Friends of
Bohemian National Cemetery
Past Programs & Events
2023
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Sunday, October 29, 2023 - Autumn Tour of the Tombstones
Friends of BNC hosted its first post-pandemic cemetery tour on September 28. Despite a chilly and overcast day, it was a success, led by Chuck Betzold, one of our most knowledgeable volunteers about cemetery history and Chicago history. In addition to local residents, tour participants included teachers and students visiting from the Czech Republic and Friends of BNC volunteers. After visiting the World Wars I and II Memorial, family monuments and mausoleums, the Crematorium/Columbarium Building and the Eastland Disaster Memorial, everyone returned to the gatehouse for further discussions, hot drinks and delicious bakery treats. We're looking forward to doing another tour next spring and hope you'll be able to join us. Check the Friends of BNC website and Facebook page for updates. |
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2022 - 2016
| Sunday, August 28, 2022 ~ Friends Summer Meet and Greet
Friends held their summer Meet and Greet program and dinner at Bohemian Crystal Restaurant in Westmont. Over forty attendees enjoyed a fine Czech meal and conversation. There was also an udate on the Columbarium Restoration Project and the introduction of our new Treasurer, Linda Burton. |
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| Sunday, April 10, 2022 ~ Friends of BNC Spring Meeting,
The Friends Spring 2022 meeting was held online Sunday afternon April 10th. The presentation was titled "100 Years of a Community-Based Czech Language School". Klára Moldová, T. G. Masaryk School Vice-President and teacher, told how this century-old Bohemian-language school in Cicero, Illinois, remains committed to its educational, fraternal and social objectives. Klára spoke about the school's early development, current class operations and its ongoing relationship with the community it serves. You can still see the presentation here: https://www.facebook.com/181958125204936/videos/644008083590548
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| Sunday, August 29, 2021 ~ Friends of BNC Summer Meeting,
Our Friends of BNC summer meeting was held online on Sunday, August 29, 2021. The presentation on Trees and Shrubs of Bohemian National Cemeterywas given on line by our guest presenter Bob Porter. Mr. Porter is from the North Park Village Nature Center. Bob shared his knowledge of the trees and flora of Bohemian National Cemetery and the surrounding area.The presentaion was part of the Zoom meeting. You can see the presentation through the Facebook video Here _ Zoom meeting and Presentation. The meeting was 50 minutes long. Be sure to hit the play arrow to start the video. The picture will change as the presentation starts. The presentation begins at 2:30 minutes from the start.
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| Sunday, February 28, 2021 ~ Friends of BNC 2021 Winter Meeting (on-line)
Chuck Michalek, Friends of BNC Special Projects Chair and BNCA Trustee, presented a program on some of the many military representations at BNC. His illustrated talk included a look at BNC's long tradition of celebrating Memorial Day and rare film footage of the 1952 dedication of the World Wars I and II Memorial. You can see the presentation as an mp4 file at War memorials at BNC |
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| Sunday, August 23, 2020 ~ Friends of BNC 2020 Summer Meeting,
Friends Summer Meeting was held August 23, 2020 Rachel Berlinski, Operations Manager at Oak Park River Forest Museum presented the program Lasting Images: History of the J.A. Dedouch Company. View the program through Google Drive https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gardTRIBGQBFZzzMx0SXLXqAVdphQxxO/view?usp=sharing View or download the mp4 file (117Mb) at www.friendsofbnc.org/events/FoBNC%208-23-2020.MP4.mp4 |
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| Sunday, February 16, 2020 ~ Friends Winter Meeting
Friends of Bohemian National Cemetery Winter Meeting was held 12:30 pm Sunday, February 16, 2020 at the Czech Plaza Restaurant, 7016 Cermak Road, Berwyn, Illinois. The program featured L. J. Slavin presenting "Sing Down Memory Lane"
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| Sunday, August 25, 2019 ~ Friends Summer Meeting
Friends Summer Meeting was held August 25, 2019. Chuck Michalek, long-time volunteer with Friends of BNC and Bohemian National Cemetery Association board member and delegate, will discuss the cemetery's founding and early years, its growth and development through the decades, and its challenges for the future.
