Sokol/Sokolice Milwaukee

Transcription

1 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER SPRING 2018 Edition Sokol/Sokolice Milwaukee In this issue CALENDAR...2 PRESIDENT S CORNER...3 OLD CZECH LEGEND GYMNASTICS UPDATE...4 SOKOL LEAVES NORWAY HOUSE th Annual Czech Jaternice Dinner BOHEMIAN FEST IN RACINE MARCELLA WENZEL - R.I.P..5 MEET ANNA COOKOVA...5 FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CZECH REPUBLIC THE ACCIDENTAL HERO MEMBERSHIP UPDATE...9 MOJA VLAST DANCERS...9

2 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Executive Board President Sonia Riecan 1st Vice President John Kozlik 2nd Vice President Todd Michalek Secretary Sonka Tostrud Treasurer Ann Cramer Financial Secretary Jenni Miller Education Director Susan Chapman 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) Sokol 150th Anniversary Event Richard William Graber Former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018, 2:00 to 3:30 pm New Berlin Public Library Library Lane, New Berlin, WI (In the New Berlin City Center) Regular Membership Meeting MONDAY MAY 7, :00 pm West Allis Public Library 7421 W National Ave, West Allis, WI Note National Avenue will be closed between 70th &. 76th St. but the Library will be accessible. Milwaukee County Historical Society Awards Milwaukee Sokol Recognition for 150th MAY 9, 2018, 5:30 pm Pfister Hotel (For details go to: Bohemian Fest St. John Nepomuk, Racine, WI JUNE 8, 9 & 10, 2018 (See page 4) Sokol 150th Anniversary Event Patrick Dewane ACCIDENTAL HERO SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2018, 2 PM PIUS HIGH SCHOOL 135 N. 76th Street, Milwaukee, WI (See page 8) GENEALOGY GROUP SESSIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED

3 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER PRESIDENT S CORNER the location has been great. There is ample parking and plenty of space for us. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings as well. I hope that everyone has an enjoyable and safe Spring and look forward to seeing all of you Respectfully, Sonia Riecan President Sokol Milwaukee Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Spring Everyone!! It is an exciting year here at Sokol Milwaukee as it is our 150th Anniversary and we have several events scheduled this year to celebrate this huge milestone. OLD CZECH FOLKLORE Submitted by Ann Cramer Our first event that we had this year was the 90th Anniversary of our Annual Jaternice Dinner that was held on April 7th at Blessed Sacrament Church. It was a great success and we had a great time at this new venue. Our raffle winner was Richard Palcak and he was very excited to win the garnet pendant. Next on April 22nd we have the former Ambassador to the Czech Republic speaking at the New Berlin Public Library from 2-3:30pm. It should be an amazing day! Then of course our Annual Spring Fling in June, which is always an enjoyable event. We are still on the hunt for a new place to call home and for a place to host our gymnastics program so please contact me or any of us on the board if you have any suggestions for a new location My phone number is (414) and address is sonia.riecan13@gmail.com. For now, we have been meeting at the West Allis Public Library for our monthly meetings and Spring is in the air but be careful. A Czech legend warns us against planting our garden too early. The three ice kings serve as a warning to protect tender plants against a possible late frost. According to the legend, the three kings, Saint Pankrac on May 12th, Saint Servac on May 13th and Saint Boniface on May 14th were frozen when the temperature dropped while they were fishing at sea. On May 15th, Saint Zofie came along with a kettle of hot water to thaw out the frozen kings. In Czech, the three kings are called ledovi muži (ice men) and Sophia, Žofie, ledová žena (Sophia the ice woman). So, spring may be in the air but wait to plant until at least May 15th!

4 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Gymnastics Report By Gerald Novotny, Men s Gym Director Sokol Coaches: Brad Bradley, Jennifer Romine, Gerald Novotny, Lisa Hoeck, Noah Romine and Linzie Stuckart Our gymnastics class was ended with the New Year because of the pending sale of the Norway House. At this point we don t know where or when classes will resume. This is a big challenge at the same time we are celebrating our 150th anniversary. Our search for a new gym has so far been unsuccessful. But we are not giving up yet. Our coaches are very ready and willing to continue the program as soon as we can find a space. In the meantime here is a photo to remind us of why we do what we do. Bye-Bye Norway House One chapter of Sokol Milwaukee history came to close on Saturday February 17, 2018 when we moved out of the Norway House. Thanks to Keith and Anne Cramer for orchestrating moving our equipment into storage. The moving crew is pictured above. Bohemian Fest St. John Nepomuk, Racine On Saturday June 9, 2018 starting at 4:00PM, until sold out, they will be serving a pork roast dinner, with dumplings and gravy, sauerkraut, rye bread, dessert, and a beverage, $ Other food items, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, Italian sausage, sweet corn, chicken sandwichs, wings, popcorn, nachos, cotton candy, slushies, ice cream and pretzels, will be available as well. Kolaches for sale starting Friday night until sold out. Silent auction and basket raffle. Musical entertainment all 3 days. St. John s parish is located at1923 Green Street in Racine.

