Do you know why the legendary Chansonian Hana Heger is singing in a humorous manner? Because her mother was freely called Čelková, she came from the Slovak Čelková Lehota and there she is so beautifully said to this day.

Mayor Juraj Celko claims that the paths of all Čelkovci meet in Čelková Lehota. " Anywhere else you will not find so much Chelkovici. This is probably the world. The roots of this surname have been abandoned here for centuries, generations have passed on it and spread to the world. I still did not meet the Citizens who would have a different surname than us. And that's what I've been through a piece of Slovakia, even a stranger in a foreign country. "If you long for your soul and wind your head if you need to throw away worries, Čelkova Lehota is the right address. It's not a heck of tourism, no aquapark, kebab, sugar wool, cattle-cats. It is rather a clean country of the country in the Domaniżska basin, which is guarding Strazovske vrchy. Where is the Tuzex view, the fragrant fresh air, where there are people who do not play anything. This is not a forgotten cart on the map. From Čelková Lehota is close by. Through the hill to Čičmian, Kľak, Považská Bystrica, to the world, to the newspapers.

Every fourth firefighter

We set up for the General House. The Lehote car wagon tour took three minutes. The main street, about a kilometer of roads, no tavern, school, post office, but three cemeteries and three built May. Church of St. Peter and Paul, the pride of the village, looked impressive even on Friday morning, but nowhere else.

Do not look for a classic square in a village with 137 inhabitants. The space beside the General House was the most humiliated. Parking, public office, bus stop, three people and a crowd. "The general house has its own years, but still serves. We use it for the retirees, for the mother's day, we're going to the fašiangy, the firefighting meetings, the children's day ... We need to expand and modernize, then we move the fire department that is part of it. We have applied for Eurofounds, we will see. The general office where we sit was the Unity store. They canceled it, some of the premises were bought, and the fire brigade could be housed. The voluntary corps has about 30 members, each fourth of the village is a fireman. Fortunately, we did not have to intervene, we just compete and it is very good, "says Mayor Juraj Čelko.

When there is nothing to eat

Up to the four-year break, the commune has been running since 1990. Twenty-third year. In the last three elections he did not have a candidate, the question is whether he should be envious. The smallest municipalities have it in the first place - it is also courage to care for them. For there is nothing to eat. "What can be learned from a thirty thousand budget? That's why we're a member of a mask, a community association - there's a bigger chance of getting money. For many jobs we do not order companies, we do them in our own direction, "adds the first man Čelková Lehota. According to him, it is not enough to settle the general councils, to make a minutes-and-drop. That's not how it works, so people do not get involved.

Fortunately, Čelka Lehota lives. The decline in population has been halted, the roads are modified. They have waterworks, sewerage, a cozy sports complex. Football is played only once a year, a match married against free, but it is still a problem to pick two eleven. From spring to autumn, however, various events are moved across the area. Under the shelter, in nature it has its charm. Every Green Day kicks off this summer, the first week of July is the program.

Seven Green Green

"The tourists will meet first in our country, on Saturday morning we will go together together - the Čelkovská tenth plus the speleotourism connected with the visit of Kortmanka. The afternoons are in the area of ​​musical group performances, country party balloons, rich refreshments, great goulash, entertainment. On Sunday we move to Spring-Priodhoria. This year, for example, the Spring Cave is the day of the open door, the afternoon as well as the cave quartet cave concert. After these days, records are coming, last year, more than 400 tourists and lovers of good entertainment came to Zelenou-Modra, "reminded Katarína Barošová, a general office worker. By the way, one of the few inhabitants with a surname other than Čelková. Surname for Free? Try to tip ...

We look at the sports complex close up, we enjoy nature. The ideal pastime for fun and good mood, even in the wrong. The shelf raised over the course covers the stage, buffets, and some sitting. Good idea. On the way back, we are accompanied by the roots behind the fence. The hunter of the hunting association, Slavomír Čelko, was the "hunter". "Many people still think the hunter is killing the word. He comes to the forest when he wants to shoot what he wants ... Forests, nature and hunting must be taken care of. You have to have fun. The hunter itself is only a cherry cherry, once in a year, "the young hunter said, and in short, he presented the district. "We have everything here: high game, features and bears. You, of course, belong to the Strazovské Hills. Sometimes I gather at the ray above the village, at the time of the rue, when the younger individuals of the rayon are pushed out by the stronger ones. Bears are shy, they avoid people, they attack only when they are at risk. It has not happened yet, we have eight of them. Where's the hubbub? If the mushrooms grow, everywhere. So far we have always been soaked in the winter. "

Nearly a hundred Čelkovcov

At the municipal office, we learn that people with a surname Celko live in the village about a hundred. In addition to the mayor, he has the oldest inhabitant of the village, three of the five deputies, the head of the hunting association, the owner of the shop, the famous beekeeper, his brothers ... All the citizens of Čelkovci get to know the village, the surname Čelko rarely use them. Rather, there are still translations, that is, nicknames under the name of the bride and before the surname, for example Spring Basistov Čelko ...

The roots of this surname are buried deep in the Middle Ages, when the village belonged to the Zemian family of Čelkovcov. The first written mention is from 1471, the name of the village has not changed since then. Even in the general coat of arms there were foundations from that of the Zemian, the actual coat of arms is without the helmet, the coat and dominates the owl. "It is a symbol of wisdom, and in our coat is justified, for wise men live here."

