2025 At a Glance

2025 At a Glance

📜 Russian Heritage Society — 2025 Annual Summary Letter

Dear Russian Heritage Society Friends and Supporters,

As we close out 2025 and reflect on a year filled with celebration, community outreach, cultural richness, and service, we are deeply grateful to each one of you who made this year truly remarkable. Below is a recap of our major events and impactful moments in 2025.

🎉 Community and Cultural Gatherings

Winter Holidays Celebration — February 8, 2025
We rang in the year with our traditional Winter Holidays Celebration — a joyful gathering featuring special activities for children, a community potluck dinner, music, and dancing. It was a beautiful way to connect and welcome the new year together.

Annual Spring Potluck Picnic — April 27, 2025
Spring brought our beloved potluck picnic, where families enjoyed live music, cultural exchange, and the opportunity to relax outdoors with both new and longtime friends.

Fall Costume Party — November 1, 2025
Our fall season was full of colorful costumes, live entertainment, and community fun. The atmosphere was joyful, festive, and filled with laughter.

Business Networking Event — November 17, 2025
We hosted a special evening for local entrepreneurs and professionals to network, share ideas, and build partnerships that strengthen our cultural presence and community ties.

❤️ Charity and Outreach Initiatives

Charity Mission 2025 — Supporting Families and Rehabilitation Services
This year, our charity efforts culminated in a successful partnership with the rehabilitation center “Vse Sam” in Kazan. Through generous donations, we helped fund the completion of the facility’s remodel, allowing it to begin full operations by February 2025. The center now provides vital services for children with developmental challenges and cerebral palsy.

Our volunteers worked directly with families and staff, witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of community support. We are deeply proud of this partnership and extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed their time, resources, and encouragement.

🌟 In Gratitude

The year 2025 has demonstrated the power of shared heritage and collective effort. From cultural festivals and family activities to meaningful charity missions, our community has shown compassion, resilience, and strength. We are honored to preserve our traditions, deepen our connections, and support those in need.

Thank you for being part of the Russian Heritage Society journey.

With warm regards,
Russian Heritage Society
501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization 💙❤️
Uniting and uplifting our diaspora through culture, community, and compassion.

 

Charity Mission 2025

Charity Mission 2025

 

Dan, Jane and Ilya 

Our organization visited Ilya on January 17, 2025. We met in the rehabilitation center “Vse Sam” (All by myself).

With the help of our donors we were able to collect 100 000 rubles ( about $1000 at the time of exchange ) that went towards finishing remodel of the building. The facility started fully operating in February 2025. 

 

 

 

 

Irina Olina, Jane, Ilya

Irina Olina is PR director of the internet newspaper “Real Time” in Kazan.  Real Time Newspaper

 

Ilya Shkolnikov

Irina’s post on social media about our mission:

” Friday story of kindness and power of community support. Ilya Shkolnikov is the dad who built a special rehabilitation facility for special children as he is the father of one. He built it all with his bare hands, but not without the help of kind people.

Evgenia, born in Kazan, has lived abroad for 20 years. There she created a Russian Cultural Association, that teaches Russian language, literature and assists everyone who needs her help.

My personal pleasure is to have an opportunity to unite such people and now Ilya can enroll even more children who need these services  “

 

5 years of being a dad…

Ilya Shkolnikov is the founder and the main builder of the project “All by myself “, special center for children with limited mobility, cerebral palsy and birth trauma. 

It took 5 long years to bring his dream of having such center in Kazan to reality. From a completely demolished space he turned it into a functioning daycare, which helps many children overcome their difficulties and adapt to a more independent life with the help of specialists working in the center. Ilya says that his son was the biggest inspiration for him to keep working on this project.  

 

That’s how it started

Completely demolished space required full renovation 

 

Construction

It took many loads to clear out the space for the future rehabilitation facility

 

 

 

Classroom

Rehabilitation center today…

Rehabilitation facility started full time operation in February 2025. Ilya and his team find the best specialists in this field and invite them for healing sessions for their patients. 

From the moment the facility first opened in a much smaller location to this day they have helped over 300 families adapt to the challenges that they were facing as new parents of the special children. 

Follow the official telegram channel for latest information : 

Vse Sam

 

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