Growing up in Seabrook, New Jersey, in the early 1950's , I learned at a very young age the importance of a loving family, neighbors, friends, and a very supportive community. I can say without hesitation, my first five years of life provided me with the fundamental building blocks that have supported me throughout adolescence and adulthood. Looking back, those fundamental building blocks included tolerance, acceptance of diversity, appreciation of cultures and foreign languages. Our community in Seabrook, NJ, was a richly diverse population of refugees from Japan, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, Germany, and Estonia. In spite of the unique hardships experienced by all and never dwelling on the horrific details of World War II - forced relocation, deportation, loss of family members and friends, loss of property; everyone supported each other and worked together as a community to build a better life in our new homeland, America. We lived together, laughed together, prayed together, worked together, but most importantly blended together, as a family and built lifelong relationships along the way, while making the most of the opportunities afforded us.

Our mantra was not to look back but to look forward to a brighter future and to set high standards to not only be good citizens, but to raise good citizens so that our children would continue forward and pursue a more fulfilled life through hard work and education.

My parents, grandparents , and Estonians neighbors would often have quiet side conversations about their lives in their homeland, Estonia, but for me those conversations were uncomfortable and foreign because as a small boy I could not even imagine the hardships they experienced.

Over the years and through my travels to Estonia, many of those conversations have been vividly validated. To honor my parents and grandparents legacy, and to honor the legacy of the many thousands of brave Estonian families who were forcibly deported and/or killed, I have decided to invest as much time and energy as possible to acknowledge the life lessons learned and to "pay forward " with the hope that my contribution of time and energy will honor their legacy.

The Estonian American National Council is unique in its ability to connect with all Estonian Americans nationwide and throughout the world. Over the past seventy years, the EANC's mission has been to promote Estonian culture and values, support the interests of the Estonian state, as well as maintain global interactions with our Baltic neighbors.

I am proud to be an Estonian American and wish for a world which is more tolerant, loving and accepting. My parents taught me well. It's my responsibility to live up to that expectation each and every day.