Booklet on the Kalveliai eldership in the Vilnius District Municipality

In a month, on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, the 15^th edition of the “Witaj, Święta Wniebowzięta” (“Welcome, Our Lady of the Assumption”) family festivity will be held in Kalveliai. On this occasion, the eldership office has a surprise for the residents and guests: a richly illustrated booklet on the Kalveliai eldership.

“The booklet was our office’s idea. This year, we celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the “Witaj, Święta Wniebowzięta” family festivity, so we decided to publish a booklet containing general information on the eldership, especially on our festivity; in that way, people will have a keepsake reminding them of the festivity and of the eldership’s accomplishments,” said the elder of Kalveliai Krystyna Gierasimowicz.

The small but richly illustrated booklet titled Gmina Kowalczuki w rejonie wileńskim zaprasza (The Kalveliai Eldership in the Vilnius District Municipality Welcomes You) will be presented during the family festivity in Kalveliai on August 15.

The booklet was prepared by members of the eldership office staff. Or, should we say, it is being prepared, since various publishing and organisational issues still need to be resolved. However, Krystyna Gierasimowicz hopes that the booklet will be published on time and the residents will be able to get it on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, which is one of the most important holidays in the eldership’s.

The booklet contains short information on the Kalveliai’s geographical location, historical religious buildings (the first statue of John Paul II in Lithuania was unveiled in Kalveliai), educational and cultural institutions, sport facilities, and the latest projects.

“Over the years, our eldership has undergone a massive change thanks to the projects realised by the county. Many new institutions have been created. The first pitch with artificial surface and Emergency Care Centre for Women and Children in the Vilnius District Municipality were established in Kalveliai. The land near the school and the pitch was taken care of, a conveyance system was built, a new building has been added to the Village Community Centre, and a kindergarten was established. The Multifunctional Centre in Šumskas is almost done. Previously, a hospital was built here,” said the elder.

The booklet included a lengthy chapter on the “Witaj, Święta Wniebowzięta” family festivity which celebrates its 15^th anniversary this year, on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. “We held our festivity for the first time in 2000, when August 15–the day of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary–was established as a public holiday. The first edition was held near the church in Šumskas, the next ones–near the eldership office in Kalveliai,” said Gierasimowicz of the festive’s beginnings.

As she pointed out, the residents really like the festive and every year, they ask in advance if it will be held again. Musical performances, each village presenting its wreath, sport contests, tasting meals prepared by countryside wives, events for children, dance night–every year, the organisers take care of preparing events aimed at both younger and older audiences.

The booklet is bilingual: Polish-Lithuanian. What is more, the introduction is written in four languages: Lithuanian, Polish, German, and English.

Reading the booklet on the Kalveliai eldership, its residents will once again find out about the charm of their region. And for the guests, it will be an encouragement to meet the eldership and its residents, who, as the elder describes them in the introduction, “are benevolent, well-educated, enterprising, open to progress and cooperation.”

Iwona Klimaszewska