Volume 95 Number 31
ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T Benevolence
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H E R A L D
Humanity
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Brotherhood
August 1, 2007
ISSN —07458800
SPJST Celebrates 110 Years of Service SPJST will celebrate its 110th anniversary this fall with seven Fall Fun Days throughout the state. A kickoff event, marking the anniversary, will take place in conjunction with SPJST State Youth Achievement Day, Saturday, August 4 at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center. “This is an opportunity for us to pause, reflect and celebrate our connection with the past and each other,” says Lodge SPJST Supreme President Brian Vanicek. Founded by the Texas pioneers of Czech descent in La Grange, Texas, in 1897, the SPJST is a fraternal benefit society providing life insurance and fraternal services through 120 lodges throughout the state. “Our founders demonstrated a profound faith in the idea of fraternalism,” says
President Vanicek. “Today, SPJST members are living their vision: doing good for each other and for the communities that their lodges seek to serve.” Fraternal activities are an important part of the S P J S T l o d g e building process. While the charitable impact that the SPJST delivers is important, the way that it is delivered is just as important. On the state level, the Society leverages its tax-exempt resources in the form of refunds and incentives, help-
ing our lodges to produce a positive impact on their local communities. “There’s something else that our lodges do to impact their communities
which is harder to quantify — through their many and varied community service and fraternal outreach programs, our SPJST lodges and youth clubs develop community leaders,” says President “It’s Vanicek. inevitable. Anytime you have a limited amount of resources and time to achieve a fraternal objective, one of two things is going to You’re happen. going to succeed or you won’t. In either case, it’s a learning experience and you grow from it”. The SPJST is serious about providing its members and prospective members with quality life insurance. “It’s our goal to provide members
with the best life insurance products available on the market,” Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride says. “We believe in our members, and we appreciate their trust and confidence in SPJST for 110 years.” SPJST is having a good year in life insurance sales in 2007. “We are on the verge of being a billion dollar life insurance company,” Vice President McBride states. “Our members and agents are working hard to get the good word of SPJST out across the state.” Sales agents are continuously trained to offer quality service and excellent products to members and prospective members. “This combined
Continued on Page 3.
~ Inside ~ Lodge 133 recognizes members Page 7
SPJST
Lodge 25 member celebrates 100th birthday Page 10 Scenes from District Two YAD
2007 State YAD
District Two Royalty
The District Two Royalty Court are Duchess Bayleigh Washam and Queen Mary Tischler, both of Lodge 20 Granger, King Cyril Pajestka of Lodge 80, Holland, and Duke Kyle Hoelscher of Lodge 47, Seaton. They were crowned July 22 at the District Two Youth Achievement Day at Lodge 18, Elgin.
District Four Queen
The District Four Queen is Kenzie Angeley of Lodge 215, South Plains. She was crowned at District Four Youth Achievement Day held July 22 at Ben E. Keith Beers in Abilene.
Saturday August 4 Killeen, Texas Schedule appears on page 15.
Page 11 Lodge 215 youth club visits park Page 19
Family Fun Dates ...............3 Interest Rates .....................3 Getaway Info.......................3 Lodge Section....................4 Reunions ...........................9 In Memoriam .....................9 Royalty Candidates .........12 Youth .................................14 State YAD Schedule.........15 Czech Culture...................20 Activities Calendar...........22