2024 Saturday Parade Winners

Floats
1 st Place – First State Bank Nebraska – “Together We Can Have a Polka Celebration”
Runner-Up – Studio C Dance

Bands
1 st Place – Milligan Czech Brass Band, Sponsored by First State Bank Nebraska
Runner-Up – Swing, Swing, Swing Polka Band, Sponsor Bruning Bank

Antique and Classic Cars
1 st Place – 1970 Velorex, Owned By Charlie Mara
Runner-Up – 1929 Model A Ford Pickup, Owners Greg & Dean Burling

Miscellaneous
1 st Place – Hanover Pool Bus
Runner-Up – Doane University, Crete

Tractors
1 st Place – 1937 John Deere B Long Frame, Owner Denise Slama
Runner-Up – 1938 John Deere B Long Frame, Owner Fred Prokop

Equine and Saddle Clubs
1 st Place – No Entries
Runner-Up – No Entries

Golf Carts and Off-Road Vehicles
1 st Place – Wilber-Clatonia FFA Chapter
Runner-Up – Landmark Implement

2024 Sunday Parade Winners

2024 Wilber Chamber of Commerce Vehicle Raffle
Wes Brickner –Jeep Compass

2024 Knights of Blanik and Ladies of Libuse Award Winners

The Knights of Blanik and Ladies of Libuse award shall be presented to not more
than twelve individuals per year, who have, by their contributions or efforts,
contributed significantly to the preservation, enhancement or development of the
Czech heritage promoted by the Nebraska Czechs of Wilber. The recipients may or
may not be of Czech descent, and may or may not be residents of Wilber or
Nebraska. The first Knight and Lady awards were awarded in 1969. After the
announcements this evening, the honorable group will consist of 514 members.

Susan Znamenacek Senft and Sandy Znamenacek Koll started their love for the Czech heritage as
Junior Czech Dancers on to Senior Czech Dancers. Their children, Eleanor and Howie Sneft and
Matilda, Henry, Charles and Franklin Koll are now dedicated members of the Wilber Czech Dancers.
Along the way of Czech Spirit, Susan and Sandy were the Wilber Czech Princesses and are active
members of the WC Czech Alumni Marching Band. Their children, Matilda, Henry, Eleanor and
Howie have served as Czech Royalty. Both gals partake in the Znamenacek family parade float,
winning prizes and teaching the next generation about their Czech heritage and roots. They have
helped at the church to bake kolaces. Sandy helps to prepare our local queen for the state Queen
contest in Clarkson and Susan took Czech language classes and learned about developing a very
successful Wilber Sokol Czech Camp for children, held in July the past several years. Susan and
Sandy have extensively researched their family Czech roots in the Czech Republic and share with the
community. The twins have also enlisted the help of the Znamenacek family and have cleaned the
Outdoor Theater seating and bleachers and also planted flowers at the theater to be properly ready
for the guests of the Wilber Czech Festival the past several years.

Deb Petracek started supporting the Wilber Czech festival at an early age by being in the annual
Children’s Parade and continued into the grand parades on Saturday and Sunday. During the festival
Deb can be found as one of the callers at the American Legion Bingo stand, helping out at Karpisek’s
Market and Hot Dog stand, Wilber Sokol Hall and American Legion Auxiliary. Deb helps the Wilber
Catholic Church bake kolaces and also helps to make the filling for them. She has been a great
promoter of her nieces and nephews who are members of the Wilber Jr Czech Dancers as she
makes sure they get to necessary practices and dance performances.

Eric & Cheryl Juricek are year-round supporters and promoters of the Czech heritage and the Wilber
Czech Festival. They are both talented and dedicated musicians with Eric playing the trumpet and
Cheryl playing the clarinet. Cheryl is a Wilber-Clatonia graduate and has marched with the band
ever since then. During the year they are always on the road with the many engagements of the
Wilber-Clatonia Summer Booster Band inviting guests to attend the Wilber Czech Festival. The
Wilber-Clatonia Czech Alumni Marching Band is pleased the Juriceks take part in the parades, Polka
in the Park and many playing opportunities of the band during the Czech Festival. The band is a
huge crowd pleaser of the festival. The Juriceks also supported their children to participate with
the Wilber Junior Czech Dancers.

