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The General Assembly of the Eusko Etxea in Corpus Christi, in the Argentine Province of Misiones, reelected Olga Leiciaga as its president.  Those gathered elected the board of directors and again confided in Olga to carry out the office.  Olga will celebrate her 80^th birthday in August and is getting ready for the party with the same excitement and vivacity she has for everything. A special birthday gathering will be held on August 30^th at the Itxaropen Basque club in Saladillo. Friends and family are invited.

Corpus Christi, Argentina.   The Eusko Etxea Basque Club in Corpus held its annual General Assembly on April 22^nd at the clubhouse.  Those gathered agreed, among other things, on raising dues to 20 pesos a month.  They also elected their board of directors comprised of the following:

-President: Olga Rosa Leiciaga Elordi
-Vice-president: Julio Néstor Markiewicz
-Secretary: Nilda Coman
-Pro-secretary: Ramón Ariel Cukla
-Treasurer: Carmen Delia Miranda
-Pro-treasurer: Ana María Macchi Echagüe

-Director: Pelaya Ortiz and Ramona María Melgarejo
-Alternate: César Aníbal Arrondo

-Auditor: Miguel Gómez eta Norma Solar
-Alternate auditor: Luz Mariel Benítez Maidana and Alicia del Carmen Chamorro

Olga’s 80 years

Certainly everyone in Misiones or in the Basque community in Argentina know this woman who is originally from Saladillo, in the province of Buenos Aires.  First. she contributed to the founding of the Basque club in her hometown, Itxaropen, When she moved to Misiones was instrumental in the founding of the Euskal Jatorri Basque Club in Posadas, and later of the Eusko Etxea in Corpus Christi, where she lives.

There is probably no one else like her in the community, given her interest and enthusiasm for all things Basque and her deep feeling in her being and her roots based in a family that has been settled in Argentina for generations.  Her great grandfather was from Xiberoa, Arnaud/Fernando Leiceaguezahar (changed in Argentina to Leiciaga) born in 1842 in the small town of Ainarbe immigrating then with his brother and sister Juan and Catalina.

No doubt, that Arnaud/Fernando would have a hard time believing that a century and a half later his great granddaughter, Olga, would still carry the Basque torch with such deep feeling that unites the past and present and continues to fight daily to provide the Basque culture the best future possible in Argentina.  Endowed with enthusiasm, imagination, optimism, perseverance, and capacity for work and entrepreneurship, this “piva (kid) of nearly 80 years,” as she refers to herself at times, combines all of this with a clear social and solidarity vocation, leaving a mark everywhere she has been. She made a professional career as a teacher, something that she has never lost, and is evident also in her Basque activities.

Olga will celebrate her 80^th birthday on Thursday, August the 30^th, and has proposed celebrating it with all of her family and friends who would like to join in.  The party will be on Sunday September 2^nd at the Itxaropen Basque Club with mass at 10:30 at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, followed by a huge party and meal beginning at 1pm at the clubhouse.

Invitations won’t be sent, the event “is for anyone wishing to attend.”  Olga requests “no gifts please, instead bring an anecdote to share as your gift.”

Anyone wishing to attend can get more information by writing to the Basque club in Saladillo.