ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T
Volume 108 Number 11
Benevolence
H E R A L D
★ Humanity
★ Brotherhood
June 8, 2020
ISSN —07458800
Lodge 180, Burleson contributes $1,000 to Vestnik in memory of Estelle Hurtik
1970 LEFT: Rudy Sefcik was the original host of American Czech Hour. He is shown in a broadcast booth at radio station KHBR in Hillsboro, Texas. The photo was a promotional shot taken during one of the first broadcasts of the show in 1970. The photo was found in the
2020 archives of the Hillsboro Reporter newspaper. RIGHT: David Kolar is the current host of the American Czech Hour. This recent photo was taken in one of the recording studios at KHBR.
In memory of Estelle “Grandma” Hurtik, Lodge 180, Burleson is donating $1,000 to the Věstník. “Estelle was a devoted supporter and reader of the paper, and she read it as long as her eyesight held out,” Lodge 180 President Nancy Kelly said. “The paper was her lifeline for continuance to the lodge and for maintaining a lasting friendship with other people that she knew in lodges around the state.” Sister Estelle passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2020, at the age of 100. “What a fantastic life this great lady had,” Sister Kelly added. “Estelle and husband Joseph, better known as Joe Sr., were the lifelines of Lodge 180. I
American Czech Hour Celebrates 50 Years In today’s world, the radio airwaves produce a bountiful array of country, pop, hip-hop, talk, and other popular genres. Unfortunately, polkas have for many years taken a backseat in radio. But there are still several outlets that can satisfy that “oompah” craving. One such outlet is the American Czech Hour on KHBR Radio in Hillsboro, Texas. In fact, Father’s Day 2020 will mark 50 years of offerings from this polka outlet. During this half century of programming, the show has been broadcasting polkas and waltzes every Sunday afternoon for an hour and
personally consider these two folks as the matriarch and patriarch of our lodge. I have no recollection of any folks who put in as many hours in working to help maintain and continue the flow of Lodge 180 and its activities.” “Lodge 180 is proud to make this donation to the Věstník in Estelle’s name because SPJST was a huge part of her life, and she had so many great, great friends and joyful memories from the organization,” son Joe and daughter-in-law Rhonda Hurtik said. “She enjoyed reading it until her
Continued on Page 2.
LONG AWAITED HUGS Zephyr Marek’s children knew she was missing her hugs so her daughter Carol Faulder and grandson Jeremy made her a hugging curtain by cutting four slits in a shower curtain. They then taped long, plastic bags to the slits. “One person is on one side of the curtain, and another person is on the other side,” Zephyr said. “It felt so good to get hugs since not having any since March. I hope you can get your children or grandchildren to make you a hugging curtain for your hugs!” Zephyr is pictured getting a hug from granddaughter Andella Kovar. They are both members of Lodge 48, Beyersville. More on page 10.
a half. The program leans heavily on Texas Czech style polkas and waltzes with occasional selections from the Czech Republic. You may also hear a little German, Alpine, Mexican, and other flavors. Domestically, you will hear some Nebraska, Chicago, Cleveland styles, and more. The show is currently hosted by David Kolar. Joining the team in 1971, Kolar has been part of the show for 49 of its 50 years. According to Kolar, the Continued on Page 11.
( ( ( ( ( Inside This Week’s Věstník ( ( ( ( ( Readers Write ......................................3 Important Dates ...................................3 Interest Rates ......................................3 SPJST T-Shirt Order Form..................4 Lodge Section......................................8 In Memoriam ......................................13
Youth Section ....................................16 SPJST Youth Showcase ...................16 Youth Merit Points.............................18 Czech Culture ....................................20 Advertisements .................................21 Lodge Calendar .................................26
Lodge 24 Cyclone recognizes scholarship winners Page 8
Sylvia Vavra: 104 years young Page 11
Ceremony of a Balloon Release for the late Effie Rosene Page 22
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Monday, June 8, 2020
VĚSTNÍK
ˇ ´ VESTNIK
Editor’s Note
SPJST Youth Showcase to accept craft, talent entries
SPJSTHERALD
SPJST HOME OFFICE PO Box 100 • Temple, Texas 76503 800-727-7578 • 254-773-1575 Fax: 254-774-7447 www.spjst.org VĚSTNÍK EDITOR/ DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION MELANIE ZAVODNY, FIC 254-773-1575 (ext. 122) • Mobile: 254-534-0807 VĚSTNÍK Fax: 254-773-8087 email: vestnik@spjst.org or melaniez@usa.com SUPREME LODGE PRESIDENT BRIAN VANICEK, FIC 254-773-1575 (ext. 139) • Mobile: 254-534-2902 email: vanicek@spjst.com VICE PRESIDENT HIRAM DIXON, FICF, LUTCF, CFFM 254-773-1575 (ext. 240) • Mobile: 254-231-7722 email: hiramd@spjst.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER LEONARD D. MIKESKA, FIC 254-773-1575 (ext. 149) Mobile: 254-721-4739 • Home: 254-778-3720 email: leonardm@spjst.com CONTROLLER ROY VAJDAK 254-773-1575 (ext. 142) • email: royv@spjst.com DISTRICT ONE DIRECTOR DONNIE VICTORICK, FIC, CFFM PO Box 85, Snook, Texas 77878-0085 Home: 979-272-3265 • Mobile: 979-224-3125 email: dv.aggie71@gmail.com 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/VICE CHAIRMAN JOHN ENGELKE 6475 Gholson Road, Waco, Texas 76705-5330 254-799-4247 • email: john.engelke@hotmail.com DISTRICT FOUR DIRECTOR BOBBY DAVIS, FICF, CFFM 1886 Pecos Street, Suite 3, San Angelo, Texas 76901 Mobile: 325-450-3748 • Fax: 325-657-2003 email: bgdsr2428@aol.com DISTRICT FIVE DIRECTOR BRADLEY STAVINOHA, FIC 10522 Will Lehman Road, Needville, Texas 77461 Mobile: 979-739-2386 • Office: 979-793-7411 email: spjst@earthlink.net DISTRICT SIX DIRECTOR/CHAIRMAN 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 4188 FM 1303, Floresville, Texas 78114-6092 Mobile: 830-391-3375 OPERATIONS MANAGER/ MARKETING MANAGER RICHARD A. HRBACEK 254-773-1575 (ext. 246) • richardh@spjst.com REGIONAL GENERAL AGENTS DISTRICT ONE - Jim Schroeder, LUTCF 936-661-2294 • jschroeder55@suddenlink.net DISTRICT TWO - Contact SPJST Home Office 800-727-7578 for assistance. DISTRICT THREE - Sabino Garcia 817-909-8899 • garciasabi@att.net DISTRICT FOUR - Lydia Talamantez 325-262-9743 • lillyg636@yahoo.com LODGE 219, EL PASO - Francisco Viniegra 915-203-3124 • fviniegra@vinquiz-insurance.com DISTRICT FIVE - Delisle Doherty 832-232-2049 • delisled@sbcglobal.net DISTRICT SIX - Carolina Covarrubia 281-779-9956 • covarrubia.carolina@yahoo.com DISTRICT SEVEN - Armando Perez, LUTCF 361-425-5543 • asperez6040@hotmail.com CAMP KUBENA • 2001 Waldeck Rd • Ledbetter, TX Rob Clift, Executive Director 979-249-5674 • robc@spjst.com
HUMAN RESOURCES LYNETTE TALASEK 254-773-1575 (ext. 146) • email: lynettet@spjst.com STATE FRATERNAL DIRECTOR FRANK HORAK Office: 254-773-1575 (ext. 177) • Mobile: 254-534-0681 email: frankh@spjst.com DISTRICT YOUTH COUNSELORS District One - Hannah Kovar, PO Box 28, Snook, Texas 77878 - 979-220-7904 - ladyjays@tamu.edu District Two - Contact SPJST State Fraternal Director Frank Horak 254-773-1575, ext. 177 for assistance. District Three - Mary Steinman, 1136 Westgrove Dr, Saginaw, Texas 76179-3463 - 817-731-2580 - appamary@sbcglobal.net District Four - Laura Pospichal, PO Box 253, Rowena, Texas 76875 - 325-365-6485 - yellowcar02@aol.com District Five - Melissa Victorick-Brown, 2324 Lakeway Drive, Friendswood, Texas 77546-6196 - 832-274-7369 district5dyc@gmail.com District Six - Lisa Bubela, 1405 Divide Street, El Campo, Texas 77437 - 979-543-7120 - lisa_bubela@yahoo.com District Seven - April Howard, 814 Madison Avenue, New Braunfels, Texas 78130 - 830-624-9242 - aprhoward@gmail.com BY-LAW COMMITTEE District One - Richard Ford, 2392 CR 424, Dime Box, Texas 77853 - 979-884-1451 - dimebox5@aol.com District Two - Ronnie Rieger, 350 Rieger Road, Coupland, Texas 78615 - 512-848-2416 - RonnieR1056@yahoo.com District Four - Beverly J. Teplicek, 817 FM 381, Rowena, Texas 76875 - 325-442-4841 - bjtep@verizon.net District Five - Dorothy Pflughaupt, 1243 Clovis Road, Houston, Texas 77008 - 713-859-8976 - dotpflugh@yahoo.com