Florida Estos

The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts will bring its 2022-2023 year of activities to a close on Sunday, April 23, 2023. After that event we will start our annual summer hiatus, which lasts from May, 2023, to October/November 2023.

Date and Time:

Sunday, April 23, 2023

1:00-5:00 pm

Venue:

Jüri Toomepuu, his wife Jae Hee, and their family invite us to join them in their lovely home. Thank you to the Toomepuu family! The address of their home is just off of I-75, making this a convenient location for our members and friends from the north, south and Orlando area.

12219 Brightwater Blvd.

Temple Terrace, FL 33617-1708

Lunch Menu:

Moonika Mägi, our KFES Chef extraordinaire, will be preparing a delicious brisket for our main course. Inne Joonsar, our expert dessert maker, will bring a large platter of apple crumb cake for dessert.

Members and friends are invited to supplement our offerings with cole slaw, baked beans, corn on the cob, sweet potato casserole, barbecued meats, and other dishes and desserts of your choosing.

Please bring you own adult beverages. Water and apple juice will be provided.

Reservations and Cost:

Please let us know who is coming (names and ages) and what you are planning to contribute to our smorgasbord. Please send an email to joonsar@cox.net.

$10 per adult will cover our expenses. Children under the age of 18 are free. Payment may be made through Zelle to kfes1918@yahoo.com and cash will be accepted at the door. Or, you may mail a check made payable to Estonian Society of Central Florida/KFES to:

Heikki Joonsar

KFES Treasurer

14032 89th Ave.

Seminole, FL 33776.

Guest speaker:

We are excited to let you know Avo Aljas will be our guest speaker. Avo and his wife Reet and son are visiting Florida this spring, and we are lucky they will be in the Tampa area when our gathering is scheduled. Many of us remember Avo from the days when he was assigned as the Estonian Officer representative to Central Command at MacDill AFB. We look forward to welcoming back our old friends!

Please note:

This will be our last KFES event until late fall so we hope to see you April 23, 2023!

Information about KFES events and photos may be found on our Facebook page. The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts has a wonderful Facebook account. You may find the account by searching this name: Kesk Florida Eestlased. 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!

Members and friends of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts gathered for an afternoon spring picnic on Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Walsingham Park, Largo, Florida.

The weather was perfect. The charcoal stayed lit to grill hot dogs and many people brought scrumptious salads and delicious desserts.

Five talented cooks entered our kotlet competition. Thanks to all of them for giving us a wonderful opportunity to sample their Eesti recipes and family traditions. At the end of the meal, everybody had sampled all five kotlet candidates and a secret paper ballot vote was held. Triin Karr’s recipe won with almost half the votes cast. Congratulations, Triin!

Our next event:

Our next event is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, April 23, 2023 (time and venue to be determined). We are excited to let you know Avo Aljas will be our guest speaker. Avo and his wife Reet and son are visiting Florida this spring. Avo and his family will be in the Tampa area when our gathering is scheduled and they have accepted our invitation to join us. Many of us remember Avo from the days when he was assigned as the Estonian Officer representative to Central Command at MacDill AFB. We look forward to welcoming back our old friends! This will be our last KFES event until late fall so we hope to see you April 23, 2023!

Information about KFES events and photos may be found on our Facebook page. The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts has a wonderful Facebook account. You may find the account by searching this name: Kesk Florida Eestlased. 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!

Information about this event and photos may be found on our Facebook page. The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts has a wonderful Facebook account. You may find the account by searching this name: Kesk Florida Eestlased. 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!

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 105 Aastapäeva/105th Anniversary of Estonian Independence!

When?

Sunday, February 26, 2023

What time?

1:00-5:00 pm

Where?

In our familiar place:

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: $35 per adult and child over the age of 12

Children: $10 for children aged 12 and under

What is the lunch menu?

The adult menu includes two choices:

1. Citrus Rosemary Wild Salmon with vegetables
2. Grilled Chicken Breast on top of Fettucini Alfredo

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

1. Chicken fingers
2. Macaroni and cheese

What’s for dessert?

Kringle and a champagne toast!

