Center Row: Rob Montaño, Marilyn Willis, Ivi Montaño with Jude & Quinn, Arne & Carolyn Matiisen, Guido & Dottie Tihkan, Norm & Petra Melhorn, Jane & Erik Arro, Darlene Grossthal, Geoffrey Grossthal, Gerald Creton & Olja Müürsepp, Rees Fischer, Krista Kull, Jim Abbott, Kerly Poolak, Steve & Hilja Martinez, Linda Becker, Oliver Paap, John Willis, Peter (Vaga) Feldmann;  Right Upper Row:  Mariliis & Kalev Kaarna, Ene & Allan Corupe, Tatum Wright, Vasily Brodsky;  Front Row Seated:  Häili Grossthal, Evan Grossthal, Eda Fischer, Mari Fischer; Kirke Kaarna, Ervis Saagim with children, Oliver & Emma Poolak; Linda Abbott  (Of the 45 attendees Jim, Linda and Amy Paugh had to leave prior to making the photo)   -   photos by Peter (Vaga) Feldmann

As in past years many of the Estonian families in Arizona along with visitors from afar gathered at the home of Linda and Jim Abbott in Mesa, Arizona to commemorate the 97th anniversary of Estonia's independence on Sunday February 22nd.

This annual event which has been reoccurring near Phoenix for the past 15 years has become a reunion of familiar faces and an introduction to newly found friends. It has also enabled us to feast on tasty traditional foods such as verivorst along with Kalev chocolate treats amongst many other desserts. A total of 45 individuals with both Estonian and American family members were in attendance.

This year we had the honor of two visiting Estonian scholars, Kalev Kaarna and Krista Kull. Kalev is on a stipendium as an instructor at the Faculty/Scholar/Research Center for Policy Infomatics at Arizona State University.  He has a video presentation which aired in Tartu's TED-x conference in 2013 at a web address where he emphasizes the need to formulate "the best question" to solve answers to most problems.

Krista Kull

Kalev Kaarna with his wife Mariliis and daughter Kirke

Krista Kull is on a Fulbright scholarship at Arizona State University as part of the Humphrey Fellows at the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. In Estonia Krista is the Head of the Department of Public Relations and Tourism for the Viljandi Town Government.  It is amazing to see how Estonians have extended their presence with esteemed credentials into such distant and remote places as the American Southwest desert. It truly reflects the vigor and perseverance of our people and our genes.

Peter Vaga Feldmann