Ilves praises Voru citizens

  • 2010-10-06
  • By Ella Karapetyan

Voru farmers have lots to teach, says President Ilves.

TALLINN - On Oct. 1, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves visited Vorumaa Masinauhistu (Vorumaa Machine Co-operative), which was established 14 years ago, in Voru County, writes president.ee. Vorumaa Machine Cooperative brings together 62 farmers from Vorumaa and its main activities involve the sale of seed, feedingstuffs, fertilizers, crop protection chemicals, baling twine, drying grain cereals, and spare parts for electric fences, agricultural machinery, and trailers, as well as offering plowing, land cultivation, hay seed sowing, hay mowing, hay and silage baling, and grain treatment services.

“Vorumaa Machine Cooperative, which was established by farm owners in Voru County, is a place to be visited by all the Andreses and Pearus from Estonian villages to learn cooperative activities and to help our farmers to manage more rationally and prevail,” said the president.
“I’m not encouraging anyone to turn back the clock, but I am reminding us, however, that there were approximately 600 machine cooperatives with over 10,000 members in Estonia before the last World War. And today, 70 years later, cooperatives are also offering Estonian farmers better opportunities for producing and marketing their produce,” the head of state said.

The activities of Vorumaa Machine were introduced to President Ilves by the chairman of the management board, Mustmaa, board member, Ever Pindmaa, and manager, Jaak Kahro.

To highlight the beginning of Good Teacher Month, the head of state also visited Voru 1st Basic School, where 39 teachers are currently teaching 312 students and where a Russian-speaking compound class has been established.
“Life itself has made integration quite natural and understandable here,” said Ilves at Voru 1st Basic School, the directer of which is Helve Sibul. Voru Russian Basic School was recently merged with the school. “The warm, diverse environment that facilitates both learning and teaching between the school walls is highly perceptible and offers lots of security. I don’t doubt that students manage well with their lives after leaving this school.”

Ilves acknowledged the school management’s work with both parents and students before the schools were merged; this has mitigated most of the tension and created a pleasant atmosphere. “Thanks to the work of good teachers, our younger generations will be wiser, better, more educated, and this will also echo throughout the whole of Estonia,” said President Ilves.

He met with senior citizens from the town and parish of Voru at the “Kannel” cultural center and was introduced to their social activities on the international day of the elderly; he also met with the volunteers who are helping senior citizens to feel occupied and engaged in their everyday lives. “Social activities and participation in civic activities allow senior citizens to remain alert and busy, as is evident from being here among you,” he said. “As long as people are healthy, they shouldn’t be left sulking in their rooms alone. As I know well, thanks to my own next of kin, one can grow old with great dignity and maintain inner power.”