District Six - Joe Siptak, 2312 Norvell, Bay City, Texas 77414 979-244-4415; 979-479-0056 cell District Seven - Oscar Korus, 2565 Bruce Road, Poteet, Texas 78065 - 830-391-4169 - oscarkorus@gmail.com FINANCE COMMITTEE District One - Debbie Kostelka, 1914 CR 403, Dime Box, Texas 77853 - 979-540-8532 - debbiekostelka@yahoo.com District Two - Edwin Pechal, 10660 State Highway 53, Temple, Texas 76501 - 254-985-2282 - edwinpechal@yahoo.com District Three - Michael Galler, 526 Karen, Waco, Texas 76706 - 254-744-8973 - mlgaller54@gmail.com District Four - Herman D. Weise, 6006 FM Highway 765, San Angelo, Texas 76905 - 325-651-8550 - hdweise@zipnet.us District Five - Marceil Malak, 7444 Meiners Road, Ledbetter, Texas 78946-5118 - 979-249-5940 - malaktax@gmail.com District Six - Glenn Kaminsky, 902 River Oaks Court, East Bernard, Texas 77435 - 979-335-4461 - g2kamin@live.com District Seven - James House, 146 Deer Run Street, Pleasanton, Texas 78064 - 830-570-7750 - james.houseconstruction146@gmail.com INSURANCE COMMITTEE District One - Susan Skrabanek, 2657 FM 166, Caldwell, Texas 77836 - 979-272-3440 District Two - Patsy Koslovsky, 764 S. St. Joseph Road, Burlington, Texas 76519-3108 254-985-2396 patsyk2011@yahoo.com District Three - Robert Sill, 400 Westview Terrace, Arlington, Texas 76013 District Four - Leonard Jansa, 6617 Plainview Drive, San Angelo, Texas 76905 - 325-234-8117 District Five - Mark Childres, 14011 Laskey Manor Court, Cypress, Texas 77429 - 832-496-6646 - mark@childresinsurancegroup.com District Six - Elizabeth Holub, 4624 Freyburg Hall Road, Schulenburg, Texas 78956 - 979-561-8640 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 Cannon, 305 Bluehaw Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628-6367 - 512-948-5339 - tcannon4715@yahoo.com District Three - Lynda Novak, 7153 Cornelia Ln, Dallas, Texas 75214 - 972-948-4456 District Four - Sharon Hohmann, 222 Crestwood Drive, San Angelo, Texas 76903 - 325-651-5884 District Five - Lorenda Baldwin, 219 County Road 47, Angleton, Texas 77515-9721 - 979-864-9999 - lorendave14@sbcglobal.net District Six - Helen Kelner, 911 Avenue K, Rosenberg, Texas 77471 - 281-342-2624 District Seven - Regina House, 146 Deer Run Street, Pleasanton, Texas 78064 - 830-570-2046
T
he website for the 2020 SPJST Youth Showcase will soon be live at spjst.org. All youth club members — and any youth with an SPJST life insurance certificate (completed kindergarten through high school senior) are encouraged to participate in this year’s special event for our young members. See pages 16 and 17 for all of the details, or visit spjst.org. The SPJST Youth Showcase will include several of the traditional Youth Achievement Day (YAD) categories including constructed items, photography, pictorial arts, individual talent, and royalty (public speaking). These competitions will all be held online. Parents and grandparents of SPJST youth: please inform your children and grandchildren about this contest and ask them to participate.
Věstník Dates and Deadlines June 22 Věstník deadline is Mon., June 15 at 5 p.m. July 13 Věstník Convention Reports Issue deadline for reports is June 30; deadline for all other material is Mon., July 6 at 5 p.m. July 27 Věstník deadline is Mon., July 20 at 5 p.m. August 10 Věstník deadline is Mon., August 3 at 5 p.m. August 24 Věstník deadline is Mon., August 17 at 5 p.m. September 14 Věstník deadline is Mon., Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. —SPJST—
Estelle Hurtik continuedfrom page 1 very last days, and she was also Lodge 180 reporter for many years. Estelle was everything that is good and more, and I know she would be so pleased about this donation.” President Kelly says she feels the same about the Věstník as Estelle did. “I am sure other people can relate, too, particularly at times like this when we cannot congregate as a group for our meetings. The Věstník conveys to us what is happening - or not, as the case may be - in other lodges or at the Home Office in Temple. Without this communication, we would be floundering.”
The Věstník Department is appreciative for the gracious contribution in memory of Estelle Hurtik. “Sincere thanks to Lodge 180, Burleson and the Hurtik family for recognizing the Věstník with this kind and generous donation,” Věstník Editor/Director of Communication Melanie Zavodny said. “Estelle was a special lady, and we appreciate her dedication to SPJST and her contributions to the Věstník. We will proudly recognize her with a special tribute in the Věstník Reading Room, which is located in our downstairs gallery at the Home Office. —SPJST—
VĚSTNÍK, (USPS 658480) is published on the second and fourth Mondays of each month by SPJST, PO 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 Věstník 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 Controller Roy Vajdak, P.O. Box 100, Temple, TX 76503-0100.
VĚSTNÍK
Monday, June 8, 2020
Readers Write ✍
ship. I know it will be put to good use as I begin my studies at Texas A&M! Again, thank you so much, and God bless. Lauren Gerik Lodge 66, Waco —SPJST—
Member expresses scholarship gratitude Dear SPJST, I am writing to express my gratitude in being selected as a recipient of the Joe B. Hejny Scholarship of $1,000. This award will be very much helpful in covering my educational costs as I enter my freshman year at Texas A&M University Cade Campbell
Member expresses scholarship thanks Dear SPJST, Thank you for awarding me with an SPJST scholarship. I will be enrolling in Texas A&M University to major in poultry science, and your scholarship will greatly help to alleviate the financial difficulties that come with it. I have garnered many fond memories through my participation in the SPJST Youth Club. The fraternalism that is prevalent throughout the organization is something that I will always cherish. Receiving this scholarship is an honor, and I look forward to the day that I can give back to the youth of SPJST. Sincerely, Cade Campbell Lodge 24, Cyclone —SPJST—
2018 State King appreciates scholarship Dear SPJST, I was honored to receive the Frank E. Klinkovsky, Sr. Scholarship. I am attending Texas A&M University in the fall, majoring in forensic and investigative sciences, and this award will provide substantial assistance with my tuition. I am extremely excited for college and the next chapter of my life, and knowing that I have the support of SPJST behind me will help to make my time at A&M more enjoyable.
Youth honored to receive scholarship Dear SPJST, Thank you all so much for selecting me to receive an SPJST General Freshman Scholarship. I am sincerely grateful for your support and feel honored to be the recipient of such a generous scholar-
in the fall. I am looking forward to beginning my pursuit of a master’s degree in accounting upon my high school graduation. By awarding me this scholarship, you have helped to reduce the burden of financial college expenses allowing me to focus more on my studies and education. I can assure you this award will not go to waste. This scholarship will help me meet my financial goals allowing me to focus on my GPA and pursue more academic achievements. Thank you once again for this scholarship. Sincerely, Nathan Joseph Matous Lodge 25, Ennis —SPJST—
SPJST Family Fun and Important Dates
Nash Campbell
SPJST has been a very important part of my life, and I cannot express my gratitude enough. I hope to give back to the organization in the future as often as I can in order to ensure that more youth can experience what SPJST has to offer. The first chapter of my life has been greatly enhanced by SPJST. It has provided me with fun memories from meetings, polka dances, summer camp, and many other activities that I will never forget. I have learned to love the feeling of giving back to my community largely due to the many service projects that I have done with SPJST. My time as State King is something that I will never forget, and I often tell people about the amazing experiences that I have had, and the fantastic people that I have met, through the Royalty program and the organization as a whole. Without SPJST, I would not be the person that I am today, and I cannot thank everyone enough. Sincerely, Nash Campbell 2018 State King Lodge 24, Cyclone —SPJST—
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(Number in parentheses denotes SPJST district.)
