Volume 96 Number 2
ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T Benevolence
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H E R A L D
Humanity
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Brotherhood
January 9, 2008
ISSN —07458800
SPJST Agents Write 5,600-Plus Applications in 2007; New Year Begins Celebrating Proud Past, Present, and Future
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nce again, for the seventh consecutive year, history was made in 2007 in SPJST. Sales agents wrote more than 5,600 applications for the first time in SPJST’s 110 years of existence. “Absolutely incredible!” Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride says. “Our sales force is always willing to go above and beyond to continue to achieve new heights.” The 2007 applications written goal was 2,777. “We gave the sales agents a goal, and they doubled it—and then some,” Vice President McBride says. “Now that’s dedication and commitment to SPJST.” The year 2007 was another outstanding one for the SPJST history books. Reports indicate that more than $285 million in insurance was written. “That’s amazing,” says Vice President McBride. “Whenever I think about how far SPJST has come in the past several years, I get a huge feeling of pride.” SPJST’s sales have gone over the 3,000 mark for the past five consecutive years. “When a sales team exceeds its goal by almost 3,000 applications — that’s remarkable,” Vice President McBride points out. “Thank you - thank you - thank you to all agents who made this big success happen,” he says. “Every agent is important to us— whether he or she writes one application or 200 applications. “I also want to thank our
Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride, left, and Supreme Lodge President Brian Vanicek join Orel in kicking off Celebrate ’08—the 2008 SPJST Membership Program. The 2008 goal for applications written is 3,000.
lodges and youth clubs, Home Office personnel, and the Supreme Lodge,” Vice President McBride adds. “Of course, we owe all of the program’s success to our members who constantly support SPJST and our membership programs.” Like a well-oiled machine, all departments of SPJST must work together to ensure success. And, success happened throughout the Society in 2007. In promoting the positive aspects of membership in the SPJST, our members rose to the challenge. As a result, many of our fraternalists as well as fraternal outreach projects received recognition from the National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA). That culminated in September with SPJST
Fraternalist of the Year Bob Hagen of Lodge 246, Morgan’s Point being named NFCA Fraternalist of the Year. The SPJST also received the Platinum Award for its systemwide participation in Join Hands Day in 2007. A total of 40 lodges participated in the 2007 Join Hands Day initiative. That’s up significantly from the 28 lodges that participated in 2006 and only a handful three years ago. “SPJST members worked hard to make a positive difference in the lives of their members and their local communities last year,” Supreme Lodge President Brian Vanicek says. “Pick up any issue of the Vestnik from 2007 and you’ll see men, women, boys and girls making good things happen” That includes participating in numerous local and regional festivals and parades, promoting a greater awareness and appreciation of Czech heritage and culture. “Thanks to all of our adult and youth leaders who worked to make these events possible,” President Vanicek adds. The crowning moment of this year’s youth program was State Youth Achievement Day on August 4 at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center. On a related note, a total of 64 $1,000 scholarships were presented in 2007 to SPJST youth members. “In many regards, 2007 was a year of ‘firsts’ for the SPJST,” President Vanicek points out. In May, SPJST organizers helped coordinate and host Texas’ first Legislative Awareness Week at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. In August, SPJST families from around the state participated in the first SPJST Getaway Weekend in Corpus Christi, and in November, the city of Temple, in partnership with SPJST, hosted the city’s first Czech Feszt celebration. “We will build on those successes in 2008,” President Vanicek says. (Continued on page 4.)