On Wednesday evening, November 13th, the Connection held its annual meeting for
members, friends, and the Greater Waterville communities at the REM Center. Executive
Committee Chair Martha Patterson presented the Chair’s Annual Report. The report
summarized the year’s activities, including:
- 20th annual Russian Sampler, held at Colby College, March 25, 2013. This one-day seminar
for area junior high and high school students featured 27 presenters, who taught classes in
Russian history, schools, language, church art, a tour of our Sister City, Kotlas, music, Easter
egg decorating, lacquer spoons, fairy tales, cooking, sports, and folk doll sewing. 240 area
students with their teachers attended Sampler.
- A teacher and two high school students from the Kotlas area led classes at Sampler and
spent a busy week in Central Maine, touring the State House and the Maine State Museum,
visiting the coast, and participating in classes in local schools.
- In April the Connection hosted an Open World delegation of social services workers
from the Kotlas area. These young professionals had a very full schedule of visits to:
Sacred Heart Soup Kitchen, Hospice Volunteers, WIC, High Hopes Club House, Mid-Maine
Homeless Shelter, Ervin Pediatric Center, Alfond Youth Center, Educare, Care and Comfort,
Maine Center for Integrated Rehabilitation, Beckett House, Kennebec County Jail, and
Mount St. Joseph Residence. During each visit, the Russian guests had very detailed
discussions of their programs with American colleagues. 60 community members attended
the Community Dinner in the Russians’ honor and heard the guests’ presentations about
programs and facilities in the Kotlas area.
- From September through November, the Connection offered its third Russian film discussion
course under the auspices of the Mid-Maine Regional Adult Education program.
- Once again this year the Connection will sell Russian Christmas ornaments at several
locations in Waterville, and at the Temple Academy and Waterville High School craft fairs.
- Chair Martha Patterson expressed our sorrow at the untimely death of Dr. Kenneth Green,
Committee Co-Chair, in June. She cited Dr. Green’s many accomplishments, noting in
particular his initiating a scholarship fund at Thomas College for Kotlas area teachers and
college students to teach and study for a semester or a year.
Executive Committee members and officers were elected.
The meeting concluded with a photo tour of Kotlas, presented by Carl Daiker and Phil
Gonyar, who visited old friends in Kotlas in May. They showed much new construction in
and around Kotlas, as well as wonderful photos of people, who had visited us in Maine over
the past 20 years.
Visiting KVCC student Roman Blizniuk gave a presentation about his home country,
Ukraine, and his hometown, Cherkassy.
Refreshments and conversations followed the meeting.
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