June 14 June 15 June 15 July 3 July 6 July 7 July 8-9 July 17-18 July 19 Aug. 9 Aug. 14-16
Flag Day Deadline for By-Law and Finance Recommendations for the 33rd SPJST Convention Entries Begin for SPJST Youth Showcase Fourth of July Holiday: SPJST Home Office Closed Entries Close for SPJST Youth Showcase District Two Delegates’ Meeting • Lodge 29, Taylor (2) SPJST Supreme Lodge Meeting • Home Office, Temple Lodge 47, Seaton Barbecue Cookoff (2) Lodge 6, Cottonwood Annual Picnic (3) Lodge 47, Seaton Fashion Bingo (2) 33rd SPJST Convention Killeen Civic and Conference Center, Killeen
SPJST INTEREST RATES 05/01/2020 - 07/31/2020 Universal Life Universal Life 3
(plans 1203-1222 with a guaranteed rate of 2.50%) • Credited Rate: 3.00%
Whole Life/Universal Life 3
(plans 1223-1232 with a guaranteed rate of 2.50%) • Credited Rate: 3.50%
Annuities Annuity 5
(plans 8032-8039, 8057 with a 1.50% guaranteed rate) • Credited Rate: 2.80%
Annuity 5-Year
(plans 8040-8041 with a 1.50% guaranteed rate) • Credited Rate: 2.80%
Annuity 6
(plans 8058-8066 with a 1.65% guaranteed rate) • Credited Rate: 3.00%
Recent Legislative Changes One of the several major changes in the Secure Act is that Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) will now begin at age 72, not age 70 1/2 as they have been. Beginning in 2020, every IRA account owner may make contributions to their Traditional IRA after the age of 70 1/2. These changes now allow those receiving Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) to contribute to their Traditional IRA. Certain restrictions apply as to earned income. The Care Act moved the tax filing date from April 15 to July 15. For members who have not filed their 2019 tax return and would like to make an IRA contribution for 2019, you may still do so prior to July 15, 2020. Both the Secure Act and Care Act have numerous changes in tax treatment that may or may not impact you. SPJST staff, agents, and Richard Hrbacek do not provide legal or tax advice. Members and prospective members should always consult their own legal or tax professional for information concerning their individual situation for interpretation, taxation, and guidance.
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Monday, June 8, 2020
VĚSTNÍK
Order Your SPJST T-Shirt Today! Enhancing Member Service Through Digital Technology Fraternalism — it’s an old idea that’s ripe for modern times. It’s a business model that is built solidly on relationships, trust, and service. Fraternalism, in fact, bears a striking resemblance to what business writers refer to as “social enterprises.” Basically, social enterprises reflect the socially conscious business movement of the current generation whereby entrepreneurs have started businesses that make money while contributing to the good of society. One of the oldest social enterprise models out there is Newman’s Own. Newman’s Own started out in 1982 as a single salad dressing created by actor Paul Newman. Since its inception, the company has donated more than $550 million to thousands of charities, helping millions of people around the world. Even the SPJST Scholarship Program has benefitted from Newman’s Own as a result of the two SPJST Scholarships that were endowed by Cindy Marek Kovar in memory of her late grandfather Otto Hanus after she won the $50,000 prize for charity in the Paul Newman/Good Housekeeping recipe contest in 1996. To date, that has resulted in 48 $1,000 scholarships! One of the defining characteristics — and roads to success — for social enterprises has been their ability to embrace Information and Communications Technology. With rapid advances in communication software solutions, the companies have expanded their reach and targeted their products and services to meet specific needs and even boost customer satisfaction through improved communications. In essence, they have raised the bar for everyone — including fraternal benefit societies. They find ways to make it easy to understand and access their products and services — typically online — and they put a premium on delivering superior customer service. Knowing how important it is to deliver a personal touch, some of the best also offer live online customer service. On Thursday, I participated in an online webinar entitled, “Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Crisis and Its Impact on the Future.” The message was upbeat in that it characterized the pandemic as the “tipping point in digital transformation” for fraternals. Agreed! In so many instances, SPJST has cus-
tomer relations that go back five generations or more. That speaks volumes to the devotion of our members to the fraternal ideal. That should give us a head start in earning the support of the next generation of fraternalists . . . It can provided that we reach out to them with the products, services — and tools — that the best social enterprises have been employing for years. Our recent season of social distancing had the effect of fast-tracking SPJST’s digital workplace. It has been a great time for us to break from the past and think about how to do things differently. Until recently, Home Office work life was routine and involved commuting to work, processing data and handling sundry assignments in much the same way as the day before and the day before that. In three short months, we have become more resourceful: Insurance applications without face-to-face contact, employees telecommuting, business activities shifting online and business meetings conducted by teleconference. And check out the Youth Section of this week’s Věstník: All SPJST youth between kindergarten and high school senior are invited to participate in the SPJST Youth Showcase — an online competition created to fill the void created by the cancellation of the 2020 District Youth Achievement Days and State Youth Achievement Day. To be certain, SPJST’s digital transformation has started and made some good advances in the Home Office operations, including communications; however, it remains an area ripe with opportunity. In the end, SPJST’s drive to integrate digital technology should begin and end with the member — to create technology solutions that members and prospective members want to use. Relationships built on trust and complemented by superior customer service are essential. It made the difference for SPJST in the past and will make the difference in the future. It’s not a faith in technology. It’s faith in people. —Tom Peters Fraternally, Brian Vanicek SPJST President —SPJST—
$14 shipping included
The t-shirt is designed by youth member Macy Narro. of 17, New Tabor. You can also order and pay online at www.spjst.org Youth and adult sizes are $14 each. Size 2XL is $16, and size 3XL is $17. All prices include shipping.
2020 SPJST T-Shirt Order Form Name ______________________________________ Lodge _______________ Address/City/Zip ___________________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________________________
Please order the following t-shirts. Adult Sizes $14.00 (includes shipping) Small (34-36) _____ Medium (38-40) _____ Large (42-44) _____ X-Large _____ Adult XX-Large $16.00 _____ Adult XXX-Large $17.00 _____ Youth Sizes $14.00 (includes shipping) Small (6-8) _____ Medium (10-12) _____ Large (14-16) _____ Total number of shirts ordered: ______
Total Amount Enclosed: ______ Order and pay online at spjst.org. Or, mail your order and check to: SPJST Home Office c/o State Fraternal Director Frank Horak P.O. Box 100 • Temple, Texas 76503
VĚSTNÍK
Monday, June 8, 2020
FROM THE SUPREME LODGE May 18, 2020 Minutes of the Special Called Meeting of SPJST Supreme Lodge held via online video conference The meeting was held on Monday, May 18, 2020, at 3 p.m. Participating in the conference: Brian Vanicek, President; Hiram Dixon, Vice President; Leonard Mikeska, Chief Financial Officer; Roy Vajdak, Controller; Donnie Victorick - District One; Jesse Pospisil - District Two; John Engelke - District Three/Vice Chairman; Bobby Davis - District Four; Bradley Stavinoha - District Five; Karen Kaspar - District Six/Chairman; Robert J. Bayer - District Seven; Melanie Zavodny, Editor/Director of Communication; Janie Coakley, Recording Secretary.
District News District Two plans Tuesday, July 7 delegates’ meeting at Lodge 29, Taylor Dear Members, District Two will host a delegates’ meeting on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at 6:30
SPJST Insurance update Through May: 270 Certificates Issued
SPJST Records 65 Referrals Through the end of May, the following individuals contributed 65 referrals. Referrals Name Lodge
PURPOSE OF THE MEETING The agenda for the meeting was to consider the contractual agreement with our current investment consultant and advisor.
0 0 25 29 47 47 87 154 177 246 246 246
EXECUTIVE SESSION The meeting went into executive session from 3:05 until 3:26 p.m. to consider contractual matters. Decision was made during the executive session to change our investment advisor/consultant from Wellington Management to AQS Asset Management, LLC of Austin, Texas.
ADJOURNMENT President Vanicek thanked everyone for expediting this meeting and order of business. The meeting adjourned at 3:44 p.m. Fraternally submitted, Janie Coakley Recording Secretary Leonard Mikeska Chief Financial Officer and Secretary —SPJST—
SPJST 2020 VISION CONVENTION August 14 - 16, 2020 Killeen Civic and Conference Center
p.m. at Lodge 29, Taylor. Light snacks will be served before the meeting. All delegates are members are invited to attend. Fraternally, Ronnie Rieger, Chairman SPJST By-Law Committee Lodge 29, Taylor —SPJST—
From the Insurance Department
OPENING OF MEETING President Vanicek welcomed everyone to the online video conference. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
It was decided that Chief Financial Officer Mikeska would make the initial contacts to transition the change from the existing advisory firm to AQS Asset Management, LLC. A conference would be planned to review the investment policy statement (IPS) with the incoming advisory firm.
