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Since 2018 with this award the Kazickas Family Foundation and the Lithuanian Language Associaton seek to preserve the memory of the linguist Petras Butenas (1896–1980) and his student Alexandra Kalvenaite-Kazickas (1920–2011).

The Kazickas Family Foundation New York office director Neila Baumiliene and Lithuanian Language Association board director prof. Genovaite Kaciuskiene presented the recipient with a diploma. Foundation's Vilnius office director Agne Vertelkaite and program coordinator Ieva Sriebaliute also participated. Event's honorary guests were Petras Butenas' son Donatas with his wife Danguole.

Audrys Antanaitis, the chairman of the National Lithuanian Language Committee, pointed out the importance of person's connection with his homeland and the language, remembered the expeditions to Russia, Chornaya Padina village in the Saratov steppes during the Lithuania's Reform Movement. This village. settled by the Lithuanians exiled after the Insurrection of 1863, was the birth place of dr. Joseph Peter Kazickas (1918-2014). While researching the history of the village, Audrys Antanaitis met the Kazickas family. Dr. Joseph Peter Kazickas never forgot his birthplace. Thanks to his care and efforts, there was a chapel built in Chornaya Padina. According to dr. Joseph Kazickas' will, a handfull of his ashes were burried there.

Neila Baumiliene, KFF New York office director also emphasized such connections. She described the Kazickas family as people wholeheartedly committed to Lithuania who dedicated their entire lives to it. Alexandra Kazickas supported various Lithuanian educational initiatives in the US, took care of the orphans and children with disabilities in Lithuania. Alexandra Kazickas' committment to Lithuania and Lithuanian language is clearly evident through her support of Lithuanian education in diaspora. Her generosity in 2006 enabled the founding of the first heritage school on Long Island, NY that was named in Alexandra Kazickas' honor. In 2012 the Kazickas family established Alexandra Kazickas Grant Program (AKGP) honoring their Mother's memory. The mission of the AKGP was to support the work of the Lithuanian Heritage schools in the US that help preserve Lithuanian language and culture for the benefit of individuals, communities and society.

Petras Butenas heritage researcher Lione Lapiskiene reminded all about his talent and covered most notable areas of his work. Just like many other intelectuals' from the period of Independent Lithuania, the scope of his initiatives and work was comparable to the work of an entire University department.

Lithuanian Language Association honorary member dr. Aldonas Pupkis compared some aspects of Petras Butenas and dr. Bronius Dobrovolskis work. The linguist shared that dr. Bronius Dobrovolskis was always a role model for many Vilnius University students and colleagues.

Lithuanian Language Association Board director dr. Genovaite Kaciuskiene congratulated the recipient of the award in a beautiful dialect specific to the Pasvalys region. Pasvalys Cultural Center folklore ensemble „Rags“ singers led by Daiva Adamkaviciene invited all to sing some local songs in such dialect.

Event host Vitalija Vasiliauskaite from the Panevezys Ethnographic Museum was inviting all, the colleagues, the students and friends, to congratulate the recipient of the award. In return dr. Bronius Dobrovolskis once more shared his talent delivering the most meaningful ideas in the most convincing but at the same time truly humble way, not leaving a single person in doubt.

Sincere Thank You goes out to the Kazickas Family Foundation, the Lithuanian Language Association Panevezys Chapter, Donatas and Danguole Būtenas, Panevezys region Gabriele Petkevicaite-Bite Public Library, Pasvalys Cultural Center folklore ensemble „Rags“ for an amazing event and an exceptional Lithuanian language class.

Lithuanian Language Association Board member,

„Native Language“ magazine editor-in-chief

Rita Urneziute

Photos: Gintaras Lukoševičius