Senior Student Leader Recognition event

The Friday of finals the Student Life Department hosts a recognition event for all the graduating students who have been student leaders during their time at LCC.  It is a time for us to say, "thank you!"  Those who are currently student leaders are read a letter from their current supervisor that shares how valuable their leadership has been.  And then we also hand out certificates and gifts to all students that have been student leaders at any point during their time at LCC.

Some photos of Community Life supervisors sharing their words of encouragement for their graduating student leaders...

Olena reading a letter about Sara

Alex reading about how great Tanya was this year!

Amanda reads about Ira - a two year RA!

Zhenya and Levi share a laugh

Happy Birthday Chayah!

Chayah's birthday party was immediately after the Faculty/Staff farewell.  It was a butterfly themed party with lots of little girls in attendance!  :)

Blowing out her candles!

Opening her gift from me...a necklace I got for her in Spain.

Big present from Mommy & Daddy...a 2 wheel bike! 

Faculty/Staff farewell

The Faculty/Staff farewell was a lovely affair this year.  We had the regular awards and recognitions followed by fancy finger foods with live music. 

The Award for Excellence went to Margarita this semester.  It was wonderful to have someone from the Student Life Department be recognized for the hard work that they do and Margarita was a very deservign recipient of the award! 

Sashings...

 

Levi

Alex

Jerry

doesn't he look sad to be leaving?!

The Staves

Fancy food!

Truffles (that weren't as good as the ones I make!)

I'm gonna miss this face most of all! 

Community Life - end of the year brunch

On Thursday morning I hosted my Community Life team for brunch at my place.  We shared a tasty meal together and talked about our favorite moments of the year.  It was a fun time together and I am glad we had some time to connect before we all scatter for the summer (or longer!)  Levi and Alex will not be returning for the next academic year, so the other 2 and I chipped in and bought them some amber souvenirs to take with them to remember us with. 

Levi, Olena, me, Amanda, and Alex

Alex was chilly, so she was wrapped up in one of my snowmen fleece throws.  Here she is opening the amber handled coffee measuring spoon that we got for her.

Levi opening the amber bottle stopper that we gave him as a farewell gift.

End of the year Student Life gathering

Student Life celebrated another year of good work with an afternoon at a little resort type place about 20 minutes from Klaipeda.  We enjoyed the sauna, celebrated summer birthdays, said a special good-bye to the Staves, and at a delicious dinner of shaslik.  It was a wonderful way to end our year together.

Student Life 2011-2012

front: Margarita, Alexandra, Olena, and Vaida

back: Romas, Levi, Andrew, Kim (holding Isak), Amanda, me, Ina, and Bethany 

Isak and Greta

Margarita playing with Greta and Max

What is Max looking at?

Oh right, the frog infested creek!

Vaida and Margarita work on our dinner

Andrew shows off his post sauna fashion

Happy Birthday to our summer babies!

Summer babies: Andrew, Olena, Bethany, Amanda, and Levi

A special farewell gift for Kim & Andrew

A beautiful photo book of Klaipeda

Filled with special notes from each of us in Student Life

Another shot of our great group! 

A day away!

Kim, Rachel, and I spent the day in Vilnius on Monday.  We each had some Lithuanian made items that we had been looking for, but were unable to find in Klaipeda, so we decided to venture to the big city to find them.  It was a fairly successful trip as far as purchases go.  It was a very successful trip as far as time with friends goes!  :)  I am acutely aware that Kim will not be here next year, so having a day with her and Rachel was a special treasure.  And it was a gorgeous sunny day to top it off!  :)

Stands filled with amber items line the street.

One of the gorgeous churches

The inside of one of my favorite pottery shops.

Enjoying our pizzas at the outdoor cafe

Kim and I by the cheese shop

Rachel and I in Old Town

The three of us in one of the squares!

And we celebrated Rachel's birthday (which was the following day) with dinner at Tres Mexicanos, the only Mexican restaurant in all of Lithuania!  This was my dinner...so yummy.

ICF - next to last Sunday

ICF, my church here in Lithuania, had their next to last service on the 22nd.  Our final service of the school year is this weekend, but attendence will be much lower, as many faculty and students will have left for the summer already.  So, since this was sort of our last "real" service with lots of folks in attendance, we did some special things.  Kim and Andrew shared a farewell message.  It was not so much a proper sermon, but a heartfelt farewell and sharing of the role ICF has played in their Lithuanian experience.  It was a tender and honest time of sharing.  Afterwards we had a finger food supper as a congregation.

Andrew and Kim sharing

I love this photo because Andrew does that with his hands whenever he speaks in public...it's just so "classic Andrew!"

Henry, Vernon, and Tom visitting after the service.

My home congregation is on the younger side (mostly folks between 20-50), so it is a real treat to have a good representative of older adults in our congregation here in Lithuania.  I've grown to treasure their contribution to our body.

me and Betsy entertaining precious Greta!

Andrew and Roma (one of our star RAs!)

Ieva and I posing in front of the wedding shop.  You may recall a photo from February where we stood in the same spot, but it was terribly dark out.  The days are much longer now...a favorite part of life in Lithuania for me! 

Pond Farewell

Satruday night we had a farewell party for the Ponds.  Vernon and Maxine are leaving after several years of teaching at LCC off and on.  They are pretty sure that this is their final time in Lithuania, so Leona organized a sweet little farewell party for them.  There were about 16 or so of us there to wish them well.  We shared, stories, laughter, good food, and made a few more memories with this sweet couple!  I didn't get many photos from the evening, but here are a couple...

Henry & Leona Theissen and Betsy Dintaman

David Skeen, Robin Gingerich, and Vernon Pond (one of the guests of honor!)

Closing BBQ

The last day of classes ends at LCC with the annual Closing Assembly followed by an LCC BBQ.  An LCC BBQ is always the same thing...hot dogs with cucumbers, marinated onions, ketchup, and mustard.  No chips, no veggies tray, no desserts...just hot dogs.  It's always yummy and a fun way to end the year together!

5 buckets of peeled hot dogs - 600 in total!

Boxes and bags of hot dog buns...600 of these as well!

Cucumber slices...20 long cucumbers

me, Amanda, and Grazina showcasing the dogs!

Bethany, Amanda, and me fanning the bbq to make it hotter faster

Bethany & Amanda dumping cooked hot dogs into a warming pan

Margarita and her son Max

Vaida grilling a snack!

Bethany and Vaida loading up the hot dogs to be grilled

Olena enjoys a big bite of hot dog goodness!

Hungry students (and faculty/staff) waiting in line for hot dogs!

We had a little line dancing after the hot dogs were eaten!  :)

A shot of the Community Life team after it was all done!

Amanda, Levi, Olena, me, and Alex