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Holly Knecht Maria De La Cruz Rose Dlabaj Helmer Dahl Terry Malina Lynette Talasek Sharon Ingram Nikolas Noble Janie Coakley Tamara Gettys Ann Paruzinski Marissa Salinas
1 1 1 1 24 1 11 1 2 7 4 11
SPJST Monthly Insurance Report Through May MONTH-TO-DATE TOTALS
FOR INSURANCE WRITTEN, ISSUED, AND ANNUALIZED PREMIUM Issued Annualized Prem. Certs. Written Dist. Apps. $6,881.37 $480,012.00 7 $220,012.00 5 1 3,811.32 30,000.00 5 335,000.00 5 2 1,649.11 118,753.00 8 118,753.00 8 3 3,029.52 212,000.00 11 701,032.00 23 4 11,030.31 2,052,222.00 13 2,005,000.00 11 5 3,056.64 188,000.00 7 260,000.00 8 6 7,781.58 365,000.00 8 330,000.00 10 7 0.00 0.00 0 0.00 0 9 $37,239.85 $3,445,987.00 59 $3,969,797.00 70 Totals YEAR-TO-DATE TOTALS FOR INSURANCE WRITTEN, ISSUED, AND ANNUALIZED PREMIUM
Dist. Apps. 50 1 36 2 28 3 68 4 58 5 33 6 42 7 0 9 Totals 315
Written $3,350,289.00 860,000.00 877,183.00 4,735,621.00 8,440,000.00 990,000.00 2,855,800.00 0.00 $22,108,893.00
Issued Annualized Prem. Certs. $65,804.08 $1,700,289.00 41 19,564.54 465,000.00 30 27,004.31 918,013.00 28 28,763.98 3,631,833.00 51 31,208.19 5,139,222.00 59 12,537.08 613,620.00 26 38,551.44 1,607,800.00 35 0.00 0.00 0 $223,433.62 270 $14,075,777.00
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Monday, June 8, 2020
VĚSTNÍK DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME
From the Controller
SPJST Financial Statement as of March 31, 2020 Dear Members, In accordance with the 2016 SPJST By-Laws, I am submitting a report of our Society which is extracted from the Annual Statement for the period ending March 31, 2020. This report gives you pertinent items of information concerning our Society. All items are entered as found in the Annual Statement which was filed with the
Texas Department of Insurance in May 2020. Please review this report in detail and should you have any questions, please contact me.
Life and Annuity Benefits ............................................................ Refunds to Members .................................................................. Additions to Reserves................................................................. Operating Expenses ...................................................................
$4,208,164 (82) 306,392 1,459,635
TOTALS ...............................................................................
5,974,109
NET INCOME.......................................................................
($564,089)
Fraternally, Roy W. Vajdak Controller —SPJST—
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN CERTIFICATE HOLDERS’ SURPLUS 3/31/20
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION ASSETS Bonds.......................................................................................... $221,962,642 Mortgage Loans.......................................................................... 8,645,555 Real Estate: Properties occupied by the Society ..................................... 2,037,461 Properties held for the production of income....................... 3,195,842 Properties held for sale ........................................................ 74,100 Certificate Loans......................................................................... 1,720,338 Cash ........................................................................................... 3,657,325 Other Assets ............................................................................... 3,188,561
Balance, Beginning..................................................................... Net Income.................................................................................. Change in Unrealized Capital Gains or (Losses) ....................... Change in Asset Valuation Reserve ........................................... Miscellaneous Changes..............................................................
$16,271,872 (564,089) (14,118) 173,868 22,478
BALANCE, ENDING ..................................................................
$15,890,011
—SPJST—
TOTALS ............................................................................... $244,481,824 LIABILITIES AND RESERVES Certificate Reserves ................................................................... $215,924,708 Liability for Deposit-type Contracts ............................................ 6,774,942 Certificate Benefits Payable ....................................................... 829,232 Premiums Received In Advance ................................................ 64,443 Interest Maintenance Reserve …….................…..........……….. 2,263,655 Asset Valuation Reserve ……………………....…..........……….. 1,576,905 Other Accrued Liabilities ............................................................. 1,167,928 TOTALS .............................................................................. $228,601,813 Unassigned Funds......................................................................
15,890,011
TOTALS ............................................................................... $244,491,824 STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS INCOME
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3/31/20
Insurance and Annuity Premiums ..............................................
$ 3,137,302
Net Investment Income...............................................................
2,420,730
Amortization of Interest Maintenance Reserve ..........................
99,073
Commissions and Expense Allowance ......................................
31
Net Realized Capital Gains or (Losses) .....................................
(257,993)
Miscellaneous Income ................................................................
10,877
TOTALS ...............................................................................
$5,410,020
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VĚSTNÍK
Monday, June 8, 2020
Revisiting the NAIC’s Evolution and Impact Ahead of its 150th Anniversary Editor’s Note: SPJST is seeking to address these NAIC standards with the Supreme Lodge By-Law recommendations. This article first appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of The Demotech Difference, a publication of Demotech, Inc., www.demotech.com. To obtain your own copy contact BAlbert@demotech.com. Special thanks to Demotech, Inc. for permission to reprint the article. from The Demotech Difference Spring 2020 In 1871, state insurance regulators founded the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) out of concern about a wave of insurer insolvencies across the country. The initial goal was to create uniformity in the financial condition reporting that insurers provide to regulators, in order to improve oversight capabilities. The goal was echoed in the NAIC’s first purpose statement, which was delivered in the preface of the NAIC’s first proceedings. Written by then-Secretary Henry S. Olcott, the purpose was apparent: “ . . . Twenty sovereign states, of a country whose opinion and example now carry immense weight in the family of nations, have sent their delegates to meet together, to inquire what abuses exist, see what mutual concessions should be made, attempt to clear away the rubbish that has overlaid the business of insurance, and if possible agree upon a plan for inter-state comity of legislation.” Olcott also included “the simplest definition of insurance” in the preface. The definition, “Alter Alterius Onera Portate,” is Latin for, “Bear ye one another’s burdens,” and was adopted for the New York State Insurance Department’s seal. Those “ . . . Twenty sovereign states” have now expanded to 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories, represented by the chief insurance regulators from each. On the eve of its 150th anniversary in 2021, the NAIC remains committed to its 1871 goals of U.S. standard setting and regulatory support. Standard Setting: The Origins of NAIC Models After the passage of the McCarranFerguson Act, which affirmed states’ regulatory authority over the business of insurance, the 1940s saw an uptick in
surance sector stakeholders. Only after several years and extensive feedback from stakeholders do model laws or model law revisions become accreditation standards. Once a model is adopted as an accreditation standard, states are typically given a two-year time frame to implement new or revised standards before they take effect. Currently, accreditation standards include at least a portion of 24 NAIC model laws. The oldest of these was last revised in 1992 (Model #791). Most recently, model law revisions adopted in 2019 were incorporated into the standards by the Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee (Models #785 and #786). Fifty-three jurisdictions are currently accredited as of January 1, 2020.
