Sokol SF Newsletter - May 2024
Sokol SF Calendar of Events

May 4, 2024
Hike in Mt. Diablo Foothills

June 8, 2024
Children's Day Picnic at Lake Chabot

June 15, 2024
Monthly hike and visit to Filoli gardens

October 12, 2024
Day of Czech and Slovak Culture and
Celebrating 120 years of Sokol San Francisco

October 27, 2024
Picnic and Sokolský Běh Republiky

All event times listed are in Pacific Time
Upcoming Events
May Hike in Mt. Diablo Foothills
Saturday, May 4, 2024 @ 11 am


Bring your kids and dogs for a moderate hike in the rolling hills

Dogs are allowed off-leash in this area.
Bring your picnic lunch as we can sit and enjoy our food together about halfway on our hike.

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
Children's Day Picnic in Lake Chabot
Saturday June 8, 2024

Sokol SF and Czech School of California present our traditional Children's Day!

Join Sokol San Francisco and Czech School of California for this fun, active family afternoon.

Join us for an outdoor picnic lunch and bring some food for the grill
and maybe something to share :-)
We will have the BBQ ready to grill from 11:30 am.

Children's fun activities such as potato sack race, ring toss, egg and spoon races and more surprises will commence at 2pm.

We are asking Sokol members and friends
to be part of our community and please help out during the picnic
and
with staffing the children's games.
Thank you!

 We are meeting at Lake Chabot, the Mallard Picnic Area by the lake with large picnic tables and extra large BBQ.

Charcoal, water and coffee will be provided.
Bring your own picnic lunch and maybe something to share.
June Hike and Visit to Filoli Gardens
Saturday, June 15, 2024 @ 10 am

In June we will combine both popular events into one.
You can participate in both or choose just one.

The plan is:
  • we will meet at 10 am at the Filoli parking lot
  • we will take a hike on this beautiful property
  • we will have a picnic lunch together near the Filoli house (we encourage you to bring your own food or there is a cafeteria at Filoli)
  • 12:00 - 2 pm we will go visit the beautiful Filoli gardens - Sokol SF will cover the entry fee for Sokol SF members who will register at [email protected] by Wednesday May 29.

This is a very popular time to visit Filoli gardens as everything is abloom, so please register early so we can get your tickets!
Dear Sokol SF members/Vestnik readers, we want to learn more about you.

Please take a moment to share your unique story with us and other Vestnik readers. We would like to know what life journey/event brought you across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. If you are not shy and want to share your story with us, please email it to us by 08/31 at [email protected]

If possible, keep your text on one standard A4 page, which is approximately 280 words. Photographs, pictures, and other attachments are welcome and encouraged.
We are planning on posting your stories in our Vestnik newsletter.
Vážení členove Sokols SF/čtenáři Věstníku

Udělejte si chvilku čas a podělte se s námi o Váš příběh.
Jaká životní cesta/událost Vás přivedla za Atlantický oceán - Spojených Státu Amerických.
Zašlete Váš příběh do 31.8. na e-mail:

Úskalí: jedna normostrana A4, cca 280 slov.
Vítány jsou fotografie, obrázky, jakákoliv doplňková příloha pro zpestření.

S velkým potěšením Váš příběh otiskneme ve Věstníku.
Be a part of The Day of Czech and Slovak Culture!
and Celebrating 120 years of Sokol SF
Saturday, October 12, 2024 in Orinda
Do not be shy! Let us know!
Do you own a business or know about a business whose products would enrich our event?

Do you have a talent you would like to showcase?

Do you have any ideas that would make the day better?

Email your idea to: [email protected]

This is a big event, so we invite everyone who would like to contribute in any shape or form to let us know!
Welcome New Members to Sokol SF!
Erika K., Marcela V., Toni V.P., Miro W., Thea D.
We are happy you joined us!
Recap of Past Events
Get Together with
Prof. Bohumír Janský and Eva Janská, Ph.D.
Saturday, April 13, 2024

Our get-together with Prof. Bohumír Janský and Doc. Eva Janská was more than we had hoped for. Doc. Janská gave all attendees fascinating insight into the current migration patterns with some intriguing facts and numbers about our Czech compatriots abroad, and Prof. Janský shared some inspirational stories and amusing episodes from his adventurous expeditions in search of the true source of the Amazon river.
Following their presentations, the couple happily engaged with our community members chatting and answering all questions. It was an honor to welcome them to our corner of the world and we will, no doubt, hear much more about them in the future!  
Online Czech Meal Cooking Class
Sunday, April 14, 2024

