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Official Publication of the SPJST, originally chartered as the Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas, in 1897
BROTHERHOOD
HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE VOLUME 92 NUMBER 36
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SPJST Home Office, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 ISSN-07458800
September 22, 2004
SPJST Assisted Living Facility: Realization of a "Dream Come True" S.P.J.S.T. Rest Home Directors realized a dream come true last December with the dedication of the new S.P.J.S.T. Assisted Living Center in Taylor. The facility—the only one of its kind in Taylor— consists of 24 single- and double-occupancy rooms. In June, delegates to the 29th SPJST Convention voted to give the S.P.J.S.T. Rest Homes $42,000 to purchase a new 14-passenger van to service the needs of its rest home and assisted living residents. I had the chance to visit the facility recently to present the check and received the grand tour from S.P.J.S.T. Rest Home Administrator Woody Richards. S.P.J.S.T. Rest Home President Dan Balusek was also
in attendance. Brother Richards, who has been with the rest home since 1990, takes pride in the new facility. "It's a beautiful place with a country home feel," says Brother Richards. "Residents feel comfortable and secure knowing that professional staff are always nearby." As of this writing, there were only five vacancies remaining to be filled. "I would encourage everyone who is interested to come down to Taylor and tour the assisted living facility," says Brother Balusek. "The assisted living facility is a dream come true. It was a blessing that we were able to (Contiti:i
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The Heart of Giving Representatives of the Holland Volunteer Ambulance Service accept a $2,200 donation from Lodge 177, Academy. Pictured above, from left, are Jim Crum, Frank Pajestka, Jr., Jennifer Douglas, Kim Cox, Lodge 177 Chairman of the Board Bill Hutka, Holland Fire Chief Coleman Benner, Sterling Chaffer, Kevin Schiller, and Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride, who spoke about the importance of community outreach . prior to the check presentation. The check was presented prior to bingo at Lodge 177, Academy.
National Fraternal Congress meets this week in St. Louis
S.P.J.S.T. Rest Home President Dan Balusek, right, accepts $42,000 check from Supreme Lodge President Brian Vanicek, center, accompanied by S.P.J.S.T. Rest Home Administrator Woody Richards. In June, delegates to the 29th SPJST Convention voted to donate the funds to the S.P.J.S.T. Rest Homes to purchase a new 14-passenger van to service the needs of its rest home and assisted living residents.
WesVest Express The SPJST Float received the First Place Non-Commercial award in the 2004 Westfest Parade, held on September 4. Pictured here, prior to the parade, are Lodge 66, Waco members who rode the float through the parade.
"Our Gateway to the Future: Continuity, Change and Character." That's the theme of the 2004 National Fraternal Congress of America's Annual Meeting to be held in September 23-26 at the Hyatt Regency in St. Louis, Missouri. This 118th NFCA annual meeting will focus on a range of topics of interests to fraternal leaders, including: • Are your new blocks of business profitable? • Revitalizing your society . . . Redefining and refocusing on a new level of success • Failing to match assets and liabilities: Is this your society? • Interactive Technology Panel • Charitable Giving • Best Practices in Corporate Governance • Fraternal Mission— Volunteers and Current Trends • The Current Economy: How we got here and where we are going • Solvency—Are we at risk? • Governmental, Regulatory and • Legal Affairs Update • The Profile of a 21st Century Volunteer The meeting "provides fraternalists from across the country with the opportunity to gather and confirm our
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118th NFCA Annual Meeting - Sept 23-26, 2004
CONTINUITY CHANGE CHARACTER
common vision, values and purpose, while recognizing that our industry is in the throes of change," says NFCA Chair of the Board Frederick A. Ohlde. The NFCA is the Association of America's Fraternal Benefit Societies. It has united its 76 member-societies and their 10 million members since 1886. The association represents more than 10 million people in 42,000 local chapters, making it one of the continent's largest member networks. Combined, the NFCA's members maintain more than $297.5 billion of life insurance in force and, in 2002 alone, contributed more than $300 million to charitable and fraternal programs. SPJST officials attending the meeting include SPJST Supreme Lodge President Brian Vanicek, Vice President Gene McBride, SecretaryTreasurer Lanita Anglin, District One Director Donnie Victorick, District Five Director Larry Pflughaupt, and District Six Director Mike Ahlstrom. —SPJST-