Our new sister-city is Vela Luka

Sonja Rupp (photo)

Anacortes Croatian Club representative Sonja Rupp seals the deal with Vela Luka's Mayor Tonko Gugich
Our new sister-city is Vela Luka
Before Anacortes had an official sister city organization, it had several sister cities along the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. Families from Vis, Brac and, more than any other town, Vela Luka settled in Anacortes beginning over a century ago.
Cultural exchanges between the old country and the new have been almost routine, which might explain the delay in formalizing the relationship. Not to say that Anacortes' Croatian heritage has been taken for granted; the always active community formed the American Croatian Club of Anacortes (ACCA) and the Vela Luka dance troupe in the early 1970's.
Meanwhile, the Anacortes Sister City Organization has established official ties with Sidney, B.C.; Lomonosov, Russia and Kisakata, Japan.
Two years ago ACCA Boardmember Vlatko Kolega pointed out that it was past time for Anacortes to have an official Croatian sister-city. Since then, a committee has been researching likely towns. Naturally, attention focused on the island of Korcula, both its namesake city and Vela Luka. Croatian Club Treasurer, Sonja Rupp, made two trips to Korcula and found officials in Vela Luka much more responsive to the sister city idea; it was only last month that her meetings with Vela Luka's Mayor Tonko Gugic led to the formalization of this long-standing connection.
Back in Anacortes, Nikki Lau Lovric and her husband John Lovric, were busy getting papers signed and gifts collected, including an Anacortes flag and centennial coin and a photo of several of the descendents of Vela Luka's emigrants. Plans are already being made for a Sister City trip to Vela Luka next summer. For more information contact the Lovric's at 293-8530.


Photo Vela Luka

Descendents of Vela Luka's emigrants gather at the Seafarer's Memorial in Anacortes.

http://www.anacortesonline.com/Article.tpl?id=769

Adopt-A-Minefield E-Newsletter

This is the first edition of the Adopt-A-MinefieldŽ E-Newsletter. This
communication will serve to provide updates on one of the world’s
leading mine action programs as well as alert you to opportunities for
you to get involved.

About Adopt-A-Minefield (AAM)

Adopt-A-Minefield is a public-private partnership between the United
Nations Association of the USA, the United Nations, Ted Turner’s Better
World Fund, and the U.S. State Department to clear minefields, provide
assistance to landmine survivors, and raise awareness of the global
landmine crisis. Since its launch in 1999, the Campaign has raised
nearly $10 million for mine clearance and survivor assistance and
cleared over 16 million square meters of land with about another 3
million currently under clearance. Adopt-A-Minefield is the only
nongovernmental funder in the top donor list in six of the most heavily
mined countries in the world, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Cambodia, Croatia, Mozambique, and Vietnam.

Third Annual Adopt-A-Minefield Los Angeles Benefit Gala

Tuesday, September 23, 2003

Goodwill Ambassadors and Patrons Paul McCartney and Heather Mills
McCartney will host the third annual Adopt-A-MinefieldŽ Benefit Gala in
Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 23, 2003. Once again, the evening
promises to be outstanding, with exciting entertainment and inspiring
information on AAM’s important work to clear minefields, assist
survivors of landmine accidents, and raise awareness of the global
landmine crisis.


This year during the gala dinner, UNA-USA will present awards specially
designed by Paul McCartney to Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones,
Bobby Muller, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation,
and the International Baccalaureate Students.

In addition, this year’s gala will mark the official rollout of the
Campaign’s annual Night of a Thousand Dinners™ initiative, which will be
held on Thursday, November 6, 2003.


For further information on the benefit gala please contact Levy,
Pazanti, and Associates at 310-201-5033.

Night of a Thousand Dinners: A Great Way to Get Involved

Night of a Thousand Dinners (N1KD) was developed so that people all over
the world could come together on a single night, enjoy a meal and take
action toward eradicating the landmine crisis. This initial idea has
since evolved and expanded to include any sort of gathering, cocktail
party, barbeque, wine tasting, tea party, luncheon, clambake, etc.
anywhere in the world on or around the first Thursday in November. A
simple concept – gathering with friends and family and building a global
community to support a common cause – N1KD has energized tens of
thousand of caring citizens and has grown into an international
phenomenon! Since its inception in 2001, nearly 2000 dinners (or
gatherings) held in over 50 countries has raised over $2.3 million.

N1KD gives people everywhere an opportunity to make a difference and its
fun! Be a part of this global community and take a step to clearing a
path to a safer world – Host a dinner!