Thank you all who joined us and made Sunday lunch with Sokol SF1 If you did not have a chance to join us, you can check out our recipes and a recording of our cooking class on Sokol SF Media Youtube channel.
If you like your koprovka/dill sauce with knedlik/dumplings, you can try two different recipes featured in our previous cooking demos.
Link to all our recoded presentations is included as well.
Get Together with Lubomir Vejrazka
Friday, April 19, 2024 @ 7 PM
Veterans Memorial Senior Center, Goldstar Room
1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City, CA
We had a unique opportunity to welcome Lubomir Vejražka of Ustav pro studium totalitnich rezimu (Institute for totalitarian regime studies), author of "Nezhojene rany naroda," and listen to stories of political prisoners during the communist years in Czechoslovakia.
Presentation was very interesting and unusual. Vejrazka has focused for group of people related to political prisoners, which was never documented (wives, children, parents, siblings). He has described usual process from arrests, trails, conditions in prison camps, visitations of family, physical and mental abuses, and final return after prison to normal life and family. He has described how wives and older parents were prosecuted, financially suffered , moved from places to places, lost most of their friends and supports. He has presented some videos with children memories about that period of time.
Sokol San Francisco Monthly Hikes
Baylands Nature Preserve
Sunday, April 21, 2024 @ 11 am

The Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, known officially as the Baylands Nature Preserve, is the largest tract of undisturbed marshland remaining in the San Francisco Bay. Fifteen miles of multi-use trails provide access to a unique mixture of tidal and fresh water habitats.
Czech News & Announcements
Sokol SLET 2024 Preparations
Our Sokol SF Group of 16 members has been practicing our SLET routine in preparation for this summer's performance in Prague. It's going to be an amazing a experience! Come to cheer us on July 4th!

České kempování s dětmi
Staré pověsti české
June 16 - 23, 2024
near Arnold by Bear Valley, CA

V termínu od 16. do 23. června 2024 se bude konat třetí ročník českého
 kempování (nejen) rodičů s dětmi. V tomto týdnu se pokusíme vytvořit v Kalifornii české prostředí plné českých her, pohádek a písniček.
Budeme kempovat u městečka Arnold, nedaleko od Bear Valley. 

Kempování přinese aktivity převážně pro děti, ale určitě neodmítneme dospělé bez dětí, zvláště pokud by chtěli s organizací kempování nějak pomoci.

Přihlášení a více informací - Pavlína Weigle [email protected]
FRANCIS KORBEL (1831-1920)
NEJBOHATŠÍ ČECH RANÉ KALIFORNIE
(3. část – Kalifornský vinař)
by Amb. Jaroslav Olša, Jr.

Zatímco až do konce 60. let 19. století nebyla imigrace z Rakousko-Uherska do Spojených států početná, jen mezi lety 1876 a 1910 přišlo do země více než 1,8 milliónu osob z rakouské části monarchie, a téměř stejný počet i z Uher. Rakousko-Uhersko proto v USA už v 19. století postupně zřídilo několik konzulátů. Protože „pro Vídeň bylo ale nejdůležitější provozovat konzulární síť s co nejmenšími nebo pokud možno s vůbec žádnými náklady,“ jak napsal rakouský historik Rudolf Agstner, znamenalo to, že s výjimkou konzulátu v New Yorku a pochopitelně vyslanectví ve Washingtonu všechny ostatní úřady vedli honorární, tedy neplacení konzulové, kteří pracovali tu lépe a tu hůře.
NoteFor our subscribers who may not be able to read the Czech language, we recommend using the online translator developed by researchers at Charles University called CUBBIT: www.lindat.cz/cubbit
Invitation from an artist who designed our Day of Czech Culture Logo!
Lenka Glassner
Free exhibit of paintings, rare decorated eggs and wool art at a garden featured in the
2024 Clayton Garden Tour.

Date: May 19, 2024
Time: 10 am till 3 pm
Place: 715 Black Point Place, Clayton
Bezplatná výstava obrazů, neobvyklých kraslic a wool artu.

Kdy: 19. května od 10 do 15hod.
Kde: 715 Black Point Place, Clayton, CA.
Místo konání je jednou ze zahrad vybraných pro 2024 Clayton Garden Tour.
Zemřela legendární diskařka Olga Fikotová

V pátek 12. dubna 2024 zemřela legendární diskařka Olga Fikotová-Connollyová, která se na hrách v Melbourne v roce 1956 postarala o jedinou zlatou medaili pro Československo. Bylo jí 91 let. Přestože po svatbě s americkým kladivářem Haroldem Connollym žila ve Spojených státech, stále mluvila perfektní češtinou a na rodnou českou vlast nedala dopustit.

Czechia to remove need for work visa for citizens of seven non-EU countries

From July, citizens of the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, may no longer need a visa to work in the Czech Republic.

Thank you, Vero, for bringing us the article
Česká Katolická Misie in San Francisco
Father Libor Svorcik
is inviting you to a
Czech mass in San Francisco
or online

Visit their website for the Czech in-person or online mass dates or to sign up for their Věstník
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”