Building Lesnoe Ozero

Over the last five years, a renewed interest in Russian has been noted nationwide at the pre-collegiate and post-secondary levels, as well as at the Russian Language Village. Lesnoe Ozero opened in 1966 at a time when the Soviet Union was viewed with great distrust and fear. Concordia Language Villages did what it has always done well: it used language and culture to teach young people about this part of the world. With 38 years of experience teaching Russian, Lesnoe Ozero is ready with its curriculum, staff and students for this growth — a permanent home for Lesnoe Ozero will provide top quality facilities and an authentic environment. In adding a Russian site to the circle of Villages currently in place on Turtle River Lake, Concordia Language Villages will more fully represent the depth and breadth of world language programming that it offers.

We invite you to join in this important endeavor: to strengthen the Russian Language Village program by participating in this capital campaign. The Russian Language Village will be constructed at the site of an existing resort, A Place in the Woods, which Concordia College acquired in 1998. The configuration of the log cabins lends itself to both the enrollment capacity and the cultural components of the Russian program. In addition, this site will accommodate all of our adult programming in a beautifully appointed international conference center. The total cost is $4.1 million, with a first-phase effort of $1.8 million.

International Adult and Family Conference Center

In response to the growing number of inquiries for corporate training programs and more in-depth adult and family programming, the plan for the final phase of the building project is to feature housing and meeting space specifically designed with corporate training and adult/family programming in mind. Thirty-two rooms in this two-story wing will be configured to adapt to the privacy needs of adults and families, with private baths, an elevator and lounge facilities. The layout of the log cabins lends itself to both the enrollment capacity and the cultural components of the Russian program.

The facility will be technologically equipped for corporate participants. The entire site will offer state-of-the-art technology to meet the needs of corporate clients as well as facilitate the Village program. Participants will have high-speed DSL Internet connectivity and wireless Internet access. There will be several multi-language computer workstations to facilitate learning opportunities in all 13 languages offered at Concordia Language Villages. An FM radio station will be available to broadcast shortwave radio shows in the target language on the site. These permanent installations will provide interactive real-time connections with family, adult or student groups anywhere in the world.

Overview of Project Cost

Recently, Concordia Language Villages received a $700,000 challenge to complete Phase One of the Russian Language Village. All gifts received during this first phase of the campaign will be dedicated to meeting this challenge.

We invite you to become a patron of Russian culture in the name of an honored Russian composer or author. Please consider giving to this important endeavor.

In order to give to the construction of Lesnoe Ozero online please click here. If you would rather send your donation by mail click on the link below to download a small donation form with further instructions on giving to Concordia Language Villages. Thank you.