SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Winter Edition. Veselé Vánoce. That s MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Milwaukee Sokol Gymnasitics Class.

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1 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Winter Edition Sokol/Sokolice Milwaukee Veselé Vánoce In this issue CALENDAR..2 PRESIDENT S CORNER..3 CZECH & SLOVAK FASHION SHOW...4 EGG DECORATING CLASS That s MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Milwaukee Sokol Gymnasitics Class. LEARN TO DECORATE KRASLICE (EASTER EGGS) SEE PAGE 4 TO SEE MORE KROJE SEE PAGE 4 GYM PROGRAM UPDATE.5 HISTORY OF JUMPING JACKS....7 SCENES FROM THE FOLK FAIR...8 MILDRED LISKA R.I.P 9 SOKOL CHRISTMAS PARTY...9 FOLK FAIR REVISITED SEE PAGE 8

2 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Executive Board President Sonia Riecan 1st Vice President John Kozlik 2nd Vice President Harold Kralik Secretary Sonka Tostrud Treasurer Ann Cramer Financial Secretary Gerald Novotny Education Director Mary Anne Gross Director of Women Jennifer Romine Director of Men Gerald Novotny To submit an item for the calendar or an article or letter for publication or to suggest a topic that you would like included in this newsletter please contact the editor: Gerald Novotny 1409 Iowa Drive Madison, WI Phone: (608) novotny01@sbcglobal.net Kalendář (Calendar) General Membership Meetings Next Regular Membership Meeting Monday March 2, :00 to 9:00pm at the Norway House GYMNASTICS CLASS Wednesdays Evenings 6:15 to 7:45 pm at the Norway House CZECH GENEALOGY MEETINGS Sunday March 15, :00 pm New Berlin Library FASHION SHOW OF CZECH & SLOVAK COSTUMES Sunday March 22, :30 am at the Norway House (see page 4) EGG DECORATING CLASS WITH CZECH ARTIST - JAROSLAVA SOBISKOVA April 6, :00-9:00 pm at the Norway House (See Page 8 ) CZECH GENEALOGY MEETING Sunday April 19, :00 pm New Berlin Library CZECH SLOVAK MOVIE SERIES Sunday April 26, : 30 pm at the Norway House OBČAN HAVEL (CITIZEN HAVEL) CHECK OUR WEB SITE FOR UPDATES We are on the web at:

3 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER President s Corner Dear Brothers and Sisters of Sokol/Sokolice Milwaukee, This winter has flown by and spring is almost here, even though it feels like the cold Wisconsin winter weather will never go away. Since Folk Fair concluded we have had a busy Sokol Calendar. First on December 13 th we had the Holiday Party, which was a good time, with entertainment, great food and even the Angel, Devil and of course Mikulas. If you missed it, you missed a great time. On February 7 th, the dance group performed at Blessed Savior Church and gave a 45 minute show to a wonderful audience of about 250 people, which was received really well. Dances from both Slovakia and the Czech Republic were performed and a variety of Kroje were worn. The show was a fun time. Even baby Tristan Milan wore a kroj and was a big hit with the audience. On February 8 th we had our annual Jaternice Dinner and it was the biggest one we have had in years. Over 500 people enjoyed our yummy Czech Dinner and Bakery and shopped at our Marketplace. I d like to give special thanks to all the volunteers for all their hard work. Without you, this event would not be possible or this successful. Every year I am amazed at all you do from the advertising, mailing, reservation taking, baking, picking up our Jaternice, and Knedlicky, setting up of tables, waitressing, shopping, sales booth organization and sales, hosts and hostesses, Jaternice and knedlicky packaging, flower purchasing, hosts and hostesses, seaters, check in front door people, food dishers, dish washing, coffee pouring, food preparation and of course cooking. Again, thank you so much for all that you do. I am very proud of all of the hard work we all did. If you weren t at the Jaternice Dinner you missed a great event, tasty food and Sokol camaraderie. ****Save the Date alerts****on March 22 nd, we have a brand new event that is a Kroj Fashion Show and a light lunch for $ Many Kroj s will be modeled including the dressing of the bride. This event is sure to be a fun time. Let s make this new event a success. If you would like tickets please contact Ann Cramer. On April 6 th, we will have an Egg decorating class, which is a perfect way to celebrate Easter. Please contact Gerald Novotny for more information. As Spring nears and the Easter Season is upon us let us all remember all the great things that have taken place this year and all the wonderful things to come. Happy Spring and Easter Season, Sonia Riecan President

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5 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Gym Program Update A lot has happened since our last newsletter. After a stellar performance at the Holiday Folk Fair we returned to the gym to concentrate on fundamentals. On December 17th we invited parents into the gym to watch us run through a more or less typical lesson with stretching, marching and several rotations on beam, floor, vault, bars and pommel horse. After that we had fun and showed off a bit with some pyramid building. That was followed by snacks Totals are not compiled yet but I can report we received several nice donations from Sokol members. And we definitely filled our quota of fun. Thanks to gym parents who assigned with this event! Our class has continued to grow over the season and enrollment now stands at 3 X. The week of February 18th we had a mid-winter break following which we will again be concentrating on skills needed to put together routines for our intra-class Our 147th Annual Gym Exhibition will be on May 20, (thanks to all our gym families who contributed the delicious treats.) On February 11th we combined the Sokol Fitness Come watch our young Falcons soar. Challenge with a fundraiser to defray some of our expenses creating a FUNRAISER (with the emphasis on the FUN.) competition and the Central District meet. Much work remains but we ve got a great bunch of kids in the gym and we will get it done!