model law development. NAIC model laws are developed in areas where uniformity or a minimum national standard is deemed necessary. The models enacted during the 1940s created the legal framework for rating that still exists today, including regulation of rating organizations; requirements for filing and approval of rates; and prohibitions against excessive, inadequate, and discriminatory rates. Model Laws and Procedures NAIC model laws are proposed insurance laws drafted by the NAIC to promote uniformity among the states, while balancing the needs of insurers operating in multiple jurisdictions. From a consumer protection perspective, the value of a state-based insurance regulatory system is the ability to tailor state laws and regulations to meet the needs of resident consumers. However, there are some areas where uniformity across state borders is beneficial to all. Upon NAIC adoption of a model law, it is a priority of the NAIC to have a majority of the states uniformly adopt the model law. In 2007, the NAIC updated the criteria and procedure for model law development. For a new model to be developed or an existing model to be updated, it must meet two standards: • The subject matter must require a minimum national standard and/or uniformity across states. • NAIC members must commit significant regulator and association resources to encourage adoption across the states through communication, support and education. To initiate the development process, an NAIC group requests approval from its parent committee, and then the executive committee. Once approved, the group has one year to complete its work, at which point it must be adopted by at least a twothirds majority by the parent committee and subsequently by the executive/plenary at the next NAIC National Meeting. Documentation/Proceedings/ Exposures In accordance with the NAIC open meetings policy, the drafting work is done via conference calls or in-person meet-
7
ings that are accessible to the public. In addition, each model, whether new or a revision, must go through a minimum of one 30-day exposure period. The draft model is posted on the responsible NAIC group’s web page and public comments are invited. The revised versions, exposure drafts, and comment letters are compiled with the minutes from all other meetings and conference calls and added to the NAIC proceedings, which are released after each national meeting. The full proceedings archive is available digitally on the NAIC Research Library website. Old versions and drafts of NAIC model laws can be easily found within the proceedings by consulting the Proceedings Citations section at the end of each current model law. Accreditation The NAIC Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation Program was created in the late 1980s to foster accountability and uniformity, following several large insurance company insolvencies. The program sets baseline standards for financial regulatory oversight in each state guiding state legislatures and state insurance departments in the development of effective solvency regulation. The accreditation program also improves oversight of multi-state insurers and ultimately reduces the cost of regulatory redundancies. The process for a model law to become an accreditation standard is extensive and involves input and feedback from numerous parties, including consumer and industry representatives. This is in addition to the model law development process, where state insurance regulators consider comments and receive input from all in-
Embracing Technology and Innovation Embracing improvements in science and technology is crucial to the insurance industry’s success. Since the NAIC’s beginnings, its founders acknowledged this, and wanted to serve as a forum for improving the business of insurance through knowledge. NAIC model laws are proposed insurance laws drafted by the NAIC to promote uniformity among the states, while balancing the needs of insurers operating in multiple jurisdictions. In the late 1800s, U.S. Naval Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury, known as the “Father of Modern Oceanography,” made massive historical contributions to the study of oceanic currents, storms and wind charting. Around the same time, U.S. Army Officer Albert James Myer pioneered the use of electromagnetic telegraphs to share information learned about such storms and currents. This made it possible for people to read weather reports about the upcoming day, in their local newspapers. Those contributions and their connections to insurance were studied and embraced by the NAIC. Olcott wrote in his preface, “The best informed underwriters have expressed the opinion that the meeting of this convention will probably do more towards arriving at a correct understanding of the fundamental natural laws of the insurance plan, than anything which has preceded it.” For nearly 150 years, new legislative concepts, new levels of expertise in data collection and delivery, and a commitment to even greater technological capability have moved the NAIC forward in its role as a multidimensional, regulatory support organization. —SPJST—
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Monday, June 8, 2020
VĚSTNÍK
SPJST Lodge Section The deadline for all Věstník items is 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month. Send your news and photos directly to:
/// Questions? Call 800-727-7578
Lodge 18, Elgin cancels June 27 Western Days dance Lodge 18, Elgin has canceled its free dance that was planned for Saturday, June 27 at Lodge 18 in conjunction with the Western Days Festival. The Chamber of Commerce recently announced that the Festival was canceled due to coronavirus concerns. Lodge members had also planned to ride the SPJST Float in the Western Days parade on June 27. Fraternally, FL Meyer, Trustee —SPJST—
Lodge 24, Cyclone meets June 8
SPJST Věstník Editor Melanie Zavodny P.O. Box 100 Temple, Texas 76503 Fax: 254-773-8087
Email: vestnik@spjst.org
Lodge Karel Jonáš No. 28, East Bernard plans June 28 meeting SPJST Lodge Karel Jonáš No. 28, East Bernard will meet for its quarterly meeting on Sunday, June 28, 2020, at 12 noon at Wharton County Library. Fraternally, Helen Kelner Secretary/Reporter —SPJST—
Lodge 32, Victoria meets July 9
COVID-19 has certainly turned our country and the whole world upsideLodge 24, Cyclone will meet at Flag down. We are praying things will be Hall amid harvested fields of wheat that back to a semi-normal way of life soon. made 50 bushels per acre. The writer is We are planning to meet Thursday, sure that there are many items to discuss. July 9 at 6:30 in the Mall Meeting Room. See you there on Monday, June 8! Each member will be given $5 to put For the lodge, towards a meal in the mall food-court. Bobby Hoelscher, Reporter It seems like forever since we’ve been —SPJST— together. We will have a lot of SPJST business to take care of as well as the convention and to have a social life again! If this meeting should be canceled, we’ll let you know as soon as possible. Please stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong . . . I might as well say stay sane! I think we’re all getting a little antsy. Fraternally, Kathy Ahlstrom FAC/Reporter —SPJST—
Lodge congratulates Lodge 24, 24,Cyclone Cyclone congratulations scholarship winners scholarship winners Lodge 24, Cyclone congratulates all of its scholarship winners and 2020 graduates! We are proud of each one of you, and we look forward to watching your futures unfold as you reach your goals and aspirations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our local schools did not have awards’ ceremonies this year so Lodge 24 President Daniel Wilde took advantage of presenting the scholarships at the graduate mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Cyclone on Sunday, May 31. Lodge members receiving the SPJST Freshman Scholarship were Shelby Bruggman, daughter of Steve and Cathy Bruggman; Abigail Bruggman Cade Campbell, son of Derek Shelby Bruggman and Kim Campbell; Jessica Chervenka, daughter of John Paul and Jennifer Chervenka; Megan Malcik, daughter of Roy and Kim Malcik; Sarah Stowers, daughter of Jerome Stowers and Tracey Chervenka. Megan Malcik also received the 2018 District Two Merit Award. Nash Campbell, son of Derek and Kim Campbell, received the Frank E. Klinkovsky, Sr. ScholCade Campbell Nash Campbell arship, the 2019 District Two Merit Award, and the 2019 State Royalty Scholarship. John Michael Hoelscher, son of John and Lisa Hoelscher, received the Otto Hanus Scholarship. President Wilde also presented Abigail Bruggman, daughter of Steve and Cathy Bruggman, the SPJST Undergraduate Scholarship at St. Joseph’s mass. The mass was followed by a Jessica Chervenka reception for all seniors and John Michael Hoelscher their families and friends. We thank St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Cyclone for allowing us to make our presentations at their senior mass and for celebrating at their reception. Congratulations again to all of our young members. We are so proud of you all.
Megan Malcik
Linda M. Wilde Treasurer —SPJST—
Sarah Stowers
VĚSTNÍK
Monday, June 8, 2020
Johnnie Plsek celebrates 100th birthday with drive-by parade
Johnnie Plsek of Lodge 47, Seaton was honored with a leisurely drive-by parade for his 100th birthday on Saturday, May 30, 2020. He enjoyed the afternoon waving to many people who drove down his street to wish him a
happy birthday. CENTER PHOTO: Johnnie waves as he is surrounded by his family members. RIGHT PHOTO: Věstník Editor Melanie Zavodny drives by in the parade celebrating Johnnie, who is a World War II Veteran.
Lodge 79, Corpus Christi cancels June meeting Due to the current coronavirus situation, Lodge 79, Corpus Christi will not be hosting a meeting in June 2020. Fraternally, Virginia Rebecek, Secretary —SPJST—
Lodge 80, Holland cancels June bingos, activities To ensure the safety of members, workers, and patrons, no bingo nor other activities will be held during June. We continue to pray that all will remain healthy and safe. Fraternally, Rita Spinn, President —SPJST—
Lodge 84, Dallas cancels June meeting
Lodge 80, Holland meets June 16 SPJST Lodge 80, Holland will meet Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge hall. Items to be discussed include financial statements and status of bingo. I hope all can attend this important meeting. Wearing of protective masks is encouraged. Other precautions will be observed. Fraternally, Rita Spinn, President —SPJST—
Lodge 81, Needville plans June 14 meeting We are planning to have a meeting on Sunday, June 14, 2020, since Father’s Day falls on our regular meeting day. The meal will be pizza provided by the lodge. Everyone, please stay safe and healthy! Fraternally, Jeanette Newman, Reporter —SPJST—
