The Transcarpathian Hungarian Large Families Association in Ukraine organizes numerous cultural and community-building events for its members, and also emphasizes organizing programs that emphasize sports and physical exercise.
This time, large families gathered in the Ung region for a joint bicycle tour on 26 April, taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather.
The Szürte – Palágy – Gálocs – Sislóc – Tarnóc route also provided landmarks, including the Reformed churches of Gálocs and Palágykomoróc, whose history dates back to the 13th century.
The purpose of the bike tour was to provide active recreation and a shared experience for families. The participants enthusiastically completed the designated route, which was preceded by careful preparation.
Levente Szabó, program manager and member of the Hungarian Council of Ministers, who, as a student at the MCC Transcarpathian Leadership Training School, has been particularly involved in the planning and implementation of community projects during his studies, emphasized that in addition to exercise, they also considered socializing to be important.
The event was attended by both children and adults, about forty people. Many of them were participating in a similar trip for the first time, so the quality time spent together was particularly exciting and memorable for them.
Not only the organizers, but also some enthusiastic participants took an active role in the implementation of the program. János Fekésházi emphasized that community always has strength, because by sharing experiences we can learn from each other and develop.
After completing half the distance, there was of course the opportunity to take a longer rest while enjoying a plate of delicious stew, for which the Roman Catholic parish of Tarnóc provided the space.
KMNE will continue to strive to offer valuable and meaningful opportunities for extended families, as well as for those who would have liked to but were unable to join the participants this time.
Diana Szabo, participant
The member families of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Large Family Association do not only come to the Vadvölgy guesthouse to relax. They also like to come on occasions when the goal is to maintain and beautify the guesthouse.
This was the case on the weekend of April 11-13, 2025, when a total of twenty active members from five settlements traveled to Viharos. Below you can read the experience report of one of the participants, Éva Simon Balla:
This weekend we were able to participate in the volunteer work organized by the KMNE at the Vadvölgy Pension. Our children were already looking forward to the trip with great excitement. Our four-year-old daughter remarked three-quarters of the way through that we were already at the end of the world, we had traveled so much.
Upon arriving at the guesthouse, our program manager showed us around and we admired the beauty of the landscape and the guesthouse. The children could have been happier with nothing else than the heated pool, where they could burn off their excess energy even in the evening.
The next day we threw ourselves into work. Due to the bad weather, we were mainly able to work indoors. The mothers cleaned windows, washed curtains, ironed, cleaned, and made cobwebs. The fathers repaired chairs, plastered, and painted. In short, no one was bored.
The staff of the guesthouse was very helpful and kind. The food was also very delicious.
After our work was done, the parents could chat while the children bathed or just ran around screaming with joy. Everyone found a program to their liking.
Since Sunday is the Lord’s day, we also put aside work and rested for a while, and since the weather improved, the enterprising children and adults were able to explore the wonderful environment.
I can honestly say that it was an experience for all of us! Thank you so much for being there!
