Slovenski Dom Newsletter
Volume 10, March 2012
POROČILO PREDSEDNIKA
DRAGI ČLANI IN ČLANICE SLOVENSKEGA DOMA
V	imenu upravnega odbora z veseljem poročam o delu Društva Slovenski Dom v letu 2011. Kakor prejšnja leta smo tudi v tem letu imeli živahen in pester program in pa tudi nekaj žalostnih trenutkov. Odšel je v večnost naš dolgoletni oziroma ustanovni član g. Jože Kastelic. Družini smo izrazili sožalje, darovali venec v imenu društva in ga spremljali na njegovi zadnji poti. Zapustil nas je tudi naš dolgoletni odbornik Slovenskega Doma g. Stefan Bohnec.
V	njegovem imenu smo darovali za Dom Lipa in za Victoria Fund in izrazili sožalje družini. Naj počivata v miru.
V	letu 2011 je Slovenki dom praznoval 52. letnico svojega obstoja. Ponosni smo, da po 52. letih delovanja Slovenski dom napreduje in sprejema nove člane. V tem letu so se včlanili trije in sicer - Anna Dekleva, Anka Sikic in John Doma. Novi člani so naša bodočnost, zato prosimo tiste, ki imate otroke in vnuke, da jih vključite v Društvo Slovenski Dom. Mi smo kulturna organizacija, ki nudi mladim priložnost, da se seznanijo s slovensko kulturo, se naučijo slovenskega jezika in so vključeni v slovensko skupnost.
Poleg rednih mesečnih sestankov je odbor v letu 2011 organiziral naslednje kulturne in društvene programe:
Januarja smo organizirali tečaj slovenskega jezika za odrasle v prostorih Krekove banke. Knjige in CD-je smo dobili iz Slovenije. Tečaj slovenskega jezika je postal popularen med tukaj rojenimi Slovenci tako, da smo se odločili, da bomo nadaljevali s tečajem. V januarju smo tudi organizirali odbojko za mladino.
Februarja smo oganizirali seminar in izlet na odbojkarsko tekmo.
Marca je bil drugi tečaj slovenskega jezika za odrasle.
Aprila smo skupaj z Domom Lipa organizirali "Potica Challenge," ki se ga je udeležilo več kot sto gostov. Na pokušnji smo imeli na izbiro 24 različnih potic. Prvo mesto je dobil Randy Dresar z enkratno orehovo potico.
Maja smo imeli redni letni občni zbor in, kesneje, organizirali smo tudi ekološki dan (Environmental Day) skupaj s Slovensko Telovadno Zvezo (STZ).
Julija, v začetku, je bila kulturna razstava Slovenskega doma na Slovenskem Letovišču, na katerem smo razstavili različne predmete iz Slovenije. Hvala vsem, ki ste posodili te predmete za razstavo.
Septembra in novembra sta bila zopet začetni in nadaljevalni tečaji slovenskega jezika za odrasle.
3. decembra 2011 smo praznovali 52. obletnico obstoja Slovenskega doma z božičnim banketom v dvorani Marije Pomagaj na Manning Ave. Med gosti, ki jih je bilo okoli 220, so bili člani in članice Slovenskega doma kakor tudi predstavniki drugih slovenskih organizacij. Uvodni govor je podal g. Jože Slobodnik, častni konzul Republike Slovenije. Igral je ansambel Walter Ostanek. Kulturni program sta vodila Majda Resnik in Simon Pribac. Sledila je podelitev priznanj in nagrad. Priznanje Slovenskega doma za dolgoletno prostovoljno delo je dobil Randy Dresar, priznanje za uspešno opravljeno diplomo pa Karmen Pestotnik. Finančno nagrado so dobili Slovenska Šola in Dom Lipa.
Vabimo vse, ki si želite slovenske kulturne zabave, da si rezervirate čas in vstopnice za naslednji banket, ki bo 1. decembra 2012. Več informacij o delovanju Slovenskega doma si lahko ogledate na naši spletni strani. Potrebujemo še nekaj prostovoljcev za izvedbo programov. Veseli bi bili, če bi se nam še kdo pridružil. Javite se nam ali pa nam sporočite, če poznate koga, ki bi se rad včlanil pa ne ve kako priti do nas.
