Volume 105 Number 5
ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T Benevolence
H E R A L D
★ Humanity ISSN —07458800
Where It All Began
Lodge 25, Ennis members Margaret and Johnnie I. Krajca are pictured in front of the historic SPJST Lodge 1, Fayetteville. The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center honored Texas Czech musicians at its annual gala on Saturday, December 3 at the TCHCC Fair Pavilion in La Grange. Longtime Polka DJ Johnnie I. Krajca was one of the honorees. On the trip from Ennis, the Krajca family toured the countryside and stopped by Lodge 1 to see the first SPJST lodge. See article and photos on page 6.
Czech Thanks
Lodge 63, Sweet Home FAC/Reporter Elaine Berkovsky, right, presents a fun Czech button to Diane and Dillon Ward. Elaine purchased the button from the Texas Czech Genealogical Society booth at the SPJST Convention with the intent to give it to someone special. “I gave it to Diane for doing such a great job as president of our lodge after her father (who was past president) passed away,” says Elaine. “We also appreciate Diane’s husband Dillon who always cooks meals for our lodge gatherings.”
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Readers Write ......................................3 Important Dates ...................................3 Interest Rates ......................................3 State Tournaments ..............................3 Lodge Section ....................................5 Youth Section ....................................14
★ Brotherhood
Adventure at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
Dreams come true when reality, desire, opportunity meet By Deborah Spanel Lodge 20, Granger
Every child has a dream about what they want to be when they grow up. My dream began after my parents took me to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon around the age of 10. While we were there, we hiked a quarter of a mile to hear a “Ranger Talk” held around a campfire. I don’t remember what the talk was about, but I fell in love with the Ranger and decided that when I grew up, I would do the same thing as he did. Once I graduated from college, I came close. I left home for the first time to become a summer park ranger for the Corps of Engineers at Lake Sam Rayburn. While there, I met my future husband, also a park ranger, and we married. My husband was eventually transferred to Granger Lake, and I soon found an outdoorsy job with the United States Department of Agriculture as a biological technician in Temple. The years flew by as we raised two daugh-
Inside This Week’s Vestnik
Vestnik Project ..................................15 In Memoriam ......................................19 Czech Culture ....................................20 Advertisements .................................21 Lodge Calendar .................................22 PerkSpot Benefit ...............................24
February 1, 2017
Lodge 29 Taylor hosts Debonaires
Page 7
ters in Granger, and before we knew it, we found ourselves retired from our government jobs. My husband was called back to a temporary job with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Worth, which left me home alone for most of the week. My old dream resurfaced. I had heard of the website: Coolworks.com, which featured temporary jobs in cool locations such as national parks. I decided to apply for a position with the concessionaire at the North Rim. I was hired within the week, and I was soon on my way to Arizona. I drove the 1,170 miles and had to let myself in through two gates to get to the North Rim which was still officially closed. I went through orientation, got my room assignment, and was temporarily assigned to housekeeping until my job as cookout staffer opened in June. I soon made friends with the diverse group of people: young, old, black, white, Native American, Ukrain-
Continued on Page 14.
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Page 10
Lodge 187 Round Rock supports Meals on Wheels
ENC seeks to connect youth and nature
Pages 12-13