Dear Members, The meeting that was scheduled for Monday, June 22 due to Father’s Day falling on our regularly meeting scheduled meeting day, has been postponed due to the uncertainty of COVID-19. Please stay safe, and we look forward to meeting again soon. Fraternally, Anne Scott Cowan Reporter —SPJST—
Lodge 142, Houston cancels June meeting Dear Members, Due to the continuing coronavirus outbreak and for the safety and concerns for our members, Lodge 142, Houston’s monthly meeting which was scheduled for Sunday, June 28, 2020, has been canceled. We will continue to update everyone when our next meeting will be announced in the Věstník. Take care, be safe, and stay healthy. Fraternally, Elizabeth Hermis Secretary —SPJST—
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Lodge 180, Burleson mourns loss of Estelle Hurtik When I wrote the last article for the Věstník, I never dreamed that I would not be able to write a full article for June. After contacting the Burleson Police Department for consultation, I found out that they are not opening the community room for public meetings at this time. Their decision was based on the fact that the virus is still active. Our lodge is an interactive group of people, and it is very difficult for us to not be able to hug each other, shake hands, etc. And those of you that have been around us for any given period of time, can you imagine us not being able to sit next to each other, talk, laugh, and commune. Sitting six feet apart would be impossible for us at a restaurant. We are going forward with the hope that we will be able to have a meeting in July. If that is not feasible, then as the old saying goes, “We will cross that bridge when we get there.” None of us know what our future holds, but with God’s blessings and care, how can we go wrong. Lodge 180 lost one of our members, Estelle Hurtik. She passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2020, at the age of 100. She is the mother of our lodge’s first vice president, Joe Hurtik. What a fantastic life this great lady had. Estelle and husband Joseph, better known as Joe Sr., were the lifelines of Lodge 180. I personally consider these two folks as the matriarch and patriarch of our lodge. I have no recollection of any folks who put in as many hours in working to help maintain and continue the flowing of Lodge 180 and its activities. I personally worked some at the lodge when they were there working in the kitchen, and I felt like a straw in a whirlwind as they were so busy. I could not keep an order straight, and “Grandma” (which is what most people called Estelle) already knew what they were ordering before I tried to repeat it back to her. She probably thought that I was a very inexperienced counter person. In memory of “Grandma,” the lodge made a donation in her remembrance to the Věstník, which is SPJST’s official newspaper, in the amount of $1,000. Grandma was a devoted supporter and reader of the paper, and she read it as long as her eyesight held out. The paper was her lifeline for continuance to the
10
Monday, June 8, 2020
lodge and for maintaining a lasting friendship with other people that she knew in respective lodges. I feel the same way about the Věstník, as I am sure that other people do . . . particularly at times like this when we cannot congregate as a group for our meetings. The Věstník conveys to us what is happening (or not, as the case may be) in other lodges or at the Home Office in Temple. Without this communication, we would be floundering. I remember a note that was shared in the Věstník from a descendant of some folks who attended the lodge when I first became a member. The gentleman said he enjoyed seeing what Lodge 180 was doing. I want to extend belated birthday wishes to a lot of people, and I will separate them by month so that you will know who had a celebration - even though it might have been a quiet one. We do not want these folks forgotten. Lodge 180 wants to wish each of these folks a happy birthday: March Birthdays Penny Bryant, Scott Slavik, William Tankersley, Jonathan Nitsche, Mitchell Kucera Jr., Steven Hurtik, Jan Cox, Freddie Karlicek Jr., Ann Sammet, Randy Tucker, Bryan Bowden, and Joe Babina. April Birthdays Sharon Fraiser, Alice Janecka, Delinda Brown, Gordon Cox, Jimmie Waddell, Robert Smajstrla Jr., Clay Hurtik, Ryan Faulder, Jerry Raney, Dylan Bowden, Jaclynn Janek, and Dorothy Rosenthal. May Birthdays Cathleen Kallus, Charles Faulder, Michael Psencik, Lisa Pustejovsky, James Johnson, Clint Dupew, William Standley, Doris Smajstrla, Regina Brown, Eleanor Sulak, and Verna Mason. June Birthdays Brandi Holder, Joe Hurtik Jr., Dana Yates, Jerry Mabry, Theresa Levi, Liana Scott, Philip Psencik, Fayette Tankersley, and Susan Hejl. We hope that all goes well for each of you as you go about your daily affairs. Be safe, and we look forward to having a meeting in July, God willing. Fraternally yours, Nancy Kelly President/Reporter —SPJST—
VĚSTNÍK
Lodge 189 Bryan-College Station meets June 23
Hugging Curtain
Lodge 189, Bryan-College Station will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Henry Mayo’s office, located at 3452 Rock Prairie Rd W in College Station. All members and guests are welcome, but please let Henry know if you are planning to attend to ensure that you can find this new meeting location. Call/text 979-777-1426. Henry Mayo, President —SPJST—
Lodge 202, Jourdanton offers scholarships SPJST Lodge 202, Jourdanton is offering scholarships to members who are graduating from high school in 2020. Contact Bettie House (bvhouse@att.net) for an application. Fraternally, Bettie House, Secretary —SPJST—
★ ★ Reunions ★ ★ Reunion notices are published at no charge and as a benefit to SPJST members. First-run announcements may be edited to fit the space. Thereafter, until the week prior to the reunion date - as space permits - notices will be run in an abbreviated form. Please include your SPJST lodge number/name, and your contact phone number. Thank you. RESCHEDULED—The Vajdak family reunion has been rescheduled from June 14, 2020, to Sunday, June 13, 2021 at SPJST Lodge 9, Snook hall due to the current pandemic. Submitted by Carla Welch, Lodge 9, Snook. RESCHEDULED—The families of Pavel and Rozena Kovar Belicek have postponed the June 13, 2020, reunion. Submitted by Bill Hodon, Lodge 29, Taylor. —SPJST—
LEFT PHOTO: Dan Marek gets a hug from grandson Jeremy Faulder through a hugging curtain. RIGHT PHOTO: Zephyr Marek, right, gets a much needed hug from her granddaughter Alanna Kovar. They are members of Lodge 48, Beyersville. Zephyr’s children knew she was missing her hugs so they made her a hugging curtain by cutting four slits in a shower curtain. They then taped long, plastic bags to the slits.
THE 6 FOOT RULE
hand wringing
by d.knape
by d.knape
We must social distance they tell us keep 6 feet away from those you come in contact with my wife says even that is too close she would prefer I stay further away in order to protect her from the dreaded Virus and also to save her the stress I bring into her life she has a sign in the kitchen KEEP YOUR DISTANCE! “A half-mile minimum!” I very seldom see the woman anymore. we have our phones we text haven’t you seen this before? married couples texting each other. they are following the social distancing rules of course and are so much happier for it distance makes the heart grow fonder a rule that has saved many a marriage! —SPJST—
Wash your hands they admonish yet when you go to the men’s room people rush in and out some never stop to wash their hands they take their germs with them to spread around town their mothers obviously failed they were not taught or if they were dismiss the advice as just another rule to be ignored they have no common courtesy no sense of decency there is no thought of others who cooks your hamburger who handles your food we can only hope they washed their hands but when you look inside dirty thoughts cross your mind and doubt creeps in it’s enough to make you sick I wash my hands of the whole affair. —SPJST—
VĚSTNÍK
Monday, June 8, 2020
Sylvia Vavra: Beautiful at 104
American Czech Hour celebrates 50 Years continued from page 1
first show aired on Father’s Day in 1970, which was the year he graduated from high school. The first host of the program was Rudy Sefcik, who was well known in Czech circles as the editor of the SPJST Vĕstník, the weekly publication of the Czech fraternal organization. Sefcik was residing in Houston with his family when he was named editor of the newspaper, an elected position. Because the paper was published by Czechoslovak Publishing Company in West, Texas, a move to the Central Texas town was necessary. Once in West, Sefcik was approached about hosting the show, and he quickly accepted. However, because of commitments that Sefcik had with SPJST on weekends, it was soon clear that airing the show live on Sundays was difficult - if not impossible. “Just out of high school, I had an interest in radio and music and had my own recording studio at home,” says Kolar. “It worked out that the show could be conveniently produced in my studio. One thing led to another, and soon Rudy and I were co-hosting the show.” Growing up with both parents of Czech descent, Kolar knew all about polkas and waltzes as his family frequently attended weddings, picnics, and weekend dances where Czech music was prevalent. “This familiarity with the genre is one reason Rudy included me as co-host of the show. Plus, I could speak a little Czech,” he adds. Kolar went on to say that as a young child he spent a lot of time with his Czech-speaking maternal grandparents. “I learned some Czech from them, and in turn, they learned some English from me.” For several years, Sefcik and Kolar recorded the show every week. “It was always a new show . . . no reruns,” says Kolar, a feat that he is particularly proud of. In 1993, the face of the program changed when Mr. Sefcik passed away. For more than 20 years, the pair had cohosted the show, and that suddenly came to a halt. “I considered cancelling the show,” says Kolar, “but after careful thought, I decided to continue the program.” He
went on to say that recording that first show after Sefcik’s death was emotionally difficult. “It took several retakes of the opening before I got it right.” Sefcik’s wife, Maxine, who had been producing the show for several of those years continued to “line up the records” which was a big help in continuing the program, according to Kolar. “Maxine retired from producing the show a few years back, but I still like to give her a little credit at the end of every show.” Technology has changed so much over the years. Reel to reel tapes were the media during those early shows. Then, there was the transition to cassette. Now everything is computerized which has made a significant impact on how the show is produced. “I’d like to think I have one of the largest libraries of digitized polka music in the world. I’m sure I don’t, but I still like to think it,” Kolar says, jokingly. One thing that has also changed the face of the show is the online technology. The recorded show is available for online listening at khbrhillsboro.com. Kolar keeps the two most current shows available for listeners online. The shows are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Being able to listen to the show anywhere in the world has made a big impact on listenership,” he says. Kolar stated that many of the show’s sponsors have been with the program for most of the 50 years, and for that he is grateful. “Sponsors are the backbone of the show which in turn keeps polka music alive and well.” “How many more years? Who knows? But for now, we will continue to bring the polkas and waltzes as long as we can,” he says. Kolar is a member of SPJST Lodge 54, West. The American Czech Hour airs every Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. on KHBR-AM in Hillsboro. Recorded shows are available at khbrhillsboro.com. —SPJST—