Finally order with land

A wise decision was made by villagers who have stayed on their native chest and are now repairing houses, which have eroded the tooth of time. The village has no land for individual construction, but ten homes already have or receive a new phason. "They are especially young, although we had a wedding seven years ago, and the newborn is also a rare event. We managed to make order with land in the cadastre. They are precisely defined, proprietary and unified in the register. It was a long way to go, it took years, but it will be appreciated especially by future generations, "explains Juraj Čelko.

According to him, the small building boom began shortly after Čelkova Lehota became independent from Domanija. It was part of it until 1990. "What helped this is a question for people. As one of Domani's satellites we were not our lords. It was decided elsewhere. We now have the freedom to build, repair houses, but we also have more responsibility. On the other hand - we go to Domanique for services, school or post. We belong to it more than in the opposite village village of Spring, "concludes the mayor.

Not business, but service

The midday is approaching, and we are running the opening hours in the shop. It is eighty steps up the general office, it has the symbolic name of the food U Vlasta, surname think. Buying here also during lunch break, an unknown customer is a rare phenomenon in these lands. "They brought in fresh vegetables some time ago, packed here. I thought someone was ringing. Until they behave in their gardens, they order. Does this business pay me? This is a service, not a business. The service to people who are at home for retirement does not travel for work. The others will buy in the city. I'm just such a first aid for the awesome. And I do this too, so that I do not get out of my practice and move, "explains Vlasta. Daily sells on average 3-4 bakery bread and besides basic food beer, occasionally a hard-boiled bottle.

Will you come to a bath?

From the U Vlasta food we go down the garden. Our husband, Mr Ján, will take over us. We mean poultry in the farm yard - a gift that you get to retire. We are debating about life. It leads us to private land on the bottom. There are dusty tracks on the workshop and an empty swamp pool, which has eroded time. Sometimes we do not care about the pool with the workshop. "I started private business years ago, I made a tile. First it was pretty good, the sale was but then ... The pool is a strange story. I had a brother, a twin, and I was when he drowned in the bathing channel. I told him to build a pool in his honor. It worked, but there were water problems. It was all complicated, we were pulling a hose from the source, we missed the pressure. Circulating it with tap water would be expensive. I still do not give up. I agreed with my grandson. We will repair the pool a bit and we will come across the well of the well so that the water is near the water. Then again in Čelková Lehote will be a functional pool again. I hope you come to the bath. "

Bee's life

One of his brothers was still young for eternity, another made joy even in the blessed age. Brothers John and Alexander make joy to each other. While the younger one has a new jump on the new hill, the more famous and experienced Alex watches over the bewildered aparthotel from Považská Bystrica. "When I urgently need something, I have a brother here. But I try to be in my kingdom among the bees as much as possible. I'm going by bus or I'm getting somebody here. I've also been overtaking here for a while, but there are years to go, "says Alexander Čelko, one of the oldest living beekeepers in Slovakia, 85-year-old living encyclopedia, a renowned expert and a fan of this craft.

He places us in a wooden cottage he has built with his father and brothers. From the walls we look at the image of famous beekeepers, saints, contemporary and contemporary photographs. Master of the Bee talks. Pútavo, nerane, with love. "I got the first beehive from my uncle. My bees died, however, and I began to devote myself to this beautiful work after the 1950s. So get it down ... It's my father's mercy that he and John and Kamil's brothers came to the bees. It also impressed us with strong Christian sentiment. Remember, working and living with bees is one of the most beautiful connections of man with God's nature. "

Oasis of peace, magical power

In his kingdom on the slope on the edge of Čelková Lehota he is obviously happy. The decision for over forty years - to adjust the land full of the future bee kingdom - would have done today. You have found the sanctuary, the escape from the harsh world. "It's my oasis of peace, I feel the magical power. So I like to engage in the noise of bee wings. It was somewhere on my tripod on my tripod, and my mother was fluctuating in my sail. That's why it's also strong. I also stay active in old age, "he explains, and offers an expert excursion after the open-air museum.

The missions in which the bees behave admire the whole of Slovakia. There are tours, schoolchildren, and they are works of art. The seven seven figural hunts, wooden and beautiful painted statues from the hands of the handsome carvings. For example, the statue of St. Ambróza, a beekeeping patron, or a portrait of Štefan Závodník, a parson from the Spring and a pioneer of beekeeping in Slovakia. The first statue was a bear: "The bees and the bear belong to each other. He is a great beret, he likes to jump on honey. I only have this wooden, lively hair here. "

Honey will not be much

Visit the sculpture of Pope John Paul II when walking through the open air museum. Or the symbol of the Merry Virgin Mary. The most recent is the Lourdes Cave as a memoir of Alexander Zelko's participation in the Lourdes pilgrimage. Of course, apart from those designed to popularize beekeeping, classic hives with state flags are missing. We skimmed into one of the hives, chose a frame and the beekeeper Celko read out the following: "It does not look good for a good year, honey will not be. Honey bees are weak, little bee, see. It can be good for the weather, the bees do not pollinate, we fight against the criminals. If any honey is, then just for bee consumption. Bars would come back when times were 20kg of honey. "Alexander Celko presented the garden in detail, presented paintings, sculptures, inscriptions, passwords, legends. We received a lesson from the history of apiculture, many learned from bee life. With a hold of breath, we could hear him listen for more hours. "My bees fly under flags in the main bee as helicopters. They do not have deadly weapons that cripple and kill humans, but life-giving nectar, honey, propolis, and pollen. And they will not fail as some say, but they die heroically after the fight. I do not want to get a sting from them. I am grateful for them, helped because I had problems with rheumatism, "said Alexander Čelko, the master of the bee-keeper.

Author: RS and MP