Wednesday, May 16, 2012
VӖSTNÍK
9
Scholarships
Continued from Page 1.
Around the Districts
Remember the Ice
From the Desk of Delisle Doherty Districts One and Five State Field Representative In a convenience store on Northern weeks,” he said. “Sales are great.” I Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, the man- smiled and explained what I had done. ager had placed a couple of signs “If I say to you,” I began, “‘Don’t above his cash think of the color blue,’ what color do registers. Rick’s you immediately think of?” “Why, intention was to blue, of course,” he replied. “Of encourage his pacourse,” I grinned. “Now, if I say trons to buy more ‘Don’t forget the ice,’ what will you ice during the hot forget?” “Hmm . . . the ice!” “Right.” desert summer. I With a simple shift in word choice, lived across the Rick noticed a considerable increase street from this in his ice sales. store and came to Delisle Doherty I love this story. It reminds me just know him fairly how powerful a shift in speech can be. well. One day when I stepped up to the It may be trendy to say “Don’t forget counter to make a purchase, I glanced again at the two signs above his cash this” or “don’t miss out on that” in registers that read “Don’t forget the your life. The challenge with (k)nots ice,” and decided to ask him how his is that their purpose is to invert a sentence and make it mean its opposite. ice sales were going. You may think this was a strange Pay attention to your message and use question, but I have always been in- words that make your statement clean trigued by the juxtaposition of words. and clear; twisting it into (k)nots I am also intrigued by the outcomes of serves no purpose.. The main culprits behavior and how the two are inter- are: not, don’t, can’t, won’t, wouldn’t, twined. Rick replied that ice sales couldn’t, shouldn’t. Eliminate the nots were slow; he was unable to move his and you will find your life becoming inventory with any speed or consis- more positive and less stressful tency, and most of it just sat there. We I believe that word choice is the bewere in Phoenix, in the desert, in the ginning of everything. It is the key that middle of summer where it was 110 unlocks what we are thinking, and the degrees in the shade on a cool day. key that unlocks what we want to say. “Can I make a suggestion?” I asked. When you choose selectively, you “Do you have a couple of pieces of place yourself in the process of exampaper and a Magic Marker I could use?” He gave me the items, and I ining what you really believe, how quickly made two new signs for him you really feel, what you really mean, to place above his cash registers in- what you really want, and how best to stead. The new signs read: “Remem- make your thoughts and desires unber the Ice!” I left with a knowing derstood. Remember to have your life insursmile and purposely stayed away for ance reviewed. Fifty-four perfect of about three weeks. When I did go back to the store, I all households are underinsured. Are spoke with Rick about his recent ice you underinsured? Call your agent or sales. He was having difficulty keep- state field representative today, and let ing up with demand. “I have had to us insure you properly. triple my order in the last three —SPJST—
Excerpt from author Bob Nicoll’s “Remember the Ice”
awarded this spring, seven are endowed scholarships. Endowed scholarship winners for 2012 are: Katelyn Heisch of Lodge 29, Taylor, who is receiving the Denisse Wuensche Scholarship; Rachel Hattemer of Lodge 24, Cyclone, who is receiving the Gladys Yates Scholarship; Caleb Peters of Lodge 179, Warrenton, who is receiving the Ernest Wentrcek Scholarship; Grace Dusek of Lodge 17, New Tabor, who is receiving the Ben and Martha Trcalek Scholarship; Grant Dusek of Lodge 17, New Tabor, who is receiving the Otto Hanus Scholarship; Thomas Weeks of Lodge 183, Arlington, who is also receiving the Otto Hanus Scholarship; and Sarah Supak of Lodge 30, Taiton, who is receiving the SPJST District Six Scholarship. The Myles Marek Scholarship will be presented again in 2013.
Something New In 2012, SPJST presented its first Sponsorship Scholarship with the awarding of the Slovacek Sausage Scholarship to Caitlin Orsak of Lodge 4, Hallettsville. The award was made possible by the generosity of Tim Rabroker and Slovacek Sausage. “This is SPJST’s first sponsorship scholarship,” says President Vanicek. “This process started with an email I received earlier in the year from Marie Schoeneman who works as office assistant for Slovacek Sausage. In her letter, she conveyed Tim’s desire to fund a scholarship through SPJST. We set up a visit and two weeks later we had funding available to award another scholarship in 2012. “This was exciting because all of a sudden I recognized this represented a whole new funding opportunity for the SPJST Scholarship Program.” Sponsorship scholarships differ from SPJST endowed scholarships in that donors may offer scholarships in the name of a business or as a tribute to a family or friend on a one time basis for $1,000.
About Slovacek Sausage Pretty much everybody around Snook knew “Uncle” John Slovacek. He was a friendly guy who just happened to make the best sausage anyone had ever tasted. Finally, in 1957, Uncle John did what all his friends had been urging him to do. He dropped his amateur status and turned professional sausage maker. Slovacek Sausage began operations in 1957 in downtown Snook, just behind the Slovacek Brothers grocery store. Approximately five years later,, John built a building at the current location on Highway 60. In 1985, he sold the company to his nephew, Robert Collins, who served as the owner for the next 10 years. On February 6, 1995, Timothy Rabroker and his young brother Patrick Rabroker both from Westphalia purchased the company. Tim became the sole owner in 1999. Many changes have occurred over the past 17 years. Production has increased from approximately 600,000 pounds per year in 1994 to just over 4,100,000 pounds in 2011. Distribution has expanded to 12 states as well as Aruba. The operation now employs more than 60 employees. During its years of operation, Slovacek’s has had two employees whose tenure has spanned over 25 years, MaryAnn Vajdak and Frank Hernandez. Tim Rabroker, with the help of his nephew Ray Rabroker as Production Manager and Laura Doskocil as Controller, plans to increase production in future years and has indicated plans for a second retail outlet to open in late 2012 in West, Texas. Slovacek Sausage has grown greatly in its community involvement through the years as well. Slovaceks contributes to events related to Snook ISD as well as many non-profit organizations throughout Burleson and Brazos counties. In addition, Slovacek Sausage is the official sausage of Texas A&M Athletics and also has an endowment with TAMU CARPOOL that it funds annually. In 2011, the firstever Hog Splash was held in August at the Snook Mud Pits at Slovacek Sausage. This will be an annual event hosted by Slovacek’s to benefit Hospice Brazos Valley. —SPJST—