CSHA Annual Picnic

The Czech and Slovak Heritage Association has provided a picnic for its members at each July meeting as far back as when Charles Supik was president. At that time, he and his wife Margaret had a lovely home with a great deal of surrounding open space in Bel Air, Maryland. They also had a very welcoming attitude and a lot of family members like sons Edward and Howard and daughter Peg, who were willing to fire up the grill, cook the hotdogs and hamburgers, clean up and haul heavy coolers of ice, beer and soda.

Succeeding picnics were held at Christine and Steve Marsalek's beautiful Cromwell Valley home, at the Deer Creek Episcopal Church in serene Darlington, Maryland, where then president Michael Rokos served as pastor, and then, most recently in Kingsville. Maryland, at the IOOF property there. Over the years, the association has been fortunate to have help at the picnics from loyal volunteer members like Lois Hybl, Ed Foreman, the Vranys, the Vanickys, and many other hard workers.

The popularity of the picnics has grown over the years. Each summer members arrive with pot-luck casseroles, salads, and desserts which supplement the ham, hot dogs, hamburgers, buns and beer which the association provides. They set up their lawn chairs in the shade of massive, beautiful trees, enjoy their lunches, listen to the speakers and singers, chat with friends and cheer the games. There have only been a few times when the members have had to scurry indoors or into their cars because of rain.

Recollection of the picnics brings back happy memories of food, music and fun, but most poignant are those sweet memories of summer days spent with loved ones, friends and warm comradery.

Dolores Gentes 2006 Photographs by Alex Vanicky 2011