Volume 94 Number 15
ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T Benevolence
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H E R A L D
Humanity
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Brotherhood
April 12, 2006
ISSN —07458800
Vice President applauds SPJST, members’ success in 2005 This
year’s SPJST Awards Banquet in Killeen was great! We had a good attendance and a lot of happy members. Now, I want to take a moment to reflect on all of the exciting and successful events that happened for the SPJST in 2005. Looking back on 2005, I am very proud to be a part of such a magnificent group of dedicated sales agents. Our team of sales agents knew for 2005 that we had a challenge of 2,500 applications. They met that challenge - and even exceeded it - with a total of 3,577 applications written. Wow! This happened because our entire Society came together again as a team to accomplish this important goal. Of course, this success does not just happen. It’s a direct result of the combined efforts of members, lodge
offices, sales agents, district youth counselors, youth leaders, youth members, Home Office Staff, State Field Representatives, our Editor and Director of Communication, and Supreme Lodge Officers and Directors. Thanks to each member across the state who helped SPJST achieve the Challenge 2005 goal. Special thanks to our Home Office Staff. In 2005, the staff was once again asked to assist with the recruiting program. Their assistance helped SPJST in a big way to procure sales leads for our sales agents. The Youth Department did an outstanding job. DYCs, youth leaders, and youth clubs worked together with sales agents and recruited more than 600 youth between the ages of 0 and 17 years of age. Many of these youth joined youth clubs around the state.
The results of all individuals were highly noticeable at the SPJST Awards Banquet as we saw the smiles on the faces of our lodge officers, sales agents, and youth when they accepted awards. This was a proud moment for them and for SPJST to have these wonderful people on our team. Great job! And now, we are at the end of the first quarter of 2006, and Action ’06 is in full swing. We have just logged in 1,059 applications for January, February, and March. Amazing! All of our numbers are up for 2006 in (See Success on page 3.)
~ Inside ~ SPJST LAM renovation begins Page 8 Visitors from CR at Lodge 32 Page 11 Lodge 49 Activities Pages 12-13
Lodge 258 sponsors food booth Page 15
Nine Thumbs Up!
Pictured celebrating SPJST’s success in 2005 are, from left, SFR Bill Orsak (District One), SFR Zachary Kramer (District Two), SFR Philip McBee (District Three), Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride, SFR Charles Lindley (District Four), SFR Eddie Jelinek (District Five), SFR Karen Kaspar (District Six), and SFR Hector Garcia (District Seven).
Interest Rates .....................2 Family Fun Dates ...............3 Sales CE Class Photos......5 Lodge Letters .....................7 Reunions ..........................14 In Memoriam.....................15 Youth .................................17 T-Shirt Order Form...........19 Czech Culture...................20 Activities Calendar...........22
Hop on over to the SPJST Easter Eggstravaganza this Saturday, April 15 at Lions Park in Temple at 10 a.m. Big Easter egg hunt, face painting, balloon t wisting, refreshments, prizes, lots of fun!
Veselé Velikonoce! Submitted by Sandi Wicker SPJST LAM Administrator
The SPJST Museum in Temple, Texas, has among its many treasures several handpainted or decorated eggs (kraslice) from the Czech Republic. They are perhaps the most recognizable symbols of the Czech Easter celebrations, and they symbolize the spring and beginning of new life. Traditionally, Easter eggs are decorated by girls to be given to boys on Easter Monday. There are many techniques to decorate Easter eggs, and they usually require a certain level of skill. Different materials can be used, such as bee’s wax, straw (hay), watercolors, onion peels, and picture stickers. There are no limitations in creating pretty, colorful eggs. A nationwide Easter egg contest is held in Prague and other Czech cities around Easter time. Red and other
bright colors symbolize health, joy, happiness and new life that comes with the spring. The beauty of these eggs reminds us of the many traditions surrounding Easter in the Czech Republic. In the years before 1989, when Czechoslovakia became a free country again, the meaning of E a s t e r (Velikonoce from Veliké noci or Great Nights) was limited to the welcoming of spring. The religious connotations of Easter were suppressed under the communist regime. Nowadays, people are again aware of the religious origin of Easter, but Easter has not become a serious religious holiday. Easter in the Czech Republic is a fun time. Many traditions are still observed and practiced, espe(See Czech Easter page 3.)