Prisrčno Vas vabimo, da se udeležujete naših prireditev in s tem podprete medsebojno povezovanje in ohranitev naše kulturne identitete. Če imate kakšne ideje za bodoče prireditve, vas prosimo, da jih posredujete našim članom odbora. Velika dvorana na Pape Ave je v najemu Grkov, ki redno plačujejo najemnino. V mali dvorani imamo mesečne sestanke odbora in pa našo pisarno. Opravili smo nekaj popravil tako, da je Slovenski Dom v dobrem stanju.
Tudi letos smo razpravljali o smernicah v prihodnje. Ustanovili smo "Building Fund," ki bo služil našim željam po novem Slovenskem Domu. Na naslednjem občnem zboru 6. maja 2012 bomo izvolili novega predsednika Slovenskega Doma, zato vas prosim, da se občnega zbora udeležite v polnem številu.
Na koncu bi se še rad zahvalil vsem članom in odbornikom za sodelovanje in podporo. Bodimo ponosni, da smo
Slovenci in da imamo Društvo Slovenski Dom, ki nas povezuje in nudi priliko da ohranimo našo kulturno skupnost.
Oscar Koren, Predsednik
4th POTICA CHALLENGE Sunday April 3, 2011
We celebrated potica again last spring at Dom Lipa. In the words of one reviewer, making potica is no ordinary task - "je del kuharske umentnosti, prakse in domovinske ljubezni"; it represent culinary creativity, practice and love of cultural traditions. Congratulations to the bakers/teams of this year's 14 entries: Sue Augustin, Darinka Babič, Marija Babič, Randy Dresar, Marija Grguras, Marija Krampelj, Michelle Krampelj, Karolina Lesar, Nada Music/Majda Ponikvar, Marina Nagode/Teresa Gomes, Marija Povše, Anica Resnik/Angela Ovčjak, Ida Skubic/Mary Stefanyk, Jožica Vegelj.
Thank you to our 4 judges: Ana Jankovič and Marija Movrin, associated with Dom Lipa, and Boris Grmek and Fran Anderson, Slovenski Dom colleagues. Thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of Dom Lipa Activities Coordinator, Boguslawa Zelezinska, along with the support of Dom Lipa's administration, we had a great turnout. Dom Lipa staff, Sonja Kovačič and Margaret Kokot helped at the POTICA table, while our volunteers, Michelle Bucek and Kristina Nagode, helped with reception and service of potica samples and refreshments. Marjan Sevšek entertained us with his accordion. Katherine Gormek was our photographer (check out her photos on www.slovenskidom.com)
With the support of Dom Lipa's administration and thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of Dom Lipa Activities Coordinator, Boguslawa Zelezinska, we had a great turnout. Dom Lipa
and Margaret Kokot ^ ^
helped at the POTICA Г^	-WSBH
table, while our
volunteers, Michelle
Bucek and Kristina
Nagode, helped with
reception and service S^B
of potica samples and refreshments. Marjan Sevšek, a resident of Dom Lipa, entertained us with his accordion. Katherine Gormek was our photographer (check out her photos on www.slovenskidom.com).
As in the past, there were 4 criteria used in the selection of the best potica: appearance, taste, aroma and texture.
The entries were each assigned a number. The baker was revealed only after the winners were announced. Ah, the
excitement in the room as we waited to find out what the judges had decided! Instead of naming only three best entries, the judges found the job so difficult they made 5 best choices. From 5th to 1st place, the winners were: Marija Povše, Darinka Babič, Skubic/Stefanyk, Marija Babič and Randy Dresar. How surprised everyone was to discover that the best potica that Sunday was the product of a male baker, definitely a first in the history of this challenge and likely any other baking challenge in the Slovenian community! Isn't that the fun of it all! The audience favourite went to the Music/Ponikvar team.
The 2011 Potica Challenge was a pleasant way to spend a sunny afternoon among friends and potica gastronomes.
Concerned that maybe we have exhausted the supply of potica challengers, it has been decided that the next challenge will feature ŠTRUDELJ.
Join us at Dom Lipa on Sunday April 22, 2012 for the 2012 Štrudelj Challenge. It should be an interesting and amusing afternoon!!
