ˇ ´ VESTNIK
Volume 105 Number 21
S P J S T
Benevolence
Making Waves in Granger
H E R A L D
★ Humanity
ISSN —07458800
May 24, 2017
. . . Charlene Hurta . . .
Passionate Leader, Visionary, Motivator
By Nancy Machu Lodge 29, Taylor TCGS Reporter
From left, Brenna Bohac, Maxx David, and Cooper Elwood share big smiles and waves aboard the SPJST Float in the Granger Lakefest parade on Saturday, May 13. Lodge 20, Granger Youth Club hosted the float and was awarded the “Best of Show” award in the parade. —Photo submitted by Jvonne Elwood
After the parade, youth club members hosted a lemonade and raffle booth downtown at the Lakefest. They raised $400 to help restore the beautiful, historic Lodge 20 hall in downtown Granger. Pictured are, front, left to right, James Teague, Jr., Kenna Braden, Sebastian Goodman, Aubrey Marshall, and Sterling Marshall. In back are Youth Leader Emilie Tischler and Brita Goodman. Hats off to Lodge 20, Granger Youth Club for its efforts! —Photo submitted by Jvonne Elwood
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Important Dates ...................................3 Readers Write ......................................3 Interest Rates ......................................3 Job Posting..........................................4 Lodge Section......................................4 In Memoriam ......................................15
★ Brotherhood
Successful organizations require many dedicated members along with one person who becomes its heart and soul, providing leadership, passion, vision, and motivation. For Texas Czech Genealogical Society, its “heart and soul” has been Charlene Machacek Hurta. For this reason, the board of directors and officers of TCGS Charlene Hurta, center, a member of SPJST Lodge unanimously chose to 200, Bruceville-Eddy, is recognized by TOCA President Kevin Kana and Texas Czech Genealogical Sohonor Charlene Hurta ciety Reporter Nancy Machu of Lodge 29, Taylor at as our Texans of the TOCA Awards Appreciation Dinner on Saturday, Czech Ancestry April 22 in La Grange. Sister Hurta’s passion, vision, (TOCA) nominee for and motivation led to the creation of the Czech Vet2017 because of her erans’ Wall of Honor and Military Museum, located tremendous influence in the downstairs gallery of the SPJST Home Office on our organization in Temple. Prior to that, in 2011, Sister Hurta and and her many efforts her team worked tirelessly to scan 90 years of Vestin promoting every- niks into a permanently archived collection. thing Czech. Charlene’s earliest interest in genealCharlene Machacek was born in ogy began in the early 1980s when she Matagorda County, Texas, to 100 percent discovered a cousin in Michigan, and toCzech parents Charlie E. Machacek and gether, they compared what they had Mildred Sosolik Machacek. Charlene been told about their roots. About that met and married Leroy Hurta, who is also same time, she and Leroy traveled to the a full-blooded Czech. Charlene has one Czech lands, which at that time were brother, Larry Machacek. Charlene and under communism, and that further fuLeroy have four children - Chris, Roger, eled interest in her family, which she has Tina, and Mike; seven grandchildren managed to trace back to the early Amy, Kendall, Ryan, Reese, Jessica, 1700s. Andy, and Jason; and two great-grandContinued on Page 14. children - Colton and Maxton.
Inside This Week’s Vestnik
Youth Section ....................................16 Decorated Rock Contest Winners ...18 Czech Culture ....................................19 Advertisements .................................21 Lodge Calendar .................................22 Vestnik Survey...................................24
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Lodge 141 Sealy joins hands with fraternals, Scouts
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Lodge 258 Seguin members enjoy train trip
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Lodge 172 Pasadena Veteran receives Bronze Star