"CHANGING TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF FRATERNALISTS"
VESTNIK SPJST Herald
"Joining Hands To Touch Lives-Fraternalism for the Family and Our Nation"
Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas, Founded 1897 HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 August 24, 1994 ISSN-07458800 VC LUME 82 NUMBER 32
Youth achivement takes center stage Kin ason and • ueen Delia rein over 1994 -1995 SP ST Ro alt Court . •
SPJST youth club members from around the state congregated in the Temple area on August 6 and 7 for the Annual SPJST Royalty and Youth Achievement Day contests. And they weren't alone. A crowd of approximately 275 adults and young people turned out for the State Royalty competition and Beseda dance contest hosted by Lodge 24, Cyclone on Saturday, August 6. The next day, a capacity crowd of more than 700 well-wishers turned out at the Mayborn Convention Center in Temple for the Youth Achievement Day contests. "The active participation and support of our young people, parents, members and SPJST officials was very gratifying," says SPJST Stare Youth Leader Joni T,_ange. Resu _s :otos of all contests appear on pages - 10 of this week's
Proudly representing Lodge 29, Taylor a1 Lodge 13, Dime Box and reigning over the 1994 1995 SPJST Royalty Court are King Jason Cervenka and Queen Delia Wiederhold. As king and queen, they will represent the SPJST for the next twelve months -t various special events throug!--out the state :-‘t Texas.
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Vestnik. The crowning moment of Saturday's activities included the coronation of the 1994-1995 SPJST Royalty Court. Jason Cervenka, 17, of Lodge 29, Taylor and Delia Wiederhold, 14, of Lodge 13, Dime Box were crowned kind and queen. Jason, who attends Taylor High School, is the son of Bennie and Jody Cervenka. Delia, who attends Dime Box High School, is the daughter of Doyle and Danita Wiederhold. The 1994 - 1995 State Duke is Chad
Cervenka of Lodge 29, Taylor and the brother of the king and the State Duchess is Lindsey Wiederhold of Lodge 13, sister of the queen. The king and queen are selected on the basis of a three-minute speech during which they are scored on the speech content, their delivery and overall poise. All of the individuals who make up the 19941995 SPJST Royalty Court are winners in
1994 Merit Point Scholarshi
El Campo junior receives nerit point schoiarship Sharon Borak, 16, a member of the Lodge 40, El Campo - Hillje Youth Club and a junior at El Campo High School is the recipient of the 1994 SPJST State Merit Point Scholarship. She is the daughter of Jimmy and Charlene Borak of El Campo, Texas. The $1000 scholarship was awarded during Youth Achievement Day activities on Sunday, August 7 at the Mayborn Convention Center in Temple. Teens from each district with the most youth rnert points over the last three years were eligible to compete for the scholarship. As part of the competition, each teen submitted a 1,000-word essay. The winner was selected by a panel of judges using the following criteria: Neatness: 15 percent; Content: 50 percent; and Mechanics (grammar, spelling, sentence structure): 35 percent. Sharon's winning essay follows:
BUILDING BRIDGES FOR A BETTER TOMORROW THROUGH THE SPJST I remember walking across a long bridge and thinking how much it was like the SPJST. The SPJST is like this bridge because of the support and the choices it offers. Each nail, beam,and board shows the fraternalism it gives one another. How did building this bridge compare with the SPJST offering a better tomorrow? In 1897, a group of our Czech ancestors met to form a fraternal group to assist families when a loved one died. These men knew they needed a strong foundation for their organization so they built it the way one would build a strong bridge. They started with a strong foundation. There were three support beams in the bridge I was walking on and I realized the
their own right, having been selected to represent their respective districts as kings and queens. The following are excerpts from the winning royalty contest speeches delivered by Jason Cervenka and Delia Wiederhold:
When young people are thought of today, the juveniles in gangs get the most publicity. Joining a club instead of-42
gang can put a person o the right path to be the best they can be. My parents helped me out nine years ago by enrolling me in the SPJST youth club. The youth club has been a very positive influence in my life. The leaders have always supported the members and have made each and every individual feel like an important part of the organization. Serving as an officer, being on committees, and taking part in camp as a Leader-in-Training all helped bring out the best in me . . . —Jason Cervenka At the age of ten, I had an accident practicing on my horse. After surgery and weeks in a body cast, I was not . ' to participate in sports and PE. and ::ot allowed to ride my horse. After a year I was finally released, but this time, I had some things to overcome. First, I had to learn to ride again. I had to learn to be aggressive but mainly, I had to learnhowtvcmyfear.Iwnt into riding with a different frame of mind. I was a long way from placing first, but my Dad would tell me, "Do your best it doesn'tmarifyuwlose.Jtd your best." I learned to be my best competition and to set my own goals. I learned to do my best for myself . . . —Delia Wiederhold SPJST-
SPJST has three important ways to sup- opportunity to plan for the future. Members are able to live and work in port its members. Life insurance was the first support a more relaxed atmosphere because the beam placed by the founders. It enables fraternal attitude of the SPJST encourfamilies to be free from financial stress ages borrowers to be productive. The member is able to when a loved one devote more time dies. If the to work because deceased is a parhe is not worrying ent with young about repayment. children, the life The final supinsurance payment will help port beam is annuities. An with immediate annuity will help needs and may provide funds for you as you become older. the future. It may The SPJST will also allow the surviving parent to help set up an annuity system so spend this mourning period with you are able to retire in comfort the children and when you reach not have to worry that stage of your about money. Our second life. The builders support beam was Sharon Borak receives congratulations added to the and Merit Award plaque from Supreme continued to add SPJST bridge Lodge President Howard Leshikar. support to our bridge by adding when the organization started offering mortgages to its crossbeams. These crossbeams are a difmembers. When we qualify for a mort- ferent kind of support. This support is gage, we are offered a stable place to live from us—the members of the SPJST who or work. This stability allows us the (Continued on page 11)