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Saturday, September 22, 2018~ Fall Walking Tours Friends Fall walking tours were held Saturday, September 22nd at 10:00 am and again at 1:00 pm. The Tours of the Tombstones were guided by professional guide, Albert Walavich. |
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| Sunday, August 19th, 1:30 pm ~
Friends Summer meeting
Friends summer meeting was held and featured a presentation by Walter S. Arnold, stone sculptor who is currently working on a double tree memorial, which will be the first tree monument installed at BNC in over 70 years. |
You can see a short video of the scuptor carving the tree stone monument with this link. See the Video |
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Sunday, July 8th, 2018~ Annual BNC picnic
The Bohemian National Cemetery annual picnic was Sunday, July 8th, noon until 4 pm. |
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Saturday, June 16, 2018 and Sunday, June 17, 2018 ~
Flashlight Tours
There were special evening Flashlight walking tours on Saturday, June 9 and June 16, 2018 and Sunday, June 10 and June 17, 2018 at 8:00 pm. |
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| Monday, May 28, 2018 ~ Memorial Day Commemoration
Friends commemorated the women and men who died while in military service.There was a parade to the crematorium/columbarium building, accompanied by the Sokol Honor Guard. The program included music and featured Deputy Consul General Jan Kubišta, from the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Chicago, as the main speaker. Following the service, a brick at the Eastland Disaster Memorial honoring Friends founder and board member Evelyn Fergle was dedicated. | |
| Sunday, May 13th ~ Mother's Day Celebration
Friends celebrated Mother's Day on Sunday, May 13th with a wreath-laying at Mother statue followed by refreshments at the Gatehouse. | |
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Sunday, April 29th , 2018 ~ Spring Walking Tour Friends Spring walking tours was Sunday, April 29th, 2018 at 1:00 pm . The Tour of the Tombstones was guided by professional guide, Albert Walavich. |
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| Sunday, February 11, 2018 ~ Friends Winter meeting
Sunday, February 11, 2018 Friends held their winter meeting at Sawa's Old Warsaw Restaurant in Broadview, Illinois. John Pritasil was the speaker and he described his humorous account of Growing Up Czech Broadview, Illinois |
 John Pritasil |
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Sunday, October 29th 2017~ BNCA 100th Anniversary
The Bohemian National Cemetery Association observed its 140th anniversary with a reception on Sunday, October 29, at the cemetery gatehouse. |
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October 2017 - Flashlight Tours
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Saturday, September 16th 2017~ Fall Walking Tours
Friends Fall walking tours were held Saturday, September 16 at 10:00 am & 1:00 pm . The Tours of the Tombstones were well attended and were guided by professional guide, Albert Walavich. |
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Sunday, August 20th 2017~ Friends Summer Meeting
Sunday, August 20th Friends had their summer meeting at the cemetery. Chuck Betzold gave a program on the "Beyond the Vines" outdoor columbarium. |
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| Sunday, February 26, 2017 ~ Friends Winter meeting
Friends Winter meeting was held on Sunday, February 26, 2017 with a buffet dinner The program featured Judy Vessely, Czech violinist with keyboard accompaniment playing Czech favorites, show tunes, and requests. |
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| Saturday, September 24, 2016 ~ Tour of the Tombstones
Our Fall Tours of the Tombstones were offered at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. and led by professional guide Albert Walavich. Both tours were well attended and much enjoyed by the participants. |
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| Sunday, August 21, 2016 ~ Friends Summer Meeting at BNC
Friends summer meeting was held August 21st at the BNC office building. The meeting featured a DVD made from some 16mm color film of the cemetery from the late 1940s and 1952. The film was well received and triggered lots of memories from several members. The meeting also took the opportunity to unveil a plaque, purchased by Friends of BNC, showing that the cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places. |
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| Sunday, May 22, 2016 ~ Tour of the Tombstones
Our Spring Tour of the Tombstones was at 1:00 pm May 22 and led by Albert Walavich. See upcoming event for our next tour. |
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| Sunday, February 21, 2016 ~ Friends Winter Meeting
Our winter meeting was February 21st at the Chicagoland Czech-American Community Center at 6635 Cermak Rd. in Berwyn. | Irena Cajkova and Tom Gaulkin gave their program |
Judy Baar Topinka spoke to the audience.
Leaders of Friends posed for this picture.
Dr.
Milan Hodža (1878 – 1944)Slovak statesman,
journalist, and professor. has been described as the Slovak George Washington.
