Garezers 50 weekend will be a 4-day celebration, including a variety of musical performances featuring talent from North America and Latvia, a feature film, athletic events, fireworks show, cooking competition and other entertainment. The Latvian Center’s history will be commemorated with a formal church service. “What is Garezers? … I am Garezers!” is the theme of the anniversary. The Celebration and associated fundraising campaign will help to secure the future growth and development of the Center.

Celebration Committee Chair Franz Bauer of Cleveland, OH said, “Everyone is invited to be a part of this huge milestone for what now has become a global community of people who love Garezers. The 50th Anniversary is going to be an event that everyone, no matter what their age, will enjoy.”

The Latvian Center Garezers is the largest gathering place for the Latvian community outside of Latvia, as well as the largest summer tourist destination in the Three Rivers, MI area. Its mission is to provide a meeting place for Latvians of all ages, to raise and educate Latvian youth, to strengthen the Latvian language, culture and spiritual values, to promote the Latvian heritage and develop links with Latvia.

Garezers, formerly Camp Lone Tree, was purchased by the Latvian community from a Chicago Girl Scout troupe in 1965. During the ensuing 48 years, hundreds of volunteers have helped to maintain the beautiful landscape of more than 250 acres, including rustic buildings, lakefront and woods, and to develop the programs and infrastructure that now draw several hundred campers and over one thousand visitors each summer.

The Center will be organizing several fundraising events leading up to the Celebration. In order to ensure the success of the event, Garezers will seek sponsors, donors and volunteers. There will be opportunities for advertising, as well as for service providers, as the Center prepares for the many guests who will attend the festivities. Garezers is currently accepting entries for the Celebration’s logo design.

More information about the 50th Anniversary Celebration can be found on the Garezers website http://www.garezers.org, by joining the Garezers Facebook page, or by contacting Celebration Committee Chair Franz Bauer –  garezers50@garezers.org.