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EESTI ELU reedel, 13. mail 2022 — Friday, May 13, 2022
Meet Taimi Hooper, Donations Manager for Estonian Arts Centre Her contribution to the KESKUS project took a special and emotional turn during the “Tere, KESKUS” fund-raising All with Estonian roots and campaign in June 2021. connections will feel welcome “Finding out I was pregnant at KESKUS during this intense 3-day camTaimi has always been devoted paign brought it all home for to helping build the Estonian me,” Taimi said. “It’s just so community. “Growing up, I important to realize that we are spent four out of seven days a building this Centre for our week in Estonian activities,” she kids.” Taimi’s second daughter laughs, “summers were at Kaja Sidney with husband Sean Estonian camps. Being Estonian Hooper was born on February defined who I am, and I’d have 21, which also happened to be it no other way!” Family Day holiday in Ontario. As Donations Manager for Daughter Maali Elsa is six and Estonian Arts Centre (EAC), proving to be a wonderful big Taimi is the first point of sister, Taimi reports. Kaja’s c ontact for donors who middle name is in honor of her approach KESKUS via the great-grandfather Sidney Hoop er website. She facilitates EAC and Maali’s is for her great donations including the tax- grandmother Elsa Lindre. advantageous gifts of securities, Taimi’s parents are Katrin ensures all gift agreements are (Kati) Marley and Toomas in place and that receipts are Marley of Toronto and her issued and donations tracked. grandparents were the late Roman and Leida Marley, and Bruno and Elsa Lindre. She has two brothers, Allan and Paul. Paul has been living in Estonia since 2011 and Allan lives in Ontario. It’s important that we each give to the best of our ability
Grandparents Bruno and Elsa Lindre.
“The project is so grateful for every donation – whether it’s a couple of dollars from a piggy bank to the hundreds of thousands of dollars and even millions that other donors have contributed. It’s important that we each give to the best of our
Estonia jumps to fourth in 2022 World Press Freedom Index rankings ERR, May 2022
Kati at wedding with parents Toomas and Katrin Marley.
ability.” (The piggy bank example arose during the “Tere, KES KUS” campaign: two enthusiastic young brothers Markus, 7 and Felix, 4, of Toronto donated $2 and $1 respectively from their personal finances.) Taimi said the public fund-raising campaign was an exciting time, with close to $3 million raised in just three days. “Estonians and friends of Estonians really came through, and donations poured in from all over the world. It was just incredible, everyone said how excited they are about the project, and watching the campaign reach and then surpass the fundraising goal.” “And now, with what is happening in the world, we again realize how fragile freedom can be and how it can be threatened and even taken away so suddenly,” she said. “I hope that we are able to help bring people together and unify our community even more, so that we can ensure its longevity.” The whole family is getting involved with KESKUS
Grandparents Roman and Leida Marley.
Children Maali and Kaja.
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Taimi is also principal at Porch Light Media, an event planning company based in Cambridge, Ontario. Sean is very much involved in the Estonian community as well, and helped set up a time-lapse video of the KESKUS construction journey that will be posted to the KESKUS website from time to time. Sean’s company Carbon Arc Projects provides video support for virtual events and large scale video production management. All things Estonian continue to flow in Taimi’s blood. In addition to managing the Estonian Arts Centre donations she is on the board of, and is an instructor with, the folk-dancing group Kungla in Toronto. Paused due to the pandemic, the group hopes to resume dancing this fall. Maali will go to Estonian school and is signed up to join
“hellakesed” (Brownies) next year. “She has already said she would like to become an Estonian language teacher!” Taimi said. Taimi notes that it’s impor tant that all those with Estonian roots and connections will feel welcome at KESKUS, saying “just because someone doesn’t speak the language doesn’t mean they can’t be involved and proud of their heritage.” “KESKUS will be just that – a place that brings us together and gives us a modern building that is purpose built for us, for this day and age.” All KESKUS valued donors make a critical difference Please join our growing list of capital campaign donors. The KESKUS International Estonian Centre’s donor categories are Kalevipoja laud for gifts over $100,000 (including naming rights for specific areas), Koidula gild, which is from $50,000-99,999, Viru vanemad for gifts of $10,000-$49,999, and Kungla rahvas for gifts up to $10,000. To make a donation, please call +1.647.250.7136 or email
In just one year, Estonia has climbed nine spots from 15th to 4th in the 2022 World Press Freedom Index rankings pub lished by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday. Topping RSF’s rankings of 180 countries this year was Norway, followed by Denmark and Sweden. Estonia and Finland ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with scores falling just short of Sweden’s. Elsewhere in the region, Lithuania ranked ninth, Latvia 22nd, and Poland 66th this year. Of major Western countries, Germany was ranked 16th, the U.K. 24th, France 26th and the U.S. 42nd. Commenting on the situation in the U.S., RSF noted that despite the new presidential administration taking office last year, the polarization of the media there continues to feed and strengthen domestic social divides. Ukraine was ranked 106th, down from 97th last year. Belarus, meanwhile, was ranked 153rd and Russia 155th, down from 150th last year. RSF noted that both Ukraine and Russia’s drops in the rankings were the result of the propaganda war waged prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
donations@estoniancentre.ca. Donations may be made as a family gift, or in honour of an individual or family. All Canadian and U.S. donations will be issued a tax receipt. KESKUS leadership donors are recognized here: www.estoniancentre.ca/capital-campaign To follow the construction journey and for KESKUS updates: • Visit the KESKUS website and subscribe to the monthly newsletter: • Facebook @EestiKeskus, Twitter @keskus, Instagram @ keskus.iec
Recently, in honour of Swedish citizens, veterans of Estonia’s War of independence 1980-1920, and recipients of the Cross of Freedom, a Memorial Plaque was placed at the Lutheran Church in Tori. Participating were Lutheran Archbishop Urmas Viilma, Dfence Minister Kalle Laanet, National Guard commander Brig. Gen. Riho Ühtegi, Reserve Officers Association Capt. Rein Viira, the Estonian Flag Society representativesand Pärnu’s National Guard orchestra. JÜRI TREI