In advance, thank you to Virve Kai Bulla, Birgit DeLaidatti and Inne Joonsar for the kringle and Tõnu Toomepuu for the champagne toast!

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 Sunday, February 19, 2023, 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 under the age of 12 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 19, 2023.

Will there be a program?

Yes, we have a special program planned. We are excited to welcome Kaie Põhi Latterner, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Estonia, as our guest speaker. Kaie just returned from consular meetings in Washington, DC, and she has lots of information to share! In the meantime, the KFES Juhatus is rounding out the remainder of the program and we will have more to offer that afternoon!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Elagu Eesti!

KFES Juhatus/Estonian Society of Central Florida Board

Nearly 50 members and friends of Kesk Florida Eesti Selts (KFES)/Estonian Society of Central Florida gathered for their annual Supp ja Võileiv Lõunasöök (Soup and Sandwich Luncheon) on Sunday, January 29, 2023, from 1:00-5:00 pm, in a fabulous neighborhood community center in Largo, FL. A huge thanks to Birgit and Vincent DeLaidatti who were amazing hosts, generously assisted by Anneliis Kuusik and Rein Allikberg, Moonika Mägi, Inne and Heikki Joonsar and others.

Once again KFES members rose to the occasion to support this traditional Eesti smorgasbord event with homemade soups (borscht, frikadelli, ja herne supid), sandwiches (kilu, vorstijuust, lõhekala, jt.), salads (kartuli ja rosolje), pirukad, and Korean Mandu. Magustoidu laud oli küll rikkalik (the dessert table was fantastic)!

Today was special for two reasons. One, thanks to Livija Rebane, we were able to present a special program. Livija performed a most impressive sword dance that she choreographed herself. Wielding a 3-pound sword Livija wowed us all. Thank you, Livija! And two, a number of special guests from Estonia chose to spend their blue sky sunny Florida afternoon with us; they included Merike Milli’s mother Lia; Astrid and Heinar Normet’s daughter-in-law Liina and granddaughter Elli; Sunne Säre and her children Etta and Otto; and Marmeelia and Karneelia Dishmey’s grandmother.

Photos of the event may be found on our Facebook page. The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts has a wonderful Facebook account. You may find the account by searching this name: Kesk Florida Eestlased. 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!

Here are some photos for your enjoyment!

Tere KFES Liikmed! Greetings, members of the Estonian Society of Central Florida!

Soovime Head Uut Aastat teile!!!  Happy New Year!!!

We are continuing our traditional Jaanuar Supp ja Võileib Koosviibimine.

When?

Sunday January 29, 2023

1:00 to 5pm

Where?

At Birgit and Vincent’s Condo Association Club House.

The address of the clubhouse is Harbour Crest 400, 13940 Anona Heights Drive, Largo, FL 33774.

Parking is limited but you can park across the street in the school parking lot.

What is the cost?

There is no cost to members to attend this event. Kesk Florida Eesti Selts is covering costs.

Do you need to let us know you are coming?

Yes, please do! This way we can plan the menu and seating to accommodate everyone. Please send an email to Heikki Joonsar (joonsar@cox.net) to let him know you are coming. Please include the names of everyone who will be accompanying you. Please let us know too what you will be bringing for our smorgasbord table.

What might you contribute to the smorgasbord table?

Here are the soups, salads and open-faced sandwiches some of our members are bringing:

Borscht; split pea, barley and ham soup; and frikadilli supp

potato salad

open-faced sandwiches with heering ja muna (herring and egg); vorstijuust (sausage cheese); and salmon sai (salmon sandwich)

We look forward to hearing what you plan to bring!

Reminder about beverages at our events: Bring your own adult beverage and/or your other favorite beverages. Water and coffee are provided.

What a great way to start the new year!

Are plans underway for Estonia’s 105 Independence Day/Eesti Vabariigi 105 Aastapäeva celebration in February 2023?

Yes! Save the date for our Eesti Vabariigi 105 Aastapäeva Celebration. It is scheduled for Sunday, February 26, 2023. Details will follow soon.

Our very best,

Inne Joonsar

On Sunday, December 4, 2022, more than 60 members and old and even more new friends of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts welcomed Jõuluvana (Santa Claus) to their annual holiday lunch.