Become an N1KD Affiliate

All UNA chapters or organizations interested in participating in the
third annual Night of a Thousand Dinners can do so by becoming an

Affiliate. The Affiliate Program enables organizations to partner with
AAM on N1KD and use the event as a marketing tool to raise awareness and
funds for their own organization. Affiliates will gain special access
to the registration database and be able to track dinners registered on
behalf of their organization.

Become an N1KD Media Ambassador

As part of this year’s promotional efforts, we are looking to identify
people willing to work with our Public Relations firm as N1KD Media
Ambassadors to promote the event through their local media. The PR firm
will identify media opportunities – television, radio, publications – in
the participating areas. As an N1KD Media Ambassador you would make
yourself available to speak on behalf of Adopt-A-Minefield. Prior to
your interview or appearance, the PR firm and AAM would provide you with
instruction on how to deal with the media and information about AAM. In
addition to raising awareness about N1KD, this is a tremendous
opportunity for you to promote your own dinner (or gathering) or local
AAM campaign, as well as your affiliate organization.

For more information about how you can participate in Night of a
Thousand Dinners visit the website www.1000dinners.com
, or contact Laura Kane at 212-907-1307 or

Lkane@unausa.org .


Minesweepers: We're Looking For a Few Good Runners!

MinesweepersŽ is the world's first and only running charity dedicated to
raising funds for Adopt-a-MinefieldŽ. This group was started in the fall
of 2001 as a project of the United Nations Association-San Francisco
Chapter’s Young Professional Group. In June of 2002, 16 runners
participated in the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. Half of the team
had never run a marathon and all proudly wore finisher medals. The funds
they raised will be pooled with the funds raised from the 2003 London
Marathon to benefit a mine affected community in Vietnam.



There is currently a team of 12 runners from all over the United States
training for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC on October 26.
We have a training program for all types or runners and will support you
both in your fundraising and training efforts. Our goal is for each
team to raise over $30,000 to clear at least one minefield. And if you
cannot participate in this event, we are looking for runners for our
next team for the Napa Valley Marathon on March 7, 2004.

Whether you want to run, sponsor a runner, or simply donate to our
program, your contribution will go a long way to making the world a
safer place to live. For further information and to make a donation,
visit www.runningtoclear.org.
Help the United States Campaign to Ban Landmines Reshape US Landmine

Policy

UNA Chapters have historically participated in political events,
especially those with an international and global agenda. Accordingly,
The US Campaign to Ban Landmines (USCBL) would like the participation of
California, Missouri, South Carolina, and Arizona chapter members in
making sure that the next administration takes responsibility for the
reality of landmine use.

Since the summer of 2001 the Bush Administration has been conducting a
formal review of US landmine policy. This is an opportunity for landmine
activists and American voters to take action and inform Presidential
candidates about the dangerous reality of landmines and impressing upon
potential candidates the urgency of prohibiting a weapon that leaves up
to 20,000 civilian dead annually.


If you are interested in participating or would like further
information, please contact Ms. Gina Coplon-Newfield, Coordinator for
USCBL, at 617-695-0041x228 or banmines@phrusa.org.


For further information on AAM or to start a campaign visit
www.landmines.org <http://www.landmines.org/> or contact Kasara E.
Davidson at 212-907-1305 or Kdavidson@unausa.org.

AMERIKANCI DONIRALI 800 INVALIDSKIH KOLICA

ZAGREB. Dvadeset invalidskih kolica, dar americke zaklade "Wheelchair Foundation", dodijeljena su u srijedu clanovima Hrvatskog saveza udruga tjelesnih invalida. Time je, kako je istaknuto, zavrsena podjela ukupno 800 invalidskih kolica koja je nepokretnim hrvatskim gradanima darovala zaklada "Wheelchair Foundation" u suradnji s Rotary Clubom iz San Pedra. Ukupna vrijednost donacije iznosi oko 170 tisuca dolara, od cega je 560 kolica darovao utemeljitelj zaklade Kenneth E. Behring, a preostalih 240 Rotary Club iz San Pedra. U prikupljanju sredstava za kupnju kolica sudjelovala je i hrvatska zajednica iz toga kalifornijskoga grada.
Na ovoj vrijednoj donaciji, koju je urucio Niko Hazdovac, predstavnik Rotary Cluba iz San Pedra, zahvalila je predsjednica Hrvatskog saveza udruga tjelesnih invalida Mirjana Dobranovic. Prigodnoj svecanosti u zagrebackom hotelu Opera nazocni su bili potpredsjednik hrvatske Vlade Ante Simonic i predsjednica Povjerenstva za osobe s invaliditetom Adinda Dulcic.
S.Du.
SLOBODNA DALMACIJA broj 18891 11.09.2003