No products in the cart.
Domen Trkulja, ŠMOCL society
The best thing about living in Laško is the fact that we’re all connected. When grabbing a coffee I can say hi to anyone that I meet. I feel best when greeting the visitors that come to ŠMOCL – for a gig or any other event that keeps Laško alive. The magic of December will arrive, once we start greeting each other at the skating rink.
We do everything in colour
Ten years ago we came together and set up ŠMOCL – Student, youth, and children’s centre Laško. In reality, this is a society that brings together all the generations in Laško. More than 80% of our work is done on volunteer basis which frequently made us the municipality’s standout volunteer group. For those of you that don’t know about us: we organise concerts and shows, deal with audio and visual production and bring together children and the elderly at the Children’s Centre. When locals or guests from around the globe step into our premises, they feel our alternative energy. We made a beautiful space! The walls are covered in multi-colour drawings. Some of them are mine, the rest were completed by the friends from abroad that come here as part of the Erasmus volunteer exchange.
We programme cool music
Laško is a small town, for most of the year extremely green and, on first impression, very calm. Then comes one of our Metal Blowouts, when the tickets are bought up by Swedes, Norwegians, French, Germans… When they arrive, they’re surprised by all the alternative energy at the concerts, something more expected in Ljubljana or any of the bigger cities.
We make sure all the kids enjoy themselves
At the start of the summer, we organise the Motley Balloon, that makes the end of the school year even better. Many things happen there. I’m usually the one doing the balloon modelling. I still can’t make a truck at someone’s request, I can however make a child’s day with a balloon motorcycle. Once December comes we take shifts at the mobile skating rink that is quite different to the ones in the neighbouring towns. The skating is free and the skates hire fee is set at an symbolic 1 euro. That’s how we make sure that everyone can enjoy themselves on the ice, while the students that help out make some extra cash during the holiday season.
We know how to step it up a notch
I admit – I’m a megalomaniac. I like big things. I’m fantasising about construction a zipline from the peak of Hum to the Savinja river! I’m a mountaineer, trail marker (proud of the Rečica Circular Trail, recognised as the year’s most beautiful trail in Slovenia) and climber. I could easily invite some visitors to the climbing wall in the primary school, where you can try climbing with and without support. That’s where I can easily gauge if I can bring you along to the outdoor climbing sites. If so – we can go higher together!
What we do gives me the energy for everything that I do
The teams, with whom we did so many beautiful things in the last ten tears, feels like family. We support each other. That gives me part of my energy and sustains my curiosity and interest in – well, everything! Making a girl’s dress made of balloons that is interesting, yet not comfortable. Making a wooden bed or table at my home studio. Studying, working and helping out at the newly opened Savinja pub. Brewing a beer of my own. Making roasted potatoes for the musicians that play in our town. Things like that. As well as noticing the simple beauties of Laško and saying: “Hello, how do you do?” to everyone that I meet. And of course – to soon being able to visit our skating rink!
I’ll see you there, right?
Check what’s on at ŠMOCL at https://smocl.com/
Featured upcoming events can be also found among current events.
