Consulate

The Western Pennsylvania Slovak Cultural Association has just gent 250 reconditioned computers and 980 computer text books to Slovakia to be distributed to high schools throughout the country. They are all IBM Pentium II with 200 MHZ or better and include CD ROMs with a minimum of 64 ram. The shipment also includes monitors and keyboards for each of the computers. The shipment has an estimated value of$121,000.

This conc1udes the first phase of a project which Joseph Senko, Executive Director of WPSCA began in February, 200 l. The original goal was to collect 400 computers for high schools in Slovakia with an estimated shipping cost of $8,000. In order to raise these funds, WPSCA went on the Slovak Radio Hour in Pittsburgh asking listeners for donations. The listeners enthusiastically responded by sending checks totaling $8,035 in just one broadcast. The gifts ranged from $20 to $1,000.

In order to find the computers, hundreds of letters were mailed to universities, hospitals, hanks, law firms, accounting firms and individuals asking for their used computers when. they planned to upgrade. No computer donation was refused. However, in order to ship the first 270 computers, approximately 800 computers were collected. The broken and obsolete computers were gold as junk and the proceeds were used to buy CD ROMs and memory boards that were installed in the good computers. During the three years of collecting computers, the Brothers Brother Foundation volunteered free warehouse space as well as a workroom for repairing the computers.

Three of the unanticipated costs of the project were postage and mailing (approximately $600), truck rentals for transporting the donated computers to the warehouse (approximately $700) and hiring technicians to sort through the donations and recondition the better ones (approximately $7,000). These were paid out of the funds collected for shipping. Rather than go back to the generous donors in Pittsburgh , Joe Senko, executive director of WPSCA, met with John Goodish, then president of V.S. Steel Kosice, who agreed to have V.S. Steel Kosice pay for the initial shipment (approximately $3,000). .

In order to facilitate the storage and distribution of the computers when they arrive in Slovakia, Joe_ made arrangements with Danka Haskova, project manager for the Slovak Committee for UNICEF in Bratislava. She will coordinate all of administrative work with the Education Minister, Customs Department (to avoid VA T and duties), and the high schools. The computers will be stored during distribution at Materska Skola, a school for handicapped children in Bratislava. To accommodate the high schools in Eastern Slovakia , Chris Navetta, the current president of US. Steel Kosice, has agreed to store part of the computer shipment at their plant for an easier pick up. The extra space in the 40 foot shipping container carrying the computers to Slovakia was filled with computer text books and wheel chairs for the school where the computers will be stored in Bratislava.

Mr. Senko intends to continue collecting computers for high schools in Slovakia. Now that WPSCA has experiel1ced the procedures, they anticipate that the second phase (250 computers) will only take 12 months. WPSCA welcomes any donations to help cover the costs of phase two. . Make your tax deductible checks payable to WPSCA, Manor Oak Two, Suite 500, 1910 Cochran Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15220. Joe is also the Slovak Honorary Consul for Pennsylvania and the Treasurer of both the Brothers Brother Foundation and Friends of Slovakia.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SENT TO SLOVAK NURSING HOMES

Joe Senko, Slovak Honorary Consul for Pennsylvania, recently shipped over $40,000 of new and used medical equipment to three nursing homes in Slovakia. Prior to the shipment, Joe made two trips to Slovakia to meet with the sisters from the daughters of St. Francis of Assisi who operate nursing homes in Svidnik, Bardejov and Bratislava. Based on these meetings,
Joe made arrangements for the shipment of a 40 foot container filled with beds, chairs, surgical instruments, gloves, masks, pads, braces, glasses and many other items. These supplies were donated by Brother’s Brother Foundation in Pittsburgh. The shipping costs were paid by U.S. Steel—Kosice.
The U.S. Embassy in Bratislava helped coordinate the paper work with the Slovak government.

GASPAROVIC VISITS PITTSBURGH

Ivan Gasparovic, President of Slovakia, was invited to the White House on Thursday, October 9, 2008. After meeting with President Bush, Mr. & Mrs. Gasparovic came to Pittsburgh along with Marek Madaric, Minister of Culture, and Robert Kalinak, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. Also accompanying them were ten persons from Slovak media. Also accompanying them were seven members of the Slovak Embassy from Washington, D.C. The entourage including protocol and security numbered over 50 people.

Upon arrival on Thursday evening, they were hosted at a dirmer by Honorary Consul J oe Senko and his wife, Albina. On Friday, the program arranged by J oe Senko, began with a meeting with Luke Ravenstahl, Mayor of Pittsburgh and his staff followed by a meeting at the national headquarters of U.S. Steel Corp. The meeting included all of the former presidents of U.S. Steel Kosice — John Goodish, Chris Navetta and Dave Lohr, as well as other key executives, During the meeting at U.S. Steel, Mrs. Gasparovicova visited a Women’s Shelter in Pittsburgh. She was escorted to the facility by Albina Senko. The first lady, who has a foundation in Slovakia, gathered infonnation to start a similar shelter back home. Before lunch, Mr. Gasparovic and his staff went to the Mellon Arena where they watched the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team practicing. The President, who is an avid
hockey fan, was presented a Penguin jersey autographed by Miroslav Satan who is from Slovakia.

After lunch, the President and his group visited the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Leaming where they met with Chancellor Mark Nordenberg. The meeting included a discussion about the possibility of a joint program with Slovak universities, Vtfhile at the university, the President also visited the Czechoslovak room, one of 27 nationality classrooms at the university. From there, the President took a tour ofthe Heinz History Center conducted by museum President Andrew Masich.

The day concluded with a reception at the LeMont Restaurant overlooking the city. Approximately, 150 people attended the festive event. The world famous Duquesne University Tamburitzans provided the entertainment. The President and his entourage were very impressed with the energetic
and professional dancers.

On Saturday moming, the President and his group flew back to Slovak directly from Pittsburgh.