HoubyDaysBooklet 2025 digital - Flipbook - Page 11
Czech Village Association
Members… Christmas, 1979.
From left: Les Sykora, Sykora Bakery; Pat Martin, Czech Village
Coordinator; Frank Nesetril, United State Bank; Bunyan T. Howell;
16th Ave Commercial Club, which became Czech Village Assn.; Jerry
Boddicker, Boddicker School of Music; Rick Bartunek, Bartunek’s
Maytag; Vince Fiala, Polehna’s Meat Market; Bob Schaffer, Czech
Cottage; Julie Stastny Sadler, Czech Closet; George Joens, Joens
Brothers Interiors; Jessie Stastny, Czech Closet and Village Upholstery;
Lumir Vondracek, 16th Ave. Meat Market; Dick Holden, attorney; George
Barta, Saddle and Leather Shop; Paul Kosek, Kosek’s Dime Store;
George Barta; Saddle and Leather Shop; Rollie Pierson, Pierson’s
Florist; Ernie Hlas, Ernie’s Avenue Tavern; Jim Cruise, Coast to Coast
Store.
Les Sykora was President several times. George Joens, Ernie Hlas,
and Lumir Vondracek also served in that position.
Pat Martin, the 昀椀rst Czech
Village Coordinator, was in
that position eight years. She
later returned to teaching
language arts and journalism
for Cedar Rapids Public
Schools.
Lumir Vondracek and
Frank Nesetril came up with
the idea of Houby Days
because they knew houby!!
Joens Brothers Interiors housed the Czech Village Coordinator
of昀椀ce. Jerry Boddicker took care of music for events and festivals. Jessie
Stastny made all of the working costumes worn by most Association
members during festivals. Attorney Dick Holden had his of昀椀ce in First
Trust Bank; he served as the Association’s legal representative with City
Hall. The Association received a lot of support from city government.
(At this time Don Canney was Mayor and Tom Aller, his administrative
assistant.) Not pictured but instrumental in the success of the Association
were Ray Snitil and Ken Erger of the Slavia Agencies. Everyone played
an active role.
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