Sokol SF Newsletter - December 2023 |
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Sokol SF Calendar of Events |
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Ongoing through January 31, 2024
Illustration challenge
December 2, 2023
Mt. Diablo Foothills Hike
December 3, 2023
Cookie Baking and Decorating Class
In-person in Orinda, CA
December 17, 2023
Christmas cookie sharing and carol singing get together
January 20, 2024
Sokol San Francisco Annual Meeting at DJ Bistro, Concord. Save the date.
January 24, 2024
Sokol San Francisco Speaker Series.
All event times listed are in Pacific Time
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Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes
Help us plan a hike on the Peninsula!
If you have a favorite place for a hike in the Bay Area and would like to lead the hike for our members and friends, please contact us at sokolsfevents@gmail.com
If you have an idea for another activity and would like to organize it,
please let us know at the same email address :-)
Looking forward to hearing from you!
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Hike in Mt. Diablo Foothills
Saturday, December 2, 2023 @ 10 am
Bring your kids and dogs for a moderate 3 mile hike in the rolling hills
of Shell Ridge Open Space.
Dogs are allowed off-leash in this area.
We will meet at the trailhead at the end of Whitecliff Way, Walnut Creek.
Take Hwy 680 to Rudgear exit and turn left on Whitecliff Way
after you go under the high voltage electrical lines (about 1.5 mile from the 680 exit).
Parking is free and on the street.
If you run late, can't find us or have any questions you can call 925-683-1853
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Christmas Cookie Baking and Decorating Classes
Sunday, December 3, 2023 @ 1:30pm & 3:00pm
Orinda Community Center
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We are once again hosting our popular in-person Czech Christmas Cookie Decorating and Baking Classes!
There will be two one-hour sessions:
at 1:30 pm
First session is suitable for kids, but parents must be there with their child.
at 3:00 pm
The second session will be mainly for adults.
Place:
Please make sure you register for the time you want to attend.
Class is suitable for kids, but parents must be there with their child.
Please register every person who will be attending.
1:30 pm class if full
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We will be working with traditional Czech Christmas cookies like linecke cookies, gingerbread cookies and vanilkove rohlicky cookies.
Everyone will leave with baked goodies and in a festive mood! You will receive the recipes as well.
Wear comfortable clothing which you do not mind getting some flour or sugar on :-)
Please plan your arrival 10 minutes before beginning of the class so we can start the class on time! Thank you.
Suggested donation is $10 per person
NOTE: we will also be working with nuts.
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Christmas Carols Singing
and Cookie Sharing Get Together
Sunday, December 17, 2023 @ 3-6 pm
Let's get into the holiday spirit by singing Christmas carols
and sharing cookies together!
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Sokol SF board member Lea is again opening her home on the Peninsula for this festive event.
Bring your musical instrument!
Please register only if you are certain you will be able to attend, as the event is limited to 15 people.
The exact location of this gathering will be shared with those registered for the event.
Finally, though refreshments will be provided, please bring some samples of your favorite Christmas cookies to share with the other carolers.
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Sokol San Francisco Speaker Series
January 24, 2024 @ 7 pm via Zoom
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Slovak born Dr. Yara Salman is a Los Angeles based psychiatrist who works
with chronically medically ill patients.
Her experience with patients with cancer inspired her to co-write, with her friend-journalist Viera Lipcak, a book of interviews with cancer survivors mixed with Dr.Salman's expert advice on how to deal with common psychological challenges encountered
when dealing with such a serious and impactful illness.
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Our next challenge is here! |
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Dear Sokol Members and Friends,
We are seeking your help in uniting
Art with Poetry, by asking for your illustrations of images evoked by poems previously submitted to our Poetry Competition. In the links below you will find the poems, which are waiting for illustrations.
With that we hope to elevate one beautiful form of art with another.
Let yourselves be inspired by the poems and create an original piece of art adhering to the following criteria: in either color or black-and-white, or just a sketch, we will leave it up to you and your imagination.
We only ask that you submit your illustration in the maximum size of A5 and send it to us in JPG or PDF format.
We are looking forward to seeing your skills. Thank you!
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Milí členové a přátelé Sokola,
rádi bychom Vás požádali o spolupráci a zapojení se do ilustrace básní, našich autorů/účastníků poetické soutěže.
V odkazech najdete básničky, které čekají na ilustraci.
S radostí bychom tak krásné dílo posunuli ještě o stupínek dál.