11
Lodge 169, Brenham member Sylvia Vavra is pictured at Mount Hill Retirement Home in La Grange, Texas, after her therapy session and painting flowers in a picture. Niece Lillie Mae Brightwell says that her aunt Sylvia wonders what is going on and doesn’t quite understand the COVID-19 situation. “Aunt Sylvia has improved a lot in the last few months. She has had pneumonia three times.” We send special thoughts and wishes to Sylvia and all members who are in nursing facilities. —Submitted by Lillie Mae Brightwell
Coffee mate
As gardens grow
by d.knape
by d.knape
Folgers is what I prefer, it’s so much cheaper than, the fancy schmancy coffee known as that Starbucks brand, My taste is not as rich as that more like a common man, and best of all, plain Folgers comes in a red reusable can. —SPJST—
As gardens grow may goodness grant that seeds will sprout be hardy plants, and with God’s will a bounty grant with sun and rain my time well spent. —SPJST— DO YOU SHOP AT AMAZON.COM? Check out Amazon’s charity site
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Monday, June 8, 2020
Challenges and World-Changing Events by Cindy Marek Kovar • Lodge 48, Beyersville As I worry about War II starts. You the world we now aren’t even over the live in with the new hill yet. normal and the panWhen you’re 41, demic, I take comthe United States is fort knowing how fully pulled into wonderful my World War II. Begreat-grandparents tween your 39th and their children and 45th birthday, my grandparents 75 million people were after going perish in the war, through so many and the Holocaust challenges and kills 6 million. At world-changing 52, the Korean War events in their lifestarts, and 5 million time. perish. My great-grandApproaching your parents were born 62nd birthday, you in the early 1900s. I Otto Hanus was the first curator have the Cuban Miswas blessed to have of the SPJST Library, Archives sile Crisis, a tipping two great-grand- and Museum. He is pictured sit- point in the Cold fathers and two ting in front of a replica that he War. Life on our great- grandmoth- built of the first Czech cabin in planet, as we know Texas. The replica is housed in ers on my mom’s the downstairs gallery of the it, could well have side, and I re- SPJST Home Office in Temple. ended. Great leaders member them well. Mr. Hanus passed away in 1989. prevented that from While I loved happening. them all I was partial to my grandfather At 64 the Vietnam War begins, and Otto Hanus. He was a small man with it doesn’t end for many years. Four mila big heart. He was so kind, humble, re- lion people die in that conflict. sourceful, and resilient. He was loved As you turn 75, the Vietnam War fiand respected by many. In my youth, I nally ends. Think of everyone on the remember studying American and planet born in 1900. How do you surworld history in school. I loved hearing vive all of that? the family stories of struggle and triA kid in 1985 didn’t think their 85umph. I have family members who year-old grandparent understood how served our country in war and peace. hard school was. Yet those grandparBut I had never really thought of my ents (and now great-grandparents) surgreat- grandparents’ life in respect to vived through everything listed above. world events until I saw this perspecPerspective is an amazing art. Let’s tive posted on Facebook . . . try and keep things in perspective. Let’s be smart, help each other out, and we For a small amount of perspective will get through all of this. In the hisat this moment, imagine you were born tory of the world, there has never been in 1900. When you are 14, World War a storm that lasted. This too shall pass. I starts and ends on your 18th birthday - Author Unknown with 22 million people killed. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits The story of the pandemic, the the planet and runs until you are 20. struggles, the triumphs. What changed Fifty million people die from it in those but what remained the same. One day two years. Yes, 50 million. maybe I’ll tell my grandchildren or When you’re 29, the Great Depres- perhaps even great-grandchildren the sion begins. Unemployment hits 25 story of this time . . . with the resilpercent, global GDP drops 27 percent. ience, kindness, and resourcefulness That runs until you are 33. The country that I remember from my great-grandnearly collapses along with the world father Otto. economy. When you turn 39, World —SPJST—
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SPJST Annuities may be a good fit for your financial plan during times of uncertainty by Richard Hrbacek SPJST Operations/Marketing Manager The importance of re-evaluating short- and long-term goals prior to periods of uncertainty cannot be overstated considering recent events. During these times of financial uncertainty, it may be more important than ever to review your savings or retirement plan. Your SPJST agent can assist you by demonstrating how SPJST can provide stability and help deliver a consistent rate of return to your financial plan. Markets change, information changes, and so do opportunities to protect your hard-earned money from those changes. Here are a few questions to ask yourself about your current financial plan in consideration of the current economic environment: o Has market volatility affected your retirement or savings? o Will you be forced to change your retirement date . . . • due to market downturn - loss of principal? • due to layoff? • job change? o Does your current plan provide enough safe income to cover essential expenses? o If you become ill and/or have a long-term care need, where will the money come from? o Are you in danger of outliving your money? Keep in mind, interest rates are at a low point on bank certificate of deposits and savings accounts. Markets have been volatile with ongoing up and down swings. Members who . . . • are nervous about the market and the big downturns • who want to save but not deal with the risk of losing money • who want a guaranteed interest rate • who want a guaranteed income • who want access to their money in the event of long term care needs without penalty*
. . . an SPJST Annuity may be a good fit in your financial plan. For our members who have recently changed jobs or for those who have, unfortunately, been laid off . . . if you are looking for a place to roll over your retirement dollars and earn a stable consistent rate of return, the peace of mind of an SPJST Annuity may be a good fit for you. We have all experienced disruptions in some manner due to COVID-19; some more so than others. During times of uncertainty, we seek stability, consistency, or simply, peace of mind. Each member’s financial situation is unique to them. An SPJST Annuity could possibly be what you seek or need to give you that peace of mind. Our annuity products can help bring a stable, consistent rate of return to your financial plan, and your SPJST agent is equipped and ready to assist you today. For more information on SPJST Annuities, contact your agent or call the Home Office at 800-727-7578. *Certain restrictions apply. Read the annuity disclosure statement for complete details. Interest are subject to change. An annuity grows tax-deferred, which means members do not pay taxes on the interest it earns until the money is paid out. Members may also pay a 10 percent federal income tax penalty on earnings you withdraw before age 59 1/2. Early withdrawal surrender charges may apply.
—SPJST—
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In Memoriam In Memory of Estelle Hurtik Estelle Hurtik passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 16, 2020, in Hurst, Texas, from natural causes. She was 100. Estelle was born on October 10, 1919, in Red Ranger, Texas, a farming community east of Temple, to recent Czech immigrants Paul Sulak and Estelle Hurtik Anna Kovar. She was one of 10 children born to the couple, and she also had four half-siblings. She was originally named Estera, but a local teacher couldn’t pronounce it correctly, and Estelle stuck for nearly a century, or so the story goes. Estelle would come to be known for her resourcefulness, caring heart, and unflappable nature. She showed that at a young age by helping run their overflowing household once her parents died tragically in 1931 in the midst of the Great Depression. She met her future husband Joseph L. Hurtik at a dance at Tom Sefcik Hall in nearby Seaton. After Joe returned from serving his country in World War II, they were married in 1947 and spent most of their life together in Hurst until Joe’s passing in 2004 at the age of 82. She oversaw the household and raised five children, often outfitting them in homemade clothes. To her 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and many others, she became known as simply “Grandma.” Estelle took pleasure in the simple things. She loved nothing more than spending the afternoon in her backyard garden, tending to vegetables and flowers, or baking fresh kolaches or chocolate chip cookies. She continued her hobbies like sewing, reading, and listening to polka music until her last days. She was a devoted Catholic and belonged to St. John the Apostle Parish in North Richland Hills since 1966. Estelle was an active member of
SPJST for more than 50 years. She was a founding member of Lodge 180, Burleson, which began in the 1970s. She served as secretary and reporter for the lodge and as a delegate to the SPJST conventions many times. Estelle was preceded in death by husband Joe; and great-grandson Rusty Hicks. She is survived by daughter Ann Sammet and husband Michael; son Joe Hurtik and wife Rhonda; son Paul Hurtik; daughter Claudette Cooper and husband Robby; son Steve Hurtik and wife DaLee; grandchildren Rachel Nieting, Donnie Thomas, Joey Sammet, Clay Hurtik, Colin Hurtik, DeAngela Adams, Felicia Hurtik, Forrest Cooper, Jennifer Jung, Rebecca Cooper, Kaylee Hurtik, and Blake Hurtik; eight great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren along with a constellation of friends and family across Texas, the Czech Republic, and elsewhere. —SPJST—
