“We are mostly volunteers in our community,” said Eva Varangu, President of Estonian Foundation of Canada, at the recent EFC Annual Meeting of Members. “We should all be proud of how much we contribute to keep the Estonian in us alive.” For EFC, it means being a trusted charity, a community connector, and a financial pillar for cultural and heritage initiatives across Canada. For almost 50 years, EFC has provided consistent and significant funding for new and ongoing programs and projects to generations of Estonians.
On May 17, 2023, at its first Hybrid Annual Meeting of Members, President Eva Varangu welcomed attendees from across the country, including Vancouver, Montréal, and southern Ontario, as well as a number of EFC scholarship recipients, special guests and representatives of organizations who receive EFC funding. The 48th Annual Meeting of Members took place in Tartu College and online via Zoom. All online and in-person members used Election Buddy to vote, an online tool that included all proxies and ensured instant and transparent results. The President introduced EFC Directors; Vice-President Kaili Sermat-Harding, Treasurer Martin Pede, Secretary Maris-Ann Vanaselja, Co-secretary Maret Liik and Directors Mihkel Holmberg, Peeter Põldre, Lia Hess, and Raul Sinimäe. Managed by an experienced volunteer board of directors and EFC Foundation Manager, the Foundation credits its impact to its ability to adapt to changing realities and to look ahead to the future.
