoo.com.