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It was another great week in Lithuania – Nov. 1 – 9 – filled with many visits, meetings, and interesting events. Starting with the Opera Ball where KFF was the main supporter of this, black tie fund raiser, a party with songs and dances, an excellent dinner, elegant decorations and attended by the glamorous and young elite of Vilnius; and ending in a simple dining room in a community center of Lentvaris, having a joyful and uplifting conversation with our Youth Can kids.

Happily, Lucy Kazickas and her 25 year old son, Augie, were with me for several days. Neila Baumiliene, our US director, also came from the US. We were ably assisted by Agne Vertelkaite, our dynamic new head of the KFF Vilnius office, Arminas Vareika, who runs our exciting Jaunimas Gali/Youth Can program and his assistant Ieva Cerniauskaite.

Some highlights:

- Our publisher, Petro Ofsetas, delivered as promised 300 copies of “Vilties Kelias – Niekada Nesibaigia“ – “Odyssey of Hope – the Journey Never Ends - so we could have copies to distribute as gifts to friends and supporters. This third edition of Joseph P. Kazickas’ autobiography contains excerpts from about 20 letters he wrote to his beloved “Alyte.” With a total order of 1500 copies, the book will be donated to libraries and schools and a portion will be shipped to the US to accompany Jospeh Kazickas exhibits 2019/2020 in major cities.

- A KFF day-long philanthropy conference for NGOs, including many of our beneficiaries, held at the National Library where participants heard ideas about development and fund-raising  as well as presentations from some charities on their challenges, successes and failures.        

- A meeting with Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America and the world-wide program Teach for All which was launched in Lithuania 10 years ago with KFF as one its first sponsors. The conference was attended by more than 200 educators, including a dozen or so alumni of the program. I spoke briefly to the gathering on the profound influence teachers can have on intellectual AND social development of children.

But my most memorable day was spent on the road - to see our Youth Can program in action in Miroslavas and Pumpenai, and attend the opening of the Joseph P. Kazickas traveling exhibit in Pasvalys.

Arminas definitely has a way with young people! At two different gymnasiums, (including in his high school in Pumpenai,) he started out playing silly “ice-breaker” games that had a large group of girls giggling, and after several rounds of relay races, taught them how to flip a Frisbee. As always, the fun and games ended with a conversation about life, their goals and aspirations. I could see the young girls becoming a little more confident in speaking up and sharing their thoughts.

I think having Augie (handsome, charming and 6’7”) with us, representing the new generation of Kazickases, made a real impact on the girls. (Do check out his You Tube video on making the perfect Lithuanian pancake]

In Panevezys, we visited the V. Zemkalnis School which our dear mother graduated from in 1937 to promote several awards in her honor to students who distinguish themselves in academics, sports, arts, and community service. The students will be asked to write an essay on why they deserve this prize to encourage them to learn how to promote themselves as they head out into a competitive world. 

But nothing prepared me for the wonderful welcome we received in Pasvalys. First, we were dazzled by a musical presentation of several passages from “Odyssey of Hope” portraying the courtship of Alexandra and Joseph. Students performed in period costumes (a saucy beret!) singing and dancing to jazz music from the 40s. Truly, it was an amazing spectacle – so creative and so sweet.

Then we visited the spacious room where the Joseph P. Kazickas exhibit with its timeline posters and memorabilia will be displayed through February. Various school projects will be organized around his life story. The principal, Viktoras Rimsa, spoke very eloquently about Joseph P. Kazickas and the new letters. 

We gave away copies of the new Vitlies Kelias,  and on the spur of the moment, I suggested the school hold an essay contest inspired by the JPK letters – to a best friend, a parent, or someone special – with a cash prize, of course.

On the last day of my trip, I visited Youth Can girl and boy participants in Lentvaris. After games with our cheerleader Arminas, we encouraged them to talk about their life goals. One young girl wanted to be a stewardess; a boy said he was interested in being an auto mechanic. I repeated my father’s life long mantra: never give up on your dreams. That’s what makes life worth living. 

This particular after-school program, run by Caritas, also provides the children with supper. So we all sat together at a long table, sang grace and enjoyed a meal. Everyone was hungry after all the sports. It was one young girl’s 16^th birthday which we celebrated with a song and cake. As we posed for the group photo, she said it was a birthday she would never forget.

And I am not going to forget this wonderful week and the outpouring of gratitude from so many for our parents and the work of the Kazickas Family Foundation.

Photo above: Jurate, Lucy and Augie Kazickas with Neila Baumiliene and Agne Vertelkaite at the Pasvalys P. Vileisis School