Volume 94 Number 5
ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T Benevolence
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H E R A L D
Humanity
SPJST Welcomes Czech Envoy
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Brotherhood
February 1, 2006
ISSN —07458800
By Larry Causey Temple Daily Telegram, Sunday, January 22, 2006 Reprint Courtesy of Temple Daily Telegram
Temple-area residents turned out to welcome Dr. Petr Kolar, the new Czech Ambassador to the United States, in a reception Saturday, January 21 at the SPJST Home Office. Kolar is on a tour to several states, during which he will present a total of $400,000 for hurricane relief to Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, reported Melanie Zavodny, Editor of Vestnik, the SPJST newspaper. Hosts were to take their guest—who has lived in Sweden, Ireland and London— out to Ratibor Country Grill, Mrs. Zavodny said. “We’ll give him some good Texas cooking,” she said. Ray Snokhous and his wife, Clarice, are showing Kolar around for five days on his Texas tour. Snokhous, who lives in West, is the honorary consul of the Czech Republic in Texas. “I think we’re going to see a lot more of him,” he said of Kolar. “He wants to meet the real people.”
Czech Ambassador Kolar — Honorary Citizen of Temple
Mayor Bill Jones, III, right, presents a proclamation announcing Czech Republic Ambassador to the United Czech Ambassador Dr. Petr Kolar, center, applauds the States of America the Honorable Dr. Petr Kolar an honaccordion music of Willard Dyer. Also pictured are orary citizen of the City of Temple. Also pictured is Dr. Margaret Klecka, left, of Lodge 84, Dallas, Clarice Kolar’s wife, Jaroslava (Bendova) Kolarova. More photos Snokhous, and Joe Klecka, also of Lodge 84. of the Ambassador’s visit appear on pages 12 and 13.
Snokhous said the early Czech immigrants who settled in Central Texas were predominantly farmers. They went through some difficult times, but today they are a flourishing society, he said. Land has been a part of their success, he said. “If you get land, you’ve got something God didn’t make any more of,” he said. “My father was a blacksmith in the little town of West. He put in
SPJST Library, Archives and Museum Curator Dorothy Pechal and John Petter point to Czech settlements in Texas as Dr. and Mrs. Kolar look on.
long hard hours. He acquired about 2,000 acres of good black land.” Kolar said he is meeting a lot of good people who are dedicated Americans. “At the same time, they have their roots in the Czech land,” he said. “They are interested in their heritage and proud of their heritage.” Even though they have become prosperous, they still try to maintain links with their Czech homeland, he said. “It’s fascinating. We can be so close, not only because of technology, but the desire of the people.” And the two countries are standing together in many situations, Kolar said. “Our soldiers are in Iraq, the western Balkans, and Afghanistan,” he said. Student exchange is another link between the two countries. And New York University has opened a branch in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, he said. —SPJST—
~ Inside ~
SPJST LAM hires administrator Page 4 Lodge 39 youth: heart of gold Page 6 Lodge 133 activities Page 10 Lodge 84 youth activities Page 19
Interest Rates .....................3 Family Fun Dates ...............3 Sales Agent Class Dates...3 Lodge Letters .....................4 Tarok Tourney Info.............4 Kolache Recipe ................16 In Memoriam.....................17 Youth .................................19 Czech Culture...................21 Activities Calendar...........22
Home Office hosts Texas Welcome Reception
The SPJST Home Office proudly welcomed Czech Republic Ambassador Dr. Petr Kolar; his wife, Jaroslava Kolarova; Political Secretary Petr Chalupecky; Honorary Czech Consul Raymond Snokhous; and his wife, Clarice Snokhous at a Texas Welcome Reception, held Saturday, January 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. The festivities began with guests singing “The Star Spangled Banner” and the Czech National Anthem, Kde Domov Muj? (Where is My Home?). The anthems were followed by an official welcome from SPJST Supreme Lodge President Brian Vanicek who explained the history of SPJST. Honorary
Continued on page 4.