How two generals from Iowa and Kosovo shot cupid's arrow in Norwalk

Recently retired Kosovo Consul General Zhavit Gashi and soon-to-be-retired Iowa National Guard Maj. Gen. Timothy Orr played key roles in the development of a flourishing relationship between the Balkan nation and the Hawkeye state.  

More recently, the military men turned their attention to a different type of relationship, orchestrating a step up between Orr's aide-de-camp and a sister cities representative from Norwalk that resulted in a surprise wedding for their families in late March. 

“General Gashi was pretty proud of himself,” said Hollie (Askey) Zajicek, Norwalk’s director of economic development. 

She has worked closely with Gashi and Orr over the past three years to grow Norwalk's relationship with sister city Vushtrri, Kosovo.

Dave Zajicek was working in a similar fashion, building the military relationship between Kosovo and the Iowa National Guard. 

But the two had never met until Dave got a little urging from his boss and Gashi. 

"I said I lived in Norwalk and wanted to get involved in the sister city program," he said. "They were kind of smiling and said I needed to get in touch with Hollie. They said she’s great at what she does and, by the way, she’s single, too.”

The generals seem to have a sixth sense for connections because the courtship between Dave and Hollie was brisk. 

After meeting for the first time in December during an event at the Kosovo Consulate in Des Moines, they set up a lunch date ostensibly to discuss Norwalk’s sister city program.

“We knew right away,” Hollie said. “Kind of just instantly.

“We love international relations and travel. Neither one of us has kids. We both have the Kosovo bug. Even our families are similar.” 

Within two months, they were talking marriage. Neither wanted a big wedding, so they decided to surprise their families with a ceremony.

They solicited the help of the Iowa National Guard Adjunct General's office, which was already planning a formal event in March.

“We’d be dressed up anyway,” Hollie said. “So we invited our immediate family to a little reception before the event. We told them it was an engagement reception.”

However, before they sat down to eat, Hollie and Dave explained their true intentions. They were married before lunch was served.

“It was like winning the lottery working with General Orr and meeting Hollie. It wasn’t just coincidence, it was meant to be,” Dave said.

Although Hollie and Dave haven’t had a chance to take a honeymoon yet, they are both going to Kosovo in May with an Iowa delegation.

“It’s not an official honeymoon,” Dave said, “and we’ll be working different schedules. But General Gashi might have something planned for us over there, you just never know.”