The members of the Board of Trustees are the guardians of our museum. They are all volunteers donating their time to benefit the museum. In months to come, you will get to meet them through the written words of the newsletter. You will find that each trustee is well qualified to make decisions regarding the welfare of our museum. You will find it very interesting and just maybe would like to become a volunteer. Interested? Good! We welcome your interest and assistance.

Vera A. Wilt, nee Jandacek

I am pleased to serve on the Board of the Czechoslovak Heritage Museum Library and Archives because I have been witness to its growth since its very inception. I remember its cornerstone equestrian portrait of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk when it was kept in a room by itself in the old CSA building in Cicero back in the 70s. Then in Berwyn, the Museum started in a single room. Through donations the collection quickly grew to require several expansions in the Berwyn CSA Headquarters, and eventually when CSA moved to Oak Brook, we were able to create a light and climate-controlled environment, which went a long way in the preservation, especially of our textiles.

Before joining the museum board, I served as a CSA Trustee for 4 years, Vice President for 8 years, and President for 12. As CSA Vice President, I was responsible for the museum and supervision of its staff.

I grew up as a first generation American, my parents and siblings having immigrated here shortly before I was born. I have been involved in Czechoslovak organizations focusing on dancing, culture, music, fitness and folklore my entire life and am very active in my community as well. I currently serve as the President of the North Riverside Library Foundation, 2nd Vice President of the Czechoslovak American Congress and Financial Secretary/Membership Chair for Sokol Spirit.

I speak, read, and write Czech fluently and often use those skills for professional interpreting and translation. My law degree, management experience, and prior involvement in the museum have been valuable to the board and should continue to contribute to its growth and independence.

Lillian Picha

Lillian Picha has been a Sales Representative or Field Underwriter for CSA for decades, and served as a Director of the Society for many years. During her tenure on the Board, CSA built a new home office in Berwyn Illinois, reserving space on the main floor for a library, archive and Museum. Lillian Picha was an annual traveler to Czechoslovakia, and she took that opportunity to acquire items that would be appropriate to show the culture of the homeland.

In those days the museum was a single room, mostly featuring library book-stacks with some folk art and other treasures displayed on top of bookcases, and hanging on walls. Mrs. Picha negotiated the production of a wider selection of costumed dolls than were commercially available and helped the museum grow its collection of folk costumes or Kroje.

Soon the collection grew so much that the museum spilled out into a room carved out of the general office area, and that space was expanded several times.

Lillian’s late husband, Milton, built display cabinets for the growing collection. Without the acquisitions made possible by Mrs. Picha, the museum would have a much smaller collection today. When the museum was incorporated as a non-profit corporation, it was natural to invite Lillian Picha to be a trustee. Her love of the art and artifacts of our homeland is also expressed in her own artwork. As a gifted folk artist, Lillian has produced many beautiful and colorful representations of Czechoslovak Folk Art, and fortunately, over the years she has shared her talents with her friends through beautiful hand designed holiday cards. Thanks to her generosity, some of her work is available in greeting card form in the Museum’s gift shop.

In grateful recognition of her years of caring service to the Czechoslovak Heritage Museum, Library and Archives, we formally thank Lillian Picha for all her support and dedication to preserving our heritage.

Bozenka (Bea) Cerny

At the age of four, Bozenka (Bea) Cerny spent six months with her grandma and grandpa in Czechoslovakia in Mlady Smolivec while her parents toured the country. As a result, she has carried her Czech heritage in her heart throughout her life. Her ceramic art work reflects it.

She taught an Easter egg decorating class at the museum, which was very well received. She solicited many people who generously donated monetarily to the museum. Bea has been donating her talent, time, and all materials to any function to benefit the museum. She has made various ceramic items with Czech and Slovak emblems. She hand painted tree ornaments that were sold for the benefit of the museum.

Raymond Capek

My name is Raymond Capek, and I have been involved with Czech organizations for seven years. In addition to my position on as a Director of the Czechoslovak Heritage Museum and Library, I am President of the Czech and Slovak American Genealogy Society of Illinois; a delegate to the Bohemian National Cemetery Assembly of Delegates, and a past president of the Board of Directors; a member of Lodge Harrison - Hus of the Czechoslovak Society of America; a member of the Prague Chicago Sisters Cities Committee; and a member of the American Czechoslovak Engineers Society. Outside of the Czech community, I am a member and past president of the University of Illinois Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) Alumni Board of Directors and a member of the Senior Advisory Committee of MS&E.

I am very proud of my Czech heritage, and I believe through volunteer efforts I can help preserve this valuable culture in the Chicago area for future generations. Our Czech organizations have many valuable resources that must be preserved, and unless present Czech Americans take an active role in this effort, they will be lost. The Czechoslovak Heritage Museum and Library has many historical documents and artifacts that must be preserved and I am proud to help.

Joan Hemzacek, nee Bolger

I have been interested in “people” and cultural groups since childhood – customs and costumes – decorative arts and literature. Ethnically I am of Irish and Scottish roots and my grandparents emigrated from those countries. Beginning in high school I became involved in folk dancing, particularly Irish dancing and became active in Irish activities and culture at the I rish Heritage Center on N. Knox Avenue in Chicago. I became active in their library, museum and genealogy study groups.

I attended Chicago Teachers College – now Illinois State University – with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education with minors in Bio-Scienes and Art Education, and took additional Art History courses at the Art Institute of Chicago. Later I also took some post-graduate classes in Library Science and specialized literature at Dominican University.

When I married into a 100% Czech family and had children, I embarked on a major search of the Bohemian/Czech culture, so my children would be familiar with their roots. I became quite involved in genealogy: attending conferences and volunteering at whatever level I could.

I took courses at the National Archives – Great Lakes Region and then taught courses and volunteered as a docent for more than 12 years.

I have presented a number of talks at various conferences and to different groups including CSAGSI and local libraries (Arlington Heights, Lemont, Lombard & Hinsdale) and historical societies. For about 8 years I volunteered at Hinsdale Library for a number of genealogy presentations and also for many drop-in sessions for patrons seeking individual help.

So – the interest has always been there: my strong points are my curiosity, my background in arts and literature, and my experiences in genealogical research.