July 5, 2009

Welcome to the 16 young Lithuanian baseball players who are currently in Cleveland for the Continental Cup Tournament which wraps up today here at John Carroll University. Check out Friday’s Plain Dealer or Cleveland.com for a profile of Kasparas Bareika, a 14-year old pitcher from Vilnius who is here in Cleveland for the tournament. It takes courage to choose baseball over basketball when you’re growing up in Lithuania.

Congratulations to John Vedera, who has joined the ranks of the Royal Society, alongside Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Vedera is a researcher at the University of Alberta, who is working on identifying antimicrobial peptides that preserve food, and may have potential as antibiotics against organisms resistant to current drugs. Vedera is a graduate of St. Joseph High School, and the grandson of General Povilas Plehavicius, and the nephew of Norbertus Plehavicius.

The Willoughby Municipal Planning Commission will meet Thursday night to decide on whether to grant a conditional use permit to allow the construction of Mary Rose Estates adjacent to the current Lithuanian Sodyba. Neighboring residents are concerned about the facility’s effect on property values, and the loss of green space. Thursday’s meeting is open to the public, but public comments have already been heard at a previous session. See yesterday’s News Herald for complete details.

The next meeting of the Cleveland Pensininkiu Klubas will be held on Thursday, July 23rd at 12 noon in Gintaras at Lithuanian Village.

The Lithuanian Club will hold its annual picnic on Saturday, July 25th at the Italian-American Center in Wickliffe. There will be great food and drink, entertainment by Kolorado Vabalai and the Gottsheer Blaskapelle Band, as well as a Krupnikas contest.

During the month of July, Fr. Kijauskas will be on annual retreat in Quebec. Fr. Arturas Sedaravicius, a Lithuanian Jesuit studying at Loyola University in Chicago will be filling in at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

St. George will hold its annual parish picnic on Sunday August 9th, following 10:30 mass.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish will hold its annual picnic on Sunday August 16th at 12:30, the Vincas Apanius estate on Mulberry Road in Chesterland.

This morning we have information about two more Cleveland Lithuanian members of the graduating classes of 2008 & 2009.

Katerina Stungys, graduated 3rd in her class at Kirtland High School this spring, and has been heavily involved in the United Way of Lake County. She will attend the Farmer School of Business at Miami of Ohio this fall, and plans a career in international business.

Katerina also graduated from St. Casimir Lithuanian School, and danced with Svyturys. Her fondest Lithuanian memory is the trip to the 2007 Song Festival in Lithuania.

She is the daughter of Ada and Gus Stungys.

Elena Juodisius graduated from home school this May, and is a National Merit Commended Student, and on the Dean’s List at Lakeland Community College. Elena’s poetry has been published by the Poets and Writers League of Greater Cleveland.

Elena has been involved in many Lithuanian activities, including St. Casimir Lithuanian School, Gintarines Stygos kankles ensemble, Svyturys and Scouts. Her favorite Lithuanian memory is being a scout leader to the youngest scouts this past year.

She will attend Allegheny College in Meadville, PA, to pursue a degree in Environmental Science.

Her parents are Marius Juodisius and Jenniver Blakeny, and her grandmother is Izolda Juodisious.