Alberta Estonian Heritage Society
With the disintegration of the Medicine Valley Estonian Society, the Calgary Estonian Society, and the Edmonton Estonian Society, the need for a unified Estonian organization in Alberta became increasingly evident. At a meeting in Red Deer on 23 April 2005, 33 committed members of the fledgling Alberta Estonian Heritage Society established its official name and its primary objectives. These included:
- To provide for the recreation of the members and to promote and afford opportunity for friendly and social activities;
- To promote and preserve Estonian heritage and culture in Alberta;
- To facilitate contact and current awareness among persons with an interest in Estonian heritage and culture in Canada, Estonia, and elsewhere.
Other initiatives put forth by those in attendance at a formative meeting held in Red Deer on November 6, 2004 include:
- A coordinating council, consisting of at least two representatives from each of the Calgary, Stettler - Red Deer, Eckville and Edmonton regions, was established to develop and implement the goals of the new organization. An interim provincial Coordinator was also appointed.
- The Coordinator, Council and necessary committees will be responsible for the overall development and administration of Society business including major events, finances, membership, bylaws and communications.
- A set of bylaws, followed by a submission for registration as a non-profit organization, will be pursued to enable the Society to apply for grants and other fundraising activities.
- A website will be developed and maintained to inform members and prospective members of Society news and happenings. A Society logo will be developed for use on letterheads and other such correspondence.
- The AEHS will assemble a province-wide mailing list. The information wil be used solely for the purpose of Society business and every effort will be made to protect all members' privacy.
- The newsletter AjaKaja, previously published by the Edmonton Estonian Society, will become the AEHS newsletter. AjaKaja will be distributed to all Society members whom have paid their annual fees.
- Membership dues are as follows: $25/year for families and $20/year for individuals. These dues will cover the cost of publishing and distributing AjaKaja, various administrative costs and general support of Society activities. Membership dues will be reviewed annually.
The official website is www.aehs.ca.
