The Kalamazoo Latvian Association (KLA) held its annual meeting Feburary 17. Board member reports reflected the activities of the Association during 2007:

• KLA has 290 members, 10 of them new
• 6 members passed away: Zenta Cāzere, Mirdza Krasta, Vēra Millere, Monika Reinvalde, Vilis Staģis, Marija Žumbura
• The Latvian Center Renovation Fund was established and has received $36,000 in pledges
• Organized: the performance of the Daile theater group, the Center’s 20 year anniversary, and the November 18 celebration
• Painted the foyer, upstairs kitchen and bathrooms, stairwell and lower lobby
• Replaced upstairs ceiling tiles and all the lights in the main hall
• Made repairs on the roof, attic, heating system, and built a loft in the storage room
• Held the rummage sale and garden clean-up
• Surveyed Latvians in the Kalamazoo area
• Published three issues of the KLA News
• Rented out the Center for $22, 800

The annual meeting approved the suggested changes to the by-laws, decreasing the term for a board member to two years, to attract more people to the work of KLA. The other change specified a process in which an empty board seat could be filled between annual meetings.

The annual meeting elected five board and three audit committee members. After the annual meeting, the board met to divide up responsibilities. During the meeting, Anita Spolite resigned, though she will continue as the main chef. Malda Putelis was elected in her place.

Zigfrids Jirgens was given the title of honorary chairman for long years of work with the Kalamazoo Latvian Heritage Center and Kalamazoo Latvian Association