On Saturday, November 5th, 2005 at the Challenger Golf Club, 2525 Rue des Nations, in Ville St. Laurent, over 250 guests took part in the 40th Annual Scholarship Ball of the Canadian Slovak Professional and Business Association (CSPBA). This annual ball is a formal event with live music and dancing. The Scholarship Ball, since its inception, has always been a dignified event and the climax of the Montreal Slovak Social Calendar.

Dr. Jozef Brody, Eduard Baluch and students

Cocktails
Cocktails, with a large selection of delicious hors d’oeuvres and sparkling wine, started at 6:00 P.M. After that the Slovak dancing group Šírava performed its short, but very impressive 15-minute program. This short performance of Slovak art was received with a large appreciative applause. At 7.00 P.M., the emcee for the evening’s festivities, Dr. Steve Hreha, introduced the eleven scholarship winners and their escorts. The eleven scholarships awarded this year amounted to $9,400. The members of the CSPBA are proud of the fact that as of now the Association has awarded scholarships to 346 students of Slovak descent, who pursued their education beyond high school, for a total of $182,800.

Students
After Father Ristau said grace and the ever-young Ann Vyboh sang the National anthems, our emcee then introduced some special guests: the Quebec minister of revenue, our guest of honor Mr. Lawrence Bergman; the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic in Canada Mr. Stanislav Opiela and his wife; the founding president of the CSPBA Mr. Danny Kujan and his wife; and the regional manager of the Czech Airlines Mr. Miroslav Kožich and his daughter. The president of the CSPBA then toasted this year’s scholarship winners and introduced 14 of the past presidents of the CSPBA. Family members took the bow for the few deceased and gravely ill past presidents. To the tunes of the celebration march, the staff wheeled in a large anniversary tiramisu cake adorned with sparklers and a large 40.
 
After these ceremonies, the stracciatella soup was served, as the first course of an excellent five course dinner (soup, manicotti stuffed with ricotta cheese, coquille wit sausage and broccoli, Caesar salad, roast veal au jus with mushrooms, tiramisu anniversary cake served with coffee and tea).
 
After the first service, the presentation of this year’s awards begun. Our guest of honor, minister Lawrence Bergman, then presented six students with scholarships of $700 each.

1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	1. Peter Galbavy 2. Monika Hrivnakova 3. Anthony Lukca 4. Milan Stefancik 5. Anne Sarkisyan 6. Samanta Vandzurova

Awarded students
After making these presentations, we had to say good-bye to our guest of honor, as he had to fulfill his duties somewhere else. The staff then served the next courses of the delectable 5 course meal. The music, conducted by Harry Birkens, continued to play to the delight of the dancers and of the listeners. The second part of the ceremonies took place during the serving of the desert. Mr. Edward Baluch, one of the three trustees of the CSPBA Scholarship Fund, started this part of the presentation of this year’s special awards. Four students (one from CEGEP and three from Universities) received $1,000 scholarships, which were awarded by our founding president Mtre. Danny Kujan together with the representatives of the following groups:

1.			The prize of the Slovak Government to J.Bratin was presented by the Slovak Ambassador Mr. Stanislav Opiela.
2.			La Maison Slovaque prize to Marcel Miskela presented its president Mtre. Eva Petras.
3.			The family Machan prize to Stefan Perrier Was presented by his grand father prof. John Chomay.
4.			The Pierr Brunet prize to Kishandra Vyboh Presented the owner of McDonald restaurants Mr. Pierre Brunet.

When the trustee Edward Baluch introduced Amanda Angelus, he emphasized that Amanda also received the Governor General’s prize for outstanding achievement. After Amanda received her award, she spoke in appreciation on behalf of all the recipients.

5.

The $1,200 John Simkovits award (in memoriam), to the overall best student Amanda Angelus presented by his son Mr. Harvy Simkovits.

Thanks and door prizes
Dr. J. Brody then thanked the conveners of the Ball Mrs. Helen Corej and Mrs. Rose Marie Stano and presented them with flowers, as the token of appreciation. He then bestowed two CSPBA appreciation prizes to:

The Founders Award presented to Mtre. Danny Kujan in recognition of his key role in the formation of the CSPBA and service as its first president and legal counsel.

The certificate of appreciation awarded to Mr. Miroslav Kožich & the Czech Airlines In gratitude for their sustained and exceptional support of the yearly CSPBA Scholarship Ball.

In his “State of the Association” address, Dr. Brody among other things emphasized that togetherness of the Slovak community is the only guarantee of survival of Slovak organizations such as the CSPBA. Therefore the CSPBA actions are based on tolerance and respect of other members of the Slovak community and their opinions. The Association is also strengthening the respect of the Slovak community in Montreal. For additional details on the Ball see the article by Ms. Jennifer Campbell, the social reporter of “The Gazette”, the largest English newspaper in Montreal. Her write-up appeared in the Sunday issue of December the 4th, 2005. Jennifer came to our Ball in spite of her flue, so she could write her article based on her personal experience. The president then thanked all present and especially those 34 businessmen who advertised in our program and donated the door prizes, plus the 17 scholarship donors. He also appealed to all to look for the reasons to support such a boastful cause rather than to look for a reason not to. Successful Slovak students are the foundation of our future and therefore to support them is our noble duty.
 
This year the door prizes were picked throughout the whole event. All the winning tickets which were picked before midnight, were returned to the lottery hat so everybody had a chance to win the main prize:

• Two return airplane tickets to Bratislava, or Prague, donated by the regional manager of CSA Miroslav Kožich.

The other door prizes were:

• Christal ware, donated by the Slovak Ambasador to Canada Mr. Stanislav Opiela;
• Aquarel, donated by the local Slovak artist Mr. Peter Krč;
• Lodging with breakfast for two in the Golf & Hotel Šťastný, donated by its owner Mr. Marian Šťastný;
• Color printer, donated by Mr. Victor Pospodinis from Canacomp Systems,
• $20 coupons to the restaurant Le Bordelais;
• Four prizes of 12 monthly suppers, donated by Pierre Brunet, the owner of 12 McDonald’s restaurants (Côte-des-Neiges, Cavendish Mall, Queen Mary, Westmount, Decarie, Decarie Wal-Mart, Beaumont, St-Jacques, St-Denis, La Gare Centrale, St-Christophe a Place-Ville-Marie).

The dance band then played on ‘till the wee hours of the morning when everyone, after an evening of good food and fine entertainment, said good night and “See you next year on the 41th Annual Scholarship Ball” in the same place on Saturday, November the 4th, 2006.