When he thought about a contribution to the committee raising funds to build the Praha Outdoor Performance Stage (POPS) in New Prague, Eddie Shimota might have been able to cut a check and be done with the matter. But Shimota, owner of Shimota Project Management, noticed the committee had plenty of generous, dedicated and talented people, but none of them with much experience building anything.
Rather than just making a financial donation, Shimota, a lifelong New Prague resident, decided to give something of significant value – his time, talent and experience as a project manager.
“I wanted to give back to the community,” he said.
“His willingness to offer his general contractor services as his ‘contribution/ donation’ to POPS saved the Forward New Prague Foundation tens of thousands of dollars. So, the financial aspects speak for themselves,” Den Gardner, chairperson of the Forward NP Foundation/ POPS Advisory Committee, said. “Regarding construction, he is meticulous to a fault, carefully scrutinizing each expenditure and stays in constant contact with me throughout the building process. He has gone above and beyond in many ways, especially during the crucial work of the foundation, when the poor soils required his expertise with our sub-contractors in coming to a solution to build POPS at the site selected by the city council.”
He’s serving as the general contractor for the POPS project. It’s work involving finding the right...
To see more on this sotry pick up the May 28, 2026 print edition of The New Prague Times.