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Petras Butenas (1898-1980) was a linguist, an anthropologist, an interpretor and a teacher. He researched Lithuanian language dialects, prepositions, place names, contributed preparing Lithuanian dictionary, wrote the accentuation text book. He was also Alexandra Kazickas' Lithuanian language and literature teacher at the Panevezys High School for Girls. In 2002 Alexandra Kazickas established the award in the honor of her dear teacher Petras Butenas.

Looking back with gratitude. Back in October a group of youth of Lithuanian descent living in Russia and Belarus, visited the Kazickas family residence in Vilnius to learn about Joseph P. Kazickas and his incredible life.

In 2012 the Kazickas Family Foundation established the Joseph P. Kazickas Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Yale to support the Baltic Studies program in the MacMillan Center's Council on European Studies. The Fellowship provides resources for visiting scholars and researchers from Lithuania to study at Yale and organize workshops and seminars on campus about issues relevant to the Baltic Sea region.

In the beginning of November Jurate Kazickas together with her sister-in-law Lucy and nephew Augustine spent a very busy but exciting week in Lithuania. Here Jurate shares few highlights from their trip:

If you are lucky to be in Vilnius, on December 1st please come visit the 16th International Christmas Charity Bazaar, organized by the International Women's Association of Vilnius and supported by many generous donors, including the Kazickas Family Foundation. As every year, all collected funds will be distributed among eight carefully selected recipients.

Last week director of Yale University MacMilllan Center Baltic Studies program dr. Bradley Woodworth came to Lithuania to meet with the representatives of Lithuanian educational institutions in order to discuss dr. Joseph P. Kazickas post-doctoral fellowship at Yale offered to the citizens of Lithuania.

During their latest visit to Lithuania, Jurate, Lucy and Augie Kazickas visited Alytus region Miroslavas high school and participated at the foundation's "Youth Can" program's practice. School's student and program's participant Egle Zilinskaite shares gratitude and few thoughts from that day.

Lithuanian school in Florida "Sauletas krantas" thanks the Kazickas Family Foundation for the support covering 2 day camp for school's children together with the Lithuanian youth baseball team and its coach Virmidas Neverauskas.

The Kazickas Family Foundation congratulates Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Congregation that is turning 100 this year and is excited to contribute to Sisters' work. Special friendship between Jurate Kazickas and Sister Igne Marijosiute started years ago at the camp in Putnam and continues even today.

During their trip to Lithuania, Jurate, Lucy and Augustine Kazickas visited Pumpenai school. KFF program's "Youth Can" director Arminas Vareika is a former school's student and today he brings not just the Kazickas family and programs to keep Pumpenai children active and involved, but his heart and soul to his community that raised and nurtured him.