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The Eusko Aterpea Basque club in the Argentine town of General Rodriguez prepared and sold 250 portions of its classic calamari Biscayan style, contributing in this simple, but important way, to the club’s budget.  This was the first big activity organized by the newly-elected board.  With Raul Taretto at the head, the club’s directors are anticipating a year full of excellent projects including a return to the “Adult Words” program. 

Gral. Rodriguez, Argentina.   Following the tradition of the last few years, the Eusko Aterpea Basque club prepared a huge amount of 'calamari Biscayan style' on Holy Friday, March 25.  Neighbors of the club, faithful clients, went through 250 portions of what the club cooked.  As the new lehendakari Raul Taretto told EuskalKultura.com, “to prepare 250 portions of calamari is a lot of work, but fortunately, we sold them all. We could have even sold more, but the people sometimes place their orders too late and we aren’t able to fill those.  In any case, we will do it again soon, possibly in June, and so it’s just a question of waiting a bit longer,” he said.

“But let me explain that selling this food for us is more than a culinary activity.  It is a great money maker and we use these funds towards our expenses, including to finish remodeling our clubhouse.  Right now, all we have left to finish is the façade, we want to give our clubhouse a form of a baserri, and the BBQ pit.  In regards to the façade, we are now consulting our members to see what kind of baserri they want it to look like.”

New Board of Directors and Goals for 2016

The Eusko Aterpea head its General Assembly on March 19 to elect the new board.  After reading and approving the summary and finances of 2015, the outgoing president, Juan Itcea, presented the baton to incoming president, Raul Taretto.  Along with Taretto, who is returning to the presidency after 4 years, is Sandra Oliveira as vice-president, and Gladys Ayala, Susana Echesarreta, Agustina Olaizola, Mariel Oliveira, Juan C. Echesarreta, Federico Etcheverry, Jorge Etcheverry, Ángel Hygonenq, Andrés Itcea, Yamil Malcervelli, Enrique Mauregui, Julio Mesa and Carlos Sosa. “At our first board meeting, on April 2, we will assign each their duties,” Taretto explained.

In regards to the plans of the new board, Taretto said that they will continue to hold the club’s traditional festivities, like the club’s anniversary in August, and International Euskera Day at the end of the year.  They also accompany other clubs in celebrating events like Aberri Eguna, and when possible they participate in “Buenos Aires Celebrates the Basque Country.”  They also told that the library will continue with its Basque film series by Carlos Gabilondo and in June Basque classes will resume.

“One of the projects that we want to bring back is “Etxeko Eguna,” the day when members and friends come to the clubhouse to do maintenance work like painting, or fixing things,” Taretto explained. Another project and probably one of the most important proposals that they want to bring back is the “Adult Words” program.  This program entails interviewing elders in the club that have a lot to say, in general Basque descendants, but also others who can also talk about the contribution of the Basques to the city.  “We are managing an agreement with a local cable company that would provide new technology to film the interviews.  The idea is to begin in June and in addition, to bring nationally known people form the artistic or political realms,” Taretto advanced.  It is worth mentioning that the Eusko Aterpea has already submitted 100 interviews to the program “Adult Words,” to FEVA so that they can become part of the larger Memoria Bizia project.