Blue tree
EFC Community Connections June 2020
A monthly newsletter highlighting features and events to help connect and energize the Estonian community in Canada.

In this edition:
  • Estos on the front lines of Covid
  • What's in the woods at Seedrioru?
  • Scholarship Profile: Erik Kõvamees

Looking ahead - July:
  • Meet the EFC Board
  • Scholarship Profile: Peggy Jupe
  • Updates from our Community
Estos on the front lines of the pandemic
How does it feel to work in a hospital during Covid-19?
Reading personal stories from our own community gives each of us a new perspective on the Covid pandemic. Here are Estonian-Canadians telling it like it is on the front lines - first person accounts from 3 past EFC scholarship recipients:

Teija Jõgi is just 24 and works on the Covid ward in London, Ontario as an acute care nurse, experiencing the stress and PPE shortages first hand. "It's been difficult to emotionally support families because visitors are restricted at this time. Naturally we get a lot of calls for updates and it's hard to hear the anxiety and sadness a lot of families express." Read Teija's story.

Kristiina Nieländer-Hildebrandt is an ER nurse in Toronto, where ER volumes have been very low. "On one hand, we hope people will remember, if their medical concern is not urgent enough to go to the ER during a pandemic, then it may not be an actual emergency! [But] a medical crisis cannot be wished away, and people who are facing critical situations should continue to seek the help they need. " Read Kristiina's story

Dr. Tomas Saun , Chief Resident, Hand and Wrist Surgery in Toronto has had his training experience diminished by the cancellation of elective surgeries. " Some cases, such as when we are replanting fingers, can take 8-12 hours during which you’re wearing protective lead (for the xray) + gown + N95 mask + face shield -- which quickly becomes very uncomfortable. After these types of cases I usually am completely drenched in sweat and have skin tears on my face from the tape and adhesives." Read Tomas' story.
Acute Care Nurse Teija Jõgi
Surgical Resident Tomas Saun
Aitäh! Thank You!
As a community, we are incredibly proud of ALL of our Esto
front line workers. We appreciate the contributions and
personal sacrifices they are making.
Our strength is our shared community.
When we gather together again, we will need our community more than ever.

Estonian-Canadian organizations will need financial assistance to help face new challenges. EFC funding is critical to ensure the community can thrive.
This winter, Seedrioru volunteers Krista Koger and Helmi Hess set up cameras to film what the animals are doing while no one's watching.

Look what they found!

Erik Kõvamees
2019 EFC Scholarship Recipient
Erik Kõvamees is one of 7 exceptional Estonian-Canadian youth to be granted a 2019 EFC Scholarship. Erik has been active in the Vancouver Estonian community his whole life – starting with Estonian school to now serving as the present contributing editor of the Läänekaare Postipoiss. He is currently working on his PhD in Semiotics at Tartu University. He will use the EFC Scholarship to help complete his studies and support his young family.

On being Estonian:
“Being Estonian means the world to me…The Vancouver Estonian community has offered me an indescribable amount of support, and has given me friendships, values, and a sense of identity. I feel it is my duty to make sure that continuity with our local and national past is not broken, and to perpetuate the community for future generations so that they may have the same experiences that I did. “

On the role of EFC:
“The Estonian Foundation of Canada is important to the Estonian community of Canada because, simply put, it perpetuates the community. The significant funding offered by the Foundation for Estonian projects and programming all across Canada allows specific communities to keep continuity with their pasts, as well as to create plans for their futures. The significant resources offered by the Foundation form the economic foundation necessary to keep cultural heritages alive, and without this financial backing many of these communities would unfortunately be lost.”
Suur aitäh!

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Estonian Foundation of Canada has granted over 130 scholarships to Canadian-Estonian youth since 2003.

To fulfill our mission to support and preserve Estonian heritage in Canada, the Estonian Foundation of Canada supports projects and organizations that preserve our language, heritage and traditions. For details and funding applications, contact EFC.
The world may be paused, but our mission never stops.
The Estonian Foundation of Canada (EFC) is a registered charity supporting Estonian cultural and heritage activities across Canada. The Foundation is supported solely by donations and bequests from the community.

Eesti Sihtkapital Kanadas (ESK) on registreeritud heategevus, mis toetab Eesti kultuuripärandiga seotud tegevusi üle Kanada. ESK toetab rahaliselt programme ja ettevõtmisi annetuste ja päranduste kaudu.

Visit estonianfoundation.ca to make a donation , or subscribe and to find out more.