Westminster - Paide Partner City Program
2004 Activities

1. In the Spring, 2004, Silver Hansen, our exchange student from Paide, completed his first semester at Carroll Community College. Based on his first semester results, he made the Dean's List for academic performance. Silver started his Fall, 2004 semester today. Many thanks to our local Rotary clubs and the Carroll Community College foundation for supporting this great initiative.

2. In June/July, 2004, with support from Maryland National Guard and the Minuteman Fellow Fund program, Indrek Kivimäe, the new Mayor of Paide, Estonia, had the opportunity to come to the USA. The main reason for this visit was to participate with me in a June 30, 2004 workshop at the Maryland Municipal League convention entitled "Discovering the Value of Sister City Relationships". He also had the chance to visit Westminster and participate in many local activities including an Independence Day fireworks review. Additionally, while Mayor Kivimäe was here, the former Paide Council Chairman Andres Jalak, his wife Silvi and daughter Signe were also in Westminster. They had the opportunity to visit Washington, DC and meet the Estonian Ambassador Jüri Luik and see many important sites. They also visited Baltimore and Annapolis. Interesting that Andres Jalak was elected to the Riigikogu, which is the Estonian Parliament and is one of the leaders of the Res Publica faction, which is the leading political party of the current government.

3. The real highlight of the entire summer was the visit of the "Voce Viaggio" group to Estonia, Finland and Sweden. On July 10, 2004, 24 children of Voce Viaggio and 37 parents, grandparents and others left from Washington, DC. The highlight of the trip was their time in Estonia. They performed concerts in Old Town Hall in Tallinn on July 14th, in the Kuursaal in Pärnu on July 15th, in the Holy Cross Church in Paide on July 16th and at the Song Grounds in Põltsamaa on July 17th. Of course, the day in Paide was just fantastic with a special reception in the morning, a great tour of Paide and shopping and in the evening a joint concert with the Paide Girls Choir. The 61 person group returned home on July 21, 2004. A great partnership was begun and we are now working on the planning for the Paide Girls Choir to perform in Westminster in March, 2005 at a great fundraising concert. I must personally tell you, after listening with my own ears, that the concerts in Estonia were just great!!! We should all be very proud of our children and the girls of the Paide Girls Choir.

4. Advisory committee member Reet Kaseoru traveled to Estonia this summer to see the 2004 Estonian Song and Dance Festival. Weather was very difficult this summer in Estonia and we will all be very interested in hearing more about her trip at the next committee meeting.

5. On August 28, 2004, committee member Lori Graham left for Estonia to participate in the first business exchange event. As most of you know, Lori is the owner of Westminster's Dutterer's Flower Shop with her mother and sister. Lori's plans include staying in Paide with a host family, working in three flower shops in Paide, traveling to Tallinn, Türi, Põltsamaa and Tartu to see gardens and other flower exhibits. The highlight of her trip will include a special Florist's Day program in Paide that will include a handiwork class and preparation of arrangements highlighting on the Autumn period. Lori will lead this event and speak about the flower business in America, her business and Westminster and provide hand-on support to the conference attendees. She will return home on September 11, 2004.

6. Last April, an eight member business and educational delegation traveled to Estonia and visited Tallinn, Paide, Põltsamaa and Tartu. Five of the businessmen were from Westminster and Maryland and the two educators were from the University of Maryland College of Agriculture. The businessmen made some interesting contacts and observations and met their counterparts in their specfic industry sectors. The educators had the opportunity to hear from the Estonian Agricultural Ministry and to visit the Estonian Agricultural University. Since that time, the edcuational specialists returned to Estonia and are working on a common program to train veterinary specialists in Estonia. They are also working on dairy training program and how to develop agricultural extension services. The businessmen were committee members Jake Yingling, Matt Kohn, Marty Hill, new committee member Mark Moeller and Alex Doyle, the owner of a precision metal machining shop. The two educational specialists were Dr. Ray Miller and Dr. Jim Hanson of the University of Maryland College of Agriculture.

7. On September 16, 2004, a three member group from Paide will arrive in Westminster. As is our custom, a great program is planned and many activities will include commitee members. . The members of the group include Jüri Hansen and Elena Sapp of Paide Town Government and Villu Jüris of Viking Window AS, a window and door manufacturer in Paide. Jüri is head of education and culture for Paide and Elena is the economic development specialist for Paide. They come here as part of our employee exchange program. Villu comes here as the first Paide business exchange employee. He is the head technologist for Viking Window AS and he wants to learn how American industry utilizes technology in the manufacturing process. He is being sponsored by new committee member Mark Moeller, owner of Gaylord Brooks Cabinet and Millwork. On September 22, 2004, this group of Paide representatives will attend a joint meeting of the Westminster Rotary and Kiwanis clubs at the Wakefield Valley Country Club with me when I will make a presentation on the Westminster - Paide Partner City Program. An Estonian wine tasting and reception by invitation is also planned for September 19, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Eileen Gist, mother of Lori Graham. The wine will include Põltsamaa Fest, Kuldne and Tõmmu. The group returns to Estonia on September 28, 2004.

8. The final two items are extremely exciting for our City and all citizens of Maryland. The Maryland National Guard has taken on the job to organize two separate, but coordinated, events to send the Maryland partner city mayors and a representative of the Maryland Municipal League to Estonia from September 17 - 23, 2004. This group includes Kevin Dayhoff, the Mayor of Westminster. The various mayors will visit their Estonian partner cities and participate in a partner city conference in Tallinn on September 22, 2004. In addition, the Maryland National Guard is also coordinating an even larger event that involves approximately 40 Maryland civic leaders, to be headed by Governor Ehrlich and MG Bruce Tuxill, the Adjutant General of Maryland. This trip includes visits to Bosnia and Estonia, partner countries of Maryland. This larger group will link up with the Maryland mayors and others in Estonia.

9. Finally, the Maryland Estonian Educational Consortium received a grant from the US Department of State of over $100,000 to promote student exchanges and cultural exchanges between Maryland and Estonian communities and other Baltic countries. There is now an RFP on the street and participating Maryland educational institutions can apply for funds. This new source of funding can help Westminster, Paide and other communities to leverage additional funds to promote exchange activities.

Our major fundraising activity in 2004 was the Rondellus concert in February, 2004. That event brought in over $25,000 to the Westminster - Paide Partner City Fund. 50% of those funds were distributed to the Children's Chorus of Carroll County to support the children of Voce Viaggio. Our next big fundraising concert will hopefully be in March, 2005 and highlight the Paide Girls Choir, under the leadership of Sirje Grauberg and Tiina Kivimäe.



Thomas Beyard,
Director of Planning and Public Works
City of Westminster, Maryland