PROJECT "ŠAKNYS"
During the project, the youth, led by Vilius Žalpis, visited and maintained Lithuanian cemeteries and other Lithuanian heritage sites in Pennsylvania, once densely populated by Lithuanian immigrants of the first migration wave. Participants of the “Roots” project also visited St. Thomas More Parish in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where they restored a traditional Lithuanian roadside shrine – cleaning, repainting, and bringing it back to life. The result is impressive!
We are delighted that the “Roots” project nurtures Lithuanian heritage and strengthens community bonds.
We sincerely thank the Lithuanian Foundation for supporting this meaningful initiative.
We are proud of this year’s team that came together from various states to carry out meaningful work. From left to right: Maria Hanley – a local woman who spent the entire week with the youth maintaining the cemetery, Aras Kaufmann (IL), Aleksas Matvekas (MI), Audrius (Audi) Matvekas (MI), Aurelius Žemaitis (IL), Aldas Kriaučiūnas (IL) – participating in the project for the third time, Project Director Vilius Žalpis (WA), Gabija Stankevičiūtė (GA), Aleksa Skiotytė (MI) – participating in the project for the second time, Milana Podlinevaitė (IL), Emilija Džerzanauskaitė (IL) – participating in the project for the fourth time, Ūla Baranovskytė (IL), and Adriana Butkevičiūtė (IL).
