Best Wishes For A Happy New Year 2006
Ruby and I would like to take this time to wish each of you a very Happy New Year. May it be a good year in which you reach more of your goals.
As the new year dawns, we take a moment to look back on 2005 and remember it as a very special year. The visit to Canada in July by many of our Russian friends was definitely the highlight of the year. It was great to renew acquaintances, share time together, and see some of the special things and places in Western Canada.
There was not time to see everything, but we look forward to another time in the future when perhaps we could do it again. A special thanks to Jim Guthrie for the inspiration, and to all the Canadians who participated and who helped out in so many ways. We all had a good time planning and making the dream come true. The reunion event was an excellent example of the strong spirit of the KAO people that existed in 1991, and still lives on today. While the company changed over time, and now no longer exists, the spirit lives on in the people who all participated and believed things that could be accomplished together.
2006 will be the 15th anniversary since KAO was formed. I hear from Tatiana Titarenko that they are starting to gather ideas for a special celebration in Russia. For us in Canada, we will hold some type of event as well. No plans have been made yet, but it would be great to receive ideas from those interested. Let’s see what we can do to make this a special occasion.
Our Russian friends have invited all interested Canadians to come for a vacation visit to Russia in 2007. This sounds like a very exciting opportunity to see some of Russia that perhaps many Canadians never got to see when they worked there. While the details of the trip have not yet been finalized, it would be a good idea for Canadians to hold a spot for this on their 2007 calendar. The challenge will be to see if we can have more Canadians make the trip to Russia, than Russians who came to Canada in 2005. I have heard from many Canadians already who are planning to make the trip.
Ruby and I have had a very good year in 2005. I continue to work full time consulting in the oil business. For me, I am in my 36th year of this career, and look forward to many more years. Ruby continues to teach ESL (English as a Second Language) to adult immigrants here in Calgary. She enjoys doing this work on a volunteer basis, and finds ways to help these people get settled in their new country and culture. Our daughter Kirsten continues to work for an oil company in Calgary, and our son Douglas lives in Colorado, USA, where he works for a cell phone software company. The photo included here was taken at Douglas’ place in September 2005.
May 2006 be a good year for each of you.
Our best wishes to all of you,
Dennis & Ruby Knudtson