Majda Resnik
DRUGI TEČAJ SLOVENSKEGA JEZIKA ZA ODRASLE
Drugi začetni tečaj slovenskega jezika za odrasle se je začel 27. septembra 2011 z enajstimi udeleženci. Učni program, ki ga je pripravila Mimi Radovan, je bil precej obširen in je zahteval od udeležencev precej truda in domačih nalog. Mimi, kot glavna učiteljica, je bila uspešna pri motivaciji udeležencev, in so kmalu po nekaj urah pouka znali povedati nekaj o sebi in si tako pridobiti znanje vsakdanjega razumevanja slovenskega jezika. Program je vseboval osnovno slovnico, izgovorjavo besed kakor tudi različne stavčne oblike, ki se uporabljajo pri vsakodnevnem govoru. Po končanem programu so udeleženci opravili preizkus znanja iz slovenskega jezika na ravni, ki je potrebna za osnovno sporazumevanje.
Šest udeležencev začetnega tečaja se je prijavilo za nadaljevalni tečaj, dva udeleženca nista nadaljevala iz zdravstvenih razlogov, trije pa so izstopili zaradi obveznosti v službi in rednega učnega programa. V nadaljevalnem tečaju so si udeleženci pridobili znanje o tem kako pripovedovati, opisati in razlagati o sebi, svojem poklicu, svojem prebivališču in o razmerah, ki se pojavijo ko obiščejo Slovenijo. Poleg učenja slovenskega jezika so udeleženci bili obveščeni in povabljeni na kulturne prireditve, ki jih organizira Slovenski Dom ali druga
slovenska društva v Torontu.
Stoje, od leve: Thomas Ercul, Victoria Ercul, Edward Ercul, William Plibersek, Jacqueline Fercul, Alexandra Ponikvar, Anna Dekleva, Betty Mair, Mathew Paznar, Marie-Danielle Laggner, David Hanna. Sede, od leve: Mimi Radovan, Oscar Koren.
Zanimivo je, da je bila starost udeležencev od osemnastega do okoli petdesetega leta in pri samem učenju in znanju ni bilo nobene razlike. Vsi so pokazali izredno voljo in zanimanje do spoznavanja jezika njihovih staršev ali partnerjev.
Naslednji začetni tečaj slovenskega jezika je na programu s pričetkom septembra 2012. Prijavnice se lahko dobijo na spletni strani www.slovenskidom.com.
Oscar Koren in Mimi Radovan
Christmas Banquet December 3, 2011
What a wonderful evening we enjoyed at our Christmas Banquet this year! Not only did we have a full house, we ROCKED with good food, exciting music and entertaining performers. Some of our guests were joining this annual event for the first time or had not set foot in the Manning Hall for years. The evening brought back for me, personally, memories of the full house dances and events held in the Manning church hall many years ago.
We started the evening with greetings from Joe Slobodnik, Honourary Consul General of Slovenia. A burst of sparklers brightening the otherwise darkened hall announced dinner by Ana Sikič and her Family Catering team. At various points in the evening, we presented our annual series of awards to individuals or organizations in our Slovenian community who help support Slovenian culture and heritage.
Karmen Pestotnik, one of our board members who helped with our Slovenian Language classes, received special recognition in honour of successful completion of an HONOURS Bachelor of Arts Degree from York University.
Support awards were presented to DOM LIPA and to
Slovenska Šola of Marija Brezmadežna parish.
This year's exceptional Volunteer Award went to Randy Dresar, one of our board's chairpersons who also volunteers at Holiday Gardens. With expertise in the kitchen and building renovations, Randy is someone we can rely on to get the job done and still have time and energy to party!
Finally, the 2011 Post-Secondary Scholarship was
awarded to Natalie Urbanc. Currently studying Cell and Molecular Biology at University of Toronto, Scarborough, Natalie has been very involved in her home and Slovenian communities. She has volunteered at our Christmas banquets, completed the full slovenska šola program, has volunteered for a local theatre, at Women's College Hospital, in dragon boat rowing with disabled youth, her high school's peer ministry team and completed her Lifeguard NLS Certificate. Meanwhile, in school, she maintained a high honours average. Congratulations, Natalie!
To the sponsors of the Raffle Draw and some of the tables, a huge thank you for your generosity this year and in the future. Too numerous to mention at this time, we honoured you with a personal note of thanks immediately after the event.
To the team who worked behind the scenes the night before (Marie, Jona, Boris & Gwen, Joan, Nora, Oscar, Mary, Randy & Johnny) during (Marie, Karmen, Robert, Nora, Oscar, Boris & Gwen, Tony & his sister Marianne, Janko, Randy, Peter) and after the evening's events (Randy, Martin, Janez, Carlye, Nora & Oscar) - you were AWESOME!! Randy, Johnny, Carlye and Martin stayed until almost dawn to thoroughly clean up the hall and remove the garbage.
