Aeg on plaanida suve parimat nädalalõppu!

Soome - Eesti Sõpruspäevad

31. juuli - 2. august 2015

California soomlased  kutsuvad California eestlasi nende jöeäärsesse suvituskohta, mis asub Fresno lähedal.  Hauli Huvila on nende privaatlaager Kings Riveri ääres ning nad avavad  uksed  Los Angelese ja San Francisco Eesti Seltsi liikmetele.

• Ülevaade Hauli Huvilast on veebil:  haulihuvila.com
• Telkimine on $10 inimeselt/ööpäev
• Saunad on köetud ööd ja päevad läbi
• Söögid (umbes $5 kuni $12) on valmistatud ühisköögis
• Reedene õhtusöök, 3  einet laupäeval ja pühapäeval on hiline hommikueine
• Köögiabilisi on palutud igal eine ajal
• On ka saadaval üürimiseks üks suur ($90/ööpäev) ja neli väikest ($60/ööpäev) kabiini milles voodid/kraanikauss/käimla
• Kuna neid on vähe, loositakse kabiinid välja
• Esita oma kabiini soovi: andres.ruetman@ca.rr.com
• Motell Edgewater Inn on jalutuskäigu kaugusel kui telkida ei soovi.
• Ujumine, kalastamine, või jalad vees päevitamine (kokteil käes) on kõik võimalik sõltuvalt jõevee pinna kõrguselt (meil on ju põud)
• Võrkpalli ja teisi mänge organiseeritakse kohapeal
• Palun anna teada kes tulemas! andres.ruetman@ca.rr.com 

Finnish - Estonian Friendship Weekend

July 31 - August 2, 2015

The California Finnish community has invited the California Estonians to join them for a weekend at their riverside retreat near Fresno.  Hauli Huvila is their private campground along the Kings River and they are welcoming members of the Los Angeles and San Francisco Estonian Societies.

• An overview of Hauli Huvila can be found at http://haulihuvila.com/ 
• Camping  is $10 per person per night
• Saunas are heated all day and night
• Meals (approx. $5 to $12) will be prepared in the group kitchen
• Friday dinner, 3 meals Saturday, and Sunday brunch
• Volunteers are needed to help in the kitchen
• There are 1 large ($90/night) & 4 small cabins ($60/night) with beds/sink/toilet that may be rented.
• A raffle will be held to allocate these cabins
• Submit your request to andres.ruetman@ca.rr.com 
• The Edgewater Inn is walking distance if you do not wish to camp
• Floating, swimming, fishing, or lounging with your feet in the water and a cocktail in your hand will be options based on the river water level.
• Volleyball and other games will be organized. 
• Please let us know how many are coming!  andres.ruetman@ca.rr.com 

 Our family is reaching out to the Estonian community in the Los Angeles area, in the hope that you will be able to help us in our efforts to assist a wonderful young pianist from Estonia, Christina Shatuho, in her efforts to come to the United States to study piano at the university level. She has been studying at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn.  She was given the advice to study abroad, to further advance her training, and to have greater opportunities to develop as an artist and to perform.  She was invited to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, but her strong desire has been to study here in the United States, and she has just been accepted into the music program at Arizona State University.  ASU has one of the top-10 rated music schools here in the US.  (My name is John Rice, my wife is Jean Rice ... we are both attorneys in Phoenix; our two sons, Johnny and Chris Rice, are musicians ... each plays the piano, and also the cello ... they just had their Carnegie Hall debut this past November.)

If we are successful in our efforts on Christina's behalf, she will be studying with Robert Hamilton, a Steinway Artist who is an internationally respected pianist and teacher.  Professor Hamilton arranged for Christina to be given a scholarship to ASU. She received the 2nd highest scholarship given to any of the students who were accepted into the music program at ASU, but it only covers one-third of her tuition at ASU.  For that and several other reasons, she is in need of additional financial assistance in order to be able to come here.

There is of course a great deal more to this story, which I will be happy to share with you in whatever detail you like.  You would be most welcome to contact me directly ... my e-mail address is:  JRice43497@aol.com

I should add: our family has no "financial interest" in what is happening here, all funds we raise will go toward Christina's remaining tuition and living expenses (we have already contributed our own funds to this effort, and will be continuing to do so).  If you are able to assist in any amount, it will be deeply appreciated by Christina.  It would also be very helpful if you could direct us to other individuals, or to businesses which you think might be willing to help.

We have been requesting help from many of our friends here in Phoenix, and also in other parts of the country and abroad. Also, our sons are going to be giving a benefit concert here in Phoenix on May 30. All proceeds will go to the scholarship fund of the Young Musicians in Service to America project, which has been set up by our sons.  Christina will of course be a beneficiary of this concert.  A number of corporations have stepped forward as sponsors of the benefit concert.  So far, we have raised about 60 percent of the necessary amount, leaving about $14,000 which is still required.  We are optimistic, but of course that is not a small amount, and there is some time pressure.  So far, the amounts contributed have ranged from $200 to $2,500, but of course contributions in any amount will be most deeply welcomed and appreciated. (My wife and I have set up a special bank account, into which all funds contributed to Christina will be deposited.  If we fail to raise the full amount of funds required, and she is unable to come, we will of course refund all amounts to contributors.)

If Christina does come here, I know that she will be delighted to perform for the Estonian community in LA, perhaps at Estonian House!