Nechte se inspirovat básněmi a vytvořte originální umělecké dílo podle následujících kritérií: Ilustraci vytvořte v maximální velikosti A5. Barevně či černobíle, uložený v souboru jako JPG nebo PDF.
Ilustraci zašlete na email:
Těšíme se na Vaši tvorbu a velmi děkujeme za spolupráci.
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Renew Your Membership for 2024
or
Become a Member of Sokol SF
Let's have another action-packed year together
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Dear Sokol Members
2024 membership dues are $45 and are due by December 31, 2023.
Renew your Sokol San Francisco membership now!
Thank you goes to all who already renewed their membership for 2024!
To reward you for renewing early and paying by midnight today 11/30/2023
- you were entered into a drawing for a $10 gift card to Starbucks!
5 lucky winners will be drawn
Drawing will be held at our Annual Meeting on January 20, 2024
at DJ Bistro - mark your calendars!
Please note that our organization is run fully by volunteers who have their families, jobs, and lives.
Make it easier for them and renew on time!
Think about volunteering too!
Thank you for your consideration!
We now accept Paypal & Venmo in addition to a mailed check.
Please follow these steps:
A) renew via mail
Sokol SF, P.O. Box 5252, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
B) renew online via PayPal or Venmo
Go to your Paypal or Venmo account.
Send your payment recipient on Venmo: Sokol SF
Do not forget to include full names of all members you are sending payment for in the message field.
If there was a change in your address, phone, and/or email, please add that in the message as well.
Our Board voted in September that it was time to honor our unit's veteran members by providing complimentary membership to our unit to individuals ages 85+.
These members are not just a crucial link to the past but serve as our current-day mentors and inspire us to continue to remember Sokol's credo and what continues to bring us together today, as it did when Sokol was first established.
If you are 85+ and would like to take this opportunity, let us know at sokolsf@gmail.com
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Benefits of Membership include:
- Event Discounts
- Preferred seating at events
- Pre-registration at popular events eg. our Christmas caroling event and winery visits
- Financial stipend to attend American &/or CZ Slets & Festivals
- Monthly newsletter
- Networking opportunities
- Access to educational and cultural programs
- Creating Czech connections
- Opportunities to practice Czech language skills
- Opportunity to earn a scholarship for the Czech School of California tuition
- Financial support toward entry fees to select events
- Lunch at our Annual Meeting
- ....and more
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Recap of Past Sokol SF Events
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November Hike
Lafayette Community Park Nature Walk
Saturday, November 4, 2023 @ 10 am
Beautiful fall day in Lafayette! The trees are changing colors and you can feel the autumn in the air. We have a new hiker who joined us for the first time! Vitej, Ireno, mezi nas:-)
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A. Dvořák's Violin Concerto
at the San Francisco Symphony
Saturday, November 4, 2023 @ 7:30 pm
Sokol SF members were greeted by Sokol Board member Anastasia Heroldová and her daughter, Lilla, on Saturday, November 4th at the San Francisco Symphony. On the program that night was eminent Czech composer Antonín Dvořák’s Violin concerto, brilliantly performed by the virtuoso Augustin Hadelich to thunderous applause. We hope to turn this concert event into a regular Sokol outing!
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Dear Anastasia,
I just wanted to drop you a quick note to thank you so much for organizing last night’s SF Symphony event.
My friends and I really enjoyed the performance. Our seats, as you promised, were excellent :)
It was so nice to see the Sokol Welcome in the lobby. Thank you for the lapel pin.
Hope you enjoy your Sunday - with the extra hour.
With very best regards,
Nina
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Picnic and Sokolský Běh Republiky
Sunday October 29, 2023
Ryders Park, San Mateo, CA
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We had many runners in the two youth categories as well as adults running, sprinting, walking and pushing baby strollers! The weather could not be better! Just look at the skies!
Many of our poem competition winners came to receive their certificate and sweet prizes.. brought all the way from the Czech Republic!
After all awards were given we had a great picnic. BBQs were hot and full of delicious meals, so many people brought goodies they baked to share with others.
We enjoyed company of old friends, met new people and together we celebrated the founding of Czechoslovakia!
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Congratulations to our winners in adult men category:
- Michael Graham
- Ondrej Lehecka
- Trevor Braun
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Congratulations to our winners in adult women category:
- Barbora Brehovska
- Pavla Holsan
- Mary Braun
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Our young runners are getting ready for their races by stretching and warming up |
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And the adult race is on! |
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We had dogs running too...
