It is this same need and desire to give and to help others that propelled AKEN women to begin their fundraising activities way back in 1990. For 28 years, the AKEN organizing committee has been on the receiving end of an incredible abundance of sellable items from the Estonian community, an abundance which, year after year, they miraculously transformed into an abundance of “cash”. And every year, after each sale, the spirit of giving kicked in and the distribution of the fruits of their hard work became a labour of love for the AKEN women.
And speaking of the spirit of giving, at this time the AKEN committee is pleased to announce that a generous benefactor has remembered AKEN in her testament. Although the benefactor herself has passed from this world, she has made arrangements to keep on giving through AKEN.
Thanks to this kind-hearted benefactor, whose wish was to remain anonymous, AKEN has been able to make larger than usual donations (totalling $100,000.00) to the following applicants, who have requested funding support from AKEN: Estonian Children’s Camp Jõekääru, Estonian Documentary Film Festival (EstDocs), Estonian University of the Forest (Metsaülikool), Estonian Children’s Camp (Seedrioru), Toronto Estonian Kindergarten (TES Lasteaed), Toronto Estonian Supplementary Schools (TES Täienduskoolid), Estonian Children’s Volleyball Camp (JK Kalev), Estonian Canadian Scout Troop Põhjarada Building Fund, Estonian Folkdancing Troop Kungla.
AKEN’s benefactor would, no doubt, be pleased with the gift that AKEN has made on her behalf to our local Estonian community, a gift that can also be considered as a 100thanniversary ”kingitus” to our beloved homeland.
On behalf of the AKEN committee….Ellen Leivat
