Speech by vil! Ants Toi (Saturday November 15th, 2025)
Good evening happy vennad and guests. We are especially delighted to see those who have travelled long distances to join us from Massachusetts, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and British Columbia.
All your happy faces confirm that we have not only enjoyed a wonderful evening tonight but also a memorable four days of seeing and being with each other to celebrate Vironia’s 125 years of steadfastness and growth.
I am honoured to be asked to thank all those who have made our Vironia’s 125th anniversary so moving and memorable. I was instructed, “be brief and don’t just use Estonian.”
So, starting with our grey hair set. Gratias vobis ago. Gaudeamus igitur! Thank you all. Let us rejoice!
Liels palsies! These words would be familiar to vil! Karl Ipsberg and vil! Gustav Nurm who founded our Fraternity, Vironia, in Riga, Latvia in 1890. Without their efforts, there would be no event today. We thank them for their foresight and initiative.
“vil! Kalm is the great-great grandfather of four of our rebased [pledges] and our oldermann [the leader and teacher of pledges]. Do you think that over a century ago he would have dreamed of such a contribution to Vironia’s growth?”
I would like to share an interesting historical anecdote this year. Thank you to vil! Juhan Kalm, coetus 1906, for his contribution to the continuing growth of our fraternity. vil! Kalm is the great-great grandfather of four of our rebased (pledges) and our oldermann (the leader and teacher of pledges). Do you think that over a century ago he would have dreamed of such a contribution to Vironia’s growth?
A special thanks to our main speaker vil! Paul Lillakas, our celebrated and renowned chef. Thank you for your talk emphasizing that foods and traditions bring us together. They help unite us, just as Vironia motto reminds us: “Unity, Fortitude, Honesty” (Ühisus, Kindlus, Ausus). Your presentation was as smooth and savoury as a tasty meal. We appreciate the days and weeks it must have taken to make such a perfect presentation. Just like the hours a master chef must put in to make a perfect recipe. Thank you!
Carrying the theme of food even further, it is said that music is food for the soul. A big thank you to our well-known musicians for feeding our souls.
Our own vil! Mihkel Liik and spouse Mrs. Lisa Käärid and their band Kaja Reloaded. Did I hear correctly? You have new song lyrics composed especially for us: “You’re the top, Vironia!”
It is hard to find words to thank our internationally recognized and celebrated musicians for their memorable performances. vil! Martin Kuuskmann, bassoon, from Denver, Vil! Hando Nahkur, piano, from Dallas, and vil! Ingmar Kiviloo, violin and singing, from Boston.
Your world class performances graced our celebration immeasurably. I would encourage everyone to visit your websites* to learn of all your accomplishments. Our heartfelt gratitude.
And considering all the sumptuous food themes, we thank vil! David Kalm. On Thursday he helped us keep our figures svelte with the climb to the top of Keskus. You reminded us that many Vironia members are involved in solving the intricacies of KESKUS’ design and construction.
An additional thank you to vil! Jaan Meri with whose help we were able to support the development of Vironia’s Tallinn home on Falgi Street.
We are incredibly grateful to all the members who planned and organized this magnificent weekend and carried it through so successfully.
“We thank all of you for your hard work in making this such a successful event. You have set the bar high for the organizers of all upcoming anniversaries.”
At the front: Allan Hess, spouse Mrs. Riina Hess, Senior Toomas Koger and Toomas Kütti and also Nick Kazakoff, David Kalm, Jaan Meri, Glen Leis, Jaan Reitav, Markus Liik, Rein Naylor, Burton Naylor, and Karl Otsa.
We thank all of you for your hard work in making this such a successful event. You have set the bar high for the organizers of all upcoming anniversaries.
Our organizers’ work is not over. Allan Hess asked me to remind you all that our Vironia golf tournament will be this summer, on June 12th, 2026. So please mark your calendars.
And finally, a heartfelt thank you to all of you who came from near and far in such large numbers to celebrate Vironia’s 125th anniversary. It has been wonderful to see you all.
In closing, since we are in Canada, we can say: Vivi, croisse et fleurisse, Corporation Vironia, pour toujours!
Or more classically… Vivat ,crescat, floreat, Korporatsioon Vironia, in aeternum!
Verbum ex est!
*Find out more about Ingmar Kiviloo at ingmarkiviloo.com , Martin Kuuskman at kuuskmannbassoon.com , and Hando Nahkur at handonahkur.com .