6 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER showed several years ago under the name Citizen Havel Goes on Vacation. This film is a behind the scenes look at Havel as president from the Velvet Revolution through to the Velvet Divorce when despite his efforts the Czech and Slovak nations separated. Jaternice Dinner a Success Sokol members were too busy to take pictures therefore there are none in this issue. But over 500 dinners were served and the diners were complimentary about the food. That sounds like success. Czech & Slovak Genealogy Group We would like to thank the following Jaternice Dinner Well Wishers. On January 25, 2015 the Czech Genealogy group held a meeting at the Norway House. See the calendar for the future genealogy meetings. Following the meeting we showed the movie Piemule, about an ethnic Czech community in Romania. Twenty-seven people attended the movie and we received fifteen dollars in donations. Our next movie, Citizen Havel, will be shown on April 26, This is not the same film we Fred Stanek Alan & Donna Roeber Jeanne Swendrowski Mark Langtry Milly Skowera Mary Anne Gross Cliff Vacek Thanks too to all the volunteers who planned the meal, took the reservations, baked and cooked and served!

7 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER History of Jumping Jacks By Gerald Novotny We commonly incorporate Jumping Jacks into our warmup routines. They provide a good dynamic stretch for the shoulders and hips and ankles as well an aerobic workout to get our blood moving (and they bring a bright red glow to my complexion.) There is some uncertainty about the origin of the exercise. A commonly held belief is that they were invented by John J. Black Jack Pershing ( ) commanding General of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I and one of only two Americans to hold the rank of General of the Armies of the United States. suffer. He had the squad count off; dividing into evens and odds. When he pulled on an imaginary string all the evens would shoot their arms out the side. Pulling on the opposite string the odds would raise their arms while the evens would jump to a straddle stand. Then pulling the strings up and down, slowly or rapidly, he would entertain the onlookers with the spectacle. In 2014 the State of Missouri, Pershing s home state, declared the Jumping Jack to be the state s official exercise. Other reputable internet sources, not accepted by the State of Missouri, claim that the Jumping Jack is a toy dating back thousands of years. According to one source the jumping jack is jointed wooden figure like puppet. The limbs are tied to a string and when the string is pulled the arms and legs move up and down. This source further claims that an ivory dancer figure found at an Egyptian archaeological site proves that the jumping jack is truly of ancient origin. But perhaps at that time they were called Flailing Pharaohs? Whatever story you choose to believe Jumping Jacks are gym tradition. And well named. Can you imagine doing Jumping Berts? In the segregated U.S. Army of the time Pershing was given command of the all-black Tenth Cavalry. In 1896 he led them in battle in Cuba during the Spanish American war. White officers gave him the nickname Black Jack because of the unceasing praise and respect he accorded the black soldiers under his command. When Pershing was the senior cadet at West Point he did invent an exercise to make the underclassmen

8 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER SCENES FROM THE FOLK FAIR The CALM before the STORM. Front row: Nikki Cramer Samantha Carriere and Claire Carriere Back row: Sophia Cramer and Alyssa Cramer The gruesome coffin makers! The Money Men: Jerome Zelenka and John Kozlik. And the happy bakers.

9 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Mildred Liska, Rest in Peace We sadly note the passing of Mildred Liska last November 24, Last June Mildred was recognized at our awards dinner for her 75 years in Sokol. SOKOL CHRISTMAS PARTY Our Christmas Luncheon was held on December 13, 2014 at Serb Hall. Musical entertainment was provide by the Holzbauer Family Singers. But the biggest thrill was a visit from the real St. Mikulas (Harold Kralik) accompanied by an angel (Joylyn Kralik) and a devil (Sonia Riecan). St. Mikulas questions a suspicious out-of-towner. 9

10 Sokol/Sokolice Milwaukee 7507 W. Oklahoma Avenue Milwaukee, Wi (Located in the Norway House) A Sound Mind in a Sound Body Sokol Gymnastics is for Every body. It s that time of year. Membership fees are due on March 15. Mail to: Gerald Novotny 1409 Iowa Drive Madison, WI The famous Bohemian Silver Groschen, first minted in Kutna Hora in 1300 by Wenceslaus II, was one of the most highly valued currencies in the Middle Ages.