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Joining Hands To Touch Lives . . . . . . Fraternalism for the Family and Our Nation
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VESTNIK SPJST Herald Official Publication of the SPJST, originally chartered as the Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas, in 1897
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Insuring Cl Enriching Lives BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SPJST Home Office, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503
VOLUME 91 NUMBER 42
ISSN-07458800
October 29, 2003
SPJST personnel elected o fill NFCA, TFC posts
SPJST Charters Lodge 229, Abilene WELCOME ABOARD! On September 6, SPJST officials met with charter members of Lodge 229, Abilene to conduct formal chartering ceremonies at Clyde's Place inside the Whitten Inn. Pictured, from left, front, are Lodge 229 President Janice Stevens, Vice President Susie Hudson and Youth Club member Jason Neeley. BACK: Supreme Lodge President Howard Leshikar, District Four State Field Representative Billy Rollwitz, State Youth Director Melanie Zavodny, District Four Director and Supreme Lodge Vice Chairman Stanley Broz, Secretary-Treasurer Betty Helvey, Sales Representative Sherry Moore, Youth Leader Leta Neeley, District Seven Director and Supreme Lodge Chairman Bob Bayer, State Fraternal Activities Coordinator Gladys Yates and Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride. See related photos on page eight.
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OUTREACH 2003 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
When Every Second Counts In conjunction with Czech Heritage Month and Make a Difference Day, three SPJST lodges — Lodge 6, Cottonwood, Lodge 35, Elk and Lodge 66, Waco — pooled their resources to purchase and donate an automated external defibrillator (AED) to the McLennan County Courthouse. The AED is a medical device that can help to increase the survival chances of persons who experience a life-threatening cardiac event. Joining in the presentation, from left, are: Lodge 35, Elk President Randy Pavelka, Lodge 6, Cottonwood Second Vice President Milton Peterson, Lodge 6, Cottonwood Past President Al Soukup, McLennan County Sheriff Larry Lynch, who accepted the AED on behalf of the county, District Three Director Johnnie Krizan, Lodge 66, Waco President George Pauling and SPJST State Fraternal Activities Coordinator Gladys Yates. See related story on page two.
Delegates to the 117th National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) elected Supreme Lodge President Howard Leshikar to its Board of Directors at the NFCA's recent annual meeting in Washington, DC. The NFCA is the national trade association for the fraternal benefit system, providing an opportunity for each of its 78 member societies and 36 state fraternal congresses to work together to meet the chal- Howard Leshikar lenges of a changing world. Under the leadership of the President and Chief Executive Officer and the board of directors, NFCA staff provides daily support to its members, oversees the development of various initiatives and programs to benefit the system and maintains close contact with the regulators and legislators whose actions affect all fraternal benefit societies. Brother Leshikar is in his fifth four-year term as SPJST President, a position which he has held since 1984. He is a member of Lodge 48, Beyersville. In a related NFCA action, Vestnik Editor and Director of Communication Brian Vanicek was elected to serve as a member of the NFCA's State Fraternal Congress Section. The State Fraternal Congress Section works to advance effective working relationships between fraternal organizations and their state legislatures. Brother Vanicek is in his third four-year term as SPJST Editor, a position he has held since 1992. He is a member of Lodge 24, Brian Vanicek Cyclone.
societies in Texas in their common interests and to cooperate with the NFCA in its purpose and program. As Third Vice President, Sister Anglin will be chairing the auditing committee. She is in her second term as Supreme Lodge Secretary, a position she has held since April 1996. 231.4 She is a member of Lodge 47, Lanita Anglin Seaton. In related TFC action, Assistant to the Vice President Kathy Fritz was reelected TFC Secretary-Treasurer. As Secretary-Treasurer, Sister Fritz will be a member of the Executive Committee, conduct correspondence pertaining to the business of the TFC, have charge of all funds of the organization and maintain the organization's financial records. Sister Fritz has been employed by the SPJST Home Office since 1979. She is a member of Lodge 177, Kathy Fritz Academy. State Training Director Jim Wiest was also named to serve as a director of the TFC's Fraternal Insurance Counselor (FIC) Section. The FIC Section actively participates in the presentation of the FIC Section during the Congress session. Brother Wiest has been employed by the SPJST Home Office since 1993. He is a member of Lodge 221, Jim Wiest Harker Heights. —SPJST-
Texas Fraternal Congress Delegates to the Texas Fraternal Congress reelected Supreme Lodge Secretary-Treasurer Lanita Anglin to serve as Third Vice President at its annual conference held last week in Clear Lake City, Texas. The Texas Fraternal Congress works to coordinate the efforts of fraternal benefit
Observe Czech Heritage Month in Texas in October!