HS No. 1 / 2005

Table of Contents

Christmas carp for all

For several years now, the employees of Velveta, a.s. have been making sure that Christmas carp is not missing on the tables of the citizens of our town and its surroundings. For this activity, they deserve the appreciation and sincere thanks of all those who, true to custom and tradition, cannot imagine a Christmas dinner without the traditional carp.Every customer can be satisfied with the sale of carp and the associated services (including the company's attention in the form of mulled wine or a treat for children).

However, the sale of carp in the town does have a 'beauty flaw'. Due to its location, the Velveta building is difficult to access for those citizens who do not own a car, and especially for elderly citizens from the more remote parts of the town. They, if they do not have relatives, friends or good neighbours, have to unwittingly miss the Christmas carp. It is no wonder that some people feel this to be an injustice and demand that there should be more outlets in the town so that fish is more accessible to them. Moreover - according to some reports - some of the interested parties were not reached at all this time, because there were not enough fish.

It is true that no one can be obliged to sell fish in any one place before Christmas. Selling is also subject to certain regulations, and moreover - it involves certain risks. On the other hand, it is right to listen to the views of the citizens and to seek solutions.

For example, exempting additional vendors from fees in city-owned spaces could be considered as a possible solution. Various organisations that are involved in the care of the elderly can also help. A relatively simple solution could be the "delivery" of carp to a flat on the basis of a telephone order, which would be carried out by an already established shop in Velveeta. The customer would pay a few extra crowns for the carp, but his worries would be over. This non-traditional way of selling fish could eventually be interesting for the traders themselves. With goodwill, which is inherent in the Christmas season, there should be plenty of carp available for everyone next Christmas.

Home ecology in schools

An integral part of the activities of the General Benevolent Society of Bohemian Switzerland is environmental education, education and awareness. Within the framework of the subsidy policy of the Ministry of the Environment, it has already implemented two projects aimed at creating a permanent offer of EVVO programmes. In addition to the Ministry of the Environment, the projects were also financially supported by the Appian Group.In both projects, the Czech Switzerland o.p.s. cooperated with the Administration of the Czech Switzerland National Park and ČSOP Tilia, which not only participated in the preparation of individual programmes, but also provided accommodation for multi-day programmes.

At present, there is a permanent offer of eco-educational programmes designed especially for kindergartens and primary schools. The nature of the Czech Switzerland National Park is under the responsibility of the Czech Switzerland National Park Administration, the nature protection of ČSOP Tilia and the issues of domestic ecology are dealt with by the Czech Switzerland o. p. s. So far, the programmes are mostly implemented directly at schools, but the aim of all three organisations is to attract more people directly to the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and to offer them field programmes and multi-day stays with an ecological programme at the field base of ČSOP Tilia, which they expect to have a greater effect in fulfilling the goal of improving ecological awareness.

In 2004, the charity implemented 66 programmes for 18 school facilities. Over 1,300 kindergarten, primary and secondary school students participated in the programmes. The greatest interest in the programmes was from primary schools - almost 80% of the participants. The most frequent partner is the primary school in Krásná Lípa, which uses the offer of programmes within the project weeks on the occasion of Earth Day, World Water Day or Arbor Day.

Next year, the charity will also offer programmes on home ecology. These are aimed at primary school pupils in grades 1 and 2, who can learn in a playful way, for example: how and why to sort waste, how to recycle certain materials, where most water is used at home, what is the biggest consumer of electricity in the home, etc. The programmes can be used not only as a supplement to science lessons, but also physics (e.g.: repeating units of measurement), mathematics (practising percentages, pie and bar graphs) or even art (making handmade paper). A programme on waste for the little ones is also being prepared, which will be suitable for kindergarten children.

If you are interested in any of the programmes ('Where does the rubbish go', 'From tree to paper', 'Water is plenty and yet not enough', 'No work, no cakes', etc.), please contact us at 412 354 838 or by e-mail: vrtilkova@ceskesvycarsko.cz

Jubilee New Year's Eve party

The last day of the year 2004 is a day of sport for the fans of competitive and fitness running from Varnsdorf and its near and distant surroundings, and not only for them. Since 1965, they have been gathering in the Varnsdorf square to celebrate the end of the year by doing what they have been doing all year - running. The New Year's Eve run through Varnsdorf was run for the 40th time last year. Over the past years, thousands of running enthusiasts - athletes, fans of other sports and runners who profess running as a movement for keeping fit, a movement that gives self-confidence and joy - have said goodbye to the past years in the streets of the town.

