The 61st Annual Lithuanian Foundation Members‘ Meeting
On April 27th, 2024, at the Lithuanian World Center‘s Banys Family Hall (Lemont, IL) people gathered for the 61st Annual Lithuanian Foundation Members‘ Meeting.
Chairman of the LF Board of Directors Tauras Bublys opened the meeting. Following the United States and Lithuanian national anthems, Bublys introduced the presidium members and guests of honor. Vaidas Lukoševičius SJ, Director of the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Mission, read the invocation. Everyone paused for a minute of silence to honor members deceased between April 2023 and April 2024.
Sigrida Mulevičienė, Consul General at the Consulate General of Lithuania in Chicago, greeted attendees in video format. Janina Sučylienė, Chairperson of the LAC Lemont Chapter, read a poem to greet the guests. Greetings were also read and received in writing from the Lithuanian Ambassador to the USA and Mexico Audra Plepytė as well as Consul General of Lithuania in Los Angeles Laima Jurevičienė.
Laima Apanavičienė read and confirmed the 2023 Members’ Meeting protocol. Antanas Razma, Jr., Chairman of the Registration Commission, announced that LF members having 7,555 votes, which makes up 28.8% of all possible votes, participated in the election. The quorum was sustained.
Saulius Čyvas, Chairperson of the Nomination Committee presented the LF Board of Directors candidates. Chairman of the LF Board Tauras Bublys, LF President Audronė Pavilčius-Karalius, Chairperson of the Finance Committee Gintaras Vaišnys along with LF financial advisor Paulius Majauskas, Treasurer Laima Kilienė, and Chairperson of the Development Committee Jonas Howes all read announcements about LF activity. Chairman of the LF Grants Commission Juozas Kapačinskas sent a written announcement read by Dalius Vasys.
Vytenis Kirvelaitis, Chairman of the Vote Counting Commission, read announcements from the Vote Counting Commission. He announced that Ieva Dilytė, Jonas Howes, Marius Kasniūnas, Audronė Pavilčius-Karalius, and Lina Žlioba had been elected for a three-year term for the LF Board of Directors.
During the discussion portion of the event, M. Remienė read her open letter (published in the April 27 edition of Draugas newspaper). She raised the question – Why can‘t the Lithuanian Foundation disburse a million US dollars to Lithuania? According to Ms. Remienė, Lithuania is in danger and needs increased protection ever since Russia invaded Ukraine. LF representatives explained that LF is an apolitical nonprofit organization, therefore it cannot engage in political campaigns. Private individuals are encouraged to start such movements and provide personal support for the cause. Towards the end of the meeting, Lithuanian Seimas member Vytautas Juozapaitis thanked the Lithuanian Foundation for its contribution to the cultivation of the Lithuanian identity.
After the meeting, guests were invited to the premiere of the documentary film “Lithuanian Foundation: From Generation to Generation” directed by Arvydas Reneckis. The movie detailed the history of how the Lithuanian Foundation formed and showed people who stood at the origin of the organization, working charitably without counting the hours contributed.
Foundation, Inc. 2023 Annual Report (pdf)
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