Dear All,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During this uncertain time when Russia is once again exerting its disregard for other people, identities and countries, it reminds us of the importance of the Lithuanian sports movement around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does Lithuanian basketball and sports mean to you?<\/em>For me, it means a gathering of friends and family to watch our favorite sports or athletes and discuss our heritage, country, Lithuania, and all that is Lithuanian. It was watching THE OTHER DREAM TEAM MOVIE AND BECOMING A PRESIDENT OF THE OLDEST LITHUANIAN ATHLETIC UNION ABROAD THAT INSPIRED ME. And I believe that for every exile living outside of Lithuania, this sports movement helped to create our social fabric and network in our newly adopted countries. I also believe that it was basketball and the athletic movement in Lithuania and around the world that helped to define the Lithuanian identity that helped blow the winds of change stronger in Lithuania and the Baltics, ultimately freeing Lithuania from the tight grip of Mikhail Gorbachev and the Soviet Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How has Lithuanian basketball and sports changed your life?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n For me, it has helped to keep Lithuania at the front and center of my and my family\u2019s life and to travel to enjoy and celebrate all these great competitions and accomplishments. Do you remember the pride and joy you felt in 1992 when Lithuania played a spectacular first half against the NBA basketball stars from the United States and ultimately beat the Unified Team to win the Bronze? This and every competition and win, starting with EuroBasket 1937, has solidified for me, the pride that I feel for Lithuania and how athletic competition not only brings all of us together, keeps our language and culture strong, and helps to ensure our freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2001, we celebrated the 50th<\/sup> Anniversary of the athletic movement among the Lithuanians in exile with the boo, \u201cFifty Years in the Athletic Movement Among the Lithuanian Exiles\u201d. Today, we need to commemorate the 70th<\/sup> Anniversary of SALFASS<\/strong> with the careful inspection and preservation of our archives and creation of this documentary to record the stories of our leaders in this movement, before they are lost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I am asking you to make a tax-deductible gift of at least $7<\/strong>0 to $700 in order <\/strong>to make this film a reality that will help spread the word about the Lithuanian athletic movement and can be shared with our children, grandchildren and generations that will follow. Nothing like this has been published since the organization was founded in 1949.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will you join me and others to make this film possible? Your gift of $70 to $700<\/strong> will help to ensure our bright future of Lithuanian Athletics as well as preferred (premium) seating at the 70th<\/sup> Anniversary Gala in Chicago on May 21, 2022.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sincerely Yours,Laurynas, \u0160ALFASS president elect<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Laurynas (Larry) R. Misevi\u010dius <\/p>\n\n\n\n How to make your tax-deductible donation? You can make your donation by check, Zelle or PayPal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Send the check\/money order payable to SALFASS to the address below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n LAUNA – SALFASS<\/p>\n\n\n\n RASA MITRULEVI\u010cIEN\u0116<\/p>\n\n\n\n 149 E. PARKVIEW DR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SHIRLEY, NY 11967<\/p>\n\n\n\n Donations via Zelle or Pay Pal:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zelle – via phone No. 203-895-7147<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pay Pal – via e-mail larrykaunas@yahoo.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n What we are doing to commemorate the 70th<\/sup> Anniversary of SALFASS with a documentary film<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This project started in February of 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our team met to discuss the size, scope, timeline and objectives, and importance of this film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our team of 5 people is writing a script, and reviewing our archives by selecting, scanning and digitalizing of archival footage, and filming past and upcoming events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are searching and selecting historical photographs and other material at the Lithuanian Studies Research Center (Chicago \/ Lemont) and the Baltimore Lithuanian Museum as well as meeting with Lithuanians to review their personal archives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are interviewing important athletes and Lithuanians remotely and in-person from SALFASS-LAUNA both here in the United States, Canada as well as Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are unloading and selecting various visual archival material as well as filming images of the cities of New York, Cleveland and Detroit. Arvydas Reneckis will be actively filming our 70-th anniversary Sporto \u0161vent\u0117 in Chicago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, we will bring all of this footage together into the editing process and finally create our soundtrack, and bring this film to you, our donors and friends of SALFASS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n