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

In this edition:
  • Meet Matthias Kask, Tennis Ace
  • Giving Tuesday Now
  • Scholarship Profile: Colden Palo

Looking ahead - June:
  • Meet the EFC Board!
  • Scholarship Profile: Erik Kõvamees
  • Updates from our Community
Matthias Kask: A smash hit on the court!
At just 14 years old, Estonian-Canadian Matthias Kask is already a smash hit on tennis courts from Tallinn to Toronto and beyond.

In 2019 Matthias won gold in both U14 singles and mixed doubles in Estonia. He placed 3rd in doubles and 7th in singles in Canada. His goal? World #1, and Grand Slam championships.

Matthias loves to compete. Normally, he trains 15-20 hours per week, in addition to attending school and doing homework. Training includes tennis skills, mental strength exercises and general fitness.

Why tennis? It is a competitive singles sport where you are responsible for your own success, says Matthias.

Sidelined by the pandemic, Matthias is finding ways to train at home. With courts closed, he hits against a wall and practices his serves in the backyard, as well as running, cycling and stretching to keep fit and ready for competition as soon as tournaments recommence. Success is imperative to attract sponsors - an absolute necessity to defray costs of travel and training and a constant challenge.

With 2 Estonian parents, Matthias speaks fluent Estonian and is incredibly proud of his heritage. At home he enjoys basketball and loves to play with his dog Rafa - named after Rafael Nadal, of course.
1. Matthias serving in his backyard during the Covid shutdown (Oakville, ON).
2. On the podium: Matthias (centre) as 2019 Estonian U14 Champion.
Our strength is our shared community.
When we gather together again, we will need the special community we have built more than ever.

Estonian-Canadian organizations and events will need financial assistance to help them face new challenges in a changed world. As the financial backbone of our community EFC funding will be critical to ensure our community can continue to thrive.

We need your support to help our community! Thank you to the donors who stepped up on #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5.
Colden Palo
2019 EFC Scholarship Recipient
Colden Palo is one of 7 exceptional Canadian-Estonian youth to be granted a 2019 EFC Scholarship. Colden is a
3 rd year Vocal Performance student at the University of Alberta. He hopes to become a professor of Music in the future. His family celebrated numerous Estonian traditions growing up and he describes this connection “… The act of singing a piece in your father’s language is a profound experience, and one that makes me very proud as a first generation Canadian.”

On being Estonian:
“Estonia boasts incredible artistry and technology, and a beautiful language.… Estonia lives on in my father, but my mother also embraced this special heritage... Estonia means never giving up and celebrating uniqueness and diversity. I see these values in my family, and I am thankful for the heritage that we get to celebrate.”

On the role of EFC :
“The history and legacy of Estonia is an important thing to protect, and the Estonian Foundation of Canada is committed to just that. …The significance of an organization such as the EFC cannot be overstated, due to its commitment to preserving Estonian heritage and supporting its people in Canada. Ultimately, the EFC brings Estonians together in Canada, allowing us to celebrate our past and look forward to an exciting future.”
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 solely supported 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.