Stories about people and places
which are flourishing with Via support
CHVOJENSKO
In the picturesque village of Arnultovice near Luční Chvojno in northern Bohemia, the Chvojensko Association has been acting as a landscape steward since 2006. They have already repaired 7 historical crosses by the roads and are preparing for another one. They also maintain the former German cemetery, which they’ve turned into a place for contemplation. They protect valuable natural sites from development, hand mow meadows and care for the surrounding area.
“We want to be more than just neighbors, we want to build friendships, and that’s why we are trying to deepen and maintain good interpersonal relations with people in our area. We collaborate with people and organizations that share our interests. We care about our community – its history, present and future,” says association member Iva Mudrová.
In November 2023, they planted 87 seedlings of heirloom varieties of apple and pear trees to restore one of the many orchards that used to grace this landscape. The event was preceded by careful preparation and promotion, which involved local school children. As a result, they attracted 70 people to help with the planting. Thanks to the large turnout, they managed all the work in one Saturday instead of 3 days as planned. Everyone, children and adults alike, enjoyed the planting day and left with a feeling of a job well done. The municipality of Velké Chvojno provided refreshments, the members of the association baked buns and cooked goulash and potato soup.
The association knows that subsequent care of the planted trees is crucial to their sustained well-being. They maintain the planted trees by regularly checking them, treating the crowns and watering them in times of drought. The municipality of Velké Chvojno and the local volunteer firefighters help them with these tasks.
Complicated land ownership ties often make restoration efforts difficult, but in Chvojensko, the process ran smoothly thanks to the unflagging work of local residents. When the property in question was purchased by a new owner, the members of the association reached out and got to know him and invited him to join their activities. They are now planning further landscape projects together.
The success of the planting event inspired other groups in the area, which have agreed to work together on further planting projects and restoration of small monuments in the landscape. As they enjoyed goulash soup together at the planting event, they made a promise: “Since you helped us, we will help you”. Their next project will be restoring the historical cross at “Mirabelstrasse”, the local name for a path lined with Mirabelle plum trees.
CATS AT NIKA´S
Anna Křížová and her classmates are in elementary school in Opava. They regularly organize events for their classmates and the general public, they’ve planted trees and plants in the school garden, they have participated in the Opava Earth Day and Arbor Day several times, running a lavender and carrot stand. In late September 2023, they faced their biggest challenge yet: organizing a fundraising event for a cat shelter in Chuchelna. “Cats at Nika’s is a non-profit organization that currently takes care of 180 cats, many of which are disabled or sick, which translates into very high costs. Since our group wants to help others, we decided to raise money for the shelter.”
The event kicked off on Friday afternoon with a race for their fellow students and was followed by an event for the public on Saturday. People who didn’t want to race could enjoy accompanying activities such as face painting, tasting food prepared by the children, or trying their luck in the raffle. The proceeds of $500 (CZK 11, 500) will be used by the shelter to provide basic needs for cats in need. We wish Anna and her classmates from Opava unrelenting determination for years to come!
Read more about Young Philanthropists here.
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? IT´LL WIPE YOU OUT?
“For years I have heard the same question over and over again: ‘Why are you doing this? It’ll wipe you out.’ So why do I do it? Because I find it damn important and fulfilling. I’m convinced that the quality of our lives is based on the quality of our wider relationships. Caring for your community is also about taking responsibility. I don’t feel like I’ve been wiped out yet, but being a politician or a policymaker today is really challenging and it impacts our families.”
Petra Korlaar was a participant of Via’s ‘Taking the Fear Out of Local Politics’ program two years ago. Before entering politics, she reported on cultural events for leading foreign media for a number of years and also as a part-time teacher at the local high school. Petra was drawn to Via’s program by her interest in local community activities and the opportunity to meet like-minded people. “Knowing that I had people with whom I could share my feelings and bounce ideas off of strengthened my confidence and determination.”
Petra became a Mikulov town councillor in the 2022 elections. She also ran for the European Parliament in June 2024, hoping to promote media freedom and support education and the development of creative cultural industries. Petra became a mentor to one of the new participants in the 2023 ‘Taking the Fear Out of Local Politics’ program in order to pass on the experience she has gained from her work in the council.
You can find out more about the ‘Taking the Fear Out of Local Politics’ program here.
BÁBUŠKY Z HÁJOVNY
“Yesterday I at the theater was,” says an older Ukrainian woman, filling in the words in the correct form in a Czech textbook for Ukrainians. Seconds later, she corrects herself and puts the words in the right order. Czech teacher Jan Huleja patiently lists more complex expressions on the blackboard.
For almost a year now, older Ukrainian women have been meeting in a former gamekeeper’s house in a nature park in Prague’s Cibulka district. The Hájovna Association operates in the building, organizing workshops and public lectures and trying to promote the natural character of the park and prevent further development. The association’s programming is primarily geared towards local residents and single mothers. When Russia invaded Ukraine and refugees began to flow into the Czech Republic, the association turned its attention to this group. First, it targeted mothers with children, offering Czech language teachers for foreigners and babysitting. Thanks to a Via grant, the association was able to offer Czech lessons for older Ukrainian women.
“The ladies are very active and always try to help the association in some way. They work in the garden, where they planted a viburnum bush. They help organize events, they bake a lot and cook food, like
really delicious borscht,” says teacher Jan Huleja. The Ukrainian women also make camouflage nets and camouflage suits called “heykal” for Ukrainian soldiers. The finished products are then sent from the Czech Republic to Ukraine directly to the front.
BELIEVE IN YOUR PATH
“This is my 7th project like this. It really motivates me. Running is my hobby, and since such routes take a huge amount of time, it would be a shame to waste it. It’s great when I can turn it into something useful and meaningful,” says Lenka Poláčková.
Lenka broke all the records on Darujme.cz. She ran across the entire Alps and raised $200,000 (CZK 4.6 million) with her donors. It’s the largest amount ever raised on Darujme.cz in a single personal fundraising drive. It took her 39 days to reach her destination – Monaco – after running more than 2,000 kilometers across the Alps. She climbed 96,500 vertical metres. She radiated tremendous hope and optimism every day. More than 8,500 donors helped carry Lenka to the finish line, giving $200,000 (CZK 4.6 million) to her fundraising drive on Darujme.cz. In addition, another 37 ambassadors set up their own fundraising drives alongside Lenka! Throughout the event, they ran on their own and also collected donations in their own neighbourhoods. All the donations were added up on Lenka’s project. These additional charity runners brought in over $9,100 (CZK 210,000). During the last two days, the total raised unexpectedly surpassed the CZK 4 million mark and continued to grow! The most generous donation was $670 (CZK 15,500). It was evident that some people donated even when they didn’t have a lot to spare: for example one student sent in $2 (CZK 48), sacrificing his daily cup of coffee. With the proceeds, the Children’s Cardiac Centre at the Motol University Hospital will be able to purchase a state-of-the-art ultrasound machine and the Lung Transplant Centre at the Motol University Hospital (the only one of its kind in the Czech Republic and Slovakia) will buy transplant boxes.