Florida Estos

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

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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, at kfes1918@yahoo.com.

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

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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!

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