Amy Kozak-Jensen started participating in the Children’s parade and riding on floats at a very young
age. In 2014 she was selected as the Little Sister of the Wisconsin Czech Queen. Amy marched in
the WC marching band from 5″ to 9″ grade even though the bass drum was bigger than she was.
Over the years, Amy has helped prepare and serve Czech meals at the United Methodist Church,
worked shifts in the American Legion hamburger stand and also in the American Legion Bingo stand.
Amy helped with the Duck and Dumpling Run by registering runners and recording their times. In
July of 2022 Amy, a member of the United Methodist Church group volunteered to give the
Nebraska Czechs of Wilber scale house by painting shutters, eaves and also did some landscaping.
Last year Amy helped paint the street mural at the Hotel Wilber Beer Garden.

Jamie Ourecky Sand is a lifelong Wilber resident and promoter of the Czech heritage. She was the
Wilber Czech princess in 1992 and Wilber Czech Queen in 2000. She continues to be a part of the
royalty tradition by serving on the Queen Committee, helping them prepare for the State Queen
Contest. A former Wilber Czech Dancer, she still helps direct the Senior Beseda Dancers giving the
extra polish to the dance group. She is willing to serve as a partner to new, young dancers giving
them the guidance they need for the proper steps. Jamie has choreographed four of the songs
preformed by the Wilber Senior Dancers. Jamie plays the flute in the WC Czech Alumni Marching
Band and is part of the flag corps. She and her husband Gabe volunteer at the Hotel Wilber Beer
Garden and help with the annual kolac baking day at the Wilber Catholic Church. Jamie also helps
create special Czech outfits with her sewing and embroidery talents.

Lumir Sukovaty moved to Wilber in 1982 and soon helped with the renovation of Hotel Wilber,
tearing out plaster and hauling away. He has a good sales pitch and was good at selling Car Raffle
tickets on Main Street. It was important to him to see his three daughters learn about the Czech
Heritage and dancing. With his help he made sure they got to all Czech dance practices and dancing
events and was always in the audience to watch. Later, Charlie & Mary Keller taught Lumir to dance
the polka. Lumir helped bake kolaces and make dumplings for the Wilber Methodist Church and
also worked Saturday night shifts at the Hotel Wilber Beer Garden. During the festival you will find

Lumir working at the Wilber Sokol Hall bar, setting up for events and cleaning up. Lumir recently
refurbished the Sokol Hall bar by using the wood from the old Sokol dance floor.

Elizabeth Spencer has actively participated in Wilber’s Czech Festival and promoted the Czech
heritage and culture in Nebraska her entire life. Her family descends from Saline, Butler and
Saunders County Czech immigrants. Since 2009, Elizabeth has been instrumental in the planning,
set-up, and hosting her family’s extensive costume/accordion exhibit at Kuncl Funeral Home. Other
Czech activities include hosting the Doane College Czech Elderhostel/Czech Concerts, Assistant to
the Humanities Nebraska Speakers Bureau, Judge to the Nebraska State Czech Queen Contest and
Co-host on annual tours to the Czech Republic. Elizabeth also assists with local Czech and regional
bus tours as needed and is the coordinator of the Crete Runza providing sponsorship to local Czech
events.

Mary Beth Karpisek has always been involved with the Wilber Czech Festival as she was one of the
nine contestants during the first Wilber, Nebraska Czech Queen Contest in 1962. She continued
supporting the Wilber Czech Festival by traveling with the Karpisek Polka Band, far and wide,
hanging posters, handing out brochures and selling raffle tickets. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s,
Mary Beth made certain her daughters, Wilber Czech Queens, Lisa and Kathy attended every
possible parade and Czech event to promote the Wilber Czech Festival. Karpisek’s Market could
always depend on her to help out at the store. Mary served on the Czech Craft Shop committee and
is a long-time worker at the Wilber United Methodist Church to prepare, cook and serve food to the
many guests of the festival.

Results for the Wilber Czech Festival Art Show click here