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Lithuanian American Community, Inc.
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Basic facts |
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Lithuania's emblem, Vytis
Lithuanian tricolor
 The Lithuanian American Community
uses the stylized version of Vytis.
LITHUANIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, Inc., since 1952. Not-for-Profit Lithuanian American Community, Inc. LAC Leadership 2006-2009, see belowThe Lithuanian American Community, LAC, offers Americans of Lithuanian heritage (about 800,000) an organizational structure that enables them to:transmit their culture and language to their young,respond to the social, spiritual, educational, and other concerns of Lithuanian Americans of all persuasions, and to assist the country of their heritage with American civic experience, professional expertise, material support, and with other assistance for Lithuania's efforts to fully rejoin the family of democratic nations after 50 years of foreign occupation (Soviet Union: 1940-1941, Nazi Germany: 1941-1944; Soviet Union: 1944-1990). LAC activities run on volunteer power and voluntary contributions. Local National LAC organizes summer workshops for its heritage school teachers, arts and sciences conferences that attract academics and professionals of Lithuanian heritage from across the U.S. and overseas (latest conference was in Chicago in 2003); dance festivals featuring 1,500 dancers (next one in 2004); song festivals drawing more than 1,000 singers (next one in 2005). When needed, LAC provides U.S. governmental and municipal agencies information and expertise related to Lithuanian Americans. International Since 1994, LAC participates in a commission composed of representatives from the LAC Board of Directors and Lithuania's Parliament. The Commission has been meeting twice a year to discuss matters of mutual concern (e.g., cultural and educational exchanges, restitution of Soviet-confiscated property, adoption procedures, dual citizenship, etc.) and to propose recommendations to Lithuania's Parliament. LAC provides material assistance to Lithuania's orphans and children with disabilities and shares expertise with their caretakers. Note: Lithuanias president Valdas Adamkus, 1998-2003, 2004-2009, was an active LAC member while an engineering student at the University of Illinois and later, when he was the Administrator for the Great Lakes Region for 27 years. He had also served on the LAC Executive Committee. Lithuania's first ambassador to NATO, Ms. Ginte Damusis, was for many years an active member of the Lithuanian American Community. Publications LAC publishes monthly magazines in Lithuanian for children, Eglute, and senior citizens, Pensininkas (currently seeking a new editor) and, in English, a monthly magazine for a general audience, Bridges, and a quarterly journal of arts and sciences, Lituanus. History Incorporated in Hartford, CT, in 1952, the Lithuanian American Community is currently an Illinois corporation. Its initial leadership and membership came from ~30,000 Lithuanian World War II political refugees. They were committed to nurturing the Lithuanian language, heritage and community, and to the restoration of independence in Lithuania. In 1988-91, while Lithuania was spearheading the breakup of the Soviet Union, LAC members assisted with expertise in numerous ways: they served on the staff of the new Lithuanian Mission at the UN, assisted Lithuania's post-Soviet government in many capacities (including as ambassadors), organized (and still do) annual summer workshops in Lithuania for Lithuania's high school teachers by American educators, provided material support of various kinds, and lobbied Congress for the invitation of Lithuania into NATO (Nov. 21, 2002, Lithuania was invited to join NATO). LAC's tradition of effectiveness rested on the foundation provided by the strong professional/entrepreneurial background of its founding membership, the majority of whom had served in leadership positions in pre-World War II independent Lithuania. LAC founders were successful in transmitting their culture, civic activism, and commitment to the Lithuanian community to the next generation. Over its 50-year history, LAC initiated and implemented many civic, cultural, educational, and social projects and programs; LAC members have been and are active in numerous Lithuanian American organizations and are involved in all aspects of Lithuanian American life. Organization Every three years, LAC elects a national Board of Directors which, in turn, elects the President of the Executive Committee. The President forms a 15 member Executive Committee, subject to Board approval, and appoints Chairs of six permanent Councils (see below) which initiate and implement projects. LAC is a constituent member of the Lithuanian World Community, an umbrella organization for the Lithuanian diaspora residing in 36 countries. Leadership 2006-2009:
Officers
Chairs of the Councils
A word about the President Maciūnas is a seasoned bendruomenininkas. He served as president of LAC in 19911994 and has been re-elected to the national LAC Board of Directors since 1991 (including to the 2006-09 term). He has also chaired the Lithuanian Parliament/LAC Committee (1998-2006).
Maciūnas chaired the Lithuanian House Association in Philadelphia
(2003-2006) and sings in Philadelphias Laisve choir. He enjoys
basketball, a good political discussion, and all things Lithuanian.
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