A HUGE thank you goes out to Oscar Koren and Boris Grmek for their marketing and networking skills. An
especially big thank you to Boris for getting Walter Ostanek and the Niagara Button Boxers to play for us! Walter Ostanek is fully deserving of his Grammy wins; he is such a skilled and charismatic entertainer! The Button Boxers love of their music was infectious. John (aka Elvis) Cigan's performance with Ostanek was awesome! And then there was Zoran Celinšek's dramatic stage presence and his rich musical voice. The musicians on our stage that Saturday were instrumental in providing the ambience that helped make our banquet the success it was.
What are our plans for this coming Christmas season? We're seriously considering a repeat performance with Walter Ostanek, perhaps as a joint effort with another
community organization..... What do you think??
Comments?? Suggestions?? Let us know!
Majda Resnik
EDITOR'S COMMENTS
Here I am editing my fourth Slovenski Dom Newsletter with winds of change buffeting the organization.
After 37 years as a member and 16 years as President, as he announced at last May's AGM, Oscar Koren is due to retire from the post. But it is evident that he will do so with every intention of remaining an active volunteer. His dedication and commitment have been exemplary. As many members already know, when Oscar became President one of his earliest challenges was a referendum that threatened the continuing existence of Slovenski Dom. His careful stewardship, thoughtful guidance and persistent attention to detail brought the organization from that brink of collapse to its current financially viable and stable state.
All that is not to say that whomever succeeds Oscar is in for smooth sailing. The "routine" challenges of maintaining normal operations will, of course, continue. They are the same for every organization. However, the newest, very significant and perhaps most daunting challenge, which is also faced by similar Slovenian organizations across Canada and, indeed, across the world is the problem of continuing relevance.
Slovenski Dom was founded a generation ago at a time when the wave of immigrants who came from Slovenia after WWII had begun to establish themselves in Canada. They had acquired the confidence, wherewithal and critical mass to set up formal organizations. Not surprisingly, the majority of the founding fathers and early members, among whom were pre-WWII immigrants from Slovenia and their children, have passed away. But with them, sadly, so has the enthusiasm and commitment to Slovenia and things Slovenian that only native Slovenians can ever really have. Practically speaking, native Slovenians who came to Canada as youngsters, attended school and established
careers and families here in Canada are "naturally" more Canadian than Slovenian. As a result their enthusiasm and commitment to Slovenia and things Slovenian is definitely diminished. The next generation (after the immigrants) i.e. children born in Canada to Slovenian parents are native Canadians albeit of Slovenian heritage and as such retain only a portion (sometimes very small) of their parents' Slovenian language and culture and have correspondingly less enthusiasm and commitment to Slovenia and things Slovenian. This gradual attenuation is inevitable and not surprising, particularly in the strikingly multicultural society represented by Canada today. What was enthusiasm and commitment has evolved into preference and affinity.
Therein is the principal challenge facing Slovenski Dom today. Will it be embraced as an opportunity or viewed as a threat? Will serve as an opportunity to evolve and accommodate by adopting new strategies and approaches or will it treated as a threat to be met with resistance and reliance on practices that have outlived their usefulness. The latter is seductive. The former is the way to the future.
Tony Muc, Editor
PROGRAM FOR 2012
Outdoor Ice Hockey
Co-Ed Basketball League
Co-Ed Volleyball League
Co-Ed Cross-Country Skiing
Seminar: "Medicinal Plants of Slovenia"
Strudel Challenge, Dom Lipa
Annual General Meeting
Environmental Day with STZ
Cultural Exhibit, Slovenski Dan
Slovenian Language Course (Beginners)
Slovenian Language Course (Advanced)
Co-Ed Basketball League
Christmas Banquet
--	Jan. - Mar., 2012
--	Jan. - Apr., 2012
--	Jan. - Apr., 2012
--	Jan. - Mar., 2012
--	Sun., Mar. 25, 2012
--	Sun., Apr. 22, 2012
--	Sun., May 6, 2012
--	Sat. May 12, 2012
--	Sun., Jul. 1, 2012
--	Sep. 25 - Oct. 30, 2012
--	Nov. 6 - Dec. 11, 2012
--	Sep. - Nov., 2012
--	Sat., Dec. 1, 2012
MEMBERS!
Don't forget to register on the Slovenski Dom web site AND encourage your children and grandchildren to get involved. The web site provides a fully interactive way to establish and maintain connections among people with even the slightest affinity for Slovenia and things Slovenian.