Apparently, the skiing and later athletics official František Knížek was responsible for the inaugural edition in the aforementioned year. I have not been able to find out whether the additional disciplines, i.e. the throwing of the roller and the log, accompanied the running from the very beginning. However, they certainly belong to New Year's Eve in their exuberance and their offer to demonstrate personal sovereignty. Flipping through the Running Off the Track brochure, I discovered that the Varnsdorf New Year's Eve Run is the third oldest New Year's Eve run in the country. It is rivalled only by Jarda Štercl's New Year's Eve Run. This remembrance of the popular comedian was run for the forty-seventh time last year in Prague's Riegrovy Sady. The New Year's Eve Cross, whose forty-fifth year started in Kolín, has a somewhat different character.

What to wish the jubilant for the next years? Above all, a great interest of active participants. That the youth descend from the pavements to the track and thus prove their courage and endurance. That the earlier-born citizens take the first steps to improve their fitness through running. To keep the city authorities in favour of this event, as well as the sponsors of previous years. Thanks to their understanding, it was possible to attract quality runners to the main race. Thanks to the companies Vitana, Polymur, Eurogreen CZ, Zabal and Vohnout, with the not insignificant contribution of the town of Varnsdorf, the Varnsdorf New Year's Eve is becoming a draw among the runners. Judging by the full sidewalks, it is also an opportunity for citizens to enjoy the fresh air before the busy evening celebration. I wish everyone together for the next years of the traditional "RUN !!!"

Shoes for TV for 995 CZK

Think carefully about which shoe shop in our town you buy your shoes from.I did so at TRESO logistik a.s. Zlín on Národní třída. Seasonal shoes - spring, autumn leather for 995 CZK. I was happy with them only until I walked in them through the dewy grass. I had the dew in my boots immediately. In the rain, water pours out of the boots.A mistake can be made, a defective product can be claimed under warranty. I did so in the belief that the claim would be settled to my satisfaction. However, for the company TRESO Zlín, these shoes are fine, because they are shoes - and I quote: which are made by hand-sewing the upper to the sole, where it is not possible to guarantee 100% waterproofness, especially when walking in wet grass, ... etc.I have the impression that in this case, the company has failed to include a recommendation or instructions that the shoes are best used in the living room in front of the TV.The old cobblers of verpants must have turned in their graves. I doubt that their, how else than hand-sewn shoes, flowed.However, I know for sure that the shop of TRESO logistik a.s. Zlín on Národní třída will be avoided by far.And I advise the rest of you - make up your mind!

European Quality Award - E-Quality 2004

It has become a tradition in the countries of the European Union that the best international projects submitted in each country are awarded the E-Quality Award. In this calendar year, the competition for the E-Quality 2004 award also involved the Secondary School, Secondary School of Education, Secondary School of Science and Technology Varnsdorf with its project Textile without Borders, which was implemented in 2000-2003 from a grant submitted in the Socrates programme.

Out of the dozens of projects that were submitted to the selection procedure, the project of our school, especially its development, results, dissemination, European dimension, innovation indicator, results and benefits, quality, implementation and its further sustainability was evaluated by an independent committee with the maximum number of points, which meant the absolute first place in the overall ranking of all projects in the Czech Republic submitted in the Socrates programme.

The E-Quality Award was received by the school director Ing. Petr Jakubec and Mgr. Ladislava Ondráčková - project coordinator, at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in the beautiful Great Hall of Mirrors from the hands of the Deputy Minister of Education Mrs. Štěpánová, Senator Mrs. Gajdůšková and Assistant Director of NA Sokrates Mrs. Slivková. The best projects from all EU countries, including our project, will be published in the European Socrates Project Compendium.

We are very pleased with the award, it is a nice Christmas present for the whole school and especially for the project implementers, but above all it obliges us to continue working on current and future international projects.

The princess of the "taproom" is from Varnsdorf

It is not a princess from a fairy tale, as the title might suggest, but a "competition" princess, who is Zdena Fernandezová, a 3rd year student of the waiter-waitress branch from the Secondary Vocational School, Secondary Vocational School, Vocational Apprenticeship and Practical School, Bratislavská Street, Varnsdorf.

At the end of November 2004, the third edition of the competition called "Apprentice Prince of Waiters" took place. The competition was organised by the private secondary vocational school and the Apprenticeship School of Trade and Services in Ústí n. Labem. Three-member teams from seventeen schools from four regions competed.

