Czech Heritage Society of Texas

5 February/únor 2001

Our Lady of Grace Church is undergoing a major expansion to the Church building, and we are unable to continue using the classroom building for our meetings and language study.

We have indeed been fortunate in being able to obtain space for these activities at the University of the Incarnate Word International Conference Center. (Some of you may know this Center as the Sisters Retirement Home.) It is located on Hildebrand at the northeast corner of Hwy. 281. It is easily identified by the international flags which fly from the flagpoles there.

ALL the activites we formerly conducted at Our Lady of Grace will now take place at the new location. We ask that you make note of this change. A complete list of our schedule for 2001 is included with this newsletter. Please keep it for ready reference throughout the year.

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK: It is with great pleasure that I welcome 21 new members to our Chapter. They are: Genevieve Gile, Rudy and Roma Hamborsky, Jane Hosek, Irene and Louis Jasek, Tillie Jupe, Patricia Keller, Angelina Kretzschmar, Maria Major, Victor and Ann Maresh, Sidonia Parchman, Janice Parkhurst, Kay and Al Polansky, Gary Polansky, Clayton Tim Sowder, Frances von Rosenberg, and Dorothy Watthuber. You will find that there are no strangers here, only friends.

Elections were held at the November meeting. Jerome "Jerry" Janecka was elected to the Board of Directors. Betty Koula was introduced as our new Parliamentarian.

All members are encouraged to be active participants in our organization. "Many hands make light work" is an old but very true saying. By joining together with other members, you will assure the success of our under-takings and have fun at the same time.

The Chapter wishes to thank those who have contributed their time and efforts during this past year and made our organization one of which we can all be proud. This includes the many members who VOLUNTEER their time as committee chairmen, and those who assist them in making our annual dance, heritage day, and Christmas party the successful events that they are; and ones we look forward to with joyful anticipation.

Many dedicated members came out for the Folklife Festival helping with the transportation, setting-up and taking down of our booth and displays, decorations, and selling of our food and drinks. Of special note this year were the wonderful comments heard, and e-mail messages we received about our new display.

Others make presentations at the ITC, schools and nursing homes; telling about Czech customs and culture. Our thanks are also extended to all who donate raffle and silent auction items; to those who help us by baking goodies for sale and/or helping out in the kitchen--each of you are an important part of the recognition we receive, and the many compliments we hear from guests and visitors. The S.A. Public Library expressed appreciation for our heritage/genealogy display in the Spring.

To all of you who were a part of these successful happenings, we offer a most sincere THANK YOU.

Ladislav Zezula

The next GENERAL MEETING will be held on Sunday, FEBRUARY 25,2001, at

2PM at our NEW LOCATION, the Conference Center at Incarnate Word University, 2nd floor. Someone will direct you to our meeting room.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CZECH HERITAGE DANCE, MAR. 4, 2001 at the Martinez Hall, Martinez, TX, 3 PM to 7PM. Once again we are pleased to have live music for dancing provided by the Leo Majek Orchestra of Corpus Christi, Tx. We guarantee he will have everyone's toes tapping. Kolaches, cakes and beverages will be available. For the heartier appetites sausages and buns will also be for sale. Raffle tickets will be sold for prizes which will be awarded periodically during the afternoon. The public is cordially invited to attend, and all family members and guests are welcome. Adult admission is $6.00 per person. No charge for children under 12. Tables may be reserved by calling BOB BISKUP at (210-659-8158).

Members are asked to donate homemade cakes and pies for sale. HELPERS are needed to serve food. If you can help, call IRENE MAZOCH (210) 699-8251, or daytime at (210) 567-5395.

We ask all members attending to please bring one item for the raffle. No canned goods please, although beer and soft drinks are welcome.

GENEALOGY FAIR MAY 12th, SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY in the Central Library Auditorium, between 10 AM and 3 PM. We have been asked to participate by providing free information about Czech genealogy, and ancestral research in general. We need of volunteers who would be able to spend 2 hrs. that day giving out materials and talking with the visiting patrons. Those interested in helping please contact JOAN MELUCH at (210) 945-0765.

SAN ANTONIO FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL AT ITC, JUNE 7-10 2001. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DATE.

This festival is a major event in San Antonio, and one that brings many thousands of visitors to the area. It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the contributions of the Czechs in Texas and the US. Because this event runs for several days, many members are needed to help out with our display. The chairman for this event is BEA JARZOMBEK (210-659-9132). If you can give two or three hours of your time to help out it will make things easier for everyone involved. More details, as well as sign-up sheets, will be available at the February general meeting. The weather in June should be cooler than in August, so if the heat has been holding you back in prior years, here is your opportunity to help out. Even if the June 7-10 dates are not open for you, assistance is needed in advance for set-up, and afterwards for take-down.

CZECH LANGUAGE STUDY CLASSES are on Monday evenings 7 to 9 PM at the Conference Center of Incarnate Word University. Our teachers are those students from the Czech and Slovak Republics currently enrolled at DLI. We have two levels of study--intermediate and advanced.

We are in need of additional copies of MODERN CZECH 1. If you have copy that you are not using and no longer need, please contact LADISLAV ZEZULA (210) 826-8645, or any member of the class, and we will pick them up.

THE CHRISTMAS POT LUCK PARTY was well attended by members and their guests again last year. Everyone there had a most enjoyable time. We thank all of you for your delicious contributions to our holiday menu; and also to those who donated door prizes--there was a lot of cheer to go around. Among those attending were those Czech and Slovak students studying at the Defense Language School, Lackland AFB. We know these students always appreciate our holiday parties, which bring a bit of "home" to those so far from their families. There were several children present, so Sv. Mikulas made sure to stop by with candies and small treats.

A SPECIAL EXHIBIT "Metaphor and Irony: Czech Scenic and Costume Design 1920-1999" is currently being featured at the McNay Art Museum. This exhibition traces nearly a century of costume and scenic design through the work of 12 leading designers from the Czech Republic. The exhibit will be at the Tobin Gallery from Feb. 4 through March 25, 2001.

NEWS OF OUR MEMBERS: We extend CONDOLENCES on behalf of the Chapter to Frank Jasek whose brother Edwin died on October 21st. Sister JULIANNA KOZUCH is recuperating from major surgery. Those wishing to send cards or letters may address them to her at 603 SW 24th St., San Antonio, TX 78207-4696.

Newsletter Editor: Joan C. Meluch (210) 945-0765

Chapter Website: http://www.czechs.org