Atnaujinta Lapkričio 4, 2010
Updated
November 4, 2010 Naują informaciją
ar pataisymus siūskite:
Send
new information and updates to:
Kastytis Giedraitis at
Parish Organizations
Divine Providence Parish is home to a
variety of Lithuanian cultural, educational and humanitarian organizations,
which use the Cultural
Center adjacent to the
church. These groups and their
activities serve our own parish’s members, as well as the Lithuanian community
at large.
A short synopsis of our organizations is
provided below. A more detailed
description of each, along with an extensive history of Divine Providence
Lithuanian Church
itself, can be found in the 90th anniversary commemorative magazine
published in 1998. A copy can be
obtained through members of the church’s Pastoral Council.
Organizations for youth
-
Ateitininkai—Lithuanian
American Roman Catholic Federation “Ateitis,”
- was established in Lithuania
in 1908. The goal of the organization is
to instill in young people values which stress the five principles upon which
the organization was founded: devotion to God, love of country, perseverance in
education, importance of family, taking an active role in society.
The Detroit area “Ateitininkai”
are clustered into four groups: college
graduates (age 30 +), college students, high school students, elementary school
students. Each group organizes
activities appropriate to the age level.
Currently, however, the college graduate group—the seniors, provide only
the moral and financial support for the other groups. The most active are the youth groups which
meet monthly for meaningful, creative activities
planned by competent group leaders.
Contacts: High
School group – Rita Giedraitis ritagied.yahoo.com
Elementary
School group - Vida Orentas vida@voyager.net
Skautai/Lithuanian Scouts Association
- was established in Lithuania
in 1918 by Petras Jurgėla,
according to the by-laws instituted by the founder of international scouting,
Lord Baden Powell. Their motto is “for
God, Country and Mankind.” As a result
of the interruption and immigration caused by World War II, newly-settled
Lithuanians in the Detroit
area founded a Lithuanian girl scout chapter in
1950. A chapter for the Lithuanian boy
scouts soon followed. Yearly activities
include monthly meetings, the celebration of traditional holidays such as “Kūčios” (the Christmas Eve dinner), a spring
fund-raising bazaar, and a week-long summer camp.
Contact: for
girls – Lidija
Gobis lydia.gobis@gm.com
for
boys - Darius Rudis drudis@dariusrudis.com
Sporto
Klubas “Kovas”/Sports Club
“Kovas” - calls the
Divine Providence parish gymnasium “home”.
Hundreds of Lithuanian children have competed and played here. “Kovas” frequently
attracts individuals of Lithuanian descent who are not involved in any other
Lithuanian activities. Children’s
basketball tournaments are periodically organized attracting over 400
participants.
Contact:
Paul Butkūnas pab21@chrysler.com or Vitas Zubrickas vrzubrickas@aol.com
Tautinių
Šokių Grupė “Šaltinis”/Folk dance group “Šaltinis”
- The entire ensemble consists of four age groups: post
college, college, high school, grade school. The instructor teaches the art of folk
dancing and prepares the participants for local as well as national
performances. “Šaltinis”
has participated in folk dance festivals in Lithuania,
the United States, and Canada, where
hundreds of dancers of Lithuanian descent from all corners of the world perform
selected dances. Lithuanian dancing is
also taught each Saturday to the students of the “Žiburys”
Lithuanian School.
Contact: Viktorija Viskantas leleviskantas@gmail.com
“Žiburio” Lituanistinė Mokykla/”Ziburys” Lithuanian
Saturday School
- operates from September through mid-May.
It strives to teach our children to read and write the Lithuanian
language, and to help them become more familiar with Lithuanian literature,
history, geography, folk dances and songs.
Religious instruction is also provided, and students are prepared for
the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. The first Detroit area Lithuanian school opened in 1949
at St. Anthony’s Parish. It relocated a
number of times over the years. In 1973,
the school moved to its present location at Divine Providence Parish in Southfield. The name “Žiburys”,
meaning “spark of light”, was chosen at that time.
Contact:
School principal Vida
Pekorius vpeck3@yahoo.com
Organizations for adults
-
Ateitininkai/Lithuanian
American Roman Catholic Federation “Ateitis”
- The Detroit Chapter serves as a support system for the youth groups. The national executive committees organize
activities including religious and cultural events, camps, and seminars. Many take place at Camp
Dainava, a Lithuanian property near Manchester, Michigan.
Contact: Rusnė Kasputis rusnern@hotmail.com
Lietuvių Bendruomenė/Lithuanian American Community
- was established in 1951 for the purpose of fostering and supporting
educational and cultural activities in Lithuanian communities in the U.S. Chapters now exist in 68 US communities
and 27 countries, with membership open to all of Lithuanian descent. LB representatives in Detroit
were instrumental in the planning and construction of Divine Providence
Church and its
facilities. Over the years they have
sponsored a multitude of concerts, art exhibitions, political conferences,
meetings with the press, and lectures.
Since 1989, the LB has sponsored cultural exchanges with Lithuania, by inviting operatic singers, concert
musicians, “pop” artists and theatrical groups to perform in North
America. It is a strong
supporter of the Lithuanian
Saturday School. The central committee publishes textbooks and
course outlines, provides financial assistance to existing schools and
organizes professional development activities for teachers.
Lietuviu Jaunimo
Sajunga, the Lithuanian American Youth Association, a
part of the LB, targets young adults between 18 and 35 years. It organizes meetings, lectures, and
international conferences.
Contact: LB
Detroit Chapter – Aleksas Mitrius aleks@metro-title.com
LJS
Detroit Chapter
– Paulius Juška paulj@umich.edu
Lietuvos
Dukterų Draugija/Daughters
of Lithuania
- was organized in Chicago
in December, 1960. This organization
helped many young children and elderly of Lithuanian descent, who required
assistance, but did not qualify for aid from public social service agencies. The Detroit
chapter was formed in 1975. The
organization helps the infirm, the aged, and the lonely, who long for familiar,
Lithuanian-speaking contact. Since 1990,
when Lithuania regained its
independence, the work of the organization expanded to encompass needy people
in Lithuania
as well. In conjunction with various
medical organizations in both Lithuania
and the U.S., and with the
assistance of their many volunteers and generous donors, “Lietuvos
Dukterys” now sponsor children who travel to the U.S. for
intensive medical care. In addition, the
organization maintains a soup kitchen, a children’s nursery and a medical unit,
and supports medical associations, schools and indigent families in Lithuania. The members of the organization live by the
words of their motto, “A helpful hand to the needy.”
Contact: Vida
Juška mamajuska@gmail.com
Lietuvos
Šaulių Sajunga
- was founded in 1919 by Vladas Putvinskas-Putvis. Its initial purpose was to assist in the
maintenance of public safety in Lithuania
during a period of political occupation by the Germans and Bolsheviks. This group later participated in the struggle
for independence. Since 1997, the
organization has become part of Lithuania’s
official security system. Older members,
especially those residing outside of Lithuania, participate more in
cultural and social activities.
Contact: Linas
Orentas linas@voyager.net
Sporto
klubas “Kovas”/Sports Club
“Kovas” - sponsors
competitions for adults as well. They
include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, and men’s
and women’s golf.
Contact: Paul Butkūnas pab21@chrysler.com or Vitas Zubrickas vrzubrickas@aol.com
Tautinių Šokių Grupė “Šaltinis”/Folk dance group “Šaltinis”
- also prepares adult ensembles for performances at Lithuanian folk dance
festivals. The next festival will take
place in Boston, MA, in July, 2012.
Contact:
Viktorija
Viskantas leleviskantas@gmail.com