News

Peter and Annalina Kazickas' final meeting of the trip to Lithuania was with the Academy of Robotics in Vilnius to learn about their initiative and discuss future partnerships with Basketball Power as it seeks to expand into the coding and programing area. That led to Academy of Robotics inviting KFF grantee Ariogala Day Center "Ariogalos tėkmė" representatives, a team of five students to be guests at the Vilnius Regional FLL competition in OZAS, X-Planet.

During the visit to Lithuania, Kazickas Family Foundation's New York office Director Neila Baumiliene met with the Minister of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania Linas Kukuraitis and Daina Urbonaitiene, Family and Community Department Director.

During their visit to Lithuania, Marcie and John Kazickas, together with their niece Annalina and nephew Peter had an honor to meet US Ambassador to Lithuania Anne Hall. Annalina and Peter also had an opportunity to spend time with the Ambassador and representatives from the US Embassy to discuss various issues in Lithuania that the Kazickas Family Foundation is working to address.

Day centers are vital to small towns and villages of Lithuania. They provide school children with a calm, safe and warm space for after school activities, including space for homework. 

WHAT A DAY! Once again, KFF was humbled and honored to be part of yet another partnership, now with Physically Challenged Wheelchair Basketball team “Draugyste"( EN:"Friendship”) and somewhere seen and famous group of men, Basketball Community/Club “Kažkur Matyti" (EN: "Somewhere Seen”), which takes on social responsibility challenges without any hesitation, with full force, open minds and hearts.

Special thank you to the individuals over at Technarium for showing Annalina Kazickas, Peter Kazickas, Neila Baumilienė and Arminas Vareika your space! Housed in an old paper factory, the Technarium is a community workspace where technologies include anything from 3D printing and a CNC machine to old-fashioned sewing machines, metal work to ceramics, and, of course, an indoor greenhouse.

Social responsibility Basketball Power program, funded by the Kazickas Family Foundation, works in Juvenile Detention Centers of Lithuania.

Kazickas Family members and "Basketball Power" members had a tour of the Presidential palace where they saw the various gifts given to Lithuania from global leaders followed by a great meeting with President Dalia Grybauskaite’s representatives where they discussed the "Basketball Power" program’s work throughout the country teaching life skills through basketball to over 200 youth.

On Saturday, January 28th the Kazickas Family hosted a seminar for Basketball Power coaches, where they had team building sessions, learned from psychologists about how to communicate with youth regarding various issues, and spent time engaging with their head coach. 

The Kazickas Family Foundation has begun supporting a recent initiative to bring medical doctors from Kaunas and Vilnius to Cincinnati for various training exercises. The first group of these doctors will be leaving for the States in a few weeks time.