5 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Marcella Wenzel Sokol lost a much-loved member when Marcella Wenzel pasted away. Her obituary is reprinted here. Wenzel, Marcella J. (Nee Paul) God called her to her Heavenly home on March 12, 2018 at the age of 87. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Roland and their firstborn son, David. Also her siblings; Evelyn Pauley, Lucille Monochie and Raymond Paul. Remaining to celebrate her life are sons; Paul (Linda), Mark (Patricia), Matthew and Andrew (Stephanie). Also survived by seven grandchildren; Stephanie (John) Urbanek, Michelle (Jeff) Schultz, Martin (Linda), Walter (Chloe), Kathryn, Tyler and Leah and four great grandchildren; Haley, Emma, Hayden and Sophia. As well as many other relatives and friends. Marcella enjoyed knitting, quilting, reading and watching activities of her children and grandchildren. Faithful member of Good Shepherd's Lutheran Church since Member of Sokol Milwaukee and WFLA, Lodge 48. Visitation will be held on Monday March 19 at Good Shepard s Ev. Lutheran Church, 1235 S. 100th Street, West Allis from 1pm-4PM. Funeral Service Celebrated 4PM. Private interment Wisconsin Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries or Good Shepherd's Lutheran Church. Special thanks to the caring staff at Zilber Family Hospice. Also see back cover. Wisconsin Czechs Meet Anna Cookova Need a letter translated? Or want to learn the Czech language? Anna Cookova is someone you should meet. New president of Wisconsin Czechs, Inc., Anna Cooková, has been teaching Czech Language & Culture since February of Cooková grew up in Opava, Czech Republic and came to Wisconsin to attend University. After graduating she pursued fulltime work in Rice Lake, WI so that she could stay connected to the Czech community through Sister Cities International. She has been a delegate on behalf of two of Wisconsin's Sister Cities in the Czech Republic and on invitation of the US Embassy in Prague, she will be presenting about her ancestor at the American Center on May 10th. One of her ancestors, a Pillar for Peace, Charles J. Vopička was a Czech immigrant who became an American Ambassador at the appointment of Woodrow Wilson. Cooková is founder of CzechTalk.com, she is active as a Registered Czech Court Interpreter, as a Czech Language & Culture Instructor via Skype, and as a translator of old family letters and journals from Czech to English that are sent to her from all over the United States. Anna Cookova can be reached by phone at or at

6 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Jaternice Dinner 90TH ANNUAL DINNER A SUCCESS A letter from Sonia Riecan of all foods and items needed, making all of the tasty food we have in the kitchen and getting it made in a timely manner for the two seatings and for all the fantastic bakery and organization of getting the bakery made. The Cramer family puts an unbelievable amount of time into this event and as a board and as an organization we are very appreciative!! We would also like to thank my family who helps me with keeping track of all the reservations, the lists for all the entrees ordered and seating charts of all people expected along with helping me with the wait staff, dishwashing areas, seating of the event and decorations inside the hall. I can personally say for my family and the Cramer Family this is a very busy time of year, but we love it and are thrilled when things go well! Brothers and Sisters of Sokol Milwaukee, On behalf of the Executive Board and from myself your President, I would like to express a heart-felt thanks for everyone's hard work at this past Saturday's 90th Jaternice Dinner. Without all of you, there is no way that we could have had such an amazing event!!! This year in particular has been very challenging, with a new location for the dinner, a unique date on a Saturday, instead of a Sunday and we still made it a successful event!! We would like to give special thanks to Ann Cramer and Keith Cramer and Family for their organization of getting things to the new location, getting all the food ordered and made, making sure we had enough Next, we would like to thank Jenni Miller for all her visual sign expertise and marketing ideas. The hall looked very Czech and everything we had to offer was labeled so our guests could find everything easily. It made the whole event look so much better and very professional.