In Memory of Billy Breazeale Billy Wayne Breazeale was born January 23, 1936, to the late Earnest and Nannie Breazeale. A private family service was held at Carroway Funeral Home with Brother C.G. “Buster” Grigg officiating. He passed from this life on Thursday, May 28, 2020, leaving behind his Billy Breazeale wife of 60 years, Alma Breazeale; daughters and their families - Darlene and Donnie Kee and Sharon and Bill Brown; grandsons Trey Brown and wife Rachel and Steven Brown and wife Shelby; great-grandchildren Kynlee Brown, J.J. Brown, and Kevin Boyles; step-granddaughters Melanie Tieperman and family and Brandi Wheaton and family; sisters JoAnn Bencivenga and husband Ben and Glenda Tobias; sistersin-law Clara Breazeale and Ella Wayne
Wilkerson; and several nieces, nephews, and other family members. Billy spent most of his working years as a logging contractor along with his dad and brother until he retired in June 2010. During his logging years, he was a member of the Texas Logging Council and Texas Forest Association. During hunting season, he always looked forward to the Colorado hunting trip with his brother and friends, as well as taking family vacations. In the spring, he loved to plant a big garden so he could share with his family and friends. Billy enjoyed his grandsons whether they were fishing, hunting, or just spending time with them as well as with his great-grandchildren Kynlee who loved to help with his gardens, and J.J. who liked to play outside with PawPaw. Members of SPJST Lodge 191, Lufkin, Billy and Alma enjoyed dancing at the lodge hall and visiting with friends after their children married. Billy accepted the Lord as his Savior at Lakeview Baptist Church in 1965 where his family attended for many years. At the time of his death, he was a member of Fairview Baptist Church. Billy was preceded in death by parents Earnest and Nannie Breazeale; parents-in-law Joe and Bertha Wilkerson; brother Jerry Breazeale; and brother-inlaw Ben Tobias. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice in the Pines, 1504 West Frank Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75904, or to the Diboll History Center, 102 North Temple, Diboll, Texas 75941. Memories and condolences may be left at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com. —SPJST—
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In Memory of Everett Kaminsky Everett Paul Kaminsky (Beepa), 82, of Sealy, Texas, died of congestive heart failure on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at Bellville Medical Center. He was born on June 18, 1937, in Houston, the son of Ephraim Joseph Kaminsky and Olga Lillian Lubojacky Kaminsky. Everett graduated from Sealy High School Class of 1955. After high school, he attended Blinn College in Everett Kaminsky Brenham where he attained an Associate of Science degree in accounting. He married Gloria Ann Hornback in 1958. They settled in Houston and raised two children. After a divorce, he married Constance Phillips in 1999. Everett started his career with Houston Lighting and Power Company and subsequently worked for Cameron Iron Works, 7-11, IBM, Lansdowne Moody Tractor Company, Russell and Smith Ford and Honda, and Houston Methodist Hospital. After retirement, Everett and Conni moved to Wimberley. Everett was a member of SPJST Lodge 28, East Bernard, where he served as second vice president. He was then a member of SPJST Lodge 185, New Braunfels. He served as Republican precinct chairman of Pearland during the Reagan era, civic association president, square dance club president, avid square dancer, Civil War reenactor and enthusiast, toy farm equipment collector, gardener, part-time farmer, Little League coach, Boy Scout leader, and Sunday School teacher. Everett will be remembered for his witty repartee, great sense of humor, and infectious laughter. He also loved to read and talk about history, especially the Civil War ear. Everett was known for never letting a historical marker go unnoticed or unread. He was also a lover of bluegrass music and played the dobro with several community bands in the Wimberley area. Everett is predeceased by wife Constance Phillip Kaminsky; and parents Ephraim Joseph Kaminsky and Olga Lillian Lubojacky Kaminsky. He is survived by son Michael Ever-
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ett Kaminsky and wife Joyce of Boston, Massachusetts; daughter Karen Allison Schwabenland and husband John of Houston; ex-wife and mother of his children Gloria Ann Greenwood of Houston; brother Glenn Kaminsky and wife Jeanette of East Bernard; sister Marjorie Bird of Brownwood; grandchildren Greg Kaminsky and wife Ashleigh of Boston and Nathan and Mary Schwabenland of Houston; five nieces and nephews and their spouses; and 10 great-nieces and nephews. Submitted by, Helen Kelner, Secretary Lodge 28, East Bernard —SPJST—
Expression of Sympathy We, the Resolution Committee of Lodge Hvezda Texasu, No. 47, Seaton, expresses its sincere sympathy to the family of our departed member, ELEANOR LOUISE RUSNAK, age 94, who passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, in Irving, Texas. She was born October 11, 1925, in Cyclone to John Victor Kohut and Millie Lena Helble. Her father owned a general store, and her mother was a homemaker. She graduated from Rogers High School. Eleanor earned her teach- Eleanor Rusnak ing certificate in Bell County. She taught the lower five grades at Thompson School in Bell County Rural School District. She married Sergeant Ervin Steve Rusnak on July 15, 1945, at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Cyclone. They were stationed at the Alamogordo Army Air Force Base in New Mexico. In 1950, Sergeant and Mrs. Rusnak then made their home in Irving. They were married for 55 years until Ervin’s passing in 2000 at the age of 79. Eleanor gave birth to Sharon Ann in 1949. She taught first grade at Saint Luke’s Catholic School. In 1957, Ervin Steve, Jr. was born and so began her life as a homemaker residing in Irving for over 70 years.
VĚSTNÍK Her life was interrupted in 1965, when Eleanor was diagnosed of a terminal cancer condition. Doctors told her she had six months to live. To that she replied, “I can’t go yet, I have too much to do. I have to raise my two children and make breakfast for my husband.” She was among the first to receive cutting edge cancer treatment, and her recovery was classified as a miracle at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston. Her case was used in medical journals and research by the hospital. Eleanor was known as Butch to her husband and relatives. She picked cotton, always had the whitest whites on the clothesline, ironed her husband’s handkerchiefs, and was scared of mice and of getting pecked by a rooster. She loved the Dallas Cowboys and never missed a game. Eleanor cherished her family and took pride in providing home-cooked meals always including three or four fresh vegetables grown from her own garden. She enjoyed canning, dancing, sewing, and playing the Czech card game taroks with friends. The family spent time together camping and fishing in area lakes and the Brazos River. She played with her daughter in her very own playhouse. She would sing, “Puffs and Fido, Chicks and Calfy” while drying her daughter’s hair. Baking became one of her specialties. She even baked two cakes a week so her husband would have something sweet to eat every day in his lunchbox. When arriving on holidays, she would make homemade cornbread and bread crumbs for turkey and dressing. We can still see the bread laid upon pans drying out before being prepared for her dressing. Everyone ran to the dessert table for Rice Krispy treats, Texas chocolate sheet cake, homemade bread, coconut cream pie, and her much revered angel food cake with her sevenminute icing. Family favorites were Czech desserts including her out-of-thisworld kolaches and cinnamon rolls. Some fond memories were her simple treats like crackers and chocolate icing, Easter bunny cake, coleslaw, creamy rice, buttermilk, fresh mint tea, hand-picked strawberries, thick milkshakes, Dr. Pepper floats, sugar toast, snow ice cream, and canned dill pickles. The adults went on to indulge a high ball. She was like a grandmother to everyone and was adored and known as “Granny.” She loved having her grand-
children and great-grandchildren over to play mud pies, get dirty, collect eggs from the chicken coop, and play croquet in the backyard. They had picnics in the front yard, made homemade donuts, played teacher on her chalkboard, curled her hair, ice skated down the hall in slippers, swam in trash bags, walked on stilts, and swung on the tire swing. Granny would always have gum and Dr. Pepper. Eleanor was known to say: Liza Liza; y’all play pretty; no problem; shucks; that’s not necessary; whatever; that’s naughty; act of contrition; you skunk; that’s a no-no; first one to sleep gets a nickel; and speenkey. Even though Eleanor was a dedicated wife, busy mother, and grandmother, she would go out of her way to volunteer - asking nothing in return. Eleanor was a devout Catholic, member of St. Luke’s Catholic Church for more than 60 years. Through her research and as historian at St. Luke’s, the State of Texas erected a historical marker at the church’s entrance that bears her name. Eleanor was involved in many different organizations including a member of SPJST Lodge 47, Seaton; St. Luke Altar Society; St. Luke Silver Seniors; church historian of St. Luke’s; vice president and publicity chairman of St. Luke’s; second vice regent and 50-year member of Catholic Daughters of America; 2002 Woman of the Year and deanery delegate to Dallas Diocesan Council of Catholic Women; associate
of the National Council of Catholic Women; member of Church Women United of Dallas; Irving Heritage Society Senior Center; life member and charter member of Irving Heritage Society; life member of the Braniff Airways Retirement Club; vice president of RVOS Lodge 142, Dallas, vice president and historian of WFLA Lodge 401, Dallas; member of KJZT Lodge 108, Dallas, delegate to Texas Czech Heritage; delegate to Czech Cultural Society; delegate to Texas Fraternal Congress; delegate to Dallas/Ennis Fraternal Council; and rural life chairman of Dallas Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. In the last two years of her life, Eleanor bravely fought cancer. She was able to attend virtual mass in the hospital with her daughter. She will remain a living legend to all those who knew her. Eleanor was preceded in death by her father John Victor Kohut; mother Millie Helble Kohut; brother Lansing B. Kohut; sisters Cleo Leibham and Alberta Green; husband Ervin Rusnak, Sr.; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is survived by son Ervin Rusnak and wife Donna; daughter Sharon Rusnak Sulak and husband Marvin; grandchildren Christy Sulak Koelzer and husband Helmuth, Cheryