Vestnik 2012 12 26

VĚSTNÍK

S P J S T

Benevolence

H E R A L D

★ Humanity

★ Brotherhood

Volume 100 Number 51 ISSN —07458800

Special Commemorative Věstník!

Recognizing 100 Years of SPJST’s Weekly Newspaper

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ˇ ´ VESTNIK

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Editor’s Note

SPJST HERALD

SPJST HOME OFFICE PO Box 100 • Temple, Texas 76503 (800) 727-7578 • (254) 773-1575 Fax: (254) 774-7447 www.spjst.org

VESTNIK EDITOR/ DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION MELANIE ZAVODNY, FIC Office: (254) 773-1575 • Mobile: (254) 534-0807 VESTNIK Fax: (254) 773-8087

email: m e l a n i e z @ v v m . c o m

SUPREME LODGE PRESIDENT BRIAN VANICEK, FIC Office: (254) 773-1575 Mobile: (254) 534-2902 • Home: (254) 985-0007 email: vanicek@spjst.com

VICE PRESIDENT GENE McBRIDE, FICF, CFFM Office: (254) 773-1575 Mobile: (254) 534-1450 • Home: (254) 534-1930 email: genemc@spjst.com SECRETARY-TREASURER LEONARD D. MIKESKA, FIC Office: (254) 773-1575 Mobile: (254) 721-4739 • Home: (254) 778-3720 email: leonardm@spjst.com

DISTRICT ONE DIRECTOR/CHAIRMAN DONNIE VICTORICK, FIC, CFFM P.O. Box 85, Snook, Texas 77878-0085 Home: (979) 272-3265 • Mobile: (979) 224-3125 email: dv.aggie@verizon.net DISTRICT TWO DIRECTOR JESSE POSPISIL 4710 FM 1331, Taylor, Texas 76574-2164 Home: (512) 365-1110 • Mobile: (512) 826-7371 email: jlpospisil@yahoo.com

DISTRICT THREE DIRECTOR JOHNNIE R. KRIZAN 11500 Heritage Pkway, West, Texas 76691-2017 Home: (254) 826-5882

DISTRICT FOUR DIRECTOR BILLY ROLLWITZ, FIC, CFFM P.O. Box 195, Rowena, Texas 76875-0195 Home: (325) 442-3141 • Mobile: (325) 277-5362 Office: (325) 442-3038 • email: brollwitz@verizon.net DISTRICT FIVE DIRECTOR LARRY W. PFLUGHAUPT, FIC 1243 Clovis Rd, Houston, Texas 77008-6232 Home: (713) 864-2163 • email: lpflugh@aol.com DISTRICT SIX DIRECTOR KAREN KASPAR, FIC, CFFM 8550 N. State Highway 71 El Campo, Texas 77437-9819 Home: (979) 543-2532 • Mobile: (979) 332-1616 email: k-kaspar@hotmail.com

DISTRICT SEVEN DIRECTOR BOB J. BAYER, FIC 1100 Hospital Blvd, Floresville, Texas 78114-2912 Home: (830) 393-9073 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/ MARKETING MANAGER Don Strickland Mobile: (254) 239-8206 • Office: (254) 773-1575 Fax: (254) 774-1456 • email: dons@spjst.com FRATERNAL FIELD MANAGERS DISTRICTS ONE/THREE Philip (Phil) McBee, FICF, CFFM Mobile: (254) 239-7580 • Fax: (325) 784-7448 email: philm@spjst.com DISTRICTS TWO/SEVEN Hiram Dixon, FICF, LUTCF, CFFM Mobile: (254) 231-7722 • Fax: (254) 501-4479 email: hadixon2003@yahoo.com DISTRICT FOUR Bobby Davis, FICF, CFFM Mobile: (254) 239-9153 • Fax: (325) 657-2003 email: bobbyd@spjst.com DISTRICTS FIVE/SIX Delisle Doherty Mobile: (254) 239-9616 • Fax: (281) 855-3039 email: delisled@spjst.com

FINANCIAL SECRETARY ROY VAJDAK (254) 773-1575 email: royv@spjst.com

STATE FRATERNAL ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR CHESTER JENKE, SR., FICF Home: (830) 303-4316 Mobile: (210) 413-3053 email: cejenke@gvec.net STATE YOUTH DIRECTOR FRANK HORAK Office: (254) 773-1575 • Mobile: (254) 534-0681 email: frankh@spjst.com

DISTRICT YOUTH COUNSELORS District One - Susan Skrabanek, 2657 FM 166, Caldwell, Texas 77836-4300 • (979) 272-3440 - email: spjst@aol.com District Two - Patsy Koslovsky, 764 S. St. Joseph Road, Burlington, Texas 76519-3108 - (254) 9852396 - email: patsyk2011@yahoo.com District Three - Bessie Petr, 5406 Morningside Ave, Dallas, Texas 75206-5840 • (214) 826-3557 - email: magiclady_46@hotmail.com District Four - Beverly J. Teplicek, 817 FM 381, Rowena, Texas 76875 - (325) 442-4841 - email: bjtep@verizon.net District Five - Barbara Linney-Gonzales - 6043 Pineway Blvd., Houston, Texas 77023-6510 • (713) 649-6138 email: district5dyc@aol.com District Six - Lisa Bubela, 1405 Divide Street, El Campo, Texas 77437 • (979) 543-7120 - email: lbubela@warpspeed1.net District Seven - Wendy Pruski, 3895 CR 430, Pleasanton, Texas 78064 • (210) 535-4916 - email: poohbear78064@hotmail.com BY-LAW COMMITTEE District One - Richard Ford, 2392 CR 424, Dime Box, Texas 77853 - (979) 884-1451 - email: dimebox5@aol.com District Two - Ronnie Rieger, 350 Rieger Road, Coupland, Texas 78615 - (512) 365-2000 - (512) 848-2416/cell - email: RonnieR1056@yahoo.com District Three - Kay Lynn Kovar, 3303 West Lake Bardwell Drive, Ennis, Texas 75119 - (972) 875-6827 District Four - Beverly J. Teplicek, 817 FM 381, Rowena, Texas 76875 - (325) 442-4841 - email: bjtep@verizon.net District Five - Mildred Holeman, 1006 Chantilly Lane, Houston, Texas 77018 - (713) 683-0018 - email: mmholeman@yahoo.com District Six - Joe Siptak, 2312 Norvell, Bay City, Texas 77414 - (979) 244-4415; (979) 479-3430 cell District Seven - Bettie House, 1721 Continental Drive, Pleasanton, Texas 78064 - (830) 281-8246 -email: bvhouse@att.net

FINANCE COMMITTEE District One - Thomas Cannon, P.O. Box 372, Caldwell, Texas 77836 - (979) 567-4264 District Two - Edwin Pechal, 10660 State Highway 53, Temple, Texas 76501 - (254) 985-2282 District Three - Michael Galler, 526 Karen, Waco, Texas 76706 - (254) 662-4934 District Four - Herman D. Weise, 6006 FM Highway 765, San Angelo, Texas 76905 - (325) 651-8550 District Five - Marceil Malak, 7444 Meiners Road, Ledbetter, Texas 78946-5118 - (979) 249-5940 District Six - Glenn Kaminsky, 902 River Oaks Court, East Bernard, Texas 77435 - (979) 335-4461 District Seven - Roy Haag, 1334 Rivercrest Drive, New Braunfels, Texas 78130-3438 - (830) 625-8262

INSURANCE COMMITTEE District One - Susan Skrabanek, 2657 FM 166, Caldwell, Texas 77836 - (979) 272-3440 District Two - Dolores Skrabanek, 13107 State Highway 53, Temple, Texas 76501 - (254) 985-2344 District Three - Daniel Roznovsky, 2513 Custer Court, Irving, Texas 75062 - (972) 252-6763 District Four - Leonard Jansa, 6617 Plainview Drive, San Angelo, Texas 76905 - (325) 234-8117 District Five - Helen Hegwood, 6702 Lindy Ann Lane, Houston, Texas 77008 - (713) 864-0489 District Six - Jerome Hlavaty, P.O. Box 174, Lolita, Texas 77971 - (361) 874-4461 District Seven - Wendy Pruski, 3895 CR 430, Pleasanton, Texas 78064 - (210) 535-4916

PUBLICATION COMMITTEE District One - Floyd Kostelka, 1914 CR 403, Dime Box, Texas 77853 - (979) 540-8531 District Two - Tammy Whatley, 141 Meadow Park Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78626 - (512) 948-5339 District Three - Bessie Petr, 5406 Morningside, Dallas, Texas 75206 - (214) 826-3557 District Four - Sharon Hohmann, 222 Crestwood Drive, San Angelo, Texas 76903 - (325) 651-5884 District Five - Lorenda Baldwin, 219 CR 47, Angleton, Texas 77515 - (979) 922-1279 District Six - Helen Kelner, 911 Avenue K, Rosenberg, Texas 77471 - (281) 342-2624 District Seven - Jarolyn Popp, 447 Shady Hollow, New Braunfels, Texas 78132 - (830) 964-5135 HUMAN RESOURCES DEBBIE KLINKOVSKY (254) 773-1575 • email: debbiek@spjst.com

1912 - 2012

Happy 100th Birthday, Věstník!

t has been 100 years since Frank Fabian edited the very first Věstník on September 1, 1912. The first paragraph of that issue (pictured on page 5) starts out with (translated from Czech): “A word to the brothers and sisters of SPJST. To you, our beloved SPJST membership, I bring you the first issue of the Věstník, a new organ (newspaper) supporting the Slovanské Podporující Jednoty Státu Texas, as approved by the delegates at the Sixth Convention. And with this, I intend to do to the best of my knowledge and power. We were given all the details of this task and intend to follow in the direction like it was intended.”

Today—more than 5,000 Věstníks later, we continue with those same intentions of promoting effective and regular communication among all parts of our fraternal organization.

The Věstník holds the distinction of being the only weekly newspaper among all fraternals currently operating in the United States and Canada.

Each Věstník is special and defines SPJST’s history. In an effort to preserve our proud past and cher-

ished traditions and to provide countless genealogical research opportunities, the Věstník partnered with Texas Czech Genealogical Society in 2011 to scan all past Věstníks. These issues will soon be available in an online searchable archive. This exciting project is outlined on page 32.

This Special Commemorative Věstník is being mailed to all members with current addresses on file.

The Věstník is available at no charge to all SPJST members, upon request.

If you are not on the weekly mailing list and would like to be, see the back page of this special issue.

And, something new . . . if you would like to receive the Věstník each week electronically in your email box, see the back page for more information.

Thank you, SPJST members and Věstník readers, for your support and commitment each week. You make this possible, and we appreciate you.

Best wishes to the Věstník on this grand 100th year and to SPJST on its 115th year. Let’s strive for another 100 years.

• • • SPJST • • •

Věstník History...............................4 Věstník Timeline...........................11 Věstník Archiving the Past for the Future...........................32 SPJST Celebrates 115 Years of Fraternalism ........................36 SPJST’s Preamble, Purpose, and Idea....................................37 Affordable Insurance Options......38 Youth Program Aims High...........39 SPJST Personnel..........................40 Honorary Officers and Directors ...........................42

Conventions .................................42 Supreme Lodge History...............43 Scholarships and Grants...............44 Mortgage Loan Program..............44 SPJST Supports Charities............44 Giving Opportunities ...................45 Directory of SPJST Lodges, Youth Clubs, Sales Agents ......46 2013 Family Fun Dates................54 SPJST Districts ............................54 SPJST Tasty Traditions Cookbook.................................55 Věstník Request Form..................56

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• • • • • Inside This Věstník • • • • •

VĚSTNÍK, (USPS 658480) is published weekly except the last week of August and the fourth week of December by VĚSTNÍK, P.O. Box 100, Temple, TX 76503-0100. Subscription rates are $25 per year for non-members. Members’ fees are paid as part of the insurance fee collected by SPJST, 520 North Main, Temple, TX 76501. Second-class postage paid at Temple, TX and additional mailing offices. The exchange of opinions, ideas and information is a vital aspect of our fraternal Society and enables us to make more informed decisions. The views expressed by writers in the Vestnik do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor or SPJST management. Please sign all correspondence intended for publication. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VĚSTNÍK c/o Financial Secretary Roy Vajdak, P.O. Box 100, Temple, TX 76503-0100.

VĚstník - SPJST’s Weekly Newspaper

1912 - 2012

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

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On a weekly basis, the Věstník det’s called the Věstník, and it’s sPJst’s own weekly membership livers news on a wide range of organiIn newspaper. translated, the name zational and cultural topics. means “bulletin” and on september addition, each issue provides SPJST 1, 2012, it was 100 years since Mr. members with a forum for sharing Frank Fabian edited and published news and information about happenings at their the first issue local lodges in Hallettsand youth ville.

S P J S T H E R A L D clubs.

SubS P J S T scriptions to members beCelebrating Czech Heritage Month! the Věstník are lieved then— available at no just as charge to now—in the Make the Right Call.

SPJST memnecessity of efbers, upon refective and q u e s t . regular comNon-members munication may purchase a among all parts subscription to of the organithe newspaper zation. In a at the rate of very real way, Inside This Week’s Vestnik $25 annually. the newspaper Subscription has been a requests may builder of imbe directed to ages and a shaper of opinions and attitudes about the SPJST Financial Secretary’s Ofthe fraternal activities, life insurance, fice, in care of the SPJST Home Office and other benefits available to mem- in Temple. To submit items for the Vestnik, mail them to: bers.

Through two world wars, the Great sPJst Vestnik Editor Depression, and decades of national P.O. Box 100 and international tension and triumph, temple, texas 76503 the Věstník continues to evolve to reFax: (254) 773-8087 flect the changing needs and special Email: melaniez@vvm.com concerns of SPJST members.

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ˇ ´ VESTNIK

Volume 100 Number 39

Benevolence

Humanity ISSN —07458800

Thanks to Dillon and Macy Narro, pictured below, for sharing these photos of beseda dancers from Lodge 17, New Tabor Youth Club performing at Kolache Festival in Caldwell on Saturday, September 8.

Dillon and Macy are the children of Ralph and Holly Narro, all of Lodge 17, New Tabor. See more photos of the dancers on page 23. And, Vestnik readers are encouraged to participate in our Czech Heritage Month contest on the back page to win one of several Czech prizes!

Brotherhood

October 10, 2012

SPJST announces October Blitz Contest for Sales Agents!

Top Blitzing Agent wins 2 tickets to the Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants game on Sunday, October 28.

Includes transportation directly to Cowboy Stadium on a chartered bus leaving at 10 a.m. from the Temple area.

The contest winner will have the most number of submitted insurance or annuity applications (excluding Estate Builder) from October 1 to 24 and must have a minimum of 5 applications to be eligible. The contest winner will be contacted and tickets overnighted to his/her address.

Make your moves count towards sacking the competition and scoring big points with your clients!

We’re here to help you.

Call on us at (800) 72-SPJST or (800) 727-7578.

READY. . . SET . . . GO . . . !

Interest Rates.......................................3 Important Dates ...................................3 Readers Write ......................................4 District News .......................................5 Lodge Section......................................7 Reunions ............................................17

Youth Section.....................................19 In Memoriam ......................................25 Czech Culture ....................................26 Advertisements.............................27-29 Lodge Calendar .................................30 Czech Heritage Month Activity.........32

Pages 9-10

Lodge 29 Taylor shares barbecue cook-off results

Page 15

Lodge 88 Houston installs new awning

Page 17

Lodge 155 Austin presents meeting scenes

Vestnik Staff

The Vestnik/ Communication Department currently consists of Editor/Director of Communication Melanie Zavodny, left, and Communication Assistant Katherine Morris.

Fifty Vestniks are published each year by the Vestnik/Communication Department.

The weekly publication is dated Wednesday, and the deadline is the preceding Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Vestnik Receives State Honor

Special thanks to SPJST Lodge 17, New Tabor Reporter Lisa Blum for requesting that a flag fly over the Texas Capitol in honor of the Vestnik’s 100th anniversary. The flag flew on Sunday, June 11, 2012, to coincide with the 31st SPJST Convention. Sister Lisa received an honorable mention award for 2011 SPJST State Fraternalist of the Year. With this honor came a monetary gift. Lisa said she wanted to give something back to SPJST with the funds so she decided to make sure the Vestnik was recognized for its 100 years of serving SPJST and its members. Thank you, Lisa, for your generosity and for remembering the Vestnik on this grand occasion.

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1912

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

From A History of the SPJST A Texas Chronicle 1897-1980 Compiled by Nick A. Morris

. . . 1897. . . sPJst’s First newspaper Slovanská Jednota In the first convention of SPJST held in La Grange on June 20, 1897, a motion was made and passed for SPJST to publish its own organ (newspaper). Frank Lidiak submitted his bid for publishing such an organ, and it was accepted. The publication was to be published monthly, approximately 11 inches by 14 inches in size, consisting of 12 pages, four of which the publisher was to keep for himself and the remaining eight to consist of material about, from, and for SPJST. Lidiak was responsible for publishing, editing, and dispatching 1,000 copies of the organ on the first of each month for $300 a year. The convention agreed that the first issue was to be published on August 1, 1897. But, this was delayed for a month, and the first edition of Slovanská Jednota was dated September 1, 1897. It was published in La Grange, Texas. The cost was 50 cents per year per member. For reasons unknown, Lidiak published the paper on the first and 15th of each month.

There is no concrete evidence to support it, but conditions and circum-

VĚstník sPJst Herald

stances indicate very strongly that Slovanská Jednota was published in the printshop of Svoboda, also printed at the time in La Grange. Svoboda had been printed there since the charter issue of that publication on December 10, 1885. Lidiak, employed as a pressman at Svoboda at the time, had only to go across the street to that first SPJST convention in the courthouse to bid for the publication. The printshop was located in the second building from the corner of present Washington and Travis Streets in La Grange, across from the southeast corner of the Fayette County Courthouse and on the northwest corner of the block bounded by Washington, Travis, and Crockett Streets and present Highway 77.

Today, that building houses Hengst Printing and Supplies.

The front page of Slovanská Jednota dated January 20, 1898, carried the notation in Czech, “Vychází dvakrát týdně” — published twice a week — but also carried the notation in English, “Semi-monthly.” This apparent discrepancy in stating the frequency of publication cannot be explained, except to state that in three places the publication is referred to as a semi-monthly (twice a month — dvoutýdenník) publication and in one as being published twice a week. Still, on another page of the same issue we have the Czech notation, “Vychází dne 1. každého

měsíce”— published on the first day of each month. The same issue goes on to state that subscription to the papers to “non-members is 50 cents for 12 issues,” the same as for members. In another issue dated January 20, 1898, we see the notation “Subscription $1 per year.” This was again apparently for non-members because the cost to SPJST members was set in the previous convention at 50 cents per year.

The convention, nevertheless, had set the frequency of publication at once a month. The adjustments to non-members attests to the fact that Lidiak gave it up after 10 months as being “unprofitable.”

The inside page of the first issue dated September 1, 1897, Volume 1, Number 1, carried the English notation, “A Monthly Journal Devoted To The Interest Of Slavonian Benevolent Union In The State Of Texas.” The subscription rate for non-SPJST members was $1 per year, for members 50 cents per year. The issue of January 20, 1898, also carried the notation that the circulation with that issue was 2,500 and also the notation “Frank Lidiak, Editor and Proprietor.” The title page also carried the notation in Czech (translated): “An Entertaining And Educational Czechoslovak Semi-monthly Devoted To The Interests Of Czechoslovaks In Texas, Published By Frank Lidiak.”

SPJST’s first newspaper. It was published bi-monthly from September 1, 1897, to approximately June 1898.

Hengst Printing and Supply in La Grange formerly housed the printshop of Svoboda where the first official organ (newspaper) of SPJST, Slovanská Jednota, was printed in 1897. This building is situated across from the southeast corner of the Fayette County Courthouse and on the northwest corner of the block bound by Washington, Travis, and Crockett Streets and Highway 77. (Google photo).

SPJST’s information was included in this already existing publication beginning July 1, 1899. No evidence exists of any SPJST publication between July 1898 and July 1, 1899.

The name was shortened with the October 15, 1899, issue. This served as the official SPJST newspaper until September 1912.

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Slovanská Jednota lasted about 10 months, when Lidiak gave it up as “unprofitable.” It should be remembered that this was the first official and independent organ of SPJST, although Lidiak was printing it in the printshop of Svoboda, the largest Czech-language newspaper published in Texas at that time. It was not, however, an insert to Svoboda.

. . . July 1898 - June 1899 . . . no newspaper Published For reasons, probably economic, SPJST on occasion found it more practical to have an established printer bid for the publication of news for and about SPJST, where such information would be included within the text of an already existing publication. Such was the case by July 1899. (Note: There is no evidence of any SPJST publication existing for approximately one year between July 1898 and July 1, 1899.)

. . . July 1899 . . .

Obzor Hospodářský The next publication containing information of and about SPJST was called Obzor Hospodářský. It was published by Frank Fabian in Hallettsville every Thursday. It had started publication five years previous as a private enterprise, but the first issue in which news about SPJST appeared was dated July 1, 1899, in Volume 5, Number 23. (Note: Obzor Hospodářský was and has been the only publication in which news and information about SPJST was printed along with other information not pertaining to SPJST. SPJST has never owned any publishing or printing facility to publish its house newspaper.)

With the issue dated October 15, 1899 (Volume 6, No. 6), the name was shortened to simply Obzor, and it served as the official organ printed exclusively for and about SPJST until September 1912 after the Granger Convention, at which time the first issue of the new official organ, Věstník S.P.J.S.T., was published. The masthead of a January 1910 issue of Obzor appeared as follows: OBZOR Časopis hospodářský, poučný a zábavný.

Organ S.P.J.S.T. Vychází každý čtvrtek.

Předplatné ročné $1.00.

Adresa: “Obzor,” Hallettsville, Texas

1912

1912 - 2012

OBZOR A General Farm And Family Newspaper Organ of the S.P.J.S.T. Published every Thursday

by F. Fabian, Hallettsville, Texas.

Subscription, $1.00 per year.

Advertising rates on application.

. . . september 1, 1912 . . .

Věstník S.P.J.S.T The Sixth Convention in Granger in 1912 was historic because that was the convention in which delegates decided, for the second time, that SPJST should publish its own independent organ on a contract basis. The first issue of Věstník S.P.J.S.T. came out dated September 1, 1912 — Volume 1, Number 1, edited and published in Hallettsville by F. Fabian, who had bid successfully for the publication in that convention.

The first four issues were published on the 1st and 15th of every month.

Nowhere, however, in the convention proceedings of that convention is there any mention about when the first issue of the new publication was to be published. This information was gleaned from reading the Supreme Lodge meeting minutes held August 4, 1912.

An excerpt from that meeting, written in longhand by J. R. Kuběna reads as follows: “. . . the publication is to be trimmed, bound, and published in Fayetteville.* The first issue is to come out on the October 1, 1912** and is to carry the name Věstník S.P.J.S.T.” J.J. Frnka is to provide a drawing and layout for the title page at the Society’s cost, and Brother Fabian is to secure a ‘cut’ at his expense.”

VĚstník sPJst Herald

newly-designed front page filled with artwork and drawings, including the SPJST emblem around the five points of the star. This front page was used for many years. The Supreme Lodge meeting minutes of August 4, 1912, assigned the task of designing/drawing the layout and design for the new cover of the new Věstník S.P.J.S.T. to J.J. Frnka.

This redesigned cover appears on page 6. A careful look discloses a cotton and corn stalk almost completely surrounding a star with the letters S.P.J.S.T. between the points of the star arranged differently from what they are now. These two plants were no doubt chosen because they represented the two principal money crops in Texas, especially cotton, which is shown in maturity on stalks around the entire border of the page. Other crops are depicted by wheat (or barley) stalks.

Note the lion symbol taken from the

2012

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

This photo shows the interior of the Svoboda Printshop in La Grange where the first organ of SPJST—Slovanská Jednota—was printed, starting with the issue of September 1, 1897. Editor Frank Lidiak is pictured second from left holding the type stick. This printshop was located in what today houses Hengst Printing and Supplies and is situated across from the southeast corner of the Fayette County Courthouse Square and on the northwest corner of the block bound by Washington, Travis, and Crockett Streets and Highway 77. Later, after the Sixth Convention in 1912, Věstník S.P.J.S.T. was printed and edited here by Frank Fabian, starting with Volume 1, Number 5, dated November 1, 1912, until January 1, 1914, when publishing facilities were forced to move back to Hallettsville because of the big Colorado River flood in La Grange at that time.

*Fayetteville was recorded here because it was no secret that J. R. Kuběna wanted the editor and publisher located in Fayetteville; however, Fabian opted for Hallettsville where he had been printing Obzor. **The first issue actually came out dated September 1, 1912, Volume 1, Number 1.

Commencing with Volume 1, Number 5, dated November 1,1912, Fabian moved the Věstník S.P.J.S.T. to the printing offices of Svoboda in La Grange. It is not clear why. With that issue, the Věstník came out with a

5

A partial copy of the first Věstník published on September 1, 1912, is displayed in SPJST’s archives at the Home Office in Temple.

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Czechoslovak national symbol opposite a replica of the Stars and Stripes.

Care of orphans and rearing/caring for the youth were depicted by two pictures at the bottom—again showing a small boy among maturing cotton stalks and a young girl standing amidst blooming vegetation.

There is also no mention made, either in the convention proceedings or in the Supreme Lodge meeting minutes just who suggested, or how, the name Věstník S.P.J.S. T. came about, but the logical assumption would be that the publisher/editor (pořadatel) F. Fabian

VĚstník sPJst Herald

(his word) submitted the name. It should also be noted that for many years, the publisher was also the editor and vice versa, of SPJST publications.

In other words, the early publishers (after Lidiak) were those who were publishers of other newspapers or journals whose bids included publishing news of and about SPJST for SPJST. This was the case until the Granger Convention in 1912. In that convention, Fabian, likewise, bid to publish the official organ and also act as its editor.

On January 1, 1914, the Věstník was

moved back to Hallettsville when the Colorado River, flowing through La Grange, flooded badly and forced Fabian and his operation to move out of that city.

Both in Hallettsville and La Grange, the paper was officially identified as Věstník S.P.J.S.T Orgán Slovanské Podporující Jednoty Státu Texas — Organ of the Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas — and was published on the 1st and 15th of each month. In the English identification, it had the designation: “Věstník. Slovanské Podporující Jednoty Státu Texas.

Brotherhood Organ of S.P.J.S.T. Official Paper of the Slavonic Benevolent Order of Texas. Subscription 40 cents a year. Published semi-monthly by F. Fabian Hallettsville, Texas.”

Beginning with Volume 5, Number 8, dated November 22, 1916, the Věstník began to be published in Fayetteville. A new corporation had been formed by Joseph Tapal, Rudolph Šlapanský, and Jaroslav Rolák (no photo available) called the “Věstník Publishing Company.” The Seventh SPJST Convention held in Galveston in 1916 elected Joseph Tapal editor of the Věstník, who served in that position until December 31, 1932.

The convention proceedings of the Galveston Convention devoted six and one-half lines to the election of the editor as follows: “Election of the editor followed.

The following brothers were nominated: Joseph Tapal, F. Fabian, Sr., J. Drozda, and August Morris. Joseph Tapal was elected by acclamation, after all others withdrew in his favor.”

There was no other mention of frequency of publication, size, price, etc. in the proceedings. An excerpt from

The redesigned cover of Věstník S.P.J.S.T. edited and printed in the Svoboda printshop in La Grange, starting with the issue dated November 1, 1912, Volume 1, Number 5. Frank Fabian was the editor.

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the September 28, 1916, Supreme Lodge meeting minutes states: “Bids for publishing the organ were read as submitted by J. Drozda, Joseph Tapal and Company, F. Fabian, F.G. Fabian, and Ben L. Hatka. The voting resulted in six votes for Tapal’s bid at 80 cents a year per member, and four votes for J. Drozda’s bid at $1.04 a year per member. The bid of Joseph Tapal and Company was accepted, who obligated themselves to publish the Věstník for 50 cents a year per member, to contain eight pages 11 by 15 inches of reading material and four or more of advertising. It is to be pasted and trimmed mechanically, and be published weekly. The proceeds from all advertising is to go to the publisher.”

Further on in the minutes of that same Supreme Lodge meeting, it states: “The motion was accepted for Metod Pazdral to work out an agreement with Tapal and his company for publishing the organ according to the bid, to include that in the case of a decline in the price of newsprint that the publisher would lower his cost accordingly. The present base price for newsprint is 8 cents a pound.”

The front cover design pictured at left appeared until the decision to award publication of the Věstník to the Čechoslovák Publishing Company of West at the Ennis Convention in 1932.

The first issue published by them was dated January 4, 1933, at which time the front page assumed another “new look” under the new publisher and new editor. That redesigned front page appears below.

The front cover was redesigned in 1933.

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VĚstník sPJst Herald

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7

The front page layout was used until the January 5, 1949, issue when there was a return to a smaller format, necessitating a decrease in the amount of artwork on the front page.

The ground floor of the E.J. Knesek Building on the square in Fayetteville housed the Věstník Publishing Company from November 1916 to December 31, 1932, at which time the Ennis Convention awarded the Věstník publishing contract to the Čechoslovák Publishing Company in West.

The Věstník Publishing Company was formed as a new corporation at that time with Joseph Tapal, Rudolph Šlapanský, and Jaroslav Rolák as principal owners-investors. At that time, the top floor and addition at the rear housed Knesek Funeral Home and the ground floor housed the Drawe Barber Shop. Today, the building contains Kubala Hardware and Koenig Peel Funeral Home, Inc. It is located on the northeast corner of the square diagonally across from the building that formerly housed the SPJST Home Office.

Note the redesigned star appears at the top of the page, with the branches of the lily on the left, the oak leaf branch on the right, and the letters positioned so that the T is centered at the bottom. This positioning of the letters and the basic design of the two leaf branches remained basically unchanged until 1949. Note also the depiction of depositing of funds in a bank to signify benevolence and self-sufficiency, and a visit to the ill signifying humanity — lidskost —, and bratrství — brotherhood — by the clasped hands in the top center.

(Oddly enough, the first issue of Věstník published by the Čechoslovák Publishing Company dated January 4, 1933, carried the number 8 — the eighth issue of that year. In checking out this obvious error with Jerome Kopecký, who had just joined Čechoslovák Publishing Company at that time, he states that he cannot explain this error in numbering. It should have been Number 1. The next week’s issue of January 11, 1933, was again numbered 8 instead of 9, but thereafter the numbers appeared sequentially. The last issue of the Věstník for the year

1932, published by Věstník Publishing Company in Fayetteville, carried the number 52 — the 52nd issue (week) of that year.)

These somewhat ornately designed front pages were full of symbolism — that which was to portray or depict the principle tenets of SPJST.

Printing Moved to West When the Ennis Convention of 1932 accepted the bid of the Čechoslovák Publishing Company to print the Věstník, the publication of the paper was moved from Fayetteville to West, where it began publication with the issue of January 4, 1933. Frank Moučka of Ennis had been elected editor in that convention, and he remained the editor for 18 years.

English section Added in 1949 Beginning with the issue of January 1, 1949, and having been adopted in the Fort Worth Convention in 1948, an English section was added, and Stephen Válčík was elected to handle the English section. Moučka continued handling the Czech section until he died in January 1951, at which time

Another redesign gave SPJST members this front cover look beginning with the January 2, 1957, issue. The look continued into 1961.

The March 1, 1961, issue unveiled this new front cover look.

Beginning with the issue dated January 1, 1964, a different layout for the front page appeared.

8

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VĚstník sPJst Herald

Beginning with the issue dated May 20, 1964, another partially redesigned front page came out showing a larger and more prominent SPJST symbol.

2012

1912 - 2012

In 1999, a newly-redesigned front page was revealed.

ˇ NIK ´ VEST

Beginning in 2002, the Věstník added the new SPJST logo.

Beginning with the issue of July 7, 1965, the front page arrangement remained more or less the same, with the addition of clasped hands under the SPJST logo.

Volume 100 Number 31

S P J S T

Benevolence

H E R A L D

Humanity

Brotherhood

August 1, 2012

2011 SPJST Crowning The Věthe stnNext ík was printed in- fullSPJST colortobeginning in 2005.

Celebrate Youth this Saturday State Royalty Duke Jaxson King and Queen Brisco, King SPJST will showcase its youth at ISSN —07458800

State Youth Achievement Day this Queen Alyssa both the Czech and English Torres, sections Lodge Saturday, AugustPresident, 4 at the Frank W. three persons were and Mayborn Convention Center, located Duchess Emily were edited by Stephen Válčík Filla until the nominated for the vacated post of ediat 3303 North Third Street in Temple.

- will crown All youth participants must register the 2012 State Royalty 17th Convention in Temple urday in 1956 tor: Rudy Šefčík, this Sat- their entriesCalvin between 9 andChervenka, 10 a.m. in at Frank the lobby of the convention center.

W. Mayborn Royalty contestants are asked Válčík. to meet elected L.O. Hošek editor. and Stephen Chervenka and Convention at the stage for a brief rehearsal and Center Temple. instructions at 9:30 a.m.

L.O. Hošek was re-elected editor in further Válčík declined the nomination, and Contestant bios Youth will compete in a special cat- dance, vocal, instrumentals, and draappear on egory contest at 10 a.m. in the dining elected pages 11 and matics. The Ceska Beseda dance exthe 18th Convention in San Antonio in Rudy Šefčík was by acclama12. State YAD room. This contest is left a surprise to hibition will be performed prior to the schedule is on alltion. competitors until the day of the beginning of the talent competition.

1960. He died on October 25, 1962, the back page. event. Past special category contests Scholarships totaling $11,500 will have included play-dough be presented toeditor, SPJST youth members before his term was completed. Šefčík wasconstrucre-elected with tion, story-telling, and drawing. during the day.

Videos featuring the talent perNick A. Morris was elected editor of Opening one Ceremonies other nomination, in the 21st Conat 11 a.m. formances and royalty speeches will The day’s program begins with be available. the Věstník in a special meeting of the opening vention inatHouston in 1972. He was ceremonies 11 a.m. A lunch, which will include ham or Silent Auction to Benefit Supreme Lodge and Publication Com- turkey re-elected inof white theor22nd in sandwich (choice ENC andConvention Scholarship Fund wheat bread), bag of chips, pickle, This year’s food category is komittee held on November 20, 1962, cookie, Waco 1976;willinbethe 23rd Convention and teain or lemonade, laches.

Following judging, kolaches available for $6 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 will be sold in a silent auction to the called for the purpose of selecting an p.m. in Other SanfoodAntonio in highest 1980; the 24th will be available bidders.in All proceeds will go throughout the day. to the SPJST Education and Nature editor to fill the unexpired term of L.O. Convention in Corpus Christi inFarm 1984; SPJST youth who received first Center (ENC) at Cooper and the place honors at their district competi- SPJST Scholarship Fund.

Hošek. A total of six persons had ap- tions and inTexas thethis25th Convention in Temple across summer will compete at the state level in various 2012-2013 State King and Queen plied for the position, plus one via a pe- competitions, in 1988. including group and in- to be Crowned dividual talent, speech, nine craft catA cake and punch reception honoregories,In special category, and youth tition from fellow lodge members and club the 26th Convention ing the youth andin their Victoria “Tribute 2012” poster and scrapbook. Following year will be held prior to the State judging, crafts, special category enone via telephone after the designated in 1992, Šefčík was nominated along Royalty competition.

2011-2012 State Congratulations to 2012-2013 District Four Duchess Addee Williams, tries, posters, and scrapbooks will be King Robert Lewis and State Duke left, and Queen Audree Williams, both of Lodge 215, South Plains. displayed forBrian the public. Vanicek.

JaxsonŠefčík deadline.

One person a memwith Brisco, bothdeclined of Lodge 9, They were crowned Saturday, July 21 atwas Districtnot Four Youth AchieveTalent competition begins at ap- Snook, and State Queen Alyssa Torres ment Day held at Lodge 49, Rowena. RIGHT PHOTO: Congratulations 11:30 a.m. Young people to 2012-2013 Six Duchess Lauren Kresta, and Queen Alli- proximately State Duchess ber and District disqualified.

Out ofleft, four qualthe nomination, andandBrian Vanicek was Emily Filla, both of son Fucik, both of Lodge 30, Taiton. They were crowned on Sunday, who have completed kindergarten to July 22 at District Six YAD held at Taiton Community Center. high school seniorby will acclamation. compete in Continued 3. ified candidates for the post, Nick Mor- elected In theon Page 27th ris was unanimous Convention elected by

Insidevote, This Week’s Vestnikin Arlington in 1996, Keith

effective December 1, 1962. Until that Gatewood, Michael Morris, and Brian time, the staff at Čechoslovák Publish- Vanicek were nominated. Brian Vaning Company agreed to publish the icek was reelected. He was also reVěstník, as they had done on several elected in the 28th Convention in previous occasions when the editor was Temple in 2000. ill, or there had been a temporary vaIn the 29th Convention in Temple, cancy. when Brian Vanicek was elected Morris was subsequently elected ed- Supreme Lodge President, Melanie Zaitor in the 19th Convention in Waco in vodny was nominated for the vacated 1964. In the 20th Convention in Dallas post of editor. She was elected by acwhen Morris was elected Supreme clamation. She was re-elected in the Robert Lewis,

Brooke Hoelscher Lodge 47, Seaton

Beginning with the issue of January 24, 1968, a partially re-designed front page appeared with the addition of the words “SPJST Herald” in Old English type. This front page layout was used until 1992.

Important Dates ...................................3 Interest Rates.......................................3 Readers Write ......................................4 Lodge Section......................................6 Reunions ............................................14 In Memoriam ......................................16

In 1992, clasped handed were added. The size of the word Věstník was decreased to add the phrase, “Changing to meet the changing needs of fraternalists.” The words “SPJST Herald” was in Times type.

Youth Section.....................................16 Vestnik Grand Salute Form ..............20 Czech Culture ....................................21 Advertisements .............................21 Lodge Calendar .................................22 State YAD Schedule ..........................24

Page 7

Lodge 25 Ennis awards scholarships

Page 8

Director discretionary funds support Jeremiah’s D.A.D.

Page 9

Lodge 130 Dallas members enjoy District Three camp

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30th Convention in Killeen in 2008 and the 31st Convention also in Killeen in 2012.

•••

At the time of the Ennis Convention, when the Čechoslovák Publishing Company of West successfully bid for the publication of the official organ, August J. Morris was president of that publishing company. Morris had bought the newspaper, Čechoslovák, in 1919 from Josef Hejl, owner and proprietor of the Národní Podník publishing firm of Rosenberg, which had been publishing the Čechoslovák for about four years in that city. Shortly after acquiring that paper, August Morris moved the publication to West, Texas, and organized a new corporation, the Čechoslovák Publishing Company in 1920. He quit as editor of Čechoslovák in 1924 to enter another business and sold his controlling interest to J.F. Holásek. In 1931, he returned to the Čechoslovák Publishing Company as editor and continued until the early part of 1945 when he was forced to give up that post because of poor health. In August 1945, August J. Morris, publisher, printer, and editor, sold his remaining interest in the Čechoslovák Publishing Company to his partner, Joseph F. Holásek, with whom he had been associated since the early 1920s.

August J. Morris died in West on January 4, 1946. Since that time, the principal figure with the Čechoslovák Publishing Company was Joseph F. Holásek as president of the company,

Jerome Kopecky - “Mr. Vestnik”

VĚstník sPJst Herald

The Čechoslovák Publishing Company facilities were located at 214 West Oak in the city of West in McLennan County. In this picture, the entrance to the printshop was at the left and the offices of the Věstník editor and publisher were at the right in the one-story building.

and Jerome Kopecký, as secretary-treasurer and shop foreman. Kopecký was the key person in the actual publication of the Věstník each week since January 1933, having started with the Čechoslovák Publishing Company as a printer-operator in the fall of 1932.

On April 1, 1973, Holásek sold the Čechoslovák Publishing Company to Linn Pescaia who was the publisher until 1984. Since 1932, the Věstník had been printed on a flatbed press with the letterpress (hot lead) method, with the type set by operators on Linotype machines. With the issue of September 12, 1973, Linn Pescaia converted the entire system to the Offset method, still using Linotype machine for setting type, with the remainder of the operation being largely a photographic process.

The Čechoslovák Publishing Company bid successfully for the publication of the Věstník since the Ennis Convention in 1932.

A milestone was reached in the history of the official publication when, in the 23rd Convention of the Society in San Antonio in 1980, the Publication Committee recommended that the awarding of the publisher’s contract be left up to the Supreme Lodge. Acting on that mandate, the Supreme Lodge sought bids from several publishers.

The low bidder was Stillhouse Hollow Publishers, Inc., of Temple and Belton.

The convention also decided to change the format of the Věstník from a magazine format to a tabloid—11-1/2-inches by 16-inches in size, with a total of 16 pages. Beginning January 1, 1981, the Věstník was printed by Stillhouse Hollow Publishers, Inc., with corporate offices in Temple and press facilities in Belton. The first issue of Volume 69

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9

printed by the Telegram today. It is submitted electronically to the printer each week.

•••

(69th year of publication) by Stillhouse Hollow Publishers, Inc., was dated January 7, 1981. The masthead remained pretty much the same, with the addition of the mailing label attached to the upper right-hand corner of the publication, together with the new slogan adopted by the National Fraternal Congress for 1980-81—”Fraternalism Insures Togetherness.”

The change in publishers after the 1980 convention, marked a milestone since the Čechoslovák Publishing Company of West had been printing the Věstník since the Ennis convention in 1932.

Following Supreme Lodge approval, the Věstník was printed by Hill County Press in Hillsboro beginning in January 1985. The Věstník continued to be printed in Hillsboro until December 2004 when delegates in the 30th Convention in Temple approved printing the Věstník in full color.

Beginning in January 2005, the Věstník was printed by Temple Daily Telegram in Temple on a full-color web press. The Věstník continues to the The Věstník is currently printed at Temple Daily Telegram in Temple. It is then mailed from the Temple Post Office.

The official newspaper has been a weekly publication since September 1912. It is mailed out on a controlled distribution basis to members of SPJST at no direct cost to the members. The cost has, since the very beginning, been absorbed by SPJST and paid through the Supreme Lodge. As the membership has grown, so has the number of issues mailed out. Until January 1, 1961, the mailing list was maintained by the publisher, with address corrections and additions furnished by the Home Office; since that time (based on a decision in the 28th Convention in San Antonio in 1960)*, the mailing list has been maintained by the Home Office. Current number of issues sent out each week stands at 9,800 as of December 19, 2012. For many years, the following has appeared on the front page of the Věstník: Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State of Texas, Founded 1897. The Věstník has been and continues to be the principal link between the membership and contains official reports from various levels of interest to the membership. It is a valuable medium. *In that convention the publisher submitted the following as part of his bid: “. . . Instead of sending corrections to the publishers, send ready tape with names and addresses to the printing shop, where would be finished the expedition of distributing.

• • • SPJST • • •

10

1912

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VĚstník sPJst Herald

2012

1912 - 2012

1897 • • • SPJST Publications • • • 2012

sLOVAnskÁ JEDnOtA (Independent House Organ for SPJST exclusively) — September 1, 1897 to July 1898 OBZOR HOsPODÁŘskÝ (SPJST news included) — July 1899 VĚstník s.P.J.s.t. (independent house newspaper for SPJST exclusively) — September 1, 1912 to December 31, 1932 VĚstník (independent house newspaper for SPJST exclusively) — January 1, 1933 to Present

1897 • • • Editors of 115 Years of SPJST Publications • • • 2012

Frank Lidiak

September 1, 1897 to July 1898

L.O. Hosek

January 1, 1957 to October 25, 1962

Frank Fabian

Joseph Tapal

July 1899 to November 1916

November 22, 1916 to December 31, 1932

Nick Morris

Rudy Sefcik

December 1, 1962 to December 31, 1968

January 1, 1969 to August 26, 1992

Frank Moucka

Stephen Volcik

January 1, 1933 to January 6, 1951

January 1951 to December 31, 1956

Brian Vanicek

Melanie Zavodny

September 2, 1992 to August 4, 2004

August 11, 2004 to Present

1897 • • • Printing 115 Years of SPJST News/Publications • • • 2012 September 1, 1897 to July 1898 — Svoboda printshop in La Grange July 1899 — Hallettsville October 15, 1899 to September 1912 — Hallettsville November 1, 1912 to January 1914 — La Grange January 1, 1914 to November 1916 —Hallettsville November 22, 1916 to December 31, 1932 — Vestnik Publishing Company (Tapal, Slapansky, and Rolak) — Fayetteville January 1, 1933 to August 1945 — Cechoslovak Publishing Company (August Morris and Joe Holasek) — West August 1945 to March 1973 — Cechoslovak Publishing Company (Joe Holasek) — West April 1, 1973 to December 1980 — Cechoslovak Publishing Company (Linn Pescaia, et. al.) — West January 1, 1981 to December 31, 1984 — Stillhouse Hollow Publishers, Inc. (Larry Ingram) — Temple and Belton January 1, 1985 to December 31, 2004 — Hill County Press —Hillsboro January 1, 2005 to Present — Temple Daily Telegram — Temple

VĚstník . . . through the Years 1912 - 2012 . . .

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1922 • VĚSTNÍK • 1922 • VĚSTNÍK • 1922

1916 • VĚSTNÍK • 1916 • VĚSTNÍK • 1916

1912 • VĚSTNÍK • 1912 • VĚSTNÍK • 1912

Front pages of each available year of Vestnik publishing appears on the following pages. Very few early Vestniks are available.

The Vestnik office is seeking Vestniks dated 1912 through 1933. These Vestniks will be scanned for permanent archival purposes and can be returned to the owner. All available Vestniks will soon be accessible through an online archive. Watch the Vestnik or www.spjst.org for the launch date.

11

1915 • VĚSTNÍK • 1915 • VĚSTNÍK • 1915

1912 - 2012

1925 • VĚSTNÍK • 1925 • VĚSTNÍK • 1925

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1934 • VĚSTNÍK • 1934 • VĚSTNÍK • 1934

1933 • VĚSTNÍK • 1933 • VĚSTNÍK • 1933

1924 • VĚSTNÍK • 1924 • VĚSTNÍK • 1924

12 1912 - 2012

1936 • VĚSTNÍK • 1936 • VĚSTNÍK • 1936

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1938 • VĚSTNÍK • 1938 • VĚSTNÍK • 1938

1937 • VĚSTNÍK • 1937 • VĚSTNÍK • 1937

1935 • VĚSTNÍK • 1935 • VĚSTNÍK • 1935

1912 - 2012 13

1940 • VĚSTNÍK • 1940 • VĚSTNÍK • 1940

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1942 • VĚSTNÍK • 1942 • VĚSTNÍK • 1942

1941 • VĚSTNÍK • 1941 • VĚSTNÍK • 1941

1939 • VĚSTNÍK • 1939 • VĚSTNÍK • 1939

14 1912 - 2012

1944 • VĚSTNÍK • 1944 • VĚSTNÍK • 1944

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1946 • VĚSTNÍK • 1946 • VĚSTNÍK • 1946

1945 • VĚSTNÍK • 1945 • VĚSTNÍK • 1945

1943 • VĚSTNÍK • 1943 • VĚSTNÍK • 1943

1912 - 2012 15

1948 • VĚSTNÍK • 1948 • VĚSTNÍK • 1948

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1950 • VĚSTNÍK • 1950 • VĚSTNÍK • 1950

1949 • VĚSTNÍK • 1949 • VĚSTNÍK • 1949

1947 • VĚSTNÍK • 1947 • VĚSTNÍK • 1947

16 1912 - 2012

1952 • VĚSTNÍK • 1952 • VĚSTNÍK • 1952

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1954 • VĚSTNÍK • 1954 • VĚSTNÍK • 1954

1953 • VĚSTNÍK • 1953 • VĚSTNÍK • 1953

1951 • VĚSTNÍK • 1951 • VĚSTNÍK • 1951

1912 - 2012 17

1956 • VĚSTNÍK • 1956 • VĚSTNÍK • 1956

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1958 • VĚSTNÍK • 1958 • VĚSTNÍK • 1958

1957 • VĚSTNÍK • 1957 • VĚSTNÍK • 1957

1955 • VĚSTNÍK • 1955 • VĚSTNÍK • 1955

18 1912 - 2012

1960 • VĚSTNÍK • 1960 • VĚSTNÍK • 1960

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1962 • VĚSTNÍK • 1962 • VĚSTNÍK • 1962

1961 • VĚSTNÍK • 1961 • VĚSTNÍK • 1961

1959 • VĚSTNÍK • 1959 • VĚSTNÍK • 1959

1912 - 2012 19

1964 • VĚSTNÍK • 1964 • VĚSTNÍK • 1964

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1966 • VĚSTNÍK • 1966 • VĚSTNÍK • 1966

1965 • VĚSTNÍK • 1965 • VĚSTNÍK • 1965

1963 • VĚSTNÍK • 1963 • VĚSTNÍK • 1963

20 1912 - 2012

1968 • VĚSTNÍK • 1968 • VĚSTNÍK • 1968

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1970 • VĚSTNÍK • 1970 • VĚSTNÍK • 1970

1969 • VĚSTNÍK • 1969 • VĚSTNÍK • 1969

1967 • VĚSTNÍK • 1967 • VĚSTNÍK • 1967

1912 - 2012 21

1972 • VĚSTNÍK • 1972 • VĚSTNÍK • 1972

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1974 • VĚSTNÍK • 1974 • VĚSTNÍK • 1974

1973 • VĚSTNÍK • 1973 • VĚSTNÍK • 1973

1971 • VĚSTNÍK • 1971 • VĚSTNÍK • 1971

22 1912 - 2012

1976 • VĚSTNÍK • 1976 • VĚSTNÍK • 1976

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1978 • VĚSTNÍK • 1978 • VĚSTNÍK • 1978

1977 • VĚSTNÍK • 1977 • VĚSTNÍK • 1977

1975 • VĚSTNÍK • 1975 • VĚSTNÍK • 1975

1912 - 2012 23

1980 • VĚSTNÍK • 1980 • VĚSTNÍK • 1980

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1982 • VĚSTNÍK • 1982 • VĚSTNÍK • 1982

1981 • VĚSTNÍK • 1981 • VĚSTNÍK • 1981

1979 • VĚSTNÍK • 1979 • VĚSTNÍK • 1979

24 1912 - 2012

1984 • VĚSTNÍK • 1984 • VĚSTNÍK • 1984

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1986 • VĚSTNÍK • 1986 • VĚSTNÍK • 1986

1985 • VĚSTNÍK • 1985 • VĚSTNÍK • 1985

1983 • VĚSTNÍK • 1983 • VĚSTNÍK • 1983

1912 - 2012 25

1988 • VĚSTNÍK • 1988 • VĚSTNÍK • 1988

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1990 • VĚSTNÍK • 1990 • VĚSTNÍK • 1990

1989 • VĚSTNÍK • 1989 • VĚSTNÍK • 1989

1987 • VĚSTNÍK • 1987 • VĚSTNÍK • 1987

26 1912 - 2012

1992 • VĚSTNÍK • 1992 • VĚSTNÍK • 1992

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1994 • VĚSTNÍK • 1994 • VĚSTNÍK • 1994

1993 • VĚSTNÍK • 1993 • VĚSTNÍK • 1993

1991 • VĚSTNÍK • 1991 • VĚSTNÍK • 1991

1912 - 2012 27

1996 • VĚSTNÍK • 1996 • VĚSTNÍK • 1996

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1998 • VĚSTNÍK • 1998 • VĚSTNÍK • 1998

1997 • VĚSTNÍK • 1997 • VĚSTNÍK • 1997

1995 • VĚSTNÍK • 1995 • VĚSTNÍK • 1995

28 1912 - 2012

2000 • VĚSTNÍK • 2000 • VĚSTNÍK • 2000

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

2002 • VĚSTNÍK • 2002 • VĚSTNÍK • 2002

2001 • VĚSTNÍK • 2001 • VĚSTNÍK • 2001

1999 • VĚSTNÍK • 1999 • VĚSTNÍK • 1999

1912 - 2012 29

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1912 - 2012

S P J S T Benevolence

H E R A L D

★

Humanity

ISSN —07458800

★

Brotherhood

Proceeds raised for Children’s Miracle Network

Texas Classic Success—Cars and Cooks highlight SPJST and RVOS event The weekend of June 24

and 25 was filled with barbecue, classic cars, horseshoe pitchin’, and children’s activities in Bruceville-Eddy, Texas.

SPJST and RVOS teamed up to host the first-ever Texas Classic. The event kicked off on Friday evening with coun-

try/western band Lost Wolf providing music for guests under the pavilion.

On Saturday, 102 classic cars rolled into the Bruceville-Eddy ISD for an amazing display. The cookoff featured 48 teams competing for awards. Fourteen teams of horseshoe players braved the heat for a classic

tournament.

The day also included a 40-foot rock wall that attendees climbed, a silent auction, prize drawings, food, and shopping. The band MuddCatts featuring Elvis was a big hit during the afternoon.

Award presentations concluded the successful day.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the event and who helped at the event.

Proceeds from the event benefitted Children’s Miracle Network.

Complete results of the car show, barbecue cook-off, and horseshoe tournaments and event pictures appear on pages 11-15.

July 13, 2005

Inside

District Four new agents training Page 4

Lodge 155 picnic Page 8 Lodge 25 youth assists with drive Page 18

Lodge 97 youth club party

Page 19

Interest Rates .....................3 Family Fun Dates ...............3 Golf Tournament Info ........3 Lodge Letters .....................8 More 2005 Graduates ........9 Camp/YAD Dates..............10 In Memoriam.....................14 Youth .................................16 Czech Culture...................21 Activities Calendar...........22

LEFT PHOTO: Elvis performs with the MuddCatts on Saturday afternoon during the Texas Classic, hosted by RVOS and SPJST. CENTER PHOTO: 1960 Corvette, owned by Tony Valdez of Belton was one of more than 100 cars on display during the car show. RIGHT PHOTO: Youngsters and adults climb the 40-foot rock wall.

SPJST Heritage Celebrity-Am Scramble August 13 See page 3.

Take me out to the ballgame . . .

SPJST Salutes Hometown Heroes on July 4 The SPJST Float received the first place award in the Belton Fourth of July Parade. Pictured, from left to right, are 2004-2005 SPJST State Royalty Duke Mark Siptak, State Duchess Sara Sump, State King Joshua Siptak, and State Queen Jessica Schumann. RIGHT PHOTO: Orel the SPJST Mascot rides through the parade in a Corvette. More pictures on page 5.

Lodge 1, Fayetteville members traveled to the Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers baseball game in Houston on June 26. The Astros won 3-2. More pictures on page 6.

Volume 94 Number 47

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SPJST Toyland Joyland Float Begins First of 14 Christmas Parade Appearances in Hondo

The SPJST Float made its 2006 Christmas parade debut in Hondo on November 18. The float received the first place award in the parade.

LEFT PHOTO: Lodge 239, Hondo members riding the float are, left to right, Michelle Botello, SeChelle DeLeon, Julio Guerrero, III, Marcelyn Botello, Kadejha Rodriguez, and Ladejha Rodriguez. CENTER

PHOTO: Pictured are, left to right, Timothy Palomo, Latrell Rodriguez, Bridget Rodriguez (holding plaque), Celinda Palomo, Charles Maxie, and Felix Palomo. RIGHT PHOTO: Youth members on the float are, left to right, Lakeisha Botello, Bianca Trinidad, Megan Palomo, Brittney Mendoza, and Jackie Mendoza.

~ Inside ~ Lodge 39 Thanksgiving Social Page 8 Lodge 88 member gives back Page 10 Lodge 84 youth club activities Page 19 Lodge 29 hosts CHS meeting

Lodge 9, Snook Beseda Dancers Perform at Texas A&M

Lodge 9, Snook Beseda Dancers Deanna Hairrell and Zachary Shelfer. The beseda circle was invited to perform and participate in the Texas A&M University College of Education and Human Development International Education Week. The youth club also put an informational board together with the history of Czechoslovakia. More pictures on page 17.

Lodge 30, Taiton Youth, Adults Make a Difference

For Make A Difference Day, Lodge 30, Taiton members work together to clean the roadside and plant bluebonnet seeds for their Adopt-A-Highway project. Using teamwork to get the job done are, left to right, Stephanie Fucik, Yvonne Marcaurele, Allison Fucik, Lisa Bubela, Wanda Dorotik, and Dylan Treumer. More pictures on page 7.

You’re invited to see the fully-lighted and decorated SPJST Float after the Temple Christmas Parade.

Monday, December 4 • 7:30 p.m. • First Street (by the SPJST Home Office) • Plenty of Parking Hot Chocolate and Cookies • Christmas Music • Old-Fashioned Fun

Page 20

Interest Rates .....................3 Family Fun Dates ...............3 Readers Write.....................5 Lodge Letters .....................5 In Memoriam.....................13 Tree Design Contest ........15 Youth .................................16 Czech Culture...................19 Activities Calendar...........22

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Volume 93 Number 28

2004 • VĚSTNÍK • 2004 • VĚSTNÍK • 2004

2003 • VĚSTNÍK • 2003 • VĚSTNÍK • 2003

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September Top Producers Congratulations, State Top Career Agent Applications Written Insurance Written

Naomi Jauregui

Lodge 196, Houston-West District Five

Congratulations, State Top Associate Agents Insurance Written

Applications Written

Roberta Amos

Baltazar Nunez, FIC

Lodge 24, Cyclone District Two

Lodge 219, El Paso District Four

District Top Producers

Roberta Amos Lisa Bishop Virginia Campos Juan Castaneda Ignacia Castillo Hilda Escajeda Jose H. Flores Minerva Garcia Sheldon Holub, FIC Naomi Jauregui

Volume 97 Number 24

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Lodge 24, Cyclone member Taylor Jungmann helps steer Texas to College World Series

If you tune into this week’s 2009 NCAA Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, you will see SPJST Lodge 24, Cyclone member Taylor Jungmann who is pitching for the University of Texas.

In the game against Texas Christian University on Monday, June 8, 2009, Taylor allowed two hits over six innings and top-seeded Texas earned its first trip to the College World Series since 2005.

The Longhorns won 5-2.

“The game from our side of it was dominated by the pitching,” Texas Head Coach Augie Garrido commented. “Taylor Jungmann’s two-hit pitching kept us through the first six innings.”

Taylor appreciated the run support. “We trust those guys as the bullpen,” he said. “We think those guys are going to go out and score runs every game. It felt good.”

Senior 3B Matt Carpenter was impressed with Taylor’s performance. “I thought he threw all his pitches for strikes and kept the ball down most of the time and then he’d elevate with two strikes and that is tough to catch up to. To be able to handle that situation with a chance to go to Omaha

Continued on Page 14.

“We congratulate our sales agents for their accomplishments this year. Once again, SPJST has surpassed its goals. We recognize our agents for achieving this remarkable achievement. It’s the agents’ efforts that help our membership, lodges, youth clubs, and entire Society. Thank you!” —Gene McBride Supreme Lodge Vice President

Patsy Koslovsky Marco Magallanez Baltazar Nunez, FIC Tiny Payne Alfred Pena, LUTC, CFFM Bessie Petr Carol Reed Julia Ann Schmidt Susan Skrabanek

# Brotherhood

June 17, 2009

Czech Heritage Museum to close temporarily

The Czech Heritage Museum, located in the basement of the SPJST Home Office building at 520 North Main in Temple, Texas, will be permanently closing for tours beginning Friday, June 26, 2009, to prepare for its move to the new museum location. The museum, library, and archives has been located in the SPJST building since the opening of the state headquarters in 1971 and has enjoyed a tremendous growth in its collection and visitors.

The museum began as an effort to preserve Czech cultural items in the 1960s and as the collection grew, so did

the need to display it. When the “new” SPJST offices opened in 1971, they included a space on the main floor for the museum. The collection grew beyond its space and was moved to the basement in 1981, where over 8,000 square feet allowed for expansion. Today, there are over 30,000 artifacts and 25,000 books in the collection. The library boasts the largest Czech genealogy collection in the State of Texas.

In 2000, the decision was made to separate the museum and library from

Continued on Page 21.

Packing Up and Moving Across the Street

University of Texas pitcher Taylor Jungmann of SPJST Lodge 24, Cyclone allowed two hits over six innings Monday, June 8, 2009, and top-seeded Texas earned its first trip to the College World Series since 2005.

The Longhorns won 5-2 over TCU. Taylor is a freshman at UT. Photo courtesy of www.texassports.com. Reprinted with permission.

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Interest Rates ......................................3 Family Fun Dates ................................3 Readers Write ......................................3 SPJST Graduates ................................3 District News........................................4 Lodge Section ....................................5

LEFT PHOTO: CHMGC Archivist Frank Klinkovsky, left, and Assistant Curator Andrew Tamez pack up museum items in the SPJST Home Office basement. RIGHT PHOTO: Curator Don Mears and Executive Director Sandi Wicker bring items into the new museum across the street from the SPJST Home Office in Temple.

Inside This Week’s Vestnik

In Memoriam ......................................15 Reunions ............................................16 Youth Section.....................................16 Czech Culture ....................................20 Advertisements..................................21 Activities Calendar ............................22

Page 5

Lodge 26 Skidmore honors longtime members

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SPJST Underwriter Doni Powell goes to jail for a cause

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Orel visits Snookfest parade with Lodge 9 Snook Youth Club

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April 30, 2008

Volunteers inspire by example

Ninth Annual Join Hands Day this Saturday

It’s a viable way to make social and ational Volunteer Week — economic impact on our community.

Sunday, April 27 to Saturday, May 3 For example, volunteers who partici— is about inspiring, recognizing and pate in service-learning, the connecencouraging people to seek ways to tion of community service to classengage in their community. It’s about room learning, make the following showing the impact: nation that we meet our chal• 96 percent lenges not as isoof teachers lated individuals report chilbut as members dren learn of a true commumore through nity with all of us service learnworking togeththan ing er. This week instruction which concludes alone Saturday, on • 46 percent 3—Join May r e p o r t Day— Hands improved allows individugrades als to be at the • 36 percent r e p o r t center of social decrease in change discoverabsenteeism ing their power to make a differ- Hats off to 2007 SPJST State Students ence.

Fraternalist of the Year Ronnie Volunteers are Pflughaupt of Lodge 1, Fayetteville. who engaged in one of America’s Through Ronnie’s efforts and volunteer service-learning coordination, the one and only basehad higher — and certainly field in the Fayetteville community attendance rates SPJST’s — most ball is being restored so that America’s control important assets. pastime can once again be played and than peers About 60.8 mil- enjoyed by all ages in the community. group lion people vol- Ronnie, left, is pictured with Lodge 1 (Shaffer 1993; 1996; unteered through member and former San Diego Padres Supik or for an organi- Pitcher Josh Vitek. Josh volunteers Shumer 1994).

National zation at least working with local youth baseball playVolunteer Week once between ers at the field. began in 1974 September, 2006, and September, 2007, the when President Richard Nixon signed Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. an executive order establishing an Department of Labor reported. That annual celebration of volunteering. represents more than a quarter of the entire United States population.

Continued on Page 2.

onnecting youths and adults in neighborhood volunteering is the unique focus of Join Hands Day, a national day of service scheduled for this Saturday, May 3. SPJST local lodges and partnering organizations will participate in Join Hands Day through many different service projects listed on pages 22 and 23 of this week’s Vestnik. by Sponsored America’s fraternal benefit societies, Join Hands Day encourages people to form partnerships across generations to build greater mutual understanding, respect and trust. Join Hands Day is an opportunity for youths and adults to work sideby-side as they tackle projects and make life better in comacross munities America.

“Many young people have little interaction with adults except their teachers and family members. And many adults know few young people outside their own circle of family and friends,” said SPJST Supreme Lodge President Brian Vanicek. “Join Hands Day is one way to break down the barriers between the generations, while promoting volunteerism and making a difference in the community.”

To create these partnerships, an important goal of Join Hands Day is for adult groups to invite youth organ-

National Volunteer Week celebrates Join Hands Day promotes partnerships between youth, adults America’s and SPJST’s assets N

C

izations, and youth groups to invite adult organizations to join them.

Youth and adult groups participate together through the entire process, from the planning stages to the actual work; and people of all ages take on important responsibilities for the day.

SPJST and other fraternal benefit societies throughout the country serve as community facilitators to help conindividuals nect and groups, identify neighborhood needs and assist with community connections to civic leaders and dignitaries.

Scheduled annually on the first Saturday in May, Join Hands Day can provide the first step in changing communication and cooperation in a neighborhood. This one-day event can introduce volunteering to different audiences of all ages and encourage participation together.

Getting involved in Join Hands Day is easy. The key is finding youth or adult partners. SPJST can help.

Contact SPJST by calling Fraternal Services Specialist Tammy Martinez (800) 727-7578. For more information about Join Hands Day, visit the Join Hands Day Web site at www.joinhandsday.org or call the Join Hands Day Action Center at (630) 522-6322, ext. 116.

—SPJST—

MAY 3, 2008

Inside This Week’s Vestnik

Interest Rates ......................................3 Family Fun Dates ................................3 By-Law Recommendations ................4 District News .......................................8 Lodge Section .....................................9 Reunions ............................................21

Volume 98 Number 13

In Memoriam ......................................21 Join Hands Day Projects..................22 Youth...................................................24 Czech Culture ....................................28 Advertisements .................................29 Activities Calendar............................30

Lodge 30 Taiton members honored at banquet

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State Queen’s Notebook

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March 31, 2010

Lodge 88, Houston member Jeanette Bender grand prizewinner

Special Carpooler Shares Her Green Gift with Many

When Jeanette Bender began carpooling to work five years ago, she had no way of knowing the unexpected twists and turns, not to mention the joys and rewards sharing the ride would bring.

In February, Jeanette was named the grand prizewinner in the H-E-B 15,000,000 Mile Commuter Challenge, and won a year’s worth of groceries from H-E-B. What has given Jeanette even more pleasure than winning the grand prize is sharing her windfall.

She’s giving most of it away starting with a $1,000 to the food pantry in Needville, Texas, where she lives. She hosted an ice cream social on March 11 for her colleagues at Allstate Insurance Company (all 175 of them). She’s also planning a dinner party of surf and turf for her NuRide buddies and giving

s a y s , $500 to a “She’s got neighbor a huge who is unheart. dergoing She’s altreatment w a y s for throat d o i n g cancer. someRegardthing for ing her someone generosity, e l s e .

Jeanette That’s says, “I just her k n o w nature.” where I “We can put a lot of Congratulations to Lodge 88, Houston member s t a r t e d smiles and Jeanette Bender who is the grand prizewinner in carpoolthe H-E-B 15,000,000 Mile Commuter Challenge. ing in feed some 2005 when Allstate sent out the email hungry people.”

Linda Soland, one of Jeanette’s about NuRide and encouraged people NuRide buddies and friend for 17 years to join. The rewards have been great!”

says Jeanette, who has worked at Allstate Insurance Company for 21 years.

Not every mile has been full of laughs though. About a year and a half ago, Jeanette learned she had a malignant tumor. Janice Polak says, “We knew she had a doctor’s appointment because we coordinate our driving schedules around each other’s appointments, etc, but the news was still sudden. We were all there. She told us in carpool that she had cancer.”

“They were a big support system, coming by to visit me and calling me on the phone, because I had to take a year off from work while undergoing treatment,” Jeanette explained. Jeanette completed cancer treatment in January and says proudly, “I am a cancer sur-

Continued on Page 3.

Czech Opera in Temple

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Interest Rates.......................................3 Important Dates ...................................3 State Tournament Info ........................4 District News........................................5 Lodge Section......................................8 100 Percent SPJST Family..................9

Czech Heritage Museum welcomed University of North Texas Opera’s Prodaná nevěsta (The Bartered Bride) to Temple on March 24. Rosie Steinman, center, left, and CHM President Jerry Milan, center, right, both of SPJST Lodge 154, Fort Worth, are pictured with the cast. They are, front, left to right, Ludmila (Elizabeth Jackson), Mařenka (Kristen Bigham), Jeník (Jonathan Yarrington), Principál (Charlie Kim), and Esmeralda (Laurissa Backlin). Back: Háta (Sarah Daniels), Mícha (Joseph Hubbard), Kecal (Stephen Morscheck), Krušina (Blas Canedo), Indián (Matthew Parker), and Vašek (Spencer Sowards).

Inside This Week’s Vestnik

Memoriams ........................................14 Youth Section ....................................15 Vestnik Project...................................16 Czech Culture ....................................21 Advertisements .................................21 Lodge Calendar .................................22

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Group supports Fort Hood Living Memorial Garden

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Lodge 17 New Tabor youth perform at Cheer Nationals

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District Two youth enjoy spring meeting

Lodge 97 Placedo members celebrate Earth Day

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Volume 95 Number 42

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

2009 • VĚSTNÍK • 2009 • VĚSTNÍK • 2009

2007 • VĚSTNÍK • 2007 • VĚSTNÍK • 2007

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Volume 99 Number 38

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TCGS/Friends of the SPJST Library: SPJST Library - gold mine of information

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, LCRA Give to Lodge 1 Youth Club

Do you watch the Home and Gar- mation on the former lands of what is den television channel? Many times, now known as the Czech Republic, a house or an entire property may have Czech genealogy information or perextreme value, but until put into good haps something “just used” by many a repair, the full and true value is not re- Texas Czech – the Progressive Farmer magazine. Remember it? alized.

On entering the door to the SPJST Novels in English and Czech, back issues of Library, t h e espeHospocially d a r , for the maps, f i r s t Czech to time, English one is in dictionawe of a r i e s the vast (current number as well o f TCGS members inventory books in the SPJST Lias sevbooks l i n i n g brary, located in the basement of the SPJST Home eral pubat 520 North Main Street in Temple, in 2002. lished in t h e Office Pictured are, left to right, Sylvia Laznovsky (now deshelves. ceased), Arnold Pechal, Charlene Hurta, Janet Kas- the early 1900s To one ner, and Merlene Bravenec. which w h o loves books, they are certain they have contain long unused words), cookdied and gone to book heaven as it is books, and gardening books to name unbelievable the vast holdings this li- a few of the numerous categories brary contains. It is not unusual to be available.

It is true many of the books, espein the library and hear, “My goodness!

I never dreamed there would be so cially in the novel section, are in many books here. Where did they all Czech which cannot be read by most.

However, pull out a book written in come from?”

Where? They came from caring Czech and thumb through it. If you and compassionate people who knew are a “book lover,” you feel the bond they had something they wanted to and knowing you are unable to read it share with others. The majority were you find yourself turning pages, hopgiven by someone with a Czech back- ing for maybe a small photograph to ground who wanted to spread a little appear which will give you a glimpse Czech seasoning in the lives of others. into the book’s contents. Such was the Seasoning not in the form of paprika case recently when a book, all in or caraway seed but rather seasoning Continued on Page 22. lives through books containing inforBy Charlene Hurta, TCGS President

SPJST Lodge 1, Fayetteville Youth Club members plan to install more baseball field seating with help from a $20,000 grant. Pictured are, front, left to right, Lodge 1 President Sharon Fritsch, Bowyn Bauer, Jagger Wessels, Jade Wessels, and Justin Schimek. BACK: Mark Johnson, Bluebonnet; Byron Balke, Bluebonnet Board Member; Lodge 1 Youth Leader Ronnie Pflughaupt; Ron Eilers; Lori Berger, LCRA Board Member; Amy Brandt, LCRA; and Lori LeBlue, LCRA. —Photo by Sarah Beal, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and the Lower Colorado River Authority recently awarded a $20,000 community development grant to SPJST Lodge 1, Fayetteville Youth Club. The money will help the group make improvements at Fayetteville’s community baseball field.

The youth club took on the initiative to restore the baseball field with new fences, lights, and dugouts. The grant will pay for more seats, includ-

ing access for disabled spectators.

“By constructing a new covered seating area, this project will promote community togetherness in creating a better environment for all ages,” said Ronnie Pflughaupt, SPJST Lodge 1 Youth Leader.

Editor’s Note: Article is reprinted with permission from Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and Texas Co-op Power.

—SPJST—

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Interest Rates ......................................3 Important Dates ...................................3 From the By-Law Committee.........5-21 Readers Write ....................................22 District News......................................22 Lodge Section....................................25

Inside This Week’s Vestnik

Reunions ............................................31 Youth Section ....................................34 In Memoriam ......................................41 Czech Culture ....................................42 Lodge Calendar .................................44 Advertisements ............................46-47

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Lodge 151 Wharton honors deceased with memorial service

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District One Youth host SPJST Float in Burleson County Fair Parade

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Lodge 24 Cyclone member gives to youth club

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Lodge 79, Corpus Christi posted the colors, and 11-year-old Amya Rodriguez of Lodge 24, Cyclone led the convention in the National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. Fred Buri of Lodge 88, Houston sang the Czech National Anthem, Kde Domov Muj? Sixty-year-Youth Leader Bessie Petr of Lodge 84, Dallas then led the Pledge of Allegiance. Supreme Lodge SecretaryTreasurer Leonard Mikeska of Lodge 200, Bruceville-Eddy offered a convention prayer followed by greetings from Supreme Lodge Chairman/District One Director Donnie Victorick of Lodge 9, Snook. City of Killeen Mayor Convention Highlights Supreme Lodge President Brian Daniel A. Corbin welcomed SPJST Vanicek of Lodge 24, Cyclone called members to Killeen and issued a the 31st Convention to order on Mon- proclamation designating June 11, 12, day, June 11. Billy Rollwitz of Lodge and 13, as “SPJST Days” in Killeen.

A memorial acknowledgement 49, Rowena and Jerry Sijansky of was then presented

by Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride of Lodge 200, Bruceville-Eddy in memory of departed members.

President Vanicek recognized the delegate attending the most conventions— Frank Klinkovsky of Lodge 47, Seaton attending his 14th convention. The Longtime friends meet in Killeen. District Six Director Michael Ahlstrom, left, and wife Kathy, both of Lodge youngest delegate in was 32, Victoria, welcome Texas A&M University System attendance Chancellor John Sharp of Lodge 97, Placedo to the Kyle Skrabanek, age 23, of Lodge 17, banquet. Brother Sharp was the banquet speaker.

elegates representing 79 lodges from across Texas convened in Killeen June 11 to 13, 2012, for SPJST’s 31st Convention. Activities began on Sunday, June 10 with delegate registration followed by a Howdy Party that featured music by the SPJST Lodge 88, Houston Czech Concert Orchestra. Refreshments were also served. Special thanks to Bailey, Ramsey and Associates, Inc. Actuaries for providing transportation for the Orchestra.

Important Dates ...................................3 Interest Rates.......................................3 Readers Write ......................................3 CHM Grant Donors’ Listing ................6 Financial Statement ............................7 Lodge Section......................................8

Brotherhood

June 27, 2012

SPJST Lodge 88, Houston Czech Concert Orchestra entertains for the 31st SPJST Convention Howdy Party on Sunday, June 10 in Killeen.

New Tabor, and the oldest delegate was Leander Pflughaupt, age 89, of Lodge 88, Houston.

Credential Committee Chairman Frank Pajestka of Lodge 80, Holland reported that a total of 259 delegates, representing 79 lodges and 35,229 votes were seated for the convention on Monday morning, June 11. The final delegate count, by district, was:

lowing committees were assigned by Chairman Victorick and Vice Chairman Jansa:

Continued on Page 5.

District One....................3,627 Votes District Two ...................7,395 Votes District Three.................6,490 Votes District Four...................2,280 Votes District Five ...................7,746 Votes District Six.....................4,452 Votes District Seven ................3,239 Votes

Delegates elected Donnie Victorick of Lodge 9, Snook as Convention Chairman. Leonard Jansa of Lodge 160, San Angelo was elected Convention Vice Chairman. The fol-

Inside This Week’s Vestnik

Reunions ............................................14 Youth Section.....................................36 In Memoriam ......................................40 Lodge Calendar..................................42 Czech Culture ....................................44 Advertisements.............................46-47

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Lodge 154 Fort Worth members honored by school

District Two Teller James Skrabanek, right, of Lodge 47, Seaton holds the box as Albin Machu of Lodge 29, Taylor casts his ballot during the district caucus.

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Veterans recognized at 31st SPJST Convention

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Lodge 162 Iowa Colony Youth Club, adults assists with Easter run

Vestnik - Archiving the Past for the Future

The following speech was presented

by Věstník Editor/Director of Communication Melanie Zavodny at Texas Czech Genealogical Society’s (TCGS) annual meeting on January 28, 2012, in Caldwell, Texas. The speech was accompanied by a Keynote presentation.

Who would like this $20 bill?

I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. {Crumple up the $20 bill.}

Who still wants it? {Many hands go up.}

Well . . . What if I do this? {Drop it on the ground and grind it with a shoe.

Pick it up, now crumpled and dirty.}

Now, who still wants it? {Still many hands go up.}

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

It’s the same way with old newspapers. They may be crumpled and torn as though they are worthless. But no matter what, they will never lose their value.

Introduction Today, I am honored to share with you a very exciting partnership between SPJST and Texas Czech Genealogical Society that actually began when TCGS was founded in 2001 and soon became “Friends of the SPJST Library, Archives and Museum.” This partnership was recently fostered through an amazing project that will eventually benefit many Czech families in their genealogical research and also help with the preservation and study of Czech culture in Texas.

My name is Melanie Zavodny, and I have served as Věstník Editor/Director of Communication for SPJST since 2004.

About sPJst SPJST serves Texas families with fraternal life insurance and benefits.

This fraternal organization was founded in 1897 in La Grange, Texas,

by Czech pioneers. SPJST currently has lodges and youth clubs located in big towns and small communities across Texas.

Members see need for newspaper According to A History of the SPJST: A Texas Chronicle 1897-1980 (compiled by Nick A. Morris), in the very beginning, SPJST saw a need to communicate with its members and the importance to establish a newspaper.

In the first SPJST convention held in La Grange, Texas, on June 20, 1897, a motion was made and passed for SPJST to publish its own newspaper.

Frank Lidiak submitted his bid for $300 per year, and it was accepted.

The newspaper was to be published monthly, approximately 11 by 14 inches in size, consisting of 12 pages, four of which the publisher was to keep for himself and the remaining eight to consist of material about, from, and for SPJST. Lidiak was responsible for publishing, editing, and dispatching 1,000 copies of the newspaper on the first of each month. The first edition of Slo-

vanska Jednota was dated September 1, 1897. It was published in La Grange. The subscription rate was 50 cents a year per member and $1.00 per year for non-members.

Slovanská Jednota lasted about 10 months, when Lidiak gave it up as “unprofitable.” This was the first official, independent newspaper of SPJST, although Lidiak was printing it in the print shop of Svoboda, the largest Czech-language newspaper published in Texas at that time. It was not, however, an insert to Svoboda.

There is no evidence of any SPJST publication between July 1898 and June 1899. For reasons, probably economic, SPJST on occasion found it more practical to have an established printer bid for the publication of SPJST news, where such information would be included within the text of an already existing publication. Such was the case by July 1899.

Before the Věstník The next publication containing information about SPJST was called

1912 - 2012

Obzor Hospodářský. It was published

by Frank Fabian in Hallettsville every Thursday. It had started publication five years previous as a private enterprise, but the first issue in which news about SPJST appeared was dated July 1, 1899, in Vol. 5, No. 23.

The name was shortened to simply Obzor by the October 15, 1899, issue.

september 1912 – First Věstník Printed The 6th SPJST Convention held in Granger in 1912 was historic because this was the convention in which the delegates decided, for the second time, that SPJST should publish its own independent newspaper on a contract basis. The first issue of the Věstník S.P.J.S.T. was dated September 1, 1912 — Vol. 1, No. 1, edited and published in Hallettsville by Frank Fabian, who had bid successfully for the publication in that convention. The first four issues were published on the 1st and 15th of every month. The publication was trimmed, bound, and published in Fayetteville. By the fifth issue, Fabian moved the Věstník S.P.J.S.T. to the printing offices of Svoboda in La Grange.

With that same issue, the Věstník came out with a newly-designed front page filled with art work and drawings, including the SPJST emblem around the five points of the star. This front page was used for many years.

A careful look discloses a cotton and corn stalk almost completely surrounding a star with the letters S.P.J.S.T. between the points of the star arranged differently from what they were prior to 2000. These two plants were no doubt chosen because they represented the two principal money crops in Texas, especially cotton, which is shown in maturity on stalks around the entire border of the page. Other crops are depicted by wheat (or barley) stalks. Note the lion symbol taken from the Czechoslovak national symbol opposite a replica of the Stars and Stripes.

Care of orphans and rearing/caring for the youth were depicted by two pictures at the bottom — again, showing a small boy among maturing cotton stalks and a young girl standing amidst blooming vegetation.

Early Věstník Published semimonthly There is no record just who suggested, or how, the name Věstník came about. But, the logical assumption would be that the publisher/editor Frank Fabian submitted the name. The word Věstník translates to “journal” or “bulletin.”

In January 1914, the Věstník was moved back to Hallettsville when the Colorado River, flowing through La Grange, flooded and forced Fabian and his operation to move out of that city.

Both in Hallettsville and La Grange, the paper was officially identified as Věstník S.P.J.S.T Organ Slovanske Podporujici Jednoty Statu Texas — Organ of the Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas — and was published on the 1st and 15th of each month. The subscription rate was 40 cents a year.

1916 - Věstník Publishes Weekly In 1916, delegates to the SPJST convention saw the need for greater member communication among the lodges and members of this young and growing fraternal. So the Věstník began to be published weekly and was moved to Fayetteville. The cost per member was 50 cents per year, and each issue contained eight pages that were 11 x 15 inches of reading material and four or more of advertising.

Note the redesigned star appears at the top of the page, with the branches of the lily on the left, the oak leaf branch on the right and the letters positioned so that the T is centered at the bottom. This positioning of the letters and the basic design of the two leaf branches remained basically unchanged until SPJST adopted its new and current logo in 2000. Note also the depiction of depositing of funds in a bank to signify “Benevolence” and self-sufficiency, and a visit to the ill signifying “Humanity” — Lidskost — , and “Bratrstvi” — brotherhood — by the clasped hands in the top center.

These somewhat ornately designed front pages were full of symbolism — that which was to portray or depict the principle beliefs and foundings of SPJST. In 1932, convention delegates accepted the bid of Cechoslovak Publishing Company to print the Věstník. The publication was then moved from Fayetteville to West. The Věstník was printed entirely in Czech until January 1, 1949, when an English section was added.

Věstník through the Years The ornate front page layout was used until January 5, 1949, when there was a return to a smaller format, necessitating a decrease in the amount of “art work” on the front page.

Another front page layout design was used until January 2, 1957, at which time still another redesigning gave the Society members this:

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

This cover was used until March 1, 1961. At that time the readers saw a new format.

Beginning with the January 1, 1964, issue a different layout for the front page appeared.

Beginning with the May 20, 1964, issue, another newly-designed front page came out showing a larger and more prominent SPJST symbol.

The July 7, 1965, issue revealed the addition of clasped hands under the SPJST logo.

A partially re-designed front page appeared with the addition of the words “SPJST Herald” in Old English type with the January 24, 1968, Věstník.

In 1981, the Věstník changed from a magazine format to a tabloid 11 ½ by 16 in size with a total of 16 pages. The Věstník was then printed by Stillhouse Hollow Publishers in Belton.

In 1985, Hill County Press in Hillsboro began printing the Věstník.

In 2000, the Věstník revealed the newly-adopted SPJST logo on its masthead.

Věstník Editors since 1916 have been Joseph Tápal from 1916 to 1932; Frank Moučka from 1933 to 1951; Stephen Válčík from 1951 to 1956; L.O. Hošek from 1957 to 1962; Nick A. Morris from 1962 to 1968; Rudy Šefčík from 1969 to 1992; and Brian Vanicek from 1992 until 2004.

2005 – Věstník Prints in Full Color Delegates at the 2004 Convention agreed to enhance the Věstník by converting it to a full-color publication. In January 2005, Temple Daily Telegram began printing the Věstník on a fullcolor webpress. The Telegram continues to print the Věstník today.

today’s Věstník In the past, the Věstník had to be driven to the printer and put together at the printer. Today, the Věstník is built entirely inhouse and emailed as a digital Portable Document Format or PDF file to the printer.

The official newspaper of SPJST has been a weekly publication since September 1916. It is mailed out one issue per household on a requested basis to members of SPJST free of charge. The cost has, since the very beginning, been absorbed and paid by SPJST. As SPJST’s membership has grown, so has the number of issues mailed out. Current number of issues sent out is approximately 10,250 each week.

The page count has significantly increased over the past several years.

This is almost entirely due to advances

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in technology. It is so much easier to submit items to the Věstník today than it was just even 15 years ago. In the past, we had to find pen and paper and take the time to sit down and write out a letter. Then, we placed it in an envelope, stamped it, and took it to the mailbox or post office. Today, we turn on the computer, type the letter, and press “send.”

It’s the same thing with photographs. You may have noticed a big increase in photos in the Věstník over the past few years. Just as few as about eight years ago, you bought a roll of film for your camera, waited until you snapped out 24 or 36 photos, depending on the film size, then either mailed the roll of film to a processing center or took it to HEB or Wal-mart to get it developed. If you were lucky and were willing to pay a little bit more, you could get the prints developed in about an hour. Then, you selected a couple pictures to send to the Věstník. You had to place them in an envelope that needed addressing, stamping, and mailing. Today, we can snap a picture on our smart phones and email it to the Věstník Editor – all in the same minute.

The Věstník has been and continues to be the principal link between members and contains official reports from various levels of interest to the membership. It contains lodge and youth club information, Czech heritage data, obituaries, and other items of interest.

The publication continues to include at least one page of Czech each week.

The Věstník has always been and continues to be a valuable medium.

Importance of Archiving Newspaper archives with their collections of millions of old newspaper articles have always been a treasure trove for historical research or to find a person. However, this is usually a treasure that is approached with grim determination. Over the past few years, the Věstník office has received many calls asking us to research past Věstníks for a parent, grandparent, or other relative. Research meant hours or days going through dusty old stacks of Věstníks, scanning endless headlines, articles, and photo captions, and usually turning up . . . not very much — if anything.

Almost 5,000 Věstníks have been published throughout the years. A vast collection of Věstníks has been stored in the basement of the SPJST Home Office in Temple. The Věstníks are in fairly good condition today. The oldest ones are fragile, and time has taken its toll on many of these issues. And, each year, the collection deteriorates a little more.

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Last year, with the anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the Věstník in 2012, my assistant Katherine Morris and I approached the SPJST Publication Committee and the SPJST Supreme Lodge with the idea of archiving and digitizing the Věstník.

All supported the project in hopes to preserve these valuable Věstník copies and SPJST’s history along with helping people with genealogy research and with hopes to inspire others to discover their heritage and past.

Researching for a solution We spent weeks researching various ways and formats to archive the Věstník. We looked into microfilming and silver negative and other methods.

Through our research, we also studied the Texas Digital Newspaper Program that draws upon best practice standards established by the Library of Congress and the NEH for the National Digital Newspaper Program.

It seemed that each bit of knowledge brought on a little more confusion and uncertainty into the best route to pursue to archive and digitize our Věstníks.

And, of course, there were several organizations and companies gladly wanting to take our money. I was quoted a cost of $150 to scan and digitize each Věstník issue. And . . . we have almost 4,000 Věstníks! If you do the math, that is a lot of money!

Partnering with tCGs We finally decided to pursue a method of digitally preserving the Věstník through scanning each page and creating a searchable database.

But, I really did not know where to begin. When I was swimming in all of this data and information and not knowing which way to turn or which way to go, I suddenly thought about Charlene Hurta, President of TCGS. I remembered from years past that she and several other TCGS members volunteered in the SPJST Home Office Library and were trying to scan old Věstníks. I was hoping that she had a collection of several – if not all – of the early years of Věstníks.

One late night, I sent Charlene an email with the glimmer of hope that maybe she could shed some light on this almost surreal project. Little did I know that that email and her response would unveil a dynamic, beautiful partnership that is leading to a vast collection of genealogy knowledge and opening a door from the past to the future.

In the email, I asked Charlene about the Věstník scanning that TCGS volun-

teers did several years ago at the SPJST Home Office Library. I also explained to her that we were planning to begin digitizing our Věstník collection. I probably expressed to her that I was lost in a world of so much knowledge and was hoping that her early Věstník scans would seal the deal and point me in the right direction.

The next morning, I opened my email to already find a response from Charlene. She said that TCGS volunteers had worked to find a solution for scanning the Věstníks in the early 2000s. However, they faced challenges with locating large scanners and also finding scanners to read the text — especially the Czech text. She said, unfortunately, no scans exist of the early Věstníks. Within minutes of reading the email, the phone was ringing, and it was the most raspy, spirited, energetic, enthusiastic voice that I think I had ever heard. I can still hear Charlene’s words: “When can we get together and talk about this? We want to help make this project come true.”

And, just like that, I suddenly knew this project was going to become a reality. the Plan Within days, Charlene along with Merlene Bravenec came to the Home Office to look at the Věstník collection.

We talked about different options and how to best pursue the digital archiving. We all presented our research into locating scanners. We devised a plan.

SPJST would provide the scanning equipment, and TCGS graciously agreed to provide the volunteers. We set a target date to begin the project.

We estimated that it would take between 12 to 18 months to complete the scanning.

Locating Equipment and software Knowing TCGS volunteers would be arriving in a few weeks, I went back to researching – this time for scanners that could handle this massive, longrange project. After many emails and phone calls to and from companies in Austin, Dallas, Waco, and Houston, I found what I was looking for right at

home in Temple, Texas! A local office machine company (Johnnie’s Office Systems, Inc.) was willing and able to help — they had the scanners and would lease them. I then presented the information and plan of action to SPJST’s officers who approved and supported the project.

Three high-quality Toshiba e-Studio MFPs (or multi-function printers) were delivered to the Home Office, then set up and installed. They were connected to SPJST’s network. Each and every scan would be sent to and stored there.

Each page would be scanned as an image, but it still needed an optical character recognition (OCR) process.

My only option at that time was using Adobe Acrobat. I scanned in a Věstník issue, downloaded it from the network, and took it through — page by page — Adobe Acrobat. It took almost an hour and eventually produced a searchable file. The thought of doing this same process for almost 4,000 Věstník issues made me ill. I knew it would take years of constant work to complete this.

Adobe Acrobat is great, but maybe not for a project of this magnitude.

With today’s technology, I was confident there had to be something else out there that was quicker and simpler. So it was back to researching. This time, I googled and googled until I could google no more! Sure, there were several options out there for the right price.

Just when I was about to place the order for three packages of Adobe Acrobat software to install on three computers, I decided to try one more search. Bingo! I came across a software package that was to be installed inside the scanner. The document is scanned as a .tif file to the network.

Then, the software takes the .tif image through OCR and produces a searchable PDF file. And, did I mention that this software also reads Czech? And, kind of like the initial Charlene conversation, I was in disbelief again and couldn’t believe that this could actually be possible.

Reality then struck as I hurriedly tried to find what type of scanner this was compatible with since I suddenly

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discovered I was at a website that ended in .au – Australia. Not good, I thought.

But . . . imagine my surprise when I discovered that the software is made by Toshiba for Toshiba e-Studio MFPs — the exact same units that were delivered and installed for scanning the Věstníks. God is good, and He was certainly watching over me. And, the price — the same as the three packages of Adobe Acrobat software.

Věstník Inventory Prior to the TCGS volunteers arriving at the Home Office, the Věstník issues were gathered, organized, and inventoried to determine which issues were present and which issues were missing. Very, very few Věstníks exist from 1912 to 1932. Almost all issues are present and accounted for from 1933 through today.

tCGs Volunteers Begin scanning Process TCGS volunteers Charlene and Leroy Hurta and Merlene Bravenec arrived bright and early on Tuesday, July 12, 2011, to begin this incredible journey. They started scanning the 1980 Věstníks that were loosely stored in binders. Věstníks dated 1933 through the early 1980s were bound in books.

Prior to the volunteers coming to Temple, a lot of research was done on their part as far as the process that they were going to pursue. They looked into ways to unbind the Věstníks. Ed Hlavaty was the key person in unbinding the issues. He devised a process that was second to none. He worked for days unbinding the books that included about a quarter of a year of Věstníks in each one. As each book was unbound, each page was opened and separated and made sure it was in the correct order and ready for someone to scan it in. This process saved hours of time and allowed the people scanning to focus solely on scanning.

The three individuals scanning worked eight-plus hours each day, and were able to scan about three years of Věstníks each day. TCGS volunteers worked non-stop for the next 24 week-

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days unbinding and scanning all of the available Věstníks. The scanning was completed on August 12, 2011, — exactly one month and two days from the time it was begun. That’s a big difference from the 12 to 18 months we had initially estimated!

The original Věstník newspaper pages were scanned using high quality scanners and an optical character recognition (OCR) process that converts the printed text to electronic text.

Both these processes produce the most accurate results possible. OCR makes it possible to search large quantities of full text information but it is not 100 percent accurate. The quality of the original newspaper affects the outcome and accuracy of the OCR scanning process. A range of factors are taken into account, including condition of the original newspaper, quality of the paper, size and style of the font and column layouts, missing or misprinted text, for example.

Archiving Editions As the Věstníks were scanned, three permanent archival copies were located and placed in archival boxes. Two copies will remain stored at the SPJST Home Office in Temple. One copy will be permanently stored at a place yet to be determined. An additional original Věstník copy, if available, has been placed in the SPJST Library for inhouse public use.

Verifying the scans While three volunteers continued to man the scanners and continue the process, additional volunteers arrived to begin verifying the scans. They worked at two computer stations and pulled up each Věstník issue one by one to check to make sure each page was scanned and if all material on the page was scanned. Lists were compiled of missing pages, out-of-order pages, and cut-off pages.

This is where we are at in the project at the moment. We are currently working through the lists to see which Věstník issues or Věstník pages need to be rescanned.

Rescanning Several Věstník pages have been rescanned in the past few months, as volunteer time has permitted. During the spring and summer months, we anticipate a couple more days of “scanning parties” to scan in any missed pages or cut-off pages. These rescanned pages will then be inserted into the originally scanned documents to complete the issue.

(December 2012 Update: Rescanned pages are currently being inserted into the issues. Years of Věstníks will soon be saved onto portable hard drives.

Then, they will be uploaded to an online database.)

Uploading The completed, corrected Věstníks will then be permanently stored on SPJST’s secure server. They will also be uploaded to the online database that will be accessible to anyone with a computer and the internet. Plans are also to store the complete set of Věstníks on archival DVDs. We hope to continue to preserve these on whatever method is introduced into the future.

Just about 20 years ago, we thought floppy disks were the greatest creation.

Those were soon replaced with CDs and now DVDs. Who knows what future technology holds and if the internet will even be around in 100 years, but we hope to continue to work to preserve these Věstníks as technology advances.

Speaking of technology, would you believe that all close to 4,000 Věstník issues are backed-up on this portable drive? {show portable drive exhibit}

searchable Database As the Věstníks are completed and ready, they will be uploaded into an online searchable database in the Portal to Texas History through the University of North Texas.

A computer with internet access has been added to the SPJST Library so that visitors will soon be able to access the Věstník library to help them with their research.

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

the Future I am very, very excited about the new and upcoming online Věstník archives.

Why? Because the Věstník can add fresh leaves and branches to so many Czech family trees better than many other records, and this ambitious project to digitize the vast collection will reveal untold treasures that have laid buried in SPJST archives for, in some cases, 100 years.

It’s not that SPJST wanted to hide its Věstník newspapers. Researchers who managed to make it to Home Office basement have always been welcomed.

But have you ever tried to find anything in a newspaper archive before? It can be a mind-numbingly slow and frustrating process digging through issue after issue, squinting at old newsprint, and praying that you don’t accidentally miss the very event you are looking for.

And that’s when you know what you are looking for. It is comparatively easy looking for a birth or marriage certificate or even military records if you know they exist. The trouble with newspaper records is you have no idea what was deemed worth recording by the editors of the day. Where do you start?

All of this is why digitizing newspapers is the only way to really make this amazing resource actually useable.

At the click of a button, you can search a name or a place and get further in 10 minutes than you would have done in 10 days of viewing microfilm and physically searching through stacks of paper. Anyone who eventually uses the Věstník online resource or any other digitized newspaper archive will appreciate the value of this.

So, gather up the names of your ancestors. Write yourself a big, long list.

Very soon, you will be able to visit spjst.org to access this wonderful collaboration between TCGS and SPJST. I challenge you not to find something relating to your family’s past. The site will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

And the great thing is, even if you don’t find much soon after we launch

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it, there’s more to come. About 150,000 pages are set to go online over the next year during the Věstník’s 100th anniversary. I can see I’m going to be kept excited for some time yet . . .

Czech Veterans’ Wall of Honor I also want to mention that as the archiving project was progressing, Charlene and Ed visited with the SPJST Supreme Lodge Officers and Directors during their quarterly meeting. TCGS asked for permission to install the beautiful, truly amazing Czech Veterans’ Wall of Honor in the Home Office basement that was formerly the home to the museum. Once again, volunteers worked many, many countless hours for weeks and months to make the wall a reality. Ed even changed all of the light housing and installed energy-efficient LED spotlights. This is truly a remarkable project that SPJST is deeply honored to have in its Home Office. People come in almost every day to see the wall and some spend hours relishing and appreciating TCGS’ work on the wall – while honoring the Veterans’ service. I invite you and encourage you to visit the Home Office to see this wonder.

Volunteer Recognition I want to take a moment to especially recognize the ones who helped with this project. If you helped scan, unbound, rebound, check the Věstníks, or any other part of this project or helped make the Veterans’ Wall a reality at the Home Office, please stand and be recognized. Thank you so much. On behalf of SPJST and the Věstník, we are forever grateful to you and your help. We will never forget what you have done. thanks, tCGs! My sincere thanks to Texas Czech Genealogical Society and its amazing, wonderful, enthusiastic, hardworking, inspiring team of volunteers — all led by a truly remarkable lady whose determination will forever touch lives.

Thank you, TCGS, and may God richly bless this organization and its members.

• • • SPJST • • •

sPJst Celebrates 115 Years of Fraternalism

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1897 - 2012: A Colorful History, A Bright Future

Paradise on Earth To better understand SPJST and why it was established, it is important to know a little about the group’s founders and their homeland — the Czech lands of Moravia, Slovakia and Bohemia.

Combined, this region represents a section of central Europe, rich in natural resources and often referred to in song and poetry as “Zemsky Raj to na Pokled” or “Paradise on Earth.”

Because it was so well-endowed by natural resources, the Czech lands were among the most progressive and highly developed in Central Europe. With the establishment of the first university, Charles University, in Prague in 1348, the region also became a center of higher education. For these and other reasons, the Czech lands became an attractive prize and the target of recurring assaults by its neighbors. These attacks culminated with the Battle of White Mountain in 1620 when the Czech people were thoroughly defeated. The nation ceased to exist, and all its people were either killed or sent into exile and its wealth went to its conquerors.

Coming to America The exiled Czechs emigrated into Germany, Russia, England, and the United States. The first arrived in North America after the Battle of White Mountain, settling in New Amsterdam, which is now known as New York.

Many others soon followed.

They brought with them the spirit of liberty that had been crushed at White Mountain. They took great pride in this country which gave them the privilege to determine their own destiny and to bind together to achieve even greater accomplishments.

Between 1834 and 1900, approximately 200,000 people of Czech descent immigrated from their native land to America. Many of those ended up in Texas. To make life more enjoyable, the Czech immigrants and their families stuck together.

strength in numbers In the 1880s, Czech pioneers in Texas elected to join others across the

United States in a fraternal benefit union called the CSPS, now known as the Czechoslovak Society of America (CSA).

The first Texas lodge was organized April 13, 1894. At that time, the CSPS was undergoing a period of internal strife, mainly centering around disagreement over money matters. Generally stated, Texans believed that CSPS ties lay overwhelmingly in favor of eastern industrial workers, rather than in favor of the farming families of the west.

Certain financial demands were not met by the CSPS, and western and Texas delegates grew disenchanted with the organization of the society.

Giving up their efforts at fiscal reform, Texas Czechs shortly after 1896 decided on secession from the CSPS. And on December 28 of that year, Texas delegates gathered at La Grange and set about the task of forming a new society.

After some discussion, a threemember committee was elected to draw up a set of by-laws for the new organization. The committee elected consisted of J.R. Kubena, A. Haidusek, and F. Cihal. Haidusek later gave up the job, and L.V. Vanek was named to this committee. In March of 1897, the constitution was submitted to the Texas CSPS lodges for consideration. Seven of the 25 Texas lodges approved the constitution and withdrew from the older society.

These seven lodges represented the vanguard of the fledgling SPJST organization. Official records indicate that the first convention was held in La Grange on June 20, 1897, and the society started operations on July 1, 1897, with 782 members and 25 lodges.

SPJST received its state charter on August 12, 1897.

the Road to temple SPJST’s first base of operations was located in Fayetteville, Texas. The reason being that the central figure in administering the affairs of the Society, Secretary J.R. Kubena, had his personal business operations located in that city. Until his death in 1938, Kubena administered the affairs of SPJST out of a single room in his general merchandise store.

It wasn’t until the early 1930s that the other officers were made full-time,

and additional office space was needed.

That is when the Supreme Lodge officers rented the building housing the former Fayetteville State Bank a door or two down in October 1932 for the rental fee of $30 per month. The building served two, then three, Supreme Lodge officers until the early 1940s when the records and offices were moved to a larger building on the square in Fayetteville until the offices were moved to Temple following the 1952 Convention in Houston.

The move from Fayetteville to Temple was made during the months of August and September of 1953. A decision had previously been reached to completely renovate and remodel the third floor of the Professional Building on Second Street and Central Avenue to house the officers of the Supreme Lodge.

As the years passed, it became increasingly evident that adequate and suitable quarters would have to be sought elsewhere, and the solutions seemed to lie in the construction of a new building. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on October 25, 1969, with formal dedication of the new SPJST Home Office building on the corner of Main Street and French Avenue taking place on Sunday, January 31, 1971. society With a Purpose From the outset, SPJST lodge meetings made members feel at home and provided them with the economic security of fraternal life insurance. But, there was much more to SPJST than that . . . Through participation in lodge meetings and SPJST conventions, members learned and applied the democratic processes of their newly adopted homeland. They grew to appreciate the value of free speech and to express their opinions. Moreover, they learned how to conduct meetings and the importance of voting. Having learned and adopted these American values, SPJST members became better citizens.

SPJST served its purpose well. Over the course of the next two generations, American society and lifestyles changed dramatically. Our state and our nation was becoming progressively more industrialized. At the same time, the country was becoming more urban and less rural. Many people—includ-

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ing the sons and daughters of the early members—moved away from the farms and into the towns and cities. In many cases, they took SPJST with them. Thus, it was during this time that many of our urban lodges were established. It was also during this time, in 1953, that SPJST headquarters moved its state headquarters to Temple.

Once again, SPJST had an important mission to fulfill—to provide its members with identity and support at a time when life in America was becoming increasingly impersonal and unstable.

The society served its purpose well.

The legacy of these days—the S.P.J.S.T. Rest Homes, youth program, and various cultural enrichment programs including the SPJST Library, Archives and Museum—are with us today.

Looking Ahead Achieving success in the future remains an exciting prospect. Just as SPJST’s forefathers learned to adjust, SPJST is responding to meet the needs of its members in these changing times.

From a financial perspective, SPJST offers its members a full line of life insurance programs, annuities, and related member benefits, including home, business, and farm and ranch loans.

One of the most significant fraternal developments in SPJST over the past decade has been the increase in volunteerism and human service projects. In lodges all over the state, members are committing their time and energy in support of worthwhile causes, helping people in need by working in hospitals, senior citizen homes, and raising money for many causes, including scholarships, food banks, volunteer fire departments, drug abuse programs, and various charities. They are taking the best that SPJST has to offer—a tradition of helping people to care for their families—and are extending it to their communities. In light of all these things, there is indeed great promise for the future of fraternalism and SPJST. • • • SPJST • • •

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

SPJST’s Preamble

SPJST was founded in La Grange, Texas, in 1897.

The main ideal and purpose of this Society, as organized by fearless and peace-loving Czech pioneers in Texas, was and is: To provide and promote fraternal and social fellowship among its members; to endeavor to keep alive the cherished traditions, customs, heritage, culture, and language of our forefathers; and generally, through moral, spiritual, and economic respect, to encourage benevolence and humanity through the Society with sound, practical life insurance for its members.

116th Year

SPJST’s Purpose

The purpose of this Society is to provide security for its members and the families of the insured, through the various certificates issued in accordance with the fraternal insurance laws of the State of Texas.

This Society promotes providing a wholesome family environment for the entire family unit and endeavors to promote our common bond by keeping alive and encouraging the cherished traditions of the Czech history, culture, heritage, and family.

SPJST Home Office 520 North Main Street • Temple, Texas

SPJST: An Idea in the Making

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It’s a “package deal” built upon the idea of addressing human needs.

To non-members—sPJst is a concept that is sometimes easily mis-

understood. to some, it’s merely an insurance company; to others, it’s a social club; and, finally, to others, it’s a historical and heritage society. so who’s right?

At its best, SPJST embodies the characteristics of all these definitions, demonstrating that the strength lies in diversity. SPJST is a society that members can join for any number of reasons. It’s a package deal built upon the idea of addressing human needs— financial, social, and cultural. The ability to meet those needs and uphold strong human values is the mortar that holds the Society together.

What’s most important to the member depends on his or her station in life. What a sevenyear-old wants from his membership is a lot different than what an 80-yearold would like to see. The sale and purchase of life insurance is a cornerstone of membership in SPJST. SPJST offers a wide range of life insurance programs, and annuity plans designed to meet the varying needs of its members.

The fraternal component of SPJST further enhances membership by emphasizing the social and civic responsibilities that members share with each other and the communities in which they live. There are few limiting factors placed on local lodges and how they choose to meet their fraternal obliga-

tions. Really, what it comes down to is initiative and imagination.

The guidelines which describe how the business of SPJST is to be conducted is found in the SPJST By-Laws.

Reform and innovation are healthy processes, and they are what keep SPJST growing.

S i m p l y stated, SPJST is an idea that is still in the making.

With a continuing commitment to its members and the communities that SPJST serves, the best is yet to come.

For more information about SPJST, please contact the Home Office at (800) 727-7578, and you can be put in touch with someone in your area. Also, visit us at www.spjst.org.

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Affordable Insurance Options In many cases, the application process can be accomplished in one meeting.

A re you and your family adequately covered? Unless you deal

with life insurance regularly, it can be an intimidating and sometimes difficult subject to discuss.

If you haven’t purchased insurance in a while, you may be surprised at the many affordable life insurance options available through your local SPJST sales agent. The following list provides a brief summary of the insurance options that are available: Estate Builder. The gift for the future. This inexpensive term provides youth ages 0 to 18 with $10,000 of coverage for a one-time payment of $100 per unit (maximum of two units). At age 25, SPJST will offer to convert the term coverage to five times the original face amount regardless of health.

10-Year Term.

A modern term product issued to ages 18 through 75. Premiums are guaranteed for 10 years and can be renewed annually after that to age 95. The death benefit is guaranteed level to age 95. Renewals are guaranteed, even if your health is not perfect!

15-Year Term. Just like the 10-Year Term, except premiums are level for 15 years. Issued to ages 18 through 70. Convertible to permanent coverage prior to age 65 with no health requirements.

20-Year Term. Level premiums for 20 years (guaranteed level for 10). Issued to ages 18 through 65. Just the thing for young families to provide benefits for the family while the children are growing up if the breadwinner dies.

30-Year Term. A very sensible term product!

Premiums are level for 30 years (guaranteed level for 20). Issued to ages 18 through 55. It is excellent for mortgage cancellation as well as providing inexpensive coverage before retirement.’

Return of Premium Rider. (Available on 20- and 30-Year Term only.) This rider provides a full refund of all premiums paid in at the end of the term period. If death occurs within the term period, the death benefit is paid to the beneficiary, but if you are still alive at the end of the term period, all of your premiums are refunded to you in a lump sum. You can’t lose! Call SPJST for more details.

Life Paid-Up at Age 65. You are covered to age 100, but you only pay premiums to age 65. Cash values are available and continue to grow to age 100. Enjoy your retirement without life insurance premiums!

Priority Life. A whole life product designed as a final expense certificate for ages 16 to 85. Eligibility determined by short medical questionnaire.

Physical exam and blood test not required. Affordable and written with relaxed underwriting requirements.

Lone Pay Life. A whole life product available with just one premium. The certificate is then paid-up.

Issued to ages 0 through 80.

Adult and Juvenile Whole Life. A whole life product designed for both young and mature applicants that offers affordable premiums and builds cash value.

10 Pay Life. A whole life product designed for both young and mature applicants with premiums payable for 10 years. Issued to ages 0 through 70.

20 Pay Life. A whole life product designed for both young and mature applicants with premiums payable for 20 years. Issued to ages 0 through 60.

Youth Achiever. A whole life product, the Youth Achiever plan is issued to ages 0 through 15 and has an annual premium of $70 for $10,000 coverage.

Final Expense. A whole life plan designed to help with your final expense needs whether you are in perfect health or even have health concerns (not guaranteed issue). Coverage is available on a modified, graded or level death benefit basis. The level death benefit has inflation protection available, to cover final expenses as they increase each year. Available from ages 40 to 80 with premiums payable for life or as a one-time single premium.

Heritage Plan.

A present for the future. A check will be sent to the grandchild on his/her birthday each year for 20 years after the grandparent passes away.

A whole life product issued to ages 50 to 80.

Whole Life Universal Life. Flexible premium adjustable Universal Life insurance contract with guaranteed coverage, subject to the payment of minimum no-lapse guarantee premiums on a cumulative basis. Available to ages 0 to 80 years.

Universal Life. A flexible protection plan issued to ages 0 through 80 which offers both a guaranteed and current interest rate on the cash value accumulation.

Annuities. Both qualified (IRA) and non-qualified are offered to SPJST members. Interest rates are posted every week in SPJST’s weekly newspaper, Vestnik. For current rates, contact the SPJST Home Office, refer to the Vestnik, or visit www.spjst.org.

In many cases, the insurance application process can be accomplished at your home in one meeting. At other times, it may take an additional visit since the sales agent may need to spend some time assessing the information you provide in the initial meeting before he or she can recommend the appropriate life insurance solution. For more information on the life insurance options available to you, please contact your local lodge sales agent. If you’re not sure who that is, call the SPJST Insurance Department at (800) 727-7578, and you will be put in touch with a sales agent in your area. See pages 46 through 53 for a listing of agents.

1912 - 2012

Youth Program Aims High

SPJST Youth Program addresses social needs, civic responsibilities.

o build character among the young and to pursue educational, patriotic, social, and athletic recreation. those are the goals of sPJst’s statewide youth program.

On an annual basis, youth clubs from 37 lodges across the state sponsor a wide range of social activities, community service projects and charity projects. It’s about having fun, but it’s also about contributing to the welfare of the people of Texas.

The educational aspect of the SPJST Youth Program is an integral part of local youth club activities. State and local programs address a range of areas, including human relations, nature, parliamentary procedure, juvenile decency, arts and crafts, the fine arts, music, dramatics and Czech tradition. Youth club members range from grades kindergarten to high school senior.

The patriotic program consists of ceremonial rituals and an annual essay contest. The objective is to teach the operation of a free democratic society and majority rule. The social program includes parties, dances, picnics, pageants, hay rides, and family group activities.

T

summer Camp SPJST also makes summer camping trips available to its active young members. To be eligible to attend camp at no charge, youth members must attend seven out of 12 youth meetings or seven out of 12 adult lodge meetings, if the lodge does not have a youth club. Any youth who initially joins a youth club and is not able to make seven meetings can pay a fee determined by the DYC to

attend camp. Youth members must also attend a majority of the youth activities in the youth club or lodge. Non-active youth members may attend camp for a fee determined by the District Youth Counselor.

state Youth Achievement Day In addition to the camp program, the SPJST offers its youth a program which encourages participation in various individual and group contests. The program culminates with the State Youth Achievement Day (YAD) and Royalty Contest held on a statewide basis on the first Saturday in August. The crowning moment of SPJST’s royalty competition is the coronation of the king and queen who are selected on the basis of a speech during which they are scored on content, delivery and overall presence. All of the individuals who compete for the honor are winners in their own right, having been selected to represent their respective districts as king and queen candidates.

More than 500 youth and adults from across the state are expected to be at the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center on Saturday, August 3 to participate in the 2013 SPJST State YAD and State Royalty Contest. The day’s competition covers talent, speech, handicrafts, foods, and educational projects.

SPJST’s youth program is a cooperative effort that reflects the great potential of SPJST — young and old — working together to achieve common goals and enjoying life together.

Information on local lodge youth clubs may be obtained by contacting your local lodge, District Youth Counselor, State Youth Director at (800) 7277578, or by visiting www.spjst.org.

★ ★ ★ 2012-2013 SPJST State Royalty ★ ★ ★ Left to right are Duke Michael Hoelscher of Lodge 24, Cyclone; King Jerry Pechal of Lodge 47, Seaton; and Queen Emily Lewis and Duchess Kyleigh Hruska, both of Lodge 9, Snook.

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

39

Hiram Dixon

Districts Two/Seven Fraternal Field Manager (5)

Supreme Lodge (elected)

District Two Director (5 Months)

Bob Bayer

District Seven Director/ Vice Chairman (24)

President’s Dept.

President’s Dept.

Frank Horak

Financial Secretary (1)

Vice President’s Dept.

Philip McBee

Districts One/Three Fraternal Field Manager (7)

District Six Director (12)

Roy Vajdak

Number in ( ) defines years of employment with SPJST.

Vice President’s Dept.

Vice President’s Dept.

Don Strickland

Business Development/ Marketing Manager (1)

Karen Kaspar

District Five Director (12)

State Youth Director (5)

Vice President’s Dept.

Vestnik Editor (elected)

Melanie Zavodny

Vestnik Editor/Director of Communication (18)

Jesse Pospisil

District One Director/Chairman (14)

Larry W. Pflughaupt

Financial Secretary’s Dept.

District Four Director (13)

Donnie Victorick

Chester Jenke, Sr.

State Fraternal Activities Coordinator (6) Vice President’s Dept.

Billy Rollwitz

District Three Director (15)

Supreme Lodge Secretary-Treasurer (46) Supreme Lodge (elected)

Supreme Lodge (elected)

Supreme Lodge (elected)

Johnnie Krizan

Leonard Mikeska

Supreme Lodge (elected)

Supreme Lodge Vice President (34)

Supreme Lodge President (20)

Supreme Lodge (elected)

Supreme Lodge (elected)

Supreme Lodge (elected)

Supreme Lodge (elected)

Gene McBride

Brian Vanicek

Supreme Lodge (elected)

• • SPJST Supreme Lodge, Vestnik Editor, Financial Secretary, and State Field Personnel • •

Bobby G. Davis

District Four Fraternal Field Manager (4)

Delisle Doherty

Districts Six/Seven Fraternal Field Manager (2)

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1912 - 2012

Lisa Mills

Assistant to the Vice President (4)

Human Resources Administrator (8)

Financial Secretary’s Dept.

Katherine Morris Communication Assistant (14)

Financial Secretary’s Dept.

President’s Dept.

Debbie Klinkovsky

Susan Neal

Accounting Assistant (10 months)

Debbie Dohnalik Accounting Manager (36)

Ruth Hanusch

Linda Hill

Fraternal Department Secretary (35)

President’s Dept.

Home Office Receptionist (3)

President’s Dept.

Financial Secretary’s Dept.

Vice President’s Dept.

Executive Assistant to the Financial Secretary (20) Dir. of Comm./Editor’s Dept.

Lisa Kirby

Executive Assistant to the Vice President (26) Vice President’s Dept.

Cynthia Hutka

Tamara Gettys

Insurance Technician (10)

Maintenance Manager (7)

General Secretary (1)

President’s Dept.

Karen Franklin

Executive Assistant to the President (15)

Rudy Constancio

Frank Klinkovsky Fraternal Department Assistant (22)

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

President’s Dept.

Sandra Dubcak

Janie Coakley

Executive Assistant to the Secretary-Treasurer (6) Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

Executive Secretary (9)

Tammy Martinez Fraternal Services Specialist (12)

Vice President’s Dept.

Margaret Campbell

Vice President’s Dept.

Accounting Clerk (2)

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

Financial Secretary’s Dept.

Stephanie Bartose

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SPJST Home Office Staff • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ann Paruzinski Mortgage Loan Processor (35)

Doni Powell

Insurance Underwriter (12)

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

41

Dorothy Tomasek

Certificate Issue Technician (46)

Financial Secretary’s Dept.

Financial Secretary’s Dept.

President’s Dept.

Doris Tyroch

Lori Slack

Customer Service Specialist (12)

Gena Weeks

Fraternal Department Assistant (5 months)

Dorothy Stuchly

Accounting Clerk (4)

Accounting Clerk (46)

Socorro Wolcott Administrative Specialist (4)

Carol Wolf

Mortgage Loan Clerk (5)

Vice President’s Dept.

Claims Specialist (60)

Susan Shofner

Certificate Servicing Specialist (7)

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

Margaret Santana

Vice President’s Dept.

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

Annuity Specialist (6)

Vice President’s Dept.

Marissa Salinas

Vice President’s Dept.

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

Secretary-Treasurer’s Dept.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SPJST Home Office Staff • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Donica Zabcik New Business Technician (8)

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SPJST Home Office • 520 North Main Street • Temple, Texas Contact Information Mailing Address: PO Box 100 • Temple, TX 76503-0100 Delivery Address: 520 N Main St • Temple, TX 76501-3247 Toll Free Phone: (800) 727-7578 • Temple Area Phone: (254) 773-1575 General Fax: (254) 774-7447 Insurance Department Fax: (254) 774-1456 Vestnik/Communication Department Fax: (254) 773-8087 General Email: info@spjst.org

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1912 - 2012

• • • • • • • • • • • • Honorary SPJST Supreme Lodge Officers and Directors • • • • • • • • • • • •

Howard Leshikar President 1985-2004

Lanita Anglin

Secretary-Treasurer 1994-2008

Willie Kohutek

District Two Director 1984-1996

Jerry Mikulas

Financial Secretary 1977-2010

Frank Klinkovsky District Two Director 1997-2004

Matt Vanek

District Six Director 1977-2000

Sidney Kacir Legal Advisor 1985-2004

Bobby Wuensche District Two Director 2004-2012

Michael Ahlstrom District Six Director 2000-2012

Drew Popelka Legal Advisor 2004-2008

Jerry Prochazka

District Five Director 1985-1988

Thelma Hrncir

District Seven Director 1981-1992

1897 • • • SPJST Conventions • • • 2012 I - 1897 - La Grange II - 1899 - Flatonia III - 1902 - Fayetteville IV - 1907 - Caldwell V - 1909 - West VI - 1912 - Granger VII - 1916 - Galveston VIII - 1920 - Schulenburg

IX - 1924 - Houston X - 1928 - Temple XI - 1932 - Ennis XII - 1936 - East Bernard XIII - 1940 - Taylor XIX - 1944 - Corpus Christi XV - 1948 - Fort Worth XVI - 1952 - Houston

XVII - 1956 - Temple XVIII - 1960 - San Antonio XIX - 1964 - Waco XX - 1968 - Dallas XXI - 1972 - Houston XXII - 1976 - Waco XXIII - 1980 - San Antonio XXIV - 1984 - Corpus Christi

XXV - 1988 - Temple XXVI - 1992 - Victoria XXVII - 1996 - Arlington XXVIII - 2000 - Temple XXIX - 2004 - Temple XXX - 2008 - Killeen XXXI - 2012 - Killeen

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1897 • • • SPJST Supreme Lodge • • • 2012 SPJST Supreme Lodge President 1897 to 1899 - I. J. Gallia 1899 to 1902 - Joe J. Holik 1902 to 1906 - I.J. Gallia 1907 to 1924 - Josef Dusek, Jr. 1924 to 1948 - C.H. Chernosky 1948 to 1968 - Edward L. Marek 1968 to 1984 - Nick A. Morris 1984 to 2004 - Howard B. Leshikar 2004 to Present - Brian Vanicek * * * * * * *

SPJST Supreme Lodge Vice President 1909 to 1920 - Josef Mikeska 1920 to 1924 - F.A. Bezecny 1924 to 1928 - Josef Mikeska 1928 to 1932 - Engelbert Jelinek 1932 to 1936 Josef Mikeska - First Vice President Engelbert Jelinek - Second Vice President 1936 to 1940 - Stephen Valcik 1940 to 1944 - F.K. Bucek 1944 to 1948 - Edward L. Marek 1948 to 1956 - Frank G. Svadlenak 1956 to 1978 - Joe B. Hejny 1978 to 1994 - Bernie M. Gebala 1994 to 2000 - Leonard Mikeska 2000 to Present - Gene McBride * * * * * * *

SPJST Supreme Lodge Secretary 1897 to 1940 - JR. Kubena 1940 to 1960 - J.F. Chupick 1960 to 1972 - Raymond Urbanovsky (Position combined with Supreme Lodge Treasurer in 1972) * * * * * * *

SPJST Supreme Lodge Treasurer 1897 to 1907 - J.R. Kubena 1907 to 1928 - J.J. Frnka 1928 to 1936 - J.N. Vavra 1936 to 1944 - Frank B. Steiner 1944 to 1968 - Josef Koliha, Jr. 1968 to 1972 - Leonard Mikeska (Position combined with Supreme Lodge Secretary in 1972) * * * * * * *

SPJST Supreme Lodge Secretary - Treasurer 1972 to 1996 - Leonard Mikeska 1996 to 2008 - Lanita Anglin 2008 to Present - Leonard Mikeska * * * * * * *

SPJST Supreme Lodge Financial Secretary 1932 to 1944 - Edward L. Marek 1944 to 1960 - R.A. Urbanovsky 1960 to 1976 - Ben Zabcik 1976 to 2008 - Jerry Mikulas, Jr. (Elected Supreme Lodge Financial Secretary position eliminated in 2008) * * * * * * *

SPJST Supreme Lodge Legal Advisor 1909 to 1924 - Method Pazdral 1924 to 1952 - August Kacir 1952 to 1956 - Adolf Pavlicek 1956 to 1972 - August Kacir 1972 to 1984 - Reuben Lesikar 1984 to 2004 - Sidney Kacir 2004 to 2008 - Drew Popelka (Position Eliminated in 2008) * * * * * * *

SPJST Supreme Lodge Trustees/Directors (1912 to 1956) (Early years are guesstimated.

Readers are encouraged to submit more accurate date to the Vestnik Editor at the Home Office.)

Tom Krajca - 1912 to 1924 Frank Stefka - 1912 to 1916 Engelbert Pollach - 1912 to 1920 Engelbert Jelinek - 1916 to 1928 F.J. Marek - 1920 to 1940 J.N. Vavra - 1924 to 1928 Tom Drozda - 1924 to 1928 J.H. Hurta - 1928 to 1940 Frank Ancinec - 1928 to 1940 Stephen Valcik - 1940 to 1944 Chas. Holasek - 1940 to 1944 Frank Svadlenak - 1940 to 1948 Robert Cervenka - 1940 to 1944, 1952 to 1956 Frank Matush - 1940 to 1944 J. Siptak - 1940 to 1944 Julius Sebesta - 1940 to 1944 John Kubala - 1944 to 1948 Chas. Navratil - 1944 to 1956 Josef Zemanek - 1944 to 1952 J.M. Skrabanek - 1944 to 1956 J.E. Eineigl - 1944 to 1952 Jno. F. Kubala - 1948 to 1952 John A. Kubena - 1952 to 1956

Robert Cervenka - 1952 to 1956 Frank Cerveny - 1952 to 1956 Frank Rod - 1952 to 1956 Chas. Holasek - 1952 to 1956 SPJST Supreme Lodge Directors (1956 to Present) (Present-day districts were established in 1956.)

District One Directors Frank V. Stepan - 1956 to 1960 John A. Kubena - 1960 to 1980 Ben Trcalek, Sr. - 1980 to 1987 Andrew Vavra - 1987 to 1998 Donnie Victorick - 1998 to Present District two Directors Chas. Navratil - 1956 to 1960 Henry E. Vitek - 1960 to 1984 Willie E. Kohutek - 1984 to 1996 Frank Klinkovsky - 1996 to 2004 Bobby Wuensche - 2004 to 2012 Jesse Pospisil - 2012 to Present District three Directors Robert Cervenka - 1956 to 1964 Sid Pokladnik - 1964 to 1996 Johnnie Krizan - 1996 to Present

SPJST State Youth Directors

43

1952 to 1954 - Birdie Hilsher (Position defined as Youth Representative) 1964 to 1965 - Vaclav (Jim) Kucera 1966 to 1971 - James J. Janousek 1971 to 1980 - Dorothy Massey 1980 to 1983 - Jann Wilson 1985 to 1987 - Sue Meadows 1987 to 1991 - Claudette Reese 1991 to 1998 - Joni Lange 1998 to 2004 - Melanie Zavodny 2004 - Trissa Klement 2004 to 2010 - John Hoelscher 2010 to 2012 - Frank Horak

SPJST State Fraternal Activities Coordinator 1988 to 1996 - Frank Klinkovsky 1997 to 2000 - Barbara Rosenkranz 2000 to 2001 - John Wells 2001 to 2004 - Gladys Yates 2004 to 2006 - Michael M. Morris 2006 to 2012 - Chester Jenke

District Four Directors R.E. Broz - 1956 to 1972 Stanley Broz - 1973 to 2005 Billy Rollwitz - 2005 to Present

District Five Directors J.M. Skrabanek - 1956 to 1964 Ernest Hanka - 1964 to 1976 Alfred Hilsher - 1976 to 1980 Louis Hanus 1980 to 1984, 1988 to 2000 Jerry Prochazka - 1984 to 1988 Larry W. Pflughaupt - 2000 to Present District six Directors Frank Rod - 1956 to 1960 E.P. Sralla - 1960 to 1972 Paul Sablatura - 1972 to 1976 Matt S. Vanek - 1976 to 2000 Michael Ahlstrom - 2000 to 2012 Karen Kaspar - 2012 to Present District seven Directors Chas. Holasek - 1956 to 1968 Josef Koliha, Jr. - 1968 to 1972 Pete Valchar - 1972 to 1976 Bob Bayer 1976 to 1980, 1992 to Present Thelma Hrncir - 1980 to 1992 * * * * * * *

2012 SPJST Publication Committee

District One - Floyd Kostelka District Two - Tammy Whatley District Three - Bessie Petr District Four - Sharon Hohmann District Five - Lorenda Baldwin District Six - Helen Kelner District Seven - Jarolyn Popp

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

1912 - 2012

SPJST Scholarships and Grants 100 Pennies scholarship Fund Drive O ne of the benefits that sPJst c/o sPJst Home Office makes available to its members is a

competitive scholarship program. the scholarship/Grant Program is meant to encourage and assist members to further their education and to help them achieve career goals.

SPJST General Scholarships were established in 1982 for all SPJST members.

General Scholarships are funded by SPJST contributions and endowments and voluntary contributions. Accordingly, the more funds available, the more scholarships awarded.

Leadership Grants were established in 1996 for active youth club members and are funded solely through allocations by the Supreme Lodge.

100 Pennies scholarship Fund Drive The annual SPJST 100 Pennies Scholarship Fund Drive commences on October 1 each year and continues through March 31. Donations are tax deductible and 100 percent of the amount that is contributed is applied toward scholarships. Acknowledgement of individual donations will be published in the Vestnik. To contribute, send your check to:

P.O. Box 100 temple, texas 76503

In addition to the 100 Pennies Scholarship Fund Drive, SPJST maintains a Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Names of contributors and the individual being honored are published in the Vestnik.

Applicants must have an active SPJST life insurance certificate in force for one year and hold an active SPJST life insurance certificate for the duration of the scholarship or grant. All SPJST Scholarship/Grant recipients must attend an accredited two-or four-year college, university, or technical college on a full-time basis, as determined by the college or university, and carry a normal academic load without interruption and in agreement with the college calendar. Their personal and academic standards must remain satisfactory to the college and to the committee.

For additional information regarding the SPJST Scholarship/Grant Program, including deadlines for requesting and submitting applications, please contact the SPJST President’s Office at (800) 727-7578.

SPJST Mortgage Loan Program The basic philosophy underlying the mortgage program offered Y our home is a major invest- through thelending SPJST is that through joint

ment, and it takes routine maintenance and upgrades to keep it looking good and maintaining its value.

And speaking of value, here’s something else you’ll want to consider: An SPJST Home Loan. If you are purchasing a home or want to remodel your current home, have at least 25 percent down or equity in your home, you could be in line to save plenty.

Pay now, save Later Something to consider: Unlike most commercial institutions, SPJST does not sell its mortgage notes to other financial institutions. Should you have a question, you know who to call.

effort and mutual self-interest, individuals and families may collectively achieve objectives unattainable by acting alone.

In order to be considered for a mortgage loan with the SPJST, you or your spouse must be a member of the Society. Likewise, each immediate family is subject to a maximum financing limitation of $500,000.

SPJST is currently offering home, farm, and commercial mortgages with notes ranging up to 30 years. For a free packet to see how you can save when making a new loan or refinancing through the SPJST, please contact the SPJST Mortgage Loan Department at (800) 727-7578.

SPJST supports established, fledgling charities

s.P.J.s.t. Rest Homes For more than 50 years, SPJST has been a strong supporter of S.P.J.S.T. Rest Homes in Taylor and Needville, Texas. The S.P.J.S.T. Rest Homes operate communities of care in Taylor and Needville, Texas. S.P.J.S.T. is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to provide outstanding health care and customer service to its guests.

The first nursing community in Taylor, Texas, was opened in 1957. This community has 74 beds. A second

nursing community of 58 beds was opened in Needville, Texas, in 1972. In December 2003, a 24-bed assisted living community was opened in Taylor, Texas. Expansion of the assisted living community took place in 2009 with the addition of 36 additional apartments.

For more information, please call (512) 352-7209 or visit www.spjstresthomes.com.

sPJst Education and nature Center (EnC) at Cooper Farm For more than 40 years, an exciting fraternal idea — the quest to establish a family oriented educational and nature center remained an elusive dream.

The SPJST Education and Nature Center (ENC) is now bringing that vision to life. The mission of SPJST ENC, as established in year 2000 by the dele-

gates to the 28th SPJST Convention, is multifaceted: To provide for use by the general public for education in the areas of nature, conservation, environmental matters, fitness and health, culture, patriotic, family living, and history.

Through a long-term lease agreement with Lower Colorado River Authority and with funding from SPJST, the SPJST ENC opened for operations in 2010. The first full year of operations was in 2011. Already, the facility has provided recreation and nature training facilities for numerous fraternal groups, religious, school, civic and environmental groups.

Located approximately 70 miles east of Austin, near Fayetteville and La Grange, this picturesque region touches the heart of early Czech settlement in Texas where SPJST was

founded in 1897. Cooper Farm serves as the base of operations for SPJST Education and Nature Center. SPJST ENC operates a camping and education facility on the property with sleeping accommodations for 180 people, many outdoor activities, and an air-conditioned dining hall. Individuals or organizations seeking naming rights to Cooper Farm facilities and attractions

1912 - 2012

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

are encouraged to visit with ENC personnel and schedule a visit to the property.

Cooper Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax deductible. For more information on SPJST ENC including giving opportunities, please contact the ENC directly at (979) 249-5674 or visit them online at www.cooperfarm.org. Mail donations to:

45

SPJST Education and Nature Center at Cooper Farm 2001 Waldeck Road Ledbetter, Texas 78946

Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center In the 1950s, several Czech organizations began discussing the possibility of having a Czech history museum.

During the 1960s, an effort began to collect books and artifacts pertaining to Czech history and immigration to America, and in 1971, the first museum was opened in the new SPJST Home Office in Temple, Texas.

By 1981, the museum254-899-2935 had outgrown its place and was moved theimmigration base-to a The Museum tells the story of people of Czech descentto and their ! new land, free of oppression and servitude, to an experience of freedom and ment of the SPJST building.

In 2000, éthVe 31sat s democracy in Texas. m a t i to A dream of an abundance of land in Texas and the endurance, hardship e V SPJST convention delegates voted to WelJcoSTmConvention ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯ P Enjoy thethe talentsmuseum of the Czech culture their needlework,entity music, festival make a...separate and S costumes, and more. Ȃ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ £ ȱ Ĵ ǯ be moved to a new location. On February 12,Czech 2010, a ribbon was cut to offiUs Out at www.czechmuseum.org cially3 open the Czech Heritage “When Texas history meets Czech culture, it becomes an all American experience!”

SPJST scholarships are funded by Museum at Third Street and French the Supreme Lodge and contributions Avenue in Temple.

The building in which the museum by SPJST members through the 100 is housed was originally built by Dr. H. Pennies Scholarship Drive and memoB. Mason in 1930 as one of the first rial donations. Accordingly, the more “shopping centers” in Temple. The funds available, the more scholarships building is distinguished by the Art awarded. “It all adds up and the end Deco/Spanish style exterior, which was result is a great and positive differmaintained during reconstruction. ence,” says Supreme Lodge President The genealogy library contains the Brian Vanicek. largest Czech genealogy collection in the state of Texas, as well as a com- sPJst Endowed scholarships puter bank for Internet research. The Donors who wish to make a positive museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit or- difference in the life of a young person ganization, and donations are tax deand at the same time establish a lasting ductible.

For more information, memorial may establish or contribute including museum hours and current to an SPJST Endowed Scholarship. attractions, please call (254) 899-2935 The scholarship may be established in or visit www.czechmuseum.org. Mail your name or the name of the individdonations to: ual you wish to honor. SPJST Endowed Scholarships may be Czech Heritage Museum established starting at $10,000. By defand Genealogy Center inition, an endowed scholarship is one 119 West French Avenue in which the principle remains intact Temple, Texas 76501 • • • SPJST • • • and only the interest is awarded each Tuesday thru Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm or by Appointment

119 West French Ave Temple, Texas 76501

wes street ss the dge! s acro e Lo Visit u e Suprem of th

t

SPJST Endowed and Sponsorship Scholarship Opportunities

Ernest Wentrcek, Denisse Wuensche, Gladys Yates, and SPJST District Six.

year. Once established, your scholarship will be managed by the SPJST. Your endowment creates a permanent funding source that will grow over time and will support deserving students today and in the future.

SPJST Endowed Scholarships have been established in the names of Otto Hanus (two scholarships), Myles Marek, Ben and Martha Trcalek,

sponsorship scholarships In 2012, SPJST presented its first Sponsorship Scholarship with the awarding of the Slovacek Sausage Scholarship. The award was made possible by the generosity of Tim Rabroker and Slovacek Sausage.

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.

For More Information For more information on establishing a Sponsorship Scholarship or an SPJST Endowed Scholarship or to contribute to an existing endowed scholarship, please call President Vanicek at (800) 727-7578 or (254) 773-1575.

• • • SPJST • • •

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Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Active lodges are listed in numerical order. District number is

in parentheses. For lodge information, please call the lodge secretary.

For youth club information, please contact the local lodge youth leader. For insurance information, please contact lodge sales agents. Listings reflect Home Office records as of December 14, 2012. (Use of this information for solicitation or commercial purposes is a violation of the SPJST Privacy Policy and is strictly prohibited.)

LODGE 1 FAYETTEVILLE (1)

Lodge Hall: 507 East Main Street, Fayetteville, Texas. Directions: Lodge building is located on Highway 159 East, three blocks from the town square.

Hall Rental Information (979) 966-3795

Lodge Meetings: First Monday of evennumbered months February, April, June, August, October, and December at 6 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Debra Pflughaupt (979) 249-6249

Youth Club Meetings: First Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Ronnie Pflughaupt (979) 378-2763 rpflughaupt@hotmail.com

Sales Agent Ronnie Pflughaupt (979) 378-2763 rpflughaupt@hotmail.com

1912 - 2012

Directory of SPJST Lodges, Youth Clubs, and Sales Agents LODGE 4 HALLETTSVILLE (6)

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at American Legion Tap Room, 107 East Park Street, Hallettsville, Texas.

Secretary Helen Zabransky (361) 798-3347

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at American Legion Tap Room, 107 East Park Street, Hallettsville, Texas.

Youth Leader Shirley Kalmus (281) 216-0607 kalmusbingo@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Shirley Kalmus (281) 216-0607 kalmusbingo@yahoo.com Joe Siptak, FIC (979) 244-4415 ssiptak1@hotmail.com Susan Siptak, FIC (979) 244-4415 ssiptak1@hotmail.com

LODGE 5 PILOT POINT-TIOGA (3)

Lodge Meetings: First Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. at PointBank Community Center, 739 East Liberty Street, Pilot Point, Texas.

Secretary Dean Carender (903) 564-7359 • jandd@texoma.net

Sales Agents Dean Carender (903) 564-7359 jandd@texoma.net (903) 815-5628 Elise Koerner, FIC (940) 391-1585 emrkoerner@msn.com Michael Munn (903) 227-5969 mmmunn@gmail.com

LODGE 6 COTTONWOOD (3)

Lodge Hall: 700 South Czech Hall Road, West, Texas. Directions: From Interstate 35, take the West exit and stop at the blinking light. Go east at the blinking light and stay on Oak Street through downtown West.

Take Farm Road 2114 East for 3 miles. Turn right on Czech Hall Road. The lodge hall is on the right about 1/2 mile down the road.

Hall Rental Information (254) 826-5882 Hall Phone: (254) 826-0005

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Barbara Jean Hykel (254) 826-4677

Youth Leader Peggy Dobecka (254) 799-8550 dataped@sbcglobal.net

Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 1:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Sales Agents Donald Cernosek (254) 826-7388 djcernosek@sbcglobal.net Lydia Dobecka (254) 826-5663 Johnnie Krizan (254) 826-5882 Ruth Krizan (254) 826-5882 Jerry E. Kucera, FIC (254) 826-5425 jkucerains@att.net

LODGE 8 WEIMAR (6)

Lodge Meetings: Fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hall, 503 Park Drive, Weimar, Texas.

Secretary Jo Ann Jares (979) 561-8393 • jojares@cvctx.com

Sales Agent Jo Ann Jares, FIC (979) 561-8393 jojares@cvctx.com

LODGE 9 SNOOK (1)

Lodge Hall: 457 CR 269, Snook, Texas. Directions: From Snook, turn on FM 2155 to downtown. At Snook School, stay right on Spur 2155. At “T”, turn right on CR 269. Go 3/10 mile, and hall is on the left.

Hall Rental Information (979) 272-3732

Lodge Meetings: First Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Ann Schoeneman (979) 272-8444 • janda@academicplanet.com

Youth Club Meetings: First Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Marie Shelfer (979) 272-8100 • mashelfer@aol.com

Sales Agents Stacey Eldridge (979) 272-1556 staceyslovacek@aol.com Karen Gaas (979) 272-8873 karengaas@yahoo.com Bill Orsak, FIC, CFFM (979) 272-1243 borsak@tconline.net (979) 324-0056 Pamela Pruett (512) 760-6740 ppruett@milamins.com Donnie Victorick, FIC, CFFM (979) 224-3125 dv.aggie@verizon.net

LODGE 13 DIME BOX (1)

Lodge Hall: 425 CR 424, Dime Box, Texas.

Directions: In Dime Box, turn left from FM 141 on CR 424. Go east on CR 425 for 3/10 mile.

The hall is on the left.

Hall Rental Information (979) 884-1451 Hall Phone: (979) 884-3211

Lodge Meetings: Second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Ladonna Jatzlau (979) 884-0561

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Pamela Kothmann (979) 884-1021 lonekoyote2@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Ladonna Jatzlau (979) 884-0561 handsandbands@yahoo.com Dorothy Rackel, FIC (979) 540-6497 rockhead@tconline.net Carla West (979) 884-2208 carlaw@intonline.com

1912 - 2012

LODGE 15 BUCKHOLTS (2)

Lodge Hall: 600 State Highway 190/Highway36, Buckholts, Texas (historic hexagonshaped lodge building with a stone entrance sign located approximately 1/4 mile east of downtown Buckholts). Directions: Lodge building is located on Highway 36, east of Buckholts.

Hall Rental Information (254) 593-2222

Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month at 5 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Dorothy Tomascik (254) 593-2757 Sales Agent

Jack Brown jackbrownins@aol.com

(254) 760-4299

LODGE 17 NEW TABOR (1)

Lodge Hall: 2674 CR 225, Caldwell, Texas.

Directions: From Caldwell, turn from Highway 36 east onto FM 166. Proceed 2.1 miles and turn left on CR 225. Go one mile, veering to the right. The lodge building is located on the right.

Hall Rental Information (979) 272-3440

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Ben Trcalek, Jr. (979) 272-3278

Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Mabrey Dowell (979) 272-8517 • mabes82@aol.com

Sales Agent Susan Skrabanek, FIC (979) 272-3440 spjst@aol.com (979) 820-2218

LODGE 20 GRANGER (2)

Lodge Hall: Texas.

114 West Davilla, Granger,

Hall Rental Information (512) 859-2584

Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Rubie Loessin (512) 859-2765

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 1:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Emilie Tischler (254) 721-7735

Youth Leader Joyce Bowen (512) 856-2481 joycenelson64@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Betty Gaskamp (512) 281-0234 bettygaskamp@yahoo.com Dolores Greinert (512) 365-2393 Evelyn Gustafson (512) 281-3250 Margaret Taylor (512) 303-0825

Secretary Patricia Fowler (972) 878-2083 • 1969fowler@gmail.com

Lodge Meetings: Tuesday after the second Sunday of March, June, and September at 7:30 p.m. and the first Sunday of December at 3 p.m.

Secretary Kathleen Guenther (979) 562-2124 • philg@cvctx.com

Sales Agent Elizabeth Holub (979) 561-8640 mikelizh@cvctx.com

Youth Leader Rita Holland (469) 337-2284 • ritaholland57@yahoo.com

LODGE 28 EAST BERNARD (6)

LODGE 24 CYCLONE (2)

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 12 noon at Wharton County Library - East Bernard Branch, 746 Clubside Drive, East Bernard.

Hall Rental Information (254) 985-2484 Hall Phone: (254) 985-2393

Sales Agent Glenn Kaminsky, FIC (979) 335-4461 gkamin@live.com

Secretary Margaret Mikeska (254) 985-2484 • wmmike@peoplepc.com

LODGE 29 TAYLOR (2)

Lodge Hall: 411 FM 964, Burlington, Texas.

Directions: Lodge building is located 12 miles east of Temple, past Zabcikville. Exit at the blinking light on Highway 53 to FM 485, then go one mile to FM 964.

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Club Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Lodge Meetings: Second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Sales Agents Thomas Droste (972) 965-5308 droste_t@yahoo.com Linda Jurik (972) 872-9997 Kay Lynn Kovar, FIC (972) 875-6827 Johnnie Krajca (972) 878-6149 jmkrajca@yahoo.com Margaret Krajca (972) 878-6149 jmkrajca@yahoo.com Max McIntosh (972) 935-2082 maxfli@ymail.com

Lodge Hall: FM 957 North, Schulenburg, Texas. Directions: Located 12 miles south of Schulenburg in Moravia. From Highway 77 between Hallettsville and Schulenburg, take FM 532 West four miles to Moravia. Turn right on FM 957 North and go one mile.

Lodge building is on the right.

Hall Rental Information (512) 281-4534 - Irene Helgren Hall Phone: (512) 285-3100 Secretary Raymond Nelson (512) 385-0510

Hall Rental Information (972) 875-8381 Hall Phone: (972) 875-8381

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Lodge Meetings: Third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Lodge Hall: 1901 East Highway 34, Ennis, Texas. Directions: From Interstate 35 East at Waxahachie, take the Highway 287 East exit.

Stay on Highway 287 East until you come to Ennis. Go straight through downtown Ennis and go under the overpass at Interstate 45.

Then go approximately 3/4 mile on Highway 34, and Lodge 25 is on the right.

LODGE 23 MORAVIA (6)

LODGE 18 ELGIN (2)

Lodge Hall: 702 Highway 95 North, Elgin, Texas.

LODGE 25 ENNIS (3)

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Youth Leader Kim Campbell (254) 985-0302 kcampbell@embarqmail.com

Sales Agents Roberta Amos (254) 773-1100 njones@fctinsurance.com Paulino Castillo (254) 773-0092 pcastillo@fctinsurance.com Jason Hoelscher (254) 985-0347 jhoels3210@aol.com

Secretary Helen Kelner (281) 342-2624

Lodge Hall: 5025 FM 619, Taylor, Texas. Directions: The hall is located two miles east of Taylor. Turn north from State Highway 79 onto FM 619. Drive about one mile to the large two-story building.

Hall Rental Information (512) 352-9139 Hall Phone: (512) 352-9139

Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Linda Pospisil (512) 365-1110 • jlpospisil@yahoo.com

Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Cristy Girod (512) 468-1347 • girodranch@yahoo.com

47

Sales Agents Albin Machu, CFFM (512) 365-5489 elainemachu@hotmail.com (512) 352-5489 Fax: (512) 365-9653 Jesse Pospisil (512) 826-7371 jlpospisil@yahoo.com Tammy Whatley (512) 948-5339 tammyrwhatley@yahoo.com

LODGE 30 TAITON (6)

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 1:30 p.m. at Taiton Community Center, 14221 FM 961, El Campo, Texas.

Secretary Wanda Dorotik (979) 543-1974 • wdorotik@wirehand.net

Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at Taiton Community Center, 14221 FM 961, El Campo, Texas.

Youth Leader Lisa Bubela (979) 543-7120 • lbubela@warpspeed1.net

Sales Agents Carolina Covarrubia (281) 779-9956 carroinpink@yahoo.com Thomas Drapela, FIC (979) 543-1142 Karen Kaspar, FIC, CFFM (979) 332-1616 k-kaspar@hotmail.com (979) 543-2532 Fax: (979) 543-8859 Margaret Kulcak (979) 543-6349 mkulcak@att.net

LODGE 32 VICTORIA (6)

Lodge Hall: 3502 North Laurent, Victoria, Texas.

Lodge Meetings: Second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Evelyn Horelka (361) 575-6851

Sales Agents Michael Ahlstrom, FIC, CFFM (361) 578-3279 ahlstrom@suddenlink.net Mary Monclova (361) 572-3933 mmcl6625@yahoo.com Silvia Hernandez (361) 433-2955 silvia_perry11@yahoo.com Mark Lester (361) 484-2565 mwlester@hotmail.com Renae Jo Pierce (361) 564-3422 rpierce@dewittec.net Robert N. Solis, Jr. (361) 894-4102 rnsolisjr@yahoo.com Mary Tijerina (361) 578-3292

48

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

LODGE 35 ELK (3)

Lodge Hall: 9508 Elk Road, Axtell, Texas. Directions: From Interstate 35 in Waco, take the Highway 84 East exit. Stay on Highway 84 East through Bellmead and go approximately 8 miles. On the right side of Highway 84 will be a sign saying “Elk.” Take the Elk Road.

Turn right on Elk Road and go approximately one mile and the road will dead end. Take a right at the dead end and go approximately 1/2 mile. Lodge 35 is on the left side of the road.

Hall Rental Information (254) 875-2156 Hall Phone: (254) 863-9320

Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Carla Pavelka (254) 420-2430

Sales Agent James Mann, FIC (254) 876-3979 dmann55@wacotx.cx

LODGE 38 KOVAR (1)

Lodge Hall: 278 Zimmerhanzel Road, Flatonia, Texas.

Hall Rental Information (512) 237-2438 - Days (830) 839-4353 - Evenings

Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at lodge hall.

Secretary Kathy Maney (512) 237-2439 • maneyins@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Johnnie J. Janak (512) 237-5228 (512) 237-2432 Kathy Maney (512) 237-2439 maneyins@yahoo.com (512) 237-2706 Fax: (512) 360-2439

LODGE 39 BRYAN (1)

Lodge Hall: Cherry Bend Circle, Lot 12, Bryan, Texas. Directions: From Highway 6, turn west on OSR. Go 2 miles to Mumford Road and turn left. Go 1.1 mile and turn left on Magnolia. Take the first right turn on Cherry Bend Circle. The lodge hall is at the bend of the road (white building).

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Lillie O’Shields (979) 324-5961 Sales Agent

John Kitchens jkitchens702@aol.com

(936) 396-1767

LODGE 40 EL CAMPO-HILLJE (6)

Lodge Hall: 30420 Loop 524 US Highway 59, Hillje, Texas. Directions: Lodge hall is located just off US 59 in Hillje.

Hall Rental Information (979) 543-7171 Hall Phone: (979) 648-2317

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Josephine Brandt (979) 543-3298

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 1:15 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Cathy Garcia (979) 332-1614 • clugarcia@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Ardis Bacak, FIC (979) 578-8907 bradbacak@sbcglobal.net Bradley Bacak, FIC (979) 543-9362 bradbacak@sbcglobal.net (979) 543-6277 Crystal Bacak, FIC (979) 543-9362 bradbacak@sbcglobal.net (979) 543-6277 Frank Bacak, Sr. FIC (979) 541-9578 Cathy Garcia (979) 332-1614 clvgarcia@yahoo.com Sheldon Holub, FIC (979) 543-7387 sholub@awesomenet.net James Kocurek (979) 543-3193

LODGE 41 PORT LAVACA (6)

Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of February, May, August, and November at 6 p.m. at Six Mile Presbyterian Church, Royal Road, Port Lavaca, Texas.

Secretary Mary Sitka (361) 552-5170 • danmarysitka@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Franklin Jurek, FIC (361) 920-9674 sajj@tisd.net (361) 552-9674 Herman Novak (361) 482-8342 hanknovak@cableone.net

LODGE 47 SEATON (2)

Lodge Hall: 10842 State Highway 53, Temple, Texas. Directions: Star Hall is located five miles east of Temple on Highway 53 (Adams Avenue in Temple).

Hall Rental Information (254) 773-4801 Hall Phone: (254) 985-2548

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Patsy Koslovsky (254) 985-2396 • patsyk2011@yahoo.com

Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Lynette Talasek (254) 931-0639 • necconetta@sbcglobal.net

Sales Agents David Coufal (254) 986-2448 coufal@clearwire.net Fax: (254) 986-2412 Frank Klinkovsky, FIC (254) 773-4801 Patsy Koslovsky, FIC (254) 985-2396 patsyk2011@yahoo.com Tammy Martinez (254) 985-0044 tammym@spjst.com David Pechal (254) 721-8370 thepechals@aol.com Corinne Popelka (254) 931-1256 kerr.corinne@gmail.com Drew Popelka (254) 774-7880 templeattorney@sbcglobal.net Michael Seiler (254) 939-0180 mseiler@farmersagent.com Dolores Skrabanek, FIC (254) 985-2344 dskrabanek@embarqmail.com

LODGE 48 BEYERSVILLE (2)

Lodge Hall: 10450 FM 619, Taylor, Texas.

Directions: From Taylor, take the South Loop.

Turn right on FM 112. Go about 1/2 mile. Turn right on FM 619. Go about three miles. Hall is on the right.

Hall Rental Information (512) 365-3733

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of January through April and September through December at 5 p.m. at the lodge hall; meetings held the second Monday of May through August at 6 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Linda Wuensche (512) 352-3579 lindawuensche@georgetownisd.com

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of January through April and September through December at 5 p.m. at the lodge hall; youth meetings held the second Monday of May through August at 6 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Donna Vanecek (512) 365-5717 donnavanecek@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Brian Patschke (512) 565-5852 spjst.agent@yahoo.com Bobby Wuensche (512) 365-3013 boggybob@peoplepc.com

LODGE 49 ROWENA (4)

Lodge Hall: 706 FM 2133, Rowena, Texas.

Hall Rental Information (325) 442-4841

Lodge Meetings: First Wednesday of February, May, August, and November at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Beverly Teplicek (325) 442-4841 • bjtep@verizon.net

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Beverly Teplicek (325) 442-4841 • bjtep@verizon.net

Sales Agents Frances Aleman (325) 544-8560 fmaleman@wtxs.net Lisa Galvan (325) 365-2627 lisa.13@verizon.net Joan Halfman (325) 442-4425 j1146@verizon.net Fax: (325) 442-4425 Jimmy Jones (325) 372-5522 jjins@centex.net (325) 248-3579 Thomas Kirkpatrick (432) 558-2777 westwindinsurance@att.net Billy Rollwitz, FIC, CFFM (325) 442-3141 brollwitz@verizon.net Sylvia M. Rollwitz, FIC (325) 442-3141 srollwitz@verizon.net Kenneth Rooke (325) 446-3073 kenny.rthi@verizon.net Loretta Schaefer (432) 397-2483 schhal@crcom.net Beverly Teplicek (325) 442-4841 bjtep@verizon.net

1912 - 2012

LODGE 51 ELLINGER (1)

Lodge Meetings: Third Friday of March, June, September, and December at 6:30 p.m. at Ellinger Fire Department, West Main Street, Ellinger, Texas.

Secretary Jo Ann Divin (979) 249-3176

Sales Agents Edna Bergfeld (979) 732-3776 ednabergfeld@txun.net Fausta Kaiser (979) 732-1386 eweknoit@yahoo.com (979) 732-5030

LODGE 54 WEST (3)

Lodge Meetings: First Friday in March, June, and November and the second Friday in September at 7 p.m. at Lone Star Hall, 1201 North Davis Street, West, Texas.

Secretary Janice Kaluza (254) 826-3534

Sales Agents Freddie Kaluza (254) 826-3534 fjkaluza@txun.net (254) 709-2303 Fax: (254) 826-3111 Janice Kaluza (254) 826-3534 jmkaluza@aderholdfuneralhome.com (254) 826-5321 (254) 749-5676 Fax: (254) 826-3111 Jean Martin (254) 854-2833 bwmartin@winstream.net Carol Reed (254) 623-4164 reedrick42@yahoo.com Wilburn Willis, FIC (254) 799-5394 wilburnwillis@aol.com

LODGE 63 SWEET HOME (6)

Lodge Meetings: Third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Call for meeting location.

Secretary Ann Moseley (361) 594-8429 • moselam@hotmail.com

Sales Agent Donna Zabransky (361) 293-6271 donna_lynn327@yahoo.com

LODGE 66 WACO (3)

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 2:30 p.m. Call (254) 799-4247 for meeting location.

Secretary Dana McAdams (254) 799-4510 • danamcad@aol.com

Sales Agents Ruby Clayborne (254) 799-4790 rclayborne22@hotmail.com Kaelyn Dillard (254) 694-7800 Randolph Dillard, Sr. (254) 694-5099 Johnnie Gaidusek, Jr. (254) 934-2527 rvos@windstream.net (254) 709-5976 Justin Gaidusek (254) 947-8101 justin@rolloinsurance.com (254) 718-8212 Christine Galysh (254) 754-5174 Denise Gay (254) 722-0763 Joel B. Gay (254) 836-1039 joby@triplansolutions.com Kevin Hannes (254) 733-4914 khannes@grandecom.net

1912 - 2012

Randy House (254) 749-4636 rhouse1@grandecom.net Larry Matula (254) 822-1550 larry@matulainsurance.com Adan Ruiz (254) 217-2912 ruizadan08@gmail.com Anthony Suter (361) 696-1515 saxtactical@gmail.com Michael Thompson (254) 717-9008 tzfans@aol.com Sammy Tull (254) 857-8600 sjtrmt@aol.com

LODGE 67 SCHULENBURG (1)

Lodge Meetings: Call for quarterly meeting date, time, and location.

Secretary Mary Ann Kutac (979) 561-8686

Sales Agent Adrienne Kobza (979) 561-8237 akobza@cvctx.com

LODGE 73 SEYMOUR (4)

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 12 p.m. Call for meeting location.

Secretary Alice Orsak (940) 889-2391

Sales Agents Marty Bufkin (940) 889-2538 mbufkin@bunkleyandjones.com Deana Dalton (940) 889-3312 lovingins@hotmail.com

LODGE 76 WICHITA FALLS (4)

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday in March and June at 1 p.m. at Luby’s Cafeteria, 1801 Ninth Street, Wichita Falls; Second Sunday in September and December at 1 p.m. at Cunningham Center at Presbyterian Manor.

Secretary Mary Ann Cook (940) 692-4628

Sales Agents Beth Calhoun (940) 574-4451 betha1947@yahoo.com Holly Cox (940) 674-5554 hometowninsurancechildress@gmail.com Ananias Edwards, III (940) 766-3331 nize3@aol.com Ray Esparza (940) 692-2244 resparza339@sbcglobal.net Diana Geis (940) 733-5328 dianageis@hotmail.com Michelle Robertson (940) 322-2860 William Waddle (940) 569-2934 wmwaddle@nts-online.net

LODGE 79 CORPUS CHRISTI (7)

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at Sokol Hall, 5502 Kostoryz Road, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Secretary Virginia Rebecek (361) 816-3128

Youth Club Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at Sokol Hall, 5502 Kostoryz Road, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Youth Leader Gerilyn Donnell (361) 548-0852 gl@totalprotection.com

LODGE 81 NEEDVILLE (5)

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Lodge Hall: 13609 Violet Street, Needville, Texas. Directions: Lodge building is located south on Highway 36, one mile from the traffic light in Needville.

Sales Agents Arnold Canales (361) 221-9742 arnold321@sbcglobal.net Ignacia Castillo (361) 664-1943 nacha.castillo@yahoo.com Armando Diaz (361) 945-2790 armandovdiaz@aol.com Roland Fuentez (361) 876-0555 roland_fuentez@us.aflac.com Billy V. Huerta (361) 947-1336 billy0772@aol.com Ron Janota (361) 729-8233 rjanota@jbludshipyard.com Leo Longoria (361) 325-9250 Hector Lopez (361) 425-1312 jupyter2132@gmail.com Oscar Longoria, LUTCF (361) 325-3551 osamlong@yahoo.com Javier Mora (361) 549-0116 Lance Morck (361) 480-5001 l_morck@yahoo.com Armando Perez, LUTCF (361) 814-0314 aperez40@stx.rr.com (361) 425-6093 Gabriel Perez gpblessed@yahoo.com Abel Reyna (361) 547-0064 ab3rey@aol.com Magaly Reyna (361) 215-3271 ma2reyna@aol.com Javier Rios (361) 389-5115 javierrios94@yahoo.com Carlos San Miguel (361) 562-8800 sanmiguel.carlos1@yahoo.com Jerry Sijansky, FIC (361) 853-1227 jaquayj@aol.com Eva Vasquez (361) 765-3258 elvasquez54@yahoo.com Deborah Whittington (361) 939-7588 dawhittington@sbcglobal.net

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

LODGE 80 HOLLAND (2)

Youth Club Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Lodge Hall: 12141 East FM 2268, Holland, Texas. Directions: On Highway 95, south of Holland, turn east on FM 2268. Go 1/2 mile to lodge, located on the right.

Hall Rental Information (254) 657-8176 • SPJST80@yahoo.com Hall Phone: (254) 657-2485

Lodge Meetings: First Saturday of each month at 4 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Linda Hill (254) 931-7493 hlinda1260@aol.com

Youth Club Meetings: First Saturday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Connie Horak (254) 657-3018 chorak@sw.org

Sales Agents Vicki Benner (254) 657-2628 vslye@embarqmail.com Frank Horak (254) 657-3018 f_horak@yahoo.com Joe W. Liles (254) 657-2488 jliles@holland.isd.tenet.edu (254) 913-7674 Janet Lyon, FIC (254) 527-4371 janetlyon@sbcglobal.net

Hall Rental Information (979) 793-4313 • td_stavinoha@yahoo.com Hall Phone: (361) 793-4742

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Willie Mae Kuykendall (281) 781-3154

Sales Agent Bradley Stavinoha (979) 793-2386 spjst@earthlink.net (979) 793-4364 (281) 802-9858

LODGE 84 DALLAS (3)

Lodge Hall: 2625 Floyd Street, Dallas, Texas.

Directions: From Interstate 35 East in Dallas, take Interstate 20 East. From Interstate 20 East, take the Interstate 45 exit toward downtown Dallas. Interstate 45 runs into Highway 75. From Highway 75, take a right at the Bryan Street exit. From Bryan Street turn right on Cantreal Street. Go on Cantreal Street until you come to Floyd Street. Take a right on Floyd Street. Lodge 84 is the second building on the right, 2625 Floyd Street.

Hall Rental Information (214) 826-3557 Hall Phone: (214) 823-0072

Secretary Cheryl Petr (214) 352-4397 • cherripetr@sbcglobal.net

Youth Leader Bessie Petr (214) 826-3557 • magiclady_46@hotmail.com

Sales Agents Thomas Athas (817) 521-6662 thomasathasagency@msn.com Bessie Petr (214) 826-3557 magiclady_46@hotmail.com

LODGE 87 TEMPLE (2)

Lodge Hall: 320 North 50th Street, Temple, Texas. Directions: From East Adams Avenue, turn north on 50th Street. Go 2/10 mile. Lodge building is on the left.

Hall Rental Information (254) 778-4371 • (254) 773-6164

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Diane Troy (254) 778-4709 • jtroy@sbcglobal.net

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Jennifer Davidson (254) 405-5168 davidson2313@gmail.com

49

Sales Agents Betty Barton (254) 913-0386 bettybar@vvm.com Karin Bryant (254) 338-3275 allyourinsuranceneeds@centurylink.net Hiram Dixon, FICF, LUTCF, CFFM hadixon2003@yahoo.com (254) 231-7722 (254) 773-2240 Keifer Marshall, Jr. kmarshall@insurors.com

LODGE 88 HOUSTON (5)

Lodge Hall: 1435 Beall Street at West 15th, Houston, Texas (the Heights). Directions: Highway 290—Take Magnum Dacoma exit.

Stay on frontage road. Turn left at third traffic light onto 18th Street. Go under freeway at third traffic light. Turn on Beall Street.

Hall Rental Information (713) 869-5767 Lodge Hall: (713) 869-5767 www.lodge88.org

Lodge Meetings: Second Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Janice Jahns (281) 373-4278

Youth Club Meetings: Fourth Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Barbara Linney-Gonzales (713) 649-6138 district5dyc@aol.com

Sales Agents Fred Buri, FIC (713) 464-3808 dburigci@earthlink.net Carolyn Filipp Beseda, FIC (713) 869-9304 cffilipp@earthlink.net Helen Hegwood, FIC (713) 864-0489 Vincent Hegwood, FIC (281) 358-7312 Mildred Holeman (713) 691-6434 mmholeman@yahoo.com (713) 305-7895 Fax: (713) 691-4084 Janice Jahns (281) 615-5046 wjahns@sbcglobal.net Dorothy Pflughaupt (713) 864-2163 dotpflugh@yahoo.com (713) 859-8976 Larry W. Pflughaupt, FIC (713) 864-2163 lpflugh@aol.com (713) 859-8955 Linda Wehring, FIC (713) 864-2815 linda.wehring@nngco.com

LODGE 91 CROSBY (5)

Lodge Meetings: Quarterly meetings - to be announced in Vestnik.

Secretary Vonda Smesny (713) 870-7114 • wolcek@comcast.net

Sales Agents Willie Janik (281) 358-4586 wjanik1219@aol.com Charles Thomas, Jr. (832) 687-1099 charlesintx@gmail.com Vickie Wilkinson (281) 446-0467 vickiewilk@gmail.com

50

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

LODGE 92 FORT WORTH (3)

Lodge Hall: 3316 Roberts Cutoff Road, Fort Worth, Texas. Directions: From Interstate 35 West in Fort Worth, take Interstate 30 West to the Henderson exit. Take Henderson North, and it becomes Jacksboro Highway (TX 199).

Stay on this road north until Roberts Cutoff which is a right off of Jacksboro Highway. The lodge (also known as National Hall) is on the right about 3/4 block down the road. A Great Western Inn Motel is on the corner.

Hall Rental Information (817) 624-1361 Hall Phone: (817) 624-1361

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Jan Taborsky (817) 801-0453 • jantaborsky@sbcglobal.net

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Holly Hubenak Anderson (682) 552-4498 • hhubenak@verizon.net

Sales Agents Thomas Brown (940) 321-8717 tabrown@charter.net Pamela Durham (817) 877-1502 pam@pamdurham.com David Ford (817) 239-6547 fordclu@sbcglobal.net Gordon Hubenak (817) 498-3905 Holly Hubenak Anderson (817) 337-0964 hhubenak@coppellisd.com Kenneth Krivanek (817) 237-4320 Sherrie Kubala Watkins, FIC (817) 237-5314 skubwatkins@aol.com

LODGE 97 PLACEDO (6)

Lodge Meetings: Second Friday in March, June, September, and December at 6 p.m.

Call for meeting location.

Secretary Gay Revel (361) 573-4443 • revelgay@yahoo.com

Sales Agents David Bellanger (361) 578-4253 djbellanger@hotmail.com Lanail Olsovsky (361) 872-2338 Gay Revel, FIC (361) 573-4443 revelgay@yahoo.com Diana Redd, FIC (361) 897-1201 memories_by_diana@yahoo.com

LODGE 107 FLORESVILLE (7)

Lodge Hall: 1156 FM 1303, Floresville, Texas. Directions: From Floresville, take FM 536 West three miles to FM 1303. Turn right and go two miles. The hall is on the right.

Hall Rental Information (830) 393-7796

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Wendy Pruski (210) 535-4916 poohbear78064@hotmail.com

Sales Agents (830) 393-9073 Robert Bayer, FIC blackbayer7@hotmail.com Frankie Campbell (210) 602-2540 frankiec1030@yahoo.com Esperanza Garza (830) 534-8321 thuney@floresville.net (210) 535-4916 Wendy Pruski, FIC poohbear78064@hotmail.com Linda Rodriguez (830) 393-2229 thuney@floresville.net Miguel Rodriguez (210) 375-2131 mgrodriguezjr@yahoo.com Melvin Strey (830) 420-3185 mstrey@gvec.net (210) 912-3874 Ronald Thuney (830) 393-6729 thuney@floresville.net

LODGE 117 ROBSTOWN (7)

Lodge Meetings: First Saturday of March, June, September, and December at 1:30 p.m. at Hilltop Community Center, 11425 Leopard, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Secretary Dianne Raska (361) 334-7222

Sales Agent Carlos Benavidez (361) 739-5907 ccarlosgb3@aol.com

LODGE 130 DALLAS (3)

Lodge Meetings: For monthly meeting date, time, and location, please contact the lodge secretary or sales agent.

LODGE 139 DANBURY (5)

Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at Danbury City Hall.

Secretary Ella Marie Filipp (979) 922-1524

Sales Agent Myra Boegler (713) 628-3657 spjstlife@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Charles Bucek, FIC (979) 335-4118 Gerald Macha, FIC (281) 341-0320 geraldmacha@comcast.net Ray Pilgrim, FIC (979) 543-3754 pilgrim106@sbcglobal.net F. Joe Preisler, Jr. (979) 335-6268

Sales Agent John Simpson (713) 818-9800 817@catspringvfd.com

LODGE 142 HOUSTON (5)

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at SPJST Lodge 88, Houston Annex Building, 1435 Beall Street at West 15th, Houston, Texas.

Secretary Alice Jochen (979) 743-3613

LODGE 133 SAN ANTONIO (7)

Sales Agents Maria C. Garcia (210) 531-9949 mcb1315@msn.com (210) 861-4985 Marisol Hernandez (210) 595-8355 marisol_h@ymail.com Jarolyn Popp, FIC (830) 964-5135 bobpopp@gvtc.com Victor M. Ramirez (956) 844-1136 vicr49@yahoo.com Leticia Sanchez (210) 414-0662 Hector Vallejo (210) 735-2204 hectorvallejo19@yahoo.com Aracely Varela (210) 320-5200 chela@grandecom.net

LODGE 135 ENNIS (3)

Lodge Meetings: Third Thursday of January, April, July, and October at 7 p.m. at Sokol Hall, 2622 East Highway 34, Ennis.

President Larry Valek (214) 794-7674

LODGE 151 WHARTON (6)

Secretary Bernice Stolarski (979) 885-6786 • bbstol@sbcglobal.net

Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at Gordon Memorial Library, 917 North Circle, Sealy, Texas.

Sales Agents Carita Felbermayr (832) 465-8833 caritaf50@hotmail.com Catherine Manchack (281) 893-8107 cmanchack@yahoo.com Linda Williams (281) 440-7346 williams_lbm@yahoo.com

Secretary Vicki Reese (210) 698-1525

Sales Agents James Davant, V (361) 588-7186 jedavant@aol.com Gay Thurmond, FIC (361) 588-6600 gaylynnthurmond@yahoo.com

Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of March, June, September, and December at 6:30 p.m. at Wharton Depot Museum, 100 South Sunset Street, Wharton, Texas.

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at SPJST Lodge 88, Houston Annex Building, 1435 Beall Street at West 15th, Houston, Texas.

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Activity Center, 1630 Goliad Road, San Antonio, Texas.

Youth Leader Melissa Zielonka (979) 618-1890 • zielonka33@aol.com

LODGE 141 SEALY (1)

Secretary Stanley (Martha) Vrla (214) 826-2670 • mvrla@sbcglobal.net

Sales Agent John Vrla (214) 906-3385 jvrla@cebridge.net

1912 - 2012

Youth Leader Catherine Manchack (281) 893-8107 • cmanchack@yahoo.com

LODGE 143 INEZ (6)

Lodge Meetings: Third Friday of March, June, September, and December at 6 p.m. at 508 Charleston Drive, Victoria, Texas.

Secretary Linda Mozisek (361) 578-4772 • lindamo@suddenlink.net

Sales Agent Otto Mozisek, FIC (361) 578-4772 ottom@suddenlink.net

LODGE 148 EL MATON (6)

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at Frank Hahn’s Camphouse in El Maton.

Secretary Melissa Zielonka (830) 373-4388 • zielonka33@aol.com

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month following the adult lodge meeting at Frank Hahn’s Camphouse in El Maton.

Secretary Janie Bucek (979) 532-5884

LODGE 153 LA SALLE (6)

Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of March, June, September, and December at 6 p.m.

Call for meeting location.

Secretary Mary Jane Sralla (512) 782-3374

Sales Agent Jerome J. Hlavaty, FIC (361) 874-4461 jeromeh@laward.net (361) 920-7478 Carolyn King (361) 648-5550 caking51@gmail.com

LODGE 154 FORT WORTH (3)

Lodge Hall: 6500 Boat Club Road, Fort Worth, Texas. Directions: From Interstate 35 West in Fort Worth, take the Interstate 20 West exit.

Stay on Interstate 20 West until you come to 820 and stay on 820 until you come to the Jacksboro Highway and Azle Street exit. Take the Azle Street exit and go to the traffic light.

Turn left at the traffic light and go to the second traffic light, then turn right onto Boat Club Road.

Go on Boat Club Road approximately 2 1/2 miles. Lodge 154 is on the right.

Hall Rental Information (817) 237-5181 Hall Phone: (817) 237-5181

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at lodge hall.

Secretary Mary Steinman (817) 731-2580 • appamary@sbcglobal.net

Youth Club Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 5 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Lesli Milan (817) 320-7129 • leslimilan@yahoo.com Youth Leader Carrie Ann Jones (817) 371-1727 • jonestravel@att.net

Sales Agents Fred Flores (817) 724-7673 fredgflores@gmail.com Sheri Humphreys (817) 236-1304 sherihumphreys@gmail.com Joseph Steinman (817) 624-1760 sokolfw@yahoo.com

1912 - 2012

LODGE 155 AUSTIN (2)

Lodge Meetings: First Saturday of March, June, September, and December. Call for meeting time and location.

Secretary Ginny Prasatik (512) 472-1721 • gprasatik@att.net

Sales Agents Patricia Fleming (325) 248-3817 fleming@hctc.net (512) 850-8747 Doris Plagens doris.plagens@yahoo.com Ricky D. Rodriguez (512) 591-4022 sirricrod@yahoo.com Thomas Salem (830) 798-5635 tommy@saleminsurance.net Kasonja Velasquez (512) 663-6969 kasonja@yahoo.com

LODGE 157 LUBBOCK (4)

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of every other month at 1 p.m. Call for meeting location.

Secretary Cynthia Kristinek (806) 763-7245 • ckristinek@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Paul Harwood (806) 681-9701 peharwood.55@yahoo.com Cynthia Kristinek (806) 632-2432 cjkristinek@yahoo.com Jay Lindley (806) 369-9369 jayl@amaonline.com Lee Meurer (806) 828-3568 lee@meureragency.com Mickey Mullen (806) 797-2810

LODGE 160 SAN ANGELO (4)

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of January, April, July, and October at 12 noon at Wall Volunteer Fire Department, Wall, Texas.

Secretary Charlene Dusek (325) 651-4977 • cdusek@wcc.net

Sales Agents James Baker (325) 224-3369 Martha Broz, FIC (325) 442-3271 Bobby G. Davis, FICF, CFFM (254) 239-9153 bobbyd@spjst.com Sylvia Garivay (325) 212-8444 sgarivay@yahoo.com Joe Gonzales (325) 234-4459 gonzalesjoe204@gmail.com Chandra Graves (325) 514-0788 chand_wilde@hotmail.com Leonard A. Jansa, FIC (325) 651-8045 ljansa@zipnet.us Patti Pool (325) 949-8499 pattipool@yahoo.com Joshua Shockley (325) 653-7280 shockins@suddenlinkmail.com Lydia Talamantez (325) 658-1830 lillyg636@yahoo.com Sam Tambunga (325) 944-8836 samt@samuelinsurance.com Danny Wilde (325) 514-0788 dwcompost9978@yahoo.com

LODGE 162 IOWA COLONY (5)

LODGE 179 WARRENTON (1)

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at Iowa Colony Community Center, 12003 CR 65, Iowa Colony, Texas.

Lodge Meetings: Second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Carmine Lions Club Building, 201 Centennial Street, Carmine, Texas.

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at Iowa Colony Community Center, 12003 CR 65, Iowa Colony, Texas.

Sales Agent Ricky Weyand (979) 249-5679 rickylw@cvctx.com

Sales Agents Kerry Herrington (281) 704-5737 kerryherrington@yahoo.com Wardell Starling (281) 250-8168 strlnganit@aol.com William Reynolds (832) 882-4660 williamreynolds9@gmail.com

Lodge Hall: 1150 South Burleson Boulevard, Burleson, Texas. Directions: Interstate 35 West, one-quarter mile south of Hidden Creek Parkway exit in Burleson, Texas.

Secretary Geraldine Kucera Frank (281) 431-1474 iowacolony@skynethouston.com

Youth Leader Brenda Moyle (281) 369-3503 • brenda@moblaw.com

LODGE 169 BRENHAM (1)

Secretary Ricky Weyand (979) 249-5679 • rickylw@cvctx.com

LODGE 180 BURLESON (3)

Hall Rental Information (817) 558-2400 • (817) 295-3483 (817) 371-0255 • (972) 268-0022 Hall Phone: (817) 295-9665

Lodge Meetings: Fourth Thursday of February, April, June, August, and October at 7 p.m. at Country Inn Restaurant, 1000 East Blue Bell Road, Brenham.

Lodge Meetings: First Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Sales Agent Donald Strickland (254) 239-8206 dons@spjst.com

Nancy Kelly

Secretary Alice Bliznak (979) 836-9875

LODGE 172 PASADENA (5)

Lodge Hall: 3609 Preston Road, Pasadena, Texas.

Hall Rental Information (713) 993-6878 Hall Phone: (281) 487-3297

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of January through October at 1 p.m. at the lodge hall, with the exception of November and December.

Secretary Jerry Dressler (281) 488-1405 • jcdressler@att.net Sales Agents Toni McLin-Coleman (281) 561-7065 boytonyngirltoni@juno.com

LODGE 177 ACADEMY (2)

Lodge Hall: 711 Rio Poco, Little River, Texas.

Directions: Lodge building is located on south side of Academy on Highway 95.

Hall Rental Information (254) 982-4530 Hall Phone: (254) 982-4434

Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Joanne Hutka (254) 865-2029 • wjjahutka@htcomp.net

Sales Agent Linda Johnson (254) 780-2198 johnson920@att.net

Secretary Rhonda Hurtik (972) 268-0022 Sales Agent

(817) 558-7347

LODGE 182 FALLS COUNTY (2)

Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at The Chicken Place, 504 Bridge Street, Marlin, Texas.

Secretary Mary Mozee (254) 803-5220

LODGE 183 ARLINGTON (3)

Lodge Hall: 3100 Pleasant Valley Lane, Arlington, Texas. Directions: Take Interstate 35 West to Fort Worth. Take the Interstate 20 East exit and proceed on Interstate 20 East until you come to the Cooper Street exit.

Take the Cooper Street exit to the North and stay on Cooper Street until you come to Mayfield Street. Take a right on Mayfield and go down and take a left on Pleasant Valley.

Hall Rental Information (817) 465-8538 • (214) 876-9029 Hall Phone: (817) 465-8538

Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Darlene Hollingsworth (817) 417-6071 dhollingsworth@rangeresources.com

Youth Club Meetings: Last Friday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Kay Weeks (817) 572-1859 • kgweeks@att.net

51

Sales Agents Hector Arreaga (214) 407-3980 harreag@live.com Sabino Garcia (817) 909-8899 garciasabi@att.net Eugene Havran (817) 467-3010 eugenehav@yahoo.com Gustavo Munoz (817) 774-1865 Robert Pena (817) 946-8544 bobbysfajitas@yahoo.com Daniel Roznovsky, FIC (972) 252-6763 droz1@verizon.net Lee Saldivar (817) 987-7471 saldivar07@netzero.com Rhonda Steelman (972) 294-1043 rsteel1971@yahoo.com

LODGE 184 MOULTON (6)

Lodge Hall: FM 532 West, Moulton, Texas.

Directions: From Texas 95 in Moulton, take FM 532 West four miles. Lodge hall is located on the right.

Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Duckie Baetz (361) 596-4657 • duckiebaetz@gvec.net

Sales Agent Maynard Wagner (361) 596-7293 wagner@gvec.net

LODGE 185 NEW BRAUNFELS (7)

Lodge Meetings: Every other month—February, April, June, August, October, and December. Call for meeting date, time, and location.

Secretary Cindy Schmidtzinsky (512) 787-9334 • cks78666@yahoo.com

Youth Club Meetings: Call for meeting date, time, and location.

Youth Leader Theresa Haag (830) 625-8262 theresa.haag686@gmail.com

April Howard

Sales Agent

(830) 626-3303

LODGE 186 CALDWELL (1)

Lodge Hall: 937 State Highway 36, Caldwell, Texas. Directions: Lodge building is located just off Highway 36 on the south side of Caldwell, next to Burleson County Fairgrounds.

Hall Rental Information (979) 567-4264

Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Michelle Mendez (979) 567-9144

Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Yolanda Brinkman (979) 567-0637 ymbrinkman@cvm.tamu.edu

52

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

Sales Agents Thomas Cannon (979) 567-4264 jtcannon60@hotmail.com Margaret Haisler (979) 272-8657 margarethaisler@hotmail.com Guy Huffman (979) 220-6293 cpaguy@cpaguy.com (979) 567-9144 Michelle Mendez m-r-mendez@tamu.edu Victor Mendez, Jr. (979) 567-9144

LODGE 187 ROUND ROCK (2)

Lodge Hall: 920 Luther Peterson Place, Round Rock, Texas. Directions: From Taylor, take Highway 79 into Round Rock until you get to Sunrise. There will be a 7-11 store on the right. Turn right and proceed past Hopewell School. Continue through the fourway stop. Luther Peterson Boulevard is the first street on the left. From Temple, take IH 35 South. Just past Georgetown, exit on University Boulevard. Proceed to stop sign.

Take left on University Boulevard The third street is Sunrise. Take right onto Sunrise.

The second street to the right will be Luther Peterson Boulevard.

Hall Rental Information (512) 255-1554 • (512) 771-4948

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Deborah Rohlack (512) 255-4985 • deborah_rohlack@dell.com

Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Youth Leader Jennifer McCarthy (512) 565-9156 • jsupak@gmail.com

Sales Agents Christopher Giesenschlag (830) 385-6955 cgiesenschlag94@gmail.com Rubie M. Volek, FIC (512) 771-4948 rubiebr@sbcglobal.net

LODGE 189 BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION (1)

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of March, June, September, and December at 2 p.m. at Charles Munday’s office, 416 Oak Street, Bryan, Texas (behind the Kettle Restaurant on Texas Avenue).

Secretary Charles Munday (979) 775-7070

Sales Agents Henry P. Mayo (979) 693-5818 hpmayo1@verizon.net Charles Munday, FIC (979) 775-7070 cm@cmunday.com Uldric Zemanek, Jr. (979) 822-3277 buddyz-mf@txcyber.com

Lodge Hall: Texas.

LODGE 191 LUFKIN (5)

197 Hughes Street, Lufkin,

Hall Rental Information (936) 634-1962 Lodge Hall: (936) 637-2706

Lodge Meetings: First Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Alma Breazeale (936) 829-5808 • almab@consolidated.net

Sales Agents Calvin Anderson, II (936) 634-1962 clandy1962@yahoo.com Tucker Weems (936) 634-4081 tucker@sgtitle.com

LODGE 196 HOUSTON-WEST (5)

Lodge Hall: 17810 Huffmeister Road, Cypress, Texas. Directions: Off Highway 290 West at Skinner.

Hall Rental Information (281) 351-1045 • (281) 373-9482 Hall Phone: (281) 373-9482

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Cadance Wager (713) 515-2835

Sales Agents Johna Beckendorf (254) 275-8028 joh.becken@yahoo.com Mark Childres (832) 496-6646 childresins@att.net Delisle Doherty (254) 239-9616 delisled@spjst.com Donald Fruin (832) 651-5388 dfruin@fruinandassociates.com Mary Granberry, FIC, CFFM (832) 851-5466 megins@att.net Cecil Penright (281) 820-3677 cpenright@yahoo.com Crispin Reyna (832) 878-4063 crispin@triveritygroup.com Cecil Roberts, FIC (281) 498-0307 cecrobie@sbcglobal.net

LODGE 200 BRUCEVILLE-EDDY (2)

Lodge Meetings: First Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Taylor Hall/BrucevilleEddy Senior Center.

Secretary Blanca Shollenberger (254) 859-3899

Sales Agents Daniel Ferguson (254) 235-1234 fergusoninsurance@hot.rr.com Sandra Garrett (254) 938-2424 garrett.sandra11231@yahoo.com David Nauert, FIC (254) 534-0809 davidn@vvm.com

LODGE 201 BLEIBLERVILLENELSONVILLE (1)

Lodge Hall: 3948 FM 2502, Bleiblerville, Texas. Directions: Lodge building is across the street from the post office in Bleiblerville.

Hall Rental Information (979) 830-0796 • (979) 830-0118

Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at the lodge hall.

Secretary Elaine Duron (979) 836-5446

LODGE 202 JOURDANTON (7)

Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. (March, June, September, and December at 1 p.m.) at Jourdanton Community Center, 1101 Campbell Avenue, Jourdanton, Texas.

Secretary Bettie House (830) 281-8246 • bvhouse@att.net

Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 1:30 p.m. (March, June, September, and December at 1 p.m.) at Jourdanton Community Center, 1101 Campbell Avenue, Jourdanton, Texas.

Youth Leader Regina House (830) 569-5070 • rhouse@jourdantonisd.net

Sales Agents Janice Favor (830) 429-3090 jfavor1@satx.rr.com Chester Gail Lee (830) 579-4714 cgrlee@sbcglobal.net Linda Ramey, FIC (830) 393-3320 linda@rameyins.com

LODGE 204 STEPHENVILLE (3)

Lodge Meetings: Call Norman Kneschk (254) 386-3222 or email normk_82@hughes.net for meeting date, time, and location.

Secretary Sandra Pierce (254) 485-5801

Youth Club Meetings: Call youth leader for meeting date, time, and location.

Youth Leader Sandra Pierce (254) 485-5801 sklpierce@hotmail.com

Sales Agents Norman Kneschk, FIC (254) 386-3222 normk@htcomp.net Philip McBee, FICF, CFFM (254) 239-7580 philm@spjst.com Floyd Pierce (254) 965-5953 sklpierce@hotmail.com Rufugia Rodriguez (254) 592-5723 ruthierodriguez.loyaltec@gmail.com Joyce Russell, FIC (254) 796-4969

LODGE 207 IOWA PARK (4)

Lodge Meetings: Third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Call lodge secretary or sales agents for meeting location.

Secretary Joyce Kotulek (940) 855-0882

Sales Agents Dennis Kotulek (940) 855-0882 dkotulek@clearwire.net Joyce Kotulek (940) 855-0882 dkotulek@clearwire.net

LODGE 215 SOUTH PLAINS (4)

Lodge Meetings: Every third Sunday of January, March, May, July, and September at 6 p.m. Contact Secretary Pam Lehmann (806) 561-5105 for location.

Secretary Pam Lehmann (806) 561-4822

1912 - 2012

Youth Club Meetings: Third Sunday of each month at 5 p.m. Contact Youth Leader Janeece Williams (806) 990-3351 for location.

Youth Leader Janeece Williams (806) 990-3351 • jkraa5@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Cynthia Flores (806) 729-9880 cindy_er2006@yahoo.com Linda Naranjo (806) 293-2651 ragmando@yahoo.com Jo Della Turpen (940) 779-3446 joturpen@netcommander.com Johnie Turpen (806) 543-0433 ragmando@yahoo.com Johnie Turpen, II (806) 895-4448 ragmando@yahoo.com Melissa Turpen (806) 293-2651 ragmando@yahoo.com Janeece Williams (806) 495-3351 jkraa5@yahoo.com

LODGE 219 EL PASO (4)

Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m. Call lodge secretary for meeting location.

Secretary Edna Rivas (915) 727-2048 • elmireles@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Ana Ahumada, FIC (915) 867-8007 anajahumada@gmail.com Ana Albo-Bonilla (915) 694-0846 ana.albo@lycos.com Eduardo A. Altoran (915) 545-3036 ealt023@yahoo.com Veronica Alvarez (915) 412-4294 alvarezveronica37@yahoo.com Fred Beck (915) 241-3746 frbeck@earthlink.net Tana Lee Bowser (915) 203-3473 tlbowser@ymail.com Juan-Wesley Cordova (915) 626-9171 wesleypublisher@aol.com Guillermo Dieguez (915) 252-7324 Hilda Escajeda (915) 328-4915 escajedahr@yahoo.com Sylvia Fernandez (915) 584-7697 sylviacfernandez@hotmail.com Leah Marie Flores (806) 292-2026 leahflores_101@hotmail.com Roxanne Garcia (806) 518-4801 roxyg79072@gmail.com Julian Guedea (915) 926-9503 guedeag@yahoo.com Gloria Guzman (915) 588-9815 epgguzman@yahoo.com Martha Lievano (915) 892-4610 marthalievano@hotmail.com Elizabeth McCue (915) 203-4710 lizmccue@q.com Baltazar Nunez, FIC (915) 584-8484 onebestidea@yahoo.com Diego Quezada (915) 219-2128 dqzda@yahoo.com Guadalupe Rangel (915) 921-1860 guadaluperangel@msn.com Julio Rangel (915) 856-3619 rangeljr7@yahoo.com Alejandro Rivas (915) 857-7216 alex_rrivas@yahoo.com Arnulfo Rivera, FIC (915) 630-8074 arnulfok5@yahoo.com Alma Rodriguez (915) 772-2493 rose_rodriguez16@hotmail.com Bertha Rodriguez (915) 778-5562 Homer B. Segura, Jr. (915) 217-4136 hbsegura2012@yahoo.com Adrian Rene Tavizon (915) 873-8992 artavizon@yahoo.com Debbie E. Thomas (915) 269-7499 debbiegonzalez04@yahoo.com Miguel A. Torres, Jr. (915) 920-2896 torrmig07@gmail.com

1912 - 2012

LODGE 229 ABILENE (4)

Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Call for meeting location.

Secretary Tammy Copeland (325) 333-4089

Youth Club Meetings: Call youth leader for meeting date, time, and location.

Youth Leader Deborah Stevens (325) 537-2074 debbie5714@netscape.com

Sales Agents Jesusita Hudson (325) 370-0573 suziqandlvh@yahoo.com Jerry O’Briant (325) 235-2671 hoehand2@sbcglobal.net Janice Stevens (325) 537-9224 stemarjan@taylortel.net Linda Tipton (254) 485-3289 tipton.11@hotmail.com

LODGE 230 MIDLAND (4)

Lodge Meetings: Call for meeting date, time, and location.

Secretary Jennifer Navarez (432) 638-1032

Sales Agents Olivia Madrid (432) 349-9378 omadr4@aol.com Velia Mestas (432) 336-5200 veliam@samuelinsurance.com Laura Ritchie (432) 336-3270 katay@hotmail.com Jimmy Slatton (432) 683-0812 speedyjscrib@yahoo.com

LODGE 246 MORGAN’S POINT (2)

Lodge Meetings: First Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Best Quality Meats and Sausage Shop, 2610 South General Bruce Drive, Temple, Texas.

Secretary Wayne Orange (254) 899-0202

Youth Club Meetings: Call the youth leader for meeting date/time/location.

Youth Leader Trish Konkler (254) 931-9879 • tkonkler71@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Ronnie Gaines (254) 458-5781 Tamara Gettys (254) 598-2831 tamarag@spjst.com James Hutto (325) 247-5918 terry@huttoins.com Don Miller (254) 939-6160 don@texianinsurance.com Marissa Salinas (254) 220-9240 marisa10525@yahoo.com (325) 944-9267 Mary Shockley m2sweet22@yahoo.com

LODGE 258 SEGUIN (7)

Lodge Meetings: Fourth Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. at Alumni Student Center, conference rooms A and B, on the Texas Lutheran Campus, Seguin, Texas.

Secretary Henrietta Lowak (210) 667-1435 • hjlowak@yahoo.com

Sales Agents Dominga Esquivel (512) 396-0642 dotesquivel@hotmail.com Chester Jenke, Sr., FICF (830) 303-4316 cejenke1@gvec.net Colleen Jenke (830) 303-4316 jenkecw1@aol.com ★ ★ ★ End of Active Lodges. ★ ★ ★

Inactive Lodges with Secretary and/or Sales Agent Contacts * Lodge Not Organized

LODGE 10, SHINER (6) Sales Agent

Sharon Price (361) 293-2977 spriceagency@yahoo.com (361) 293-0083 eFax: (866) 278-6504

LODGE 21, ENGLE (1) Secretary James Kubecka (361) 865-2677

LODGE 57, GONZALES (1) Secretary Tommy Wilson (830) 672-3614

LODGE 82, ENNIS (3) Secretary Miles S. Strunc (972) 875-6757

LODGE 94, WHEELOCK (1) Secretary Lloyd Scasta (979) 589-2328

LODGE 106 LA GRANGE (1)

Secretary Charlie Ripper (979) 968-5603

LODGE 125, WESTHOFF (6) Secretary Edwin A. Baros (361) 275-8877

LODGE 149, ALVIN (5) Secretary Carole Truksa (281) 585-3143

LODGE 156, BAYTOWN (5) Secretary JoAnn Vojacek (281) 422-9611

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

LODGE 171, LOCKHART (1)

Sales Agents William “Bill” Cleveland (512) 488-2282 billc@the-insurance-team.com Carlos Eureste (512) 529-5429 eurestelinda@yahoo.com Clint Roberts, FIC (512) 398-6755 clint@the-insurance-team.com Kenneth Schawe (512) 398-4433 ken@the-insurance-team.com Carrie Staton, FIC (512) 738-0801 carrie@the-insurance-team.com

LODGE 178, LONGVIEW (3)

Sales Agents Ronnie Ballard (903) 785-0467 ronnie@ballardinsurance.net Vicki Ballard (903) 785-0467 vicki@ballardinsurance.net Fredrick Miller, Jr. (903) 639-1990 gwenwalsh@insurer.com Larry Quinn (903) 753-8338 larrydquinn@aol.com (903) 297-1441 Lee Ann Shinn (903) 539-3369 lashi@suddenlink.net

LODGE 181, CONROE (5)

Sales Agents John Cole (936) 662-6440 jcole@txhealthins.com Edward T. James (936) 222-2668 tjtraveler@gmail.com Artresa Johnson (936) 581-2564 artresacj@aol.com Charles Toney III (281) 362-9062 cdtiii@toney.us Barbara Williams-Rash (936) 295-7778 b.d.willrash@att.net

LODGE 188 CENTERVILLE (1)

Sales Agents Sharon Carrigan (979) 828-5249 Belinda Liner (979) 280-0221 gailfbc@windstream.net Rhonda Stover (979) 828-5041 rsins@valornet.com

LODGE 205, TERRELL (3) Secretary Charles Freeman (972) 524-8023

LODGE 206 TRI COUNTIES (3)

Secretary Wilmer Herring (254) 562-7508 • wilmerh@netv.com

Sales Agents David G. Cooper (254) 353-2012 dvc@glade.net Melissa Pew (254) 729-5005 (254) 729-3433 coffee.insurance@yahoo.com

LODGE 209 BROWNWOOD*

Sales Agent Angela Reno (324) 624-0495 areno@paragoninsagencies.com

LODGE 210, FAIRFIELD (3)*

Sales Agent Jack Patterson (903) 389-5936

53

LODGE 223, PALACIOS (6)

Al Pena Robert Solis

Sales Agents (361) 558-1696 (361) 972-2420

LODGE 226 CORSICANA (3)*

Sales Agents Denise Brown (903) 874-5242 joepeg@sbcglobal.net Oda Ruth Martin (903) 425-4842 Gun Barrell City, Texas odamartin@hotmail.com

LODGE 234, LULING (1)

Sales Agents Ardis Maxwell (830) 875-3960 rob1956@att.net (830) 875-3244 Boyd Maxwell rob1956@att.net

LODGE 238 GOLDTHWAITE (4)*

Sales Agent Kim Wesson (325) 648-3065 kwesson@centex.net Fax: (325) 648-3067

LODGE 240, BAY CITY (6)

Sales Agent Jonna Davis (979) 479-3804 jonnamdavis@yahoo.com

LODGE 242, AMARILLO (4)*

Sales Agents Lesa Browning (940) 585-4625 tellgatelb@yahoo.com Helen Lambert (940) 937-2077 slins79201@sbcglobal.net

LODGE 256 DENVER CITY (4)*

Sales Agents Dennis Haralson (432) 758-5886 dennis@morre_haralson.com Susan Leach (806) 592-9184 sleach@valornet.com

LODGE 264, PLANO (3)*

Sales Agent Dennis Bradford, FICF (972) 215-6995 dbradford42@yahoo.com

LODGE 265, ODESSA (4)*

Sales Agents Carl Carson (806) 647-3830 cdcarson@wildblue.net Stanley Huffty (432) 638-1681 stan_readydrill@yahoo.com Kerry Woodard (432) 550-2211 woodardk@att.net

LODGE 272, DEL RIO (4)*

Sales Agents Loida Arellano (830) 469-9789 loidaac26@yahoo.com Taide Blas (830) 719-6899 Maribel Canela (830) 374-2844 mlcanela@yahoo.com (830) 3746681 Juan Diego (830) 719-9342 diegoj@wconline.net Rosaisela Escobar (830) 765-2105 escobarrosaisela@yahoo.com Ayde B. Garcia (830) 422-2887 monalisa_2205@hotmail.com Martin Olvera (830) 298-7672 Rolando Vargas (830) 469-9003 rgvargas@live.com Diana Zertuche (830) 774-4124 dzertuche@stx.rr.com

54

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

2013 Family Fun Dates

Jan. 12

State Progressive 42 Domino Tournament Lodge 6, Cottonwood (3) SPJST Awards Banquet • Mayborn Center, Temple (2) Jan. 26 Feb. 1 SPJST Scholarship Paperwork Due Feb. 2 State Tarok Tournament • Lodge 92, Fort Worth (3) Feb. 9 Fraternal Bowling Tournament Fiesta Lanes, New Braunfels (7) Feb. 9 Lodge 9, Snook Youth Club Valentine Dance (1) Feb. 23 Youth Development Workshop SPJST Home Office, Temple (2) Feb. 24 Lodge 32, Victoria Polka Fest Inez Community Center (6) March 2 State Straight Domino Tournament Lodge 47, Seaton (2) March 2 Lodge 29, Taylor Auction Fundraiser (2) March 3 Lodge 6, Cottonwood Easter Party (3) March 9-10 Youth Leaders Workshop • Temple (2) March 17 District Two Spring Meeting • Lodge 80, Holland (2) March 23 Lodge 88, Houston Easter Party (5) April 6 State 42 Domino Tournament • Lodge 48, Beyersville (2) April 7 District Five Spring Meeting • Iowa Colony (5) April 20 Lodge 13, Dime Box Casino Night (1) April 21 District Seven Spring Meeting • San Antonio (7) April 21 Lodge 38, Kovar Annual Picnic (1) May 4 JOIN HANDS DAY May 18 State Horseshoe Tournament • Lions Park, Temple (2) June 14-16 Leaders-In-Training Workshop SPJST Education and Nature Center at Cooper Farm June 23 District Three Youth Achievement Day (3) June 30 District Five Youth Achievement Day Lodge 88, Houston (5) June 29 District Four Youth Achievement Day Lodge 49, Rowena (4) July 6-9 District Three Camp* July 11-14 Districts Five/Six/Seven Camp* July 18-21 District One Camp* July 19-20 Lodge 47, Seaton Barbecue Cook-Off (2) July 21 Lodge 6, Cottonwood Picnic (3) July 25-28 Districts Two/Four Camp* August 3 State Youth Achievement Day Mayborn Center, Temple (2) August 9-11 Corpus Christi Getaway Weekend (7) August 24 Lodge 9, Snook Youth Club Kolache Workshop (1) August 25 Lodge 9, Snook Youth Club Country Store VFD Barbecue Fundraiser, Snook (1) Sept. 1 Lodge 13, Dime Box/Fire Department Picnic (1) Sept. 7 District Five Fall Meeting • Lodge 88, Houston (5) Sept. 8 Lodge 9, Snook Grandparents Day (1) Sept. 14 Lodge 92, Fort Worth Czech Heritage 103 Birthday Party (3) Sept. 21 Lodge 47, Seaton Extravaganza (2) Sept. 22 District Two Fall Meeting • Lodge 80, Holland (2) Sept. 27-28 Lodge 29, Taylor Barbecue Cook-Off (2) October 5 Lodge 13, Dime Box Black Bridge Festival (1) October 5 Lodge 88, Houston Fall Festival (5) Nov. 9 Lodge 18, Elgin Chili Supper (2) Dec. 1 Lodge 6, Cottonwood Christmas Party (3) Dec. 2 SPJST Home Office Christmas Open House (2) Dec. 7 Lodge 88, Houston Christmas Party (5) Dec. 8 Lodge 9, Snook Christmas Party (1) Dec. 8 Lodge 47, Seaton Christmas Party (2) Number in ( ) denotes SPJST District location. * Camp Location - SPJST Education and Nature Center at Cooper Farm in Ledbetter, Texas.

• • • SPJST • • •

1912 - 2012

SPJST Districts District Four

El Paso Hudspeth Culberson Jeff Davis Presidio Brewster Reeves Loving Winkler Ward Pecos Terrell Val Verde Crockett Sutton Kimble Schleicher Concho Tom Green Irion Reagan Upton Crane Ector Midland Glasscock Sterling Coke

Runnels Coleman Brown Mills Comanche Eastland Callahan Taylor Nolan Mitchell Howard Martin Andrews Gaines Dawson Borden Scurry Fisher Jones Shackelford Stephens Young Throckmorton Haskell Stonewall Kent Garza Lynn Terry Yoakum Cochran Hockley Lubbock Crosby Dickens King Knox

Baylor Archer Wichita Wilbarger Foard Cottle Motley Floyd Hale Lamb Bailey Hardeman Childress Hall Briscoe Swisher Castro Parmer Deaf Smith Randall Armstrong Donley Collingsworth Wheeler Gray Carson Potter Oldham

Hartley Moore Hutchinson Roberts Hemphill Dallam Sherman Hansford Ochiltree Lipscomb

District Three

Clay Montague Cooke Grayson Fannin

Lamar Red River Bowie Jack Wise

3

4

2

District Seven

Edwards Real Bandera Comal Hays Guadalupe Bexar Medina Uvalde Kinney Maverick Zavala Dimmit Frio Atascosa Wilson Karnes Live Oak

Bee McMullen La Salle Webb Duval Jim Wells San Patricio Nueces Kleberg Zapata Jim Hogg Brooks Starr Hidalgo Kenedy Willacy Cameron

District Five

Palo Pinto Erath Hood Johnson Ellis Kaufman Van Zandt Harrison Gregg Smith Henderson Navarro Hamilton Somervell Bosque Hill McLennan Limestone Freestone Anderson

Denton Collin Rockwall Hunt Delta Hopkins Franklin Cass Titus Morris Camp Marion Upshur Wood Rains Dallas Tarrant Parker

1

6

7

District Six

Gonzales Lavaca Colorado De Witt Goliad Victoria

Shelby Nacogdoches Angelina San Augustine Sabine Newton Jasper Tyler Polk San Jacinto Liberty

Wharton Jackson Matagorda Calhoun Refugio Aransas

Hardin Orange Jefferson Chambers Waller Harris Montgomery Fort Bend Brazoria Galveston

5 District One

Panola Rusk Cherokee Houston Trinity Leon Robertson Madison Walker

Brazos Burleson Lee Bastrop Caldwell Fayette Austin Washington Grimes

McCulloch San Saba Lampasas Coryell Bell Falls Menard Mason Llano

Burnet Williamson Milam Gillespie Blanco Travis Kerr Kendall

District Two

Find us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/spjst

SPJST Farm/ Commercial Property Rates

SPJST INTEREST RATES

Farm/commercial property rates are subject to change without notice. Call the SPJST Home Office (800) 7277578.

Farm/Commercial Property Rates

75% Owner Farm Property 5.00% for 1 to 10 years 5.25% for 11 to 20 years Commercial Property 6.00% for 1 to 10 years 6.25% for 11 to 15 years

Universal Life

Universal Life 4.50% for Annualized* Annuities

Annuity I** 5.00% for Annualized*

Annuity II** 3.00% for Annualized*

Annuity III** 3.00% for Annualized*

**Not currently being marketed.

Annuity IV 3.00% for Annualized*

* Rates effective 11/01/12 through 1/31/13.

5-Year Annuity

When purchased, current interest rates are guaranteed for 5 years.

Band 1—$10,000 to $24,999 Current Rate: 3.00% Band 2—$25,000 to $49,999 Current Rate: 3.00% Band 3—$50,000 and up Current Rate: 3.00%

Read the Vestnik and visit www.spjst.org for up-to-date event and activity information.

1912 - 2012

Recognizing 100 Years of VӖSTNÍK

55

SPJST Tasty Traditions Cookbook Salutes Important Milestones

SPJST Tasty Traditions 115 Years . . . And Still Cooking

To commemorate two very special anniversaries, SPJST members submitted more than 1,400 recipes that were compiled into SPJST Tasty Traditions.

This 700-page cookbook recognizes SPJST’s 115th anniversary since its founding in 1897 as a non-profit, Texas Czech fraternal life insurance. The cookbook also celebrates the organization’s own weekly newspaper – Vestnik (which is a Czech word for “bulletin”) that has been bringing members, lodges, and the entire organization together since 1912 . . . 100 years ago!

“We wanted a creative way to honor SPJST and the Vestnik for these special anniversaries,” Colleen Jenke, who served as cookbook co-chair, said. “So we decided that a collection of members’ favorite recipes would be a unique way.”

The cookbook is arranged into 18 sections. These include Czech Cooking; Appetizers, Dips and Sauces; Pickles and Relishes; Soups, Stews and Chilis; Salads; Beef; Chicken and Turkey; Pork; Seafood and Wild Game; Casseroles and Other Main Dishes; Vegetables; Breads, Rolls and Muffins; Cakes; Cookies; Pies; Candy and Other Desserts; No Sugar Added; and Beverages and Miscellaneous.

“The cookbook committee hoped to receive about 300 recipes,” Vestnik Editor and cookbook co-chair Melanie Zavodny stated. “But, the recipes just kept coming in . . . we were overwhelmed by the response, and the willingness of so many people to share their recipes and their families’ recipes.

Some of the recipes are treasured keepsakes that have been in families for generations and some are new; however, they all reflect the love of good cooking!”

The cookbook sells for $15 each and can be purchased at the SPJST Home Office, located at 520 North Main Street in Temple, or at the Czech Heritage Museum, located at 119 West French Avenue in Temple. Cookbooks can also be ordered online at www.spjst.org and shipped anywhere in the United States for an additional $3 charge.

Cookbook proceeds benefit the Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center in Temple and SPJST Education and Nature Center at Cooper Farm.

• • •

SAuERKRAuT SOuP 4 1/2 cups water 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 lb. smoked sausage links, cut up 1 (16-oz.) can sauerkraut, undrained

1 medium onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon dried dill weed 1/4 teaspoon caraway seed 1 cup sour cream 1 Tablespoon flour Salt and pepper, to taste

SPJST Tasty Traditions Cookbook

Quantities limited.

Order today!

Order Form SPJST is proud to present a treasured collection of recipes from our members whose contributions have made this cookbook possible.

Cookbook includes 700 pages and approximately 1,400 recipes.

Cookbooks are shipped via USPS Media Mail.

Makes a great birthday, anniversary, wedding, or anytime gift! Order online at www.spjst.org.

Please send me ______ copies of “SPJST Tasty Traditions Cookbook” at $15.00 each, plus $3.00 for shipping/handling/tax per book (total $18.00 each).

Make checks or money orders payable to SPJST. Ship To: Name _____________________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________ State_________________ Zip_______________ Phone (_____)_______________________ Email__________________________________________ Payment Information:

Enclosed is my check or money order made payable to SPJST for $________.

Please charge my credit card in the amount of $________.

Credit Card #__________ __________ __________ __________ Expiration Date ______/______ 3 or 4 digit security code _________ (usually on back of card) Billing Zip Code_____________ Signature____________________________________________________________ Mail Order Form to: SPJST Tasty Traditions Cookbook PO Box 100 Temple, Texas 76503-0100 Fax (for credit card orders only): (254) 773-8087 Phone (for questions only): (254) 773-1575 Email: info@spjst.org The proceeds from cookbook sales go to Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center and SPJST Education and Nature Center.

In a non-stick or heavy pot, bring water, potatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling; cook covered, over medium heat until tender. Add sausage, sauerkraut, onion, garlic, dill weed, and caraway seed. Bring to boiling. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and flour. Gradually stir about 1 cup of hot mixture into sour cream mixture; return all to pot. Blend well. Heat through, but do not boil. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Lorenda Baldwin Lodge 139, Danbury

• • •

BANANA CAKE 2 bananas, ripe 1/4 cup oil 2 eggs 1 white or yellow cake mix 1 teaspoon baking soda 2/3 cup water

Beat bananas; add oil and eggs. Beat until creamy. Add cake mix, soda, water; mix well. Bake as directed on the box.

FROSTING: 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1 (16-oz.) powdered sugar 3 to 4 Tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and add sugar; beat well.

Add other ingredients; beat well until smooth. Spread on cake.

Tammie Kunetka Mikes Lodge 40, El Campo-Hillje • • • SPJST • • •

Tell us How You Would Like To Receive Your Vestnik.

Thank you for your membership in SPJST. Your Vestnik subscription is a benefit of SPJST membership.

Vestniks are mailed each week to SPJST members (one per household), upon request.

All completed responses received by mail, online, phone, or hand delivered to the SPJST Home Office by 5 p.m. on Friday, January 25, 2013, will be placed in a drawing for a gift basket filled with items, many from the Czech Republic.

r r r r

Yes, I would like to receive the Vestnik by mail.

Yes, I would like to receive the Vestnik by email.

Yes, I would like to receive the Vestnik by both mail and email.

No, I do not want to receive the Vestnik but please enter me in the drawing.

SPJST Member’s Information (please print clearly) Name_____________________________________________ (Maiden Name)__________________________________ SPJST Lodge No.______________ Address (include Apt./Suite No.) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ City_____________________________________ State____________ Zip_____________________ Phone (______) ______________________________ Email Address_______________________________________________________________________ Phone (______) ______________________________ Other SPJST Members Living in Household: Name________________________________________________________

Email Address___________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________________

Email Address___________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________________

Email Address___________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________________

Email Address___________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________________

Email Address___________________________________________________

★ ★ ★ Ways to Respond ★ ★ ★

Online—Visit www.spjst.org and enter your information online.

Online—Scan the QR code at right and enter your information online.

Mail—Send this form to: SPJST Vestnik • PO Box 100 • Temple, TX 76503-0100 Email—Send an email to info@spjst.org with the above information.

Telephone—Call (800) 727-7578, ext. 153 and leave your information along with a phone number. ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ If you do not complete and submit this form, no change will be made to your Vestnik subscription.

Current subscribers will remain on the mailing list; non-subscribers will not receive the Vestnik.

Download a QR reader to your smartphone and scan the code to respond online.