Year 2010 continued to demonstrate our society’s accomplishments with various activities, retaining the highest status of visibility and recognition from the motherland and enlarging its “family” by welcoming new members.
In January many members of our society participated at a literary event honoring author and screen writer Petru Popescu, at the invitation of the Romanian Consulate General in Los Angeles.
The Society held its annual General Assembly in February, where an ambitious activity plan was proposed for the year 2010.
In March, our organization was well represented to a pleasantly organized “mixer” by the Romanian American Professionals Network, who assembled over one hundred people at a diner venue in Beverly Hills.
As a follow up of the January cultural evening at the Consulate, VRS held its own Petru Popescu Gala, on May 2, at the residence of our distinguished Kloes family, in Monrovia.
The event covered a cross section through the writer’s life and career, as it was centered on the release of his latest novel, “Supleantul”.
Also in May, on the 28th, the society offered its Spring banquet themed “O Seara de Mai”, at the “Dunarea” Romanian Restaurant in Anaheim, where the well known Romanian artist George Rotaru reunited, for an evening, with his fan base at Viitorul Roman, entertaining the participants well past midnight.
The second “Kids Fun Day”, planned for June, was cancelled due to organizational and logistic issues. We hope to revive this program in the future.
After the summer recess, a lengthy interview of VRS’s President was recorded in Los Angeles and then broadcasted by the Romanian Television International in September. The President fielded a variety of questions, related to the beginning of Romanian immigration in the States, the diaspora, the path to success of Romanians in America, and, nevertheless, the Viitorul Roman Society.
Continuing its cultural events, the Society presented author and doctor’s Sorin Isvoreanu latest book, at the beginning of the Society’s Annual Banquet.
This banquet, organized on November 13th, 2010, at the prestigious Los Angeles Athletic Club attracted a good number of participants enjoying the great performances of two bands: The Lolly Allen Band, who delighted us with quality jazz and swing music, and, from Romania, the “Authentic” duo, who brought down the house with electrifying Romanian ethno songs and dances.
This year’s event was dedicated to the National Day of Romania (December 1st), as the Consul General of Romania, Hon. Catalin Ghenea, addressed the audience and declared his gratitude for the efforts of Viitorul Roman to propagate the Romanian culture in Los Angeles for over 84 years. His Excellence has also read a message and a congratulatory letter from the Ambassador of Romania, Adrian Vierita.
On December 31st, 2010, the Society offered a banquet at Los Angeles Athletic Club, celebrating the year passed and rejoicing for the one to come. The traditional New Year’s Eve banquet was observed by a smaller but very enthusiastic crowd who partied the night away on the music and dance performed by the Las Vegas entertainer and showman Mitch Sangria.
As I now plan to retire my nearly 14 year tenure of either President or Vice-President of our wonderful group of people who made possible the unparalleled longevity of the Viitorul Roman Society, I can only pray and wish the new Board of Directors will continue to work tireless for the perpetual advancement of this landmark organization for many years to come!
Giving my heartfelt thanks to all those who helped me accomplish the society’s programs throughout these 14 years, yours truly,
Cristian Calugarita
Cristian Calugarita,
President of Viitorul Roman Cultural and Aid Society.
Los Angeles, 27 February, 2011.