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... and many pushing their young ones in a stroller... there are our future runners! |
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Czech News & Announcements |
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Thank you to Amb. Jaroslav Olša, Jr., Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles
for all your articles about famous Czechs in California
ANTHONY W. JULIS (1889-1966)
– ČECH Z ALCATRAZU (2. část)
Pro mnoho nových českých imigrantů ve Spojených státech přelomu 19. a 20. století byla služba v armádě jednou z mála šancí, jak se v Americe na začátku uživit. Tisíce z nich si alespoň na několik let vyzkoušelo hraničářský život někde na středozápadě za bojů s indiány, řada jich pak působila v bojích s Mexičany a později se Španěly na Filipínách nebo častěji na Kubě. Pro většinu z nich byla ale vojenská kariéra jenom krátkým před- stupněm pro jiná zaměstnání.
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Note: For those of our subscribers who may not be able to read the Czech language, we recommend using the following online translator developed by researchers at Charles University called CUBBIT: www.lindat.cz/cubbit
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Consulate in LA is Looking for Old Publications
As you likely read in our last newsletter, the Consul General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles is trying to compile the most comprehensive collection of publications and memorabilia of the history of Czechs (and Slovaks) on the West Coast of the United States. Last year, he took over a large portion of Sokol SF's and other private collector's memorabilia, and a portion of those can be found today at the National Museum, Naprstkovo Museum, and the Library of Literature from individuals living in exile, Libri Prohibiti.
This leads us to turn to you, our readers, with an ask -- could you please let us know if you have any old issues of Sokol SF's Vestnik, Sokol Fresno's Vestnik, Sokol Los Angeles's Notes or issues of the Czech Catholic Mission? Moreover, there is also interest in one-off publications, flyers, and photos. If you are willing to donate these items (or allow us to borrow the items to be photocopied), please contact the Consul General directly at CzechConsulateLA@gmail.com or Sokol SF.
Thank you!
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California Czech and Slovak Club
is inviting you to their Christmas Event
Saturday, December 9, 2023 from 12pm to 9pm
Last year we welcomed a big audience and we expect this year to be even more successful.
For that we rented all rooms in Pleasant Hill Senior Center, and besides our dinner and gala, will also host a Czech and Slovak Business Fair and other festivities.
The event will take place on Saturday, December 9, 2023 from 12pm to 9pm and will feature traditional Czechoslovak food and drinks, great entertainment with celebrity guests, St. Nicholas, a raffle, and we are adding an evening of fun, and dancing with a DJ.
The admission fee is $25 You can purchase tickets on Eventbrite by using this link:
Or by calling or emailing us (details are on the linked flyer). The fee covers the price of admission and entertainment. Food, drinks, raffle tickets, and Christmas items can be purchased on-site.
This year, the Gala will also include a member of the staff from the Consulate in Los Angeles for those wanting to stop by her table to get your questions answered about topics including Czech citizenship, passports and other matters typically addressed to by the Consulate
Tell all your friends - we are looking forward to seeing you there!
Pavel and Barbora Soltys
California Czech and Slovak Club
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The Commonwealth Club of California is inviting you to:
Freedom to Win:
A Cold War Story of the Courageous Hockey Team That Fought the Soviets
for the Soul of Its People — and Olympic Gold
December 7, 2023 @ 6pm
During the height of the Cold War, a group of small-town young men would lead their underdog hockey team from the little country of Czechoslovakia against the mighty Soviet Union, the juggernaut in their sport and the superpower in their neighborhood. As they battled on the ice, the young players would keep their people’s quest for freedom alive, and forge a way to fight back against the authoritarian forces that sought to crush them.
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Česká Katolická Misie in San Francisco |
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Father Libor Svorcik is inviting you to a
Czech mass in San Francisco
at the Nativity Church
240 Fell Street, San Francisco
Visit their website to see the Czech mass dates or sign up for their Věstník for
the dates and places of their in-person and virtual mass.
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Sokol San Francisco is a non-profit organization operating as an independent unit of the American Sokol Organization (ASO) and its Pacific District. Sokol SF provides physical, educational, and cultural programs for all who are interested in Czech, Moravian, and Slovak culture and their history, as well as those who are bonded by a common heritage and ethnic identity.
The Sokol credo is “a sound mind in a sound body”
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