7 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER We would also like to thank Todd Michalek, for the beautiful set up of the sales booth and running the sales booth, along with canvassing many, many libraries to advertise for us and just an awesome positive attitude! We hope to see many of you at our next event on April 22nd at the New Berlin Library and next meeting on May 7th at The West Allis Library in the Constitution Room. Respectfully, Sonia Riecan Finally, I would like to thank everyone who delivered items from the storage shed to Blessed Sacrament, cooked, baked, set up the dinner, worked at the dinner, sold bakery, worked at the sales booth, bartended, scraped food to throw away, manned the entrance at the dinner, bought flowers, supplies, balloons and bread baskets for the dinner, manned the extra orders pick up at the dinner and cleaned up and took things to the shed after the dinner when everyone was exhausted. Thank you for those who let us use there trucks/cars. Again, we are very grateful to all of you and if you weren't mentioned you are not forgotten There is no way this could happen with out each and everyone of you, so again, Thank you, Thank you and Thank you!!!!

8 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Milwaukee Sokol 150th Anniversary Event Richard Graber Remembering My Years as Ambassador to the Czech Republic, from Ford s Theater in Washington to the Marcus Center in Milwaukee and the US Embassy in Prague. With music and color film footage, and Dewane playing over a dozen characters, the story has drawn standing ovations all over the country. Sunday April 22, 2018, 2:00 to 3:30 pm New Berlin Public Library Library Lane, New Berlin, WI (In the New Berlin City Center) As we announced earlier former Ambassador Richard Graber will be giving a talk on his time as US Ambassador to the Czech Republic. In addition Consul Tomáš Trnka, from Consulate of the Czech Republic in Chicago, will bring greeting from the Consulate and an invitation to events celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia. At the end of his talk there will be time for a few questions and light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public. Milwaukee Sokol 150th Anniversary Event The Accidental Hero Saturday, October 6, 2018, 2:00 PM PIUS HIGH SCHOOL 135 N. 76th Street, Milwaukee, WI By Mary Ann Gross Sokol/Sokolice Milwaukee is sponsoring a multimedia one-man show by Patrick Dewane about a WWII American officer who miraculously liberates the Czech villages of his grandparents. This Wisconsin lieutenant colonel from Stangelville came home with film, photos, and memories that he did not reveal to his family but instead turned into a secret autobiography. Now his grandson has written and performed this incredible story, stretching from the Battle of the Bulge to Domazlice, for audiences How fitting for Sokol s 150th anniversary! On Saturday, October 8, 2018, at 2 p.m., Patrick Dewane will perform The Accidental Hero at Pius XI Catholic High School, 135 N. 76th St., Milwaukee, in the Father Robert V. Carney Performing Arts Center. [The theater is accessible with a lift.] Tickets will go on sale through Pius s phone and Internet connections beginning July 1, with single seats at $20 and groups of ten or more at $15. Sokol will benefit from the performance. The seats will be numbered, not open seating, so the sooner after they are purchased after July 1, the better they will be. We will also have some seats on sale at Sokol meetings at the group price. After July 1: Call or contact for tickets. If you are ordering group tickets, use the code Sokol to obtain the discount. We expect groups from senior centers and veterans organizations as well as many from the Greatest Generation to be interested in this wonderful show. Come celebrate our 150th anniversary! We would like to recognize Mary Ann Gross for underwriting the cost of bringing this performance to Milwaukee as a part of our 150th Anniversary. Mockrát děkuji - Nazdar!

9 SOKOL/SOKOLICE WINTER Membership Update Memorial Donations Mary Zelenka -$100 for Jerome & Romary Zelenka Mary Ann Gross $40 for her mother, Otillia Hruska Suetholz Fred Stanek $10 for Edward Stanek Welcome new members, Sandie Kupka, Marsha Vila, Brad Bradley and Bruce Cisler! Current Membership: Men 64 Women Carrie Stanek $10 for Carrie Stanek Doug Muzatko $25 for his grandfather Emil Muzatko Vera Ludwigsen $100 for Rudy Cermy Honorary Members: 20

10 Sokol/Sokolice Milwaukee A Sound Mind in a Sound Body Sokol Gymnastics is for Every body. Thank you, Marcella. We will miss you.