Why are they personally supporting the creation of a new centre?
Allan takes down a photo of the Hess family that sits in a place of pride in their home.
“This is why we are doing this,” he said, pointing to the photograph of the family, their six children and 14 grandchildren. “It’s for them, so our culture can be preserved and continue.”
Having a new centre will help ensure there is always a place where people with Estonian roots can belong, feel welcome and learn about their history and culture. It will help keep Estonia and its values and tradition alive and on the map.
“We hope that people will start thinking about how they can support the new centre and make a contribution,” Riina noted.
“There are many ways that donations can be made so they are advantageous to the donor as well as the community. For example, there can be benefits in donating assets such as securities,” Riina explained.
And donating over time is also another excellent way of making a contribution.
“This is our generation’s project,” Allan added. “It’s time for people to step up and get involved.”
As part of the capital campaign there will be opportunities for people to learn about the different ways to make contributions, though each individual should seek professional advice from their accountant if they are making a substantial donation. The campaign team will be reaching out to both the professional community, such as lawyers and accountants, as well as individual donors to discuss options to donate.
The Estonian Centre will be the first new facility built in the 21st Century in North America dedicated to the promotion of Estonia and the sharing of its language and culture. Getting involved presents a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a legacy that honors our ancestors and helps ensure a bright and promising future.
Campaign leaders:
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former President of Estonia, Capital Campaign Honorary Chair
Andy Prozes (Lead Donor) and Mihkel Liik, Co-chairs of “Lead Gifts”
Allan and Riina Hess, Co-chairs of the “Top 100 Gifts”
Mati Otsmaa, USA liaison
More details will be available soon. Please check the website at http://www.estoniancentre.ca and connect with our Facebook page.
For information about making a donation please contact Urve Tamberg at donations@estoniancentre.ca.
IMPORTANT REMINDER ON UPCOMING CONNECTIONS:
Community Engagement Session: Wednesday, November 7 at 7 p.m. at the Estonian House.
Newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter – coming soon – by going to http://estoniancentre.ca and providing your email address.
Survey: We'd like to hear from you! How would you like to receive information about the new Estonian Centre, and how often? Fill out the survey online by going to http://www.estoniancentre.ca
Keep up to date: Check out our Facebook page @EestiKeskus for the latest news, events and photos.
For more information, please go to: http://www.estoniancentre.ca
