A Child's Gate to Learning


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	Lithuanian

Child's Gate to Learning

Lithuanian-American high school-aged volunteers served lunch at a Chicago area fund-raising event.

Activities

Child’s Gate to Learning develops, implements and initiates programs that foster character development, responsibility and self-esteem in the young people through the use of directed discussions and role-playing, games, art projects, and plays.

Fall 2005 – end of 2006

Financial support for special projects was sought and received from various associations: Lietuvių Fondas (Lithuanian Foundation); Seneca House; Lietuvos Dukterys (Daughters of Lithuania, Seattle chapter); Kanados Lietuvių Katalikių Moterų draugija (Canadian Catholic Women’s Society). Individual benefactors were also very generous.

Fall 2005 – Winter 2006: An editorial committee completed the fourth character building program, Steps Towards a Meaningful Life (Žingsniai į prasmingą gyvenimą).

Spring 2006: A seminar was sponsored again in Kaunas for supported center directors, staff, and volunteers. A new film was made by documentary filmmaker Agnė Marcinkevičiūtė to show highlights from the seminar and features short interviews with some of the organizers and attendees.

Spring / Summer 2006: “Child’s Gate to Learning” voted to support a 10^th center, the „Vilties vėrinėliai“ (Strings of Hope) center in Žemaičių Kalvarija. Contact was established, several project were funded. Officers visited a number of the supported centers in Lithuania—one member spent several months, volunteering at a Vilnius center and completing various projects.

Summer / Fall 2006: 1) Three Lithuanian-speaking young Americans worked as volunteers (for one month or longer) in Lithuania at two different “Child’s Gate to Learning” supported centers. Two worked in Marijampolė and one worked in Vilnius 2) A successful Christmas gift drive was organized by three supporters, at the Lithuanian-American Blessed Bishop Matulatis Roman Catholic Mission Church in Lemont, IL, yielding over 200 gifts that were shipped to the supported centers in Lithuania.

2007

^{Draft another character building program (with an estimated completion
in early 2008) to address some social issues and problems encountered by the
children and youths who attend the centers.
Select and prepare young Lithuanian-speaking volunteers from the United
States who wish to spend a month or more working in Lithuania.
Continue to maintain contact with the 10 supported centers in Lithuania
and the support groups in the United States.
Continue to promote local volunteerism in the supported centers.

Organize traditional and initiate new fund-raising events and projects.}

Previous activities

^{Read about our earlier activities
back to 1998
- 2000}