MARIA LUPU - the daughter of Rev. Fr. Michael and Preoteasa Lillian Lupu of Calgary, Alberta, was born on September 9, 1985, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  She has been an active Church member in her home parish of The Nativity of the Ever Virgin Mary in Calgary, Alberta, as a choir member, Sunday school teacher, and youth group.  In 2001, she was instrumental in reviving the local A.R.O.Y. chapter in Calgary and served as the president of the newly founded group.  In 2002 she represented her chapter at the Annual A.R.O.Y. Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, where she was also a debutante in the Cotillion Ball.  Maria has attended Camp Vatra as a student for many years and then she retuned to dedicate her time as a staff member.

Besides her church involvement, Maria is very active in the school and community activities.  In high school, her talent in music (she plays the Saxophone) brought her recognition and involvement in the Jazz Band, Concert Band, and the school musicals and in the selected choral group for the graduation.  She was selected to be Mistress of Ceremonies of the 2002 Homecoming celebrations and 2003 Fine Arts Awards Presentations at her local high school.  For her talents and dedication, she received on 3 different occasions the Chestermere High School Citizenship Award and the Chestermere High School Outstanding Musicianship Award Choral for 2002-2003.

Because of the high academic standing and hard work in high school, Maria was accepted to the University of Calgary “Scholars Advantage”.  Her future goals include being accepted into a veterinarian program in Saskatoon in order to become a veterinarian and dedicate her career to the protection of animals (horses).

Maria Lupu is a winner of the A.R.O.Y. Stanitz Scholarship in 2003 and we wish her many years of success and accomplishments in her bight future.

CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT ICHIM - the fifth of six children of Rev. Fr. Dumitru and Preoteasa Florica Ichim, was born on March 19, 1984, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.  He has been an active member of his parish, St. John the Baptist in Kitchener, Ontario, serving in various functions.  For his dedication to the Church and hard work, His Eminence, Archbishop NATHANIEL tonsured him a Reader and subsequently blessed him a Subdeacon.  Since the age 14 he attended Camp Vatra and also volunteered at St. Nicholas Camp at Fort Qu’Appelle.

In high school he received several awards and recognitions for his academic talents; in the Canadian Mathematics Competition won the top place, at the Waterloo Wellington Science and Engineering Fair he won for 4 years, the bronze, silver and two gold medals.  Upon his graduation from high school which was a year earlier, he was designated an Ontario Scholar.  In 2002 Christopher was admitted to Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in a four year Honors Business Administration program.

Christopher E. Ichim is a winner of the A.R.O.Y. Stanitz Scholarship in 2003 and we wish him all the best in his career and many years filled with great accomplishment.