Beer lovers will appreciate that the judging criteria included - the technique of tapping the correct measure of beer into a pint glass within the time limit, the height of the head, the visual impression of the beer and the overall impression of the competitor including dress, presentation and serving.

The best professional skills of all the competitors were demonstrated by the aforementioned winner, which also gave the organisers food for thought about the name of the competition. When asked how she evaluated her achievement, she modestly replied, "I am happy that my performance pleased the training master and others who were involved in my preparation".

In addition to the winner, Lucie Mokrá (who finished in the top ten) and Petra Smetanová formed a three-member team. The success in this competition and many other activities of students and pupils of the school confirm that their professional preparation is in good hands.

Project to increase education in Výběžek

The Higher Vocational School and the Secondary School of Industry in Varnsdorf approached the directors of secondary schools in the Šluknov Spur and offered them participation in the project Regional Centre for Lifelong Learning. The aim of the project is to create a long-term sustainable functional network of local centres for lifelong learning (hereinafter MCCV). These local centres will be schools, not only in terms of subject but also geographically representative, located throughout the region.

The network of MCCVs will be an educational, conceptual, coordinating, methodological, evaluation and advisory facility for the field of lifelong learning. The network of local centres will offer different types and forms of studies for acquiring knowledge and skills to the interested parties and will support the development of lifelong learning, thus contributing not only to the development of education but also to the increase of employability of the population.

After the initial presentation of the project plan, which took place on 15.12.2004 in the Student Cultural Centre of the Shooting Range in Varnsdorf, the majority of the addressed directors of the Secondary Schools handed over a written mandate to the Secondary Schools to develop a proposal for the legal form of the association of the founding organisations, to develop a proposal for the network of Local Centres of Lifelong Learning according to the expressed interest of the individual entities, to further negotiations with the project partners and social partners, to coordinate the preparation of the project documents and to prepare a comprehensive project for its implementation and submission.

The main activities of the educators will include collecting and analysing information in the field of continuing education, innovating and developing new continuing education programmes, and coordinating continuing education programmes among educators. The target groups will include students of higher education institutions, secondary schools and secondary schools; graduates of higher education institutions, secondary schools and secondary schools; the teaching public; graduates not applicable on the labour market; job seekers registered with the Labour Office; women on maternity leave and the civil public.

The important thing is that if the project can be implemented jointly, the level of technical equipment of all the educators involved will increase and the target groups will be attended by people who are best placed to do so.

ÚZSVM took over 11 border crossings

Eleven road border crossings were taken over by the ÚZSVM - (Office for State Representation in Property Matters) - Ústí nad Labem Territorial Office during 2004. The handover of land, buildings and movable property took place following the termination of the activities of the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic at the border crossing points. The ÚZSVM thus took over the administration of property with a total value of almost CZK 400 million.

The Foreigners and Border Police continue to perform their duties at nine border crossing points. In the event that unused premises are available at the border crossing points, the ÚZSVM will proceed in accordance with Act 219/2000 Coll., on the property of the Czech Republic and its conduct in legal relations and the regime measures of the Police of the Czech Republic. Unused buildings and land may be rented or sold by the ÚZSVM to legal entities or individuals.

The ÚZSVM Ústí nad Labem Territorial Office is now responsible for the management of property at the crossing points Cínovec, Rumburk - Horní Jindřichov, Varnsdorf, Habartice, Hřensko, Rumburk, Hrádek nad Nisou, Mníšek v Krušných horách, Vejprty, Jiříkov and Petrovice. The ÚZSVM took over the border crossings from 1 May 2004 in connection with the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union, on the basis of Government Resolution No. 56 of 13 January 2003.

A trip to the feeders

On Monday, 27 December, 10 enthusiasts, mostly from the Ranger Club and the Ledumka Eco Club, went on a trip to the feeders in the vicinity of Krásná Lípa to diversify the diet of the forest inhabitants. The route was changed compared to last year, this time it was not to Kyjov and Vápenka, but to Bukovský hradek and Sněžná. The participants visited 3 feeding stations, which were supplemented with hay, apples and mainly chestnuts and acorns, which the children from the Ranger team collected in autumn.

More than just feeding the game, which is well taken care of and so far has not been wasting away during this mild winter, the aim of the event is to spend Christmas time differently than usual, to get up from the comfortable chairs of living rooms and TVs, to walk through the winter nature and to think a little about yourself and your loved ones.

Until 2005, the Ranger Club wishes you more free time for walks and hikes and many joyful experiences from your wanderings not only in nature but also in life.