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Salt Lake City, Utah.  NABO’s winter meeting began at 8 am and lasted until nearly 1pm at the Vaughan Center at St. Ambrose Parish. This year’s host, the Utah Basque Club, also held its annual Basque Dinner/Dance Saturday night. The Dance is always a great success and serves as the club’s main fundraiser. 

Thirty-one Basque clubs from the US and Canada were represented at the meeting that was also attended by Asier Vallejo Itsaso, the new Director of Basque Citizens and Communities abroad, accompanied by Benan Oregi, technician from the Basque Government’s Department of the Exterior, and Noemi Gonzalo-Bilbao, technician at the Delegation of Euskadi in New York.  Asier Vallejo presented Lehendakari Urkullu’s letter  directed expressly to the Basques and communities abroad, published just the day before.

Valerie Arrechea, NABO president, directed the meeting accompanied at the head table by NABO Vice-President, Mary Gaztambide; Kate Camino this being her first meeting as the new facilitator, taking over after John Ysursa as of January 1; Grace Mainvil, treasurer; as well as Asier Vallejo as honored guest.  Marisa Espinal, NABO secretary was unable to attend. 

The agenda of the meetings included the passing of the treasurer’s report, presented by Grace Mainvil, as well as reviewing various committee reports by committee chairs that share NABO’s work including that of Euskera, Calendar, Oral History, Pelota, Udaleku, Gaztealde, Mus, Music/Dance including a proposal to reprint Hi Kantari NABO’s songbook, Education, and the Facilitator’s report.

There were also presentations made to the delegates by Joseba Etxarri of EuskalKultura.com as well as from the Euskaldunak of Quebec, based in Montreal, and the Colorado Basque club, based in the Denver area.  Those present were reminded of NABO’s fortieth anniversary that will be celebrated this summer in Elko, NV.  Activities surrounding New York’s Euzko Etxea’s centennial were also discussed as it is NABO’s oldest club.  These festivities will take place in October.

The meeting ended just before lunch that was served by the hosting club.  Saturday evening gave way then to the club’s annual dinner/dance fundraiser that included dinner, music, a dance performance by the Utahko Triskalariak, followed by a public dance to the music of Jean Flesher. 

On Sunday, a smaller group gathered at the home of Mary and Jean Gaztambide for more food, camaraderie, and mus in a much more relaxed setting as club members had finished their weekend’s work by then. Zorionak!