News

Neringa is a Lithuanian cultural camp in Vermont, founded by the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in 1969. This summer Neringa will celebrate 50 years serving thousands of children and families in various camp sessions with the mission to foster understanding and love for Lithuanian heritage, teach Christian values in the Roman Catholic tradition, and provide for positive character development.

Today, April 16th, marks one hundred and one years since the birth of dr. Joseph Peter Kazickas, a  philanthropist, patriot, entrepreneur, dedicated father, intellectual, world traveler, writer, orator, historian who cared for Lithuania, its Freedom and its People his entire life.

The well known Lithuanian patriot, philanthropist and businessman Joseph P. Kazickas (1918-2014) would have turned 100 in 2018. Together with his wife Alexandra, he lived a full life and vividly recounted his experiences in his autobiography Odyssey of Hope. Therein he tells his life story – beginning with his birth in the tiny village of Chiornaya Padina, continuing with his years in America, and coming full circle with his joyful return to his homeland. 

Few years ago Annalina Kazickas' passion for nature, helping others and her creative mind lead her to Vilnius Urban Garden that started with a small group of community members and green activists in 2012. 

Forty five students from Alytus, Marijampole, Prienai, Birstonas, Kaunas and Varena had an opportunity to spend a week in Israel this February. The initiative of the Embassy of Israel in Lithuania was launched last year with a goal to "build bridges" between Lithuania and Israel. It started last spring with Lithuanian students travelling to Israel, and last fall Israeli students visited Lithuania.

Continuing a 7 step program to expose 22 Lithuanian Physicians training in the specialty of Emergency Medicine about how to manage and direct Emergency Medicine Departments in community hospitals, 4 more young residents from Lithuania joined Emergency medicine doctor Herb Loyd, head of Emergency medicine at Cincinnati hospital Kurt Knochel and their incredible team of experts for 5 weeks.

HOOPS 4 HOPE (H4H), an international non-profit that has been operating for the last 23 years in underserved communities throughout Zimbabwe and South Africa, proudly shares its accomplishments in 2018. The Kazickas Family Foundation has been supporting H4H since 2015 and last year $45,000 of KFF funds have been invested into program's growth.

On April 15th Siauliai region Povilas Visinskis Public Library is inviting all to the opening of the exhibit "Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas' Life Story" during which culture, history reasearcher and linguist Vidmantas Valiusaitis will present the talk.

The Kazickas Family Foundation is joining the President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus and Lithuanian World Community (PLB - Pasaulio Lietuvių Bendruomenė) inviting all Lithuanians around the globe to unite and use our voices to make a change. Let's vote at the Referendum on May 12th to preserve the Lithuanian citizenship.

On March 20th members of the Pasvalys Petras Vileišis Gymnasium Drama Club, the Letter of Gratitude contest winner Gabija Račinskytė and school's teachers visited the Kazickas family residence in Vilnius and V. Kasiulis Art Museum. Dr. Joseph Kazickas was school's graduate back in 1937 who kept close ties with its community his entire life and is an inspiring role model for school's students today.