We were especially thrilled to welcome our families, growing in numbers.

This year, Astrid and Heinar Normet hosted us in the community center at their new home in Bradenton, Florida. Thank you, Astrid and Heinar! Current and former members of the KFES Juhatus/Estonian Society of Central Florida Board did yeoman’s work that led to such a successful afternoon. Thanks especially to Moonika Mägi, Monika Orumaa, Astrid and Heinar Normet, Heikki and Inne Joonsar, Anneliis Kuusik and Rein Allikberg, Triin Karr, Reet Cabrera, Vincent and Birgit DeLaidatti, and so many others who contributed helping hands and delicious foods!

Traditional holiday fare for our meal, thanks to good scouting by Monika Orumaa, included mouth watering Cuban roast pork and German verivorst. Members complemented the meal with mashed and roast potatoes, hapukapsad (sauerkraut), cranberry sauce and pickled pumpkin, and cucumbers in sour cream. Appetizers abounded.

Desserts filled a table all on their own. The centerpiece was a birthday cake to celebrate KFES Treasurer Heikki Joonsar’s birthday. Märten Vaikmaa surprised us by ordering a large selection of custom European and Estonian tortes and desserts made from scratch by the very talented Krislin Kreis, who runs Krislin’s Cakes, a cottage bakery from her home. You may also find Krislin offering tours at her home, the Wonder House, in Bartow, Florida. We were delighted and certainly grateful that Inga and Veiko Kreis, Krislin’s parents, made the journey from Ft. Myers and Bartow to deliver Krislin’s scrumptious goods!

In addition to the many adults with busy hands this afternoon, our children were also put on task. Decorating gingerbread cookies is now an annual highlight!

Though a traditional Estonian holiday dinner with our growing Estonian Kesk Florida Eesti Selts family is a highlight for us each December, the stars of the show were Jõuluvana himself, assisted by his trusty päkapikk. Persuaded the room was filled with good girls and boys, Jõuluvana distributed special gifts to each child. In return, we serenaded Jõuluvana with a song or two and filled the room with good cheer until the sun set and it was time once again to go home.

Enjoy these holiday photos of many of the members of our Kesk Florida Eesti Selts family who joined us today.

We look forward to seeing you again in the New Year! In the meantime, we wish you all Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi and all the joys of the holiday season as you celebrate in your own special ways.

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

This just in: Santa Claus/Jõuluvana will be stopping in during our traditional Christmas/Jõulu luncheon. We are posting this “save the date” notice so you can be sure to continue on your best behavior as you wait for Santa Claus/Jõuluvana to arrive.

Sunday, December 4, 2022

2:00 pm

Our new location this year:

Morton Village Clubhouse in Heinar and Astrid Normet’s residential community in Bradenton, Florida.

5400 34th St W

Bradenton, FL 34210

Directions to the Clubhouse: Enter the Morton Village driveway at 5400 34th Street W. Go West. At the second drive, turn right. The Clubhouse will be straight ahead.

Thank you, Astrid and Heinar, for providing the site for this event!

We will be offering a traditional holiday meal with pork roast and verivorst. Some of our members have let us know they are bringing hapukapsad (sauerkraut), kartulisalat (potato salad), and ahjukartulid (roast potatoes). For dessert, piparkoogid will be placed on the children’s table; and a birthday cake will celebrate the birthday of our esteemed KFES laekur (treasurer), Heikki Joonsar. Please bring your favorite adult beverages. Non-alcoholic beverages, coffee and water will be provided.

We invite your contributions of salads, desserts and your own family holiday favorites to round out our festive luncheon.

The cost is the same as 2021: $35 per adult, children 12 and under are free.

So we may plan to accommodate all our guests, RSVP by Monday, November 28, 2022, to Heikki Joonsar, Treasurer/Laekur of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts, and let him know the following:

(a) Your name and the names of guests accompanying you

(b) The names and ages of your children. Please bring a wrapped gift for each child so Jõuluvana may make this a happy occasion for them too.

(c) What you plan to bring for our luncheon smorgasbord

(d) Santa’s elves–Jõuluvana päkapikud–always welcome volunteers to help us host this spirited and beloved holiday gathering. Please let us know we may count you among our helpful elves/päkapikud. There are no jobs too big nor too small with many helpful hands! Please let Heikki Joonsar know if you are able to help with set-up, service during the afternoon and/or clean-up.

To make check-in easier, please make your payment in advance through Zelle to kfes1918@yahoo.com or by mailing a check made payable to “Estonian Society of Central Florida” to Heikki Joonsar. His address is below. Heikki will also accept payment at the door.

Mr. Heikki Joonsar

KFES Treasurer

14032 89th Ave

Seminole, FL 33776

Event details are communicated through email, Facebook (Kesk Florida Eestlased–a private account), and this website.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Estonian Society of Central Florida Board/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts Juhatus

Dear friends,

The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts has a wonderful Facebook account. You may find the account by searching this name: Kesk Florida Eestlased. 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!

The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts communicates information about its activities through the Kesk Florida Eestlased Facebook account, this blog (floridaestos.blog), and email. To have your name added to the email list, please send an email to Heikki Joonsar, Treasurer/Laekur of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts.

Estonian Society of Central Florida Board/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts Juhatus

Sixty members and old and new friends of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts gathered for lunch at The Hangar Restaurant and Flight Lounge, St. Petersburg, Florida, on Sunday, November 6, 2022. This may have been the highest number gathered for a November event. Congratulations! The annual business meeting, traditionally held in November, will be scheduled in the New Year. Before then, Jõuluvana will be joining us for our annual holiday celebration, scheduled for Sunday, December 4, 2022. Please see the posting on this website for more information about that much loved gathering.

This gathering was organized and co-emceed by KFES Vice President Moonika Mägi and longtime member Monika Orumaa. Speakers included Professor Emeritus Lembit Nei, who is on a return visit from Estonia; Estonia-bound Ryan McNichols; and former KFES President Tõnu Toomepuu. A fixed price menu was offered and two scrumptious kringlid were prepared by Moonika Mägi for dessert.

Lively conversations that started before 2:00 extended through the afternoon well past 5:00 pm. It was great to be together again! Enjoy the photos!

The Board/Juhatus of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts is pleased to announce our first activity for 2022-2023. Please join us as our summer hiatus comes to an end:

Sunday, November 6, 2022

2:00 pm

The Hangar Restaurant & Flight Lounge

https://www.thehangarstpete.com/

(at Albert Whitted Airport)

540 First Street South

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Telephone: 727.823.7767

A private room has been reserved on the second floor, and the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts is paying the room rental fee.

11/3/2022 UPDATE

On November 2, 2022, Heikki Joonsar sent members an email with this update on event details.

Members may order lunch off “fixed menus.” Members will pay KFES $35/person, $8/child, at the door. The children’s menu is offered to children ten and under. Payment may be made by cash, check or Zelle to KFES1918@yahoo.com. A cash bar will be open.

ADULT MENU

Salad Course

Spring Green Salad or Caesar Salad

Entree

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Grilled Organic Salmon

Airline Chicken Breast

or Vegetable Fettucine

Dessert

Moonika Mägi will be bringing her sumptuous kringel for dessert.

PROGRAM

We are delighted to welcome back old friends, Lembit Nei and his family. Professor Lembit Nei is a familiar face to many of us who attended our KFES events on October 6, 2013, and January 5, 2014. Lembit was accompanied by his wife and daughter, and he served as our guest speaker at the January event. Professor Nei is now a Senior Researcher and Professor Emeritus, Tartu College School of Engineering, Tallinn University of Technology, and he serves as Director of the NGO Environmental Protection Institute. Currently, Professor Nei is spending one month in the US as a Michigan State University – Erasmus+ academic visitor. Professor Emeritus Nei is a recent recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal of Tartu. Professor Nei will share his impressions on “what’s going on in Estonia.” Let’s give Professor Nei and his family a warm welcome.

Because the private room can accommodate up to 50 (and the adjoining outdoor balcony can accommodate 20) , please email Heikki Joonsar, Treasurer, to let him know if you are planning to attend so we may confirm we have enough space.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

The Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts Board