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 106 Aastapäeva/106th Anniversary of Estonian Independence!

When?

Sunday, February 18, 2024

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: $45 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 menu also available

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 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 Sunday, February 11, 2024, 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 11, 2024.

Will there be a program?

Yes, we have a special program planned. Here is our update!

WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE IT IS OUR HONOR TO HOST MARGUS SÄRGLEPP, DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION (DCM) AT THE EMBASSY OF ESTONIA IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AS OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

Margus Särglepp has been serving as the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the Estonian Embassy in Washington, D.C., since August 2021. Just prior to this position, DCM Särglepp served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Estonian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.

DCM Särglepp joined the Estonian Foreign Service in 2002. From 2016-2018 he was the Coordinator for Eastern Partnership at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2014-2016 he served as the Foreign Policy Counselor at the EU Secretariat of the Estonian Government Office in Tallinn. His previous postings were at the Estonian Embassies in New Delhi, India (Chargé des affaires, a.i), and Berlin, Germany.  During the 2007 German Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) he served as an Exchange Diplomat at the German Federal Foreign Office.

In 2006, Särglepp earned a master’s degree from the Franco-German Master of European Governance and Administration Program (Université Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne/ Universität Potsdam); in 2001, a Master of Theological Studies degree from Duke University (Durham, NC); and in 1999, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Millsaps College (Jackson, MS).

In addition to our formal program with our usual elements our annual fun loterii will be offered again. We hope many of you will volunteer to bring gifts (10-15 cost range) for our loterii table. Aitäh!

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. Our information is also posted on our website, https://floridaestos.blog/

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. 

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On Sunday, January 21, 2024, we woke to the coldest temperatures in west central Florida so far this winter: 37+/- degrees F. It was only fitting that 30 members of the Estonian Society of Central Florida/Kesk Florida Eesti Selts (KFES) gathered for their annual soup and sandwich luncheon (supp ja võileiva lõunasöök), which also happened to be the day after National Soup Swap Day in the United States.

(Pictured left to right) Lisa Mets, Lia Milli, Ulve Nurmet, Reet Regina Cabrera, Moonika Mägi, Livija and Peep Rebane, Heikki and Inne Joonsar, kneeling Vincent Delaidatti with Birgit Delaidatti, Ludmila Stelmokene with Hannes Jakobson, Rein Allikberg with Anneliis Kuusik, and Sirje Kiin with Jack Walters. Märt Ulve is hiding in back. Missing from this photo but joining us too this afternoon: Aleksandra Kroon, Thomas and Ronit Soracco, Uno and Luule Tiisler, and the Jüri Toomepuu family. Foto by Erkki Taada

Arriving members were welcomed at the door and asked to sign the guest book. Once we were all in place, our wonderful hosts–KFES Treasurer and Acting President Heikki Joonsar and Vice President Inne Joonsar–greeted us all and outlined the afternoon’s program. Thank you to Heikki and Inne for hosting us in the wonderful community center in their residential neighborhood. What a perfect location for us!

Once again our members delivered a wonderful smorgasbord of what we consider representative traditional Estonian luncheon delights. Cabbage soup and pea soup and a new Spanish bean soup in addition. Sandwiches included kilu, ham, herring and salmon. Accompanying the soup were two homemade loaves of bread–oatmeal bread with chia seeds and rye bread–from Jae Toomepuu’s kitchen. Our talented bakers contributed delightful desserts.

Our KFES Board planned an engaging program for us this afternoon. Peep Rebane, dressed in his academic PhD regalia and looking quite serious, delivered what quickly turned out to be a humorous presentation of a lecture titled Eesti Rahva Rändamisi, which introduced us to ancient Estonian migratory influences across the African, Asian and European continents. The photos show how much we enjoyed Peep’s presentation.

Our seating and our numbers provided the perfect setting for an engaging group conversation following Peep’s presentation. Heikki Joonsar invited members to share experiences speaking, learning and teaching Estonian, English and other languages. How the Estonian language has evolved since our members were children in the 1940s and once Estonia regained its independence in 1991! Here are photos of some of the members who contributed to the conversation.

After the formal program, members had plenty of time to mingle and mix and enjoy each other’s company. Enjoy these photos of our members!

PLEASE SAVE THIS DATE: THE ESTONIAN SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA/KESK FLORIDA EESTI SELTS (KFES) WILL CELEBRATE THE 106TH ANNIVERSARY OF ESTONIAN INDEPENDENCE [EVA 106] ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2024, FROM 12:00 TO 4:00 PM, AT OUR FAMILIAR LOCATION: FEATHER SOUND COUNTRY CLUB, CLEARWATER, FLORIDA. RESERVATIONS WILL BE REQUIRED. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR EMAIL, THIS WEBSITE, AND THE “KESK FLORIDA EESTLASED” FACEBOOK PAGE FOR INFORMATION. TO JOIN OUR EMAIL GROUP, WRITE TO HEIKKI JOONSAR AT KFES1918@YAHOO.COM.

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