"CHANGING TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF FRATERNALISTS"
"Joining Hands To Touch Lives-Fraternalism for the Family and Our Nation"
VESTNIK SPJST Herald
Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas, Founded 1897
BENEVOLENCE
BROTHERHOOD
HUMANITY
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 December 23, 1992 ISSN-07458800 VOLUME 80 NUMBER 50
'Tis the Season to Show Community Support
100 Pennies Scholarship Drive $7,548.87 AS OF DECEMBER 17, 1992
Lodge 6, Cottonwood funds West volunteer services The idea of community service and support is nothing new for SPJST. Our lodges are dedicated to fostering loyalty, justice, patriotism, charity and benevolence. This holiday season, many SPJST lodges will exemplify these traits when they "play Santa Claus" to area civic and volunteer services in their cities and communities. The town of West, located approximately 15 miles north of Waco in District HI, is not unlike many of the other communities that, over the years, established close, interdependent relationship with local SPJST lodges. Indeed, a number of lodges in the area—including Lodge 36, West, Lodge 54, West, Lodge 66, Waco, Lodge 35, Elk and Lodge 6, Cottonwood have been good neighbors over the years to the town of West. Recently, the officers and directors of Lodge 6, Cottonwood committed a day to visiting West area volunteer services and delivering contributions. Agencies included the West Volunteer Ambulance Association, the West Volunteer Fire Department, the West Public Library Association, and the West Centennial Commission. "The way we look at it, we're a part of the community," says Brother Johnnie Krizan, president of Lodge 6. "It's our way of contributing—our way of putting something back into our town and helping to make it a better place to live."
—$7,500
$6,500
—$6,000 (12 Scholarships) —$5,500
$5,000 (10 Scholarships) $4,500
—$3,500
—$3,000 (6 Scholarships) —$2,500 FIRST STOP: Pictured, from left: Lodge 6 President Johnnie Krizan, Board Chairman George Straten, Postmaster (and EMS technician) Freddie Kaluza and Vice President Robert Dobecka, Sr. Brother Kaluza, who is also a leading SPJST sales representative, his wife, Janice, and most recently, his son Shawn, all serve as volunteer emergency medical technicians for the ambulance team.
Third Stop The third stop was at the West Volunteer Fire Department where the Lodge 6 delegation presented a check for $50 to Volunteer City Marshall Brother Freddy Gerik. In addition to serving as Fire Marshall, Brother Gerik also serves as Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department.
First Stop The first stop for the Lodge 6 team was at the West Post Office where they delivered a check for $300 to Brother Freddie Kaluza, a member of Lodge 54, West, and for the last 12 years, a vital part of the West Volunteer Ambulance Association.
Second Stop The second stop for the Cottonwood SPJST members was at City Hall, where they delivered a check for $100 to City Secretary Brother Kenneth Kubala. A member of Lodge 92, Fort Worth, he accepted the check on behalf of the West Centennial Commission of which he also serves as secretary. An active civic booster, Brother Kubala also serves as an associate director of the annual Westfest celebration and was instrumental in organizing the festival's first taroky tournament in 1988.
Fourth Stop The fourth and final stop this day by the Cottonwood team was at the West Public Library. Librarian Henrietta Meurer accepted a check from Lodge 6 for $25 on behalf of the the West Public Library Association. The West Library, incidentally, is one of the few public libraries in Texas to boast a Czech language section.
SECOND STOP: From left: West City Secretary Kenneth Kubala, Trustees Lydia Dobecka, Ruth Krizan, and Bill Skerik.
THIRD STOP: From left: Georgie Skerik and Ruth Krizan present check to City Fire Marshall and Volunteer Fire Chief Freddy Gerik.
From left: Bill Skerik and Johnnie Krizan present check to Henrietta Meurer of the West Public Library Association. FOURTH STOP:
$2,000 (4 Scholarships) —$1,500
$1,000 (2 Scholarships) —$500
Scholarship Drive Looking Good... With barely more than a week remaining in the 100 Pennies Scholarship Drive, odds are good—outstanding, as a matter of fact—that we will meet, and exceed our goal of raising $8,000— enough to fund 16 additional scholarships for next year. "It's looking good," says Brother Frank Klinkovsky, State FAC. To bring a little suspense to the closing 'week of the drive, the donor whose gift enables the fund to top the $8,000 mark will receive a "special mystery gift," says Brother Klinkovsky. "We won't stop there," he adds. "If we hit the $9,000 mark, the donor whose gift brings us to that height will also .c..eive a little special something." Just what, he won't reveal. "You'll have to wait and see," he says. Future issues of the Vestnik will continue to list those individuals and lodges who have made contributions to the 1992 100 Pennies Scholarship Drive.