4111111P'‘,-.11-14:111/11111111111i MONO 41L-4111/"." -
Changing to to meet the needs offraternalists.
moor-
us
11111111111010"■‘
MEI
../IMM:""C I ININNEfts a ....
•
.4111111111■
Joining Hands To Touch Lives .. . ... Fraternalism for the Family and Our Nation
nsuring
Official Publication of the SPJST, originally chartered as the Slovanksa Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas, in 1897
BROTHERHOL )
iJMANITY
BENEVOLENCE VOLUME 89 NUMBER 26
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579. to: SPJST Home Office, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 ISSN-07458800
SPJST celebrates 104th anniversary Texans have long been familiar with the initials SPJST. It's a package deal built upon th idea of addressing human needs -financial, social and cultural. The ability to meet those needs and uphold strong human values is the mortar that holds the society together. It's a formula that works. This month the Society marks the completion of 104 years of fraternal service to its members and the communities that it seeks to serve. From "Day One," the sale and purchase of life insurance has been a cornerstone of membership in the SPJST. As such, the Society offers a wide range of insurance programs, annuity plans and mortgage options designed to meet the varying needs of its members. The fraternal component of the SPJST further enhances membership by emphasizing the social and civic responsibilities that members share with each other and the communities in which they live. There are few limiting factors placed on SPJST lodges and how they choose to meet their fraternal obligations. Really, what it comes down to is initiative and imagination. The guidelines which describe how the business of the SPJST is to be con-
ducted is found in the SPJST Bylaws. The services that members expect to receive from their Society are also set out in general terms in the bylaws. And, thanks to the democratic process, SPJST members have regular lodge meetings and conventions every four years to address the big issues. Reform and innovation are healthy processes and they are what keep the SPJST growing Supreme Lodge Charts Course While members own and control the SPJST, responsibility for managing the Society is delegated to a body of twelve individuals, democratically elected every four years at the convention. This group is collectively referred to as the SPJST Supreme Lodge. The Supreme Lodge consists of five officers who are elected statewide: President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Financial Secretary and Legal Advisor and seven district directors. SPJST members elect directors on the basis of geographic regions called districts. Selecting directors by district helps to ensure that regional interests are represented in meetings of the Supreme Lodge. (Continued on page 10.)
Enriching Lives
Fish fry to benefit Houston flood victims Dear SPJST Lodges and Members: A true act of fraternalism begins in the heart and community to help those in need. For this reason, we lend our support to the Houston flood victims. To assist our neighbors in need, SPJST is sponsoring a Fish Fry on Tuesday, July t 10, starting at 11 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, located at 2218 West Avenue D in Temple. All of the proceeds will go to the Houston flood victims. We will be serving southern fried catfish filets, beans, coleslaw, bread and a dessert for $5 per plate. Our goal is 1,500 plates. (Continued on page 4.)
July 4, 2001
High ideals, innovation fuel SPJST's growth In telling the history of the SPJST — even a brief summary such as this — one must contend with the question of just where to start! A logical place to begin, perhaps, would be with the immigration of Czechs to the United States. Between 1834 and 1900, approximately 200,000 people of Czech descent immigrated from their native lands to America. Many of them ended . up in Texas. They brought with them the spirit of liberty and took great pride in this country which gave them the privilege to determine their own destiny and to bind together to achieve even greater things. Strength in Numbers In the 1880s, Czech pioneers in Texas elected to join other people of Czech descent in a fraternal benefit union called the CSPS, later known as the Czechoslovak Society of America (and now CSA Fraternal Life.). At the time, the CSPS, which was founded in 1854, was the largest organization of the Czech immigration community is the United States. The first Texas CSPS lodge was organized April 13, 1894. The idea caught on. By 1897, there were 27 CSPS lodges in Texas. In spite of this rapid growth, considerable discontent was expressed by members from Texas and the Midwest that the organization's insurance premium guidelines were overwhelmingly skewed in favor of eastern industrial workers. Texans leading the efforts to reform pricing concerns were I.J. Gallia and J. R. Kubena. The leader of the reformists in the Midwest was Jan Rosicky of Omaha, Nebraska. (Continued on page 3.)
July 4, 2001 Supreme Lodge Charts Course for SPJST Responsibility for managing the SPJST is delegated to a body of twelve individuals, democratically elected every four years at the convention. This group is collectively referred to as the Supreme Lodge. Supreme Lodge members pictured above are, from left, front: Financial Secretary Jerry Mikulas, Vice President Gene McBride, President Howard Leshikar, Secretary-Treasurer Lanita Anglin and Legal Advisor Sidney Kacir. BACK: District One Director Donnie Victorick, District Two Director Frank Klinkovsky, District Three Director Johnnie Krizan, District Four Director and Supreme Lodge Vice Chairman Stanley Broz, District Five Director Larry Pflughaupt, District Six Director Mike Ahlstrom and District Seven Director and Supreme Lodge Chairman Bob Bayer.
Celebrating 225 Years of Freedom 225 and Democracy!