Arlington Heights, IL 1951

Pärit Lakewoodist, oli Gilda Karu aktiivne eesti koolis, gaidides, rahvatantsus ja muudes eesti tegevustes. Ta on Chicago Eesti Maja ja Lakewoodi Eesti Seltsi liige. Ta on rohkem kui 30 aastat olnud ERKÜ esinduskogu liige ja olnud varem juhatuses. Gilda on Eesti Vabariigi Valgetähe V klassi teenetemärgi omanik kui eestluse hoidja Ameerika Ühendriikides. Vassar College'i A.B. kraad poliitilistes teadustes ja Chicago-Kent College of Law'st J.D. Akadeemiliselt kuulub ta korp! Indlasse. Elukutselt advokaat, töötas Gilda Ameerika valitsuse heaks ligi 35 aastat. 2013. a. oktoobrist saadik on ta diakonõpetaja ja teenib E.E.L.K. Chicago Esimest kogudust. Peale Eestiga seotud tegevuse on Gilda aktiivne Ameerika ühiskonnas. Gilda elab Chicago äärelinnas abikaasa Fred Foy'ga.

I want to continue working on behalf of Estonia and Estonian Americans. I am a longtime member of EANC and bring institutional history and experience in advocacy, organizing, and working on projects. I have been active in Estonian American activities for most of my life including but not limited to eesti kool, pühapaevakool, gaidid, rahvatants, Estonian sorority Korp! Indla, Estonian festivals, and more. I am currently deacon pastor of the E.E.L.K. Chicago Esimene Kogudus. I was the proofreader for the history book Estonians in America. I have publicized Estonian events in the American media. I have given speeches and represented EANC at numerous events. I was active in promoting the end of Soviet occupation of Estonia and advocating for Estonia's membership in NATO and the European Union.

To the best of my recollection, I have attended all 8 meetings in the past 8 years. If I missed one it was probably because it conflicted with a church service. I rescheduled at least one church service to attend the EANC meeting.
I spent many years serving on the EANC board. I have been a delegate to the Estonian World Council for the last 4 years. I am currently on the By-laws Committee and helped explore electronic voting. I was proofreader for the history book “Estonians in America.” I organized a rahvuskongress at the West Coast Estonian Days in Portland. Back in the late 1970s, I was on the committee that developed the first English-language color brochure about Estonia and Soviet occupation. I am currently on the committee compiling the history book that looks at EANC’s role during the past 70 years.