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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Czech Heritage Society of Texas BrochureActivities and Events Promoting Czech Culture In Our Youth • Victor Peter Scholarship Contest -The victor Peter Memorial Scholarship is a $500 scholarship awarded annually to a college student of a CHS member. • Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen -This Annual Pageant starts at the Chapter level, with the Queen of each Chapter advancing to the State level. The winner at the State level is named Miss Texas Czech-Slovak USA Queen and represents Texas at the national Pageant in Wilbur, Nebraska. • Annual Essay Contest -Monetary prizes are awarded for the top three essays written on a specified Czech topic by high school students of Czech descent. The Czech Heritage Society of Terms V W~ N V ~~ t 5 TEXP TM S O C~ m -~i Spolecnost Ceskeho dedictvi statu Texas Bohemia (Cechy) Silesia (Slezsko) Moravia (Morava) Slovakia (Slovensko) The Czech Heritage Society of Texas is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the heritage of the Czech peoples who came to Texas from the traditional Czech lands. ~a~T a ~F 2003 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak USA Pageant Contestants and their "Czech Little Sisters". Queen Lauren Valek is seated, with her "Little Sister" Megan Hickman kneeling in front. In the back are Laura Polasek and "Little Sister" Fallon Wenck, Kathryn Middlebrook and "Little Sister" Holly Soukup, and Ellen Henley and "Little Sister" Taylor Janak. 2003 CHS Essay Contest Winners. Left to right: Kevin Bartos of Fayette County, 31d Place Winner; Ashley Patek of Lavaca County, 1St Place Winner; and Alex Robert Matula of Wharton County, 2"a Place Winner. The Czech Heritage Society of Texas Established Chapters The Czech Heritage Society of Texas was founded on October 30, 1982 in Taylor, Texas at SPJST Lodge #29. Thirty-two Charter Members were present at this meet- ing called by the founder of the Society, the late Albert J. Blaha. The Czech Heritage Society of Texas is a non- denominational, non-profit organization granted tax- exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. CHAPTERS ESTABLISHED 1. Victoria County 1984 2. Harris County 1985 3. Wharton County 1986 4. Fayette County 1987 5. Concho Valley 1987 6. Fort Bend County 1987 7. Ellis County 1987 8. Galveston County 1989 9. Bexar County 1990 10. Lavaca County 1991 11. McLennan-Hill Counties 1991 12. Burleson County 1991 13. Travis-Williamson Counties 1993 14. Brazos Valley 1997 CHS Library and Archives 4117 Willowbend Boulevard Houston, Texas 77025-5706 713-349-0500/ Toll Free 1-866-293-2443 http://www.czechheritage.org One of Albert Blaha's goals in founding The Czech Heritage Society of Texas was that the Society should compile and maintain library material, books and archive data, which would pertain to the genealogy, history, heritage, culture, and language of the Czech Moravian peoples who settled in Texas and that this library material would be available to anyone doing research in these areas. Initially, this library material, archives and books, was with the library collections of various CHS Chapters. However, in the early 1990's it became apparent that this library material needed to be at one location so that it could be better utilized. The Research Library and Archives and Reading Library of The Czech Heritage Society of Texas are all currently located at 4117 Willowbend Boulevard, off Stella Link Road, in southwest Houston. This location fulfills the immediate need to make all CHS library material, books and archive data, available to CHS members and the Czech community at large in an accessible public setting. This was Albert Blaha's goal. Long-term plans are for the CHS Library and Archives to finally be located in a separate library building on the 70-acre site of the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange, Texas. Additions to the Library come from gifts or are purchased through the CHS Library Fund . Monetary donations, as well as donations of books on Czech subjects, old photographs, family histories and memorabilia are always welcome. The Czech Heritage Society of Texas maintains a list of each of the Chapter library collections and other library collections with Czech research references. Czech and Moravian Genealogical Archives at the CHS Library. ~~~ Mission Statement of The Czech Heritage Society of Texas The mission of The Czech Heritage Society of Texas is to preserve and promote the genealogy, history, heritage, culture, and language of all Texans of Czech or Czech Moravian heritage. The Society regularly holds various Czech and Moravian cultural events across Texas, which include genealogical seminars and workshops to assist people in locating their Czech or Moravian relatives and ancestors, and in documenting their family histories. CHECK U5 OUT ON THE WEB: www.czechheritage.org A Membership Application has been included as part of this brochure. For more information and additional Membership Applications, write to: Czech Heritage Society of Texas Membership Committee P. O. Box 727 Sealy, Texas 77474 The Wallachian Bell and Belfry was given to the Czech Heritage Society of Texas by the Czech Republic and the Wallachian Museum in Roznov pod Radhostem in Moravia. It now stands on the 70-acre site of the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange, Texas. The Czech Heritage Society of Texas has established a Bell and Belfry Fund to defray the expenses related to its future preservation. The Wallachian Bell and Belfry at the Texas Czech Heritage. and Cultural Center in La Grange, Texas. WHY JOIN THE CHS? - -- --- .v .,, ,m, ~.~-,. ~' es y as .: ~ ,ha ~. ~. ~o,~ ~~,~;~~.~~a~, ,~ ...~.~~.. .~,~.,~.--` ~~ # ~~ m._. ~ x. a~~ ~ ~,;~~,, i s ~...... rtkc~'ti an V nr@ni '^'- , cisinie ~tcrut ,~nrS~ .~ ~~ a a ~TM,~, ~- ~~ .~: __ "Cesky hlas" ("Czech Voice"), is published quarterly by The Czech Heritage Society of Texas to keep members informed about State and Chapter CHS activities. Included in the "Cesky hlas"are articles of cultural, historical, and genealogical interest, as well as a calendar of upcoming events. The Czech Heritage Society of Teas is Freserving our Czech Language! Czech Classes are i-eg~larly offered by the`Brazos Valley, Bexar, Fayette, Harris and Victoria County Chapters. Internet Links to other organizations can be accessed at our website atzwww.czechheritage.org. One such link is to E-group where close to 500 members chat:.about anything and everything Czech. The Soup Tasting Events sponsored by the Ft. Bend and Harris County Chapters, the Traditional Czech Dinners sponsored by the Brazos Valley Chapter, and the Kolac Booth sponsored by the Bexar County Chapter at the Folklife Festival in San Antonio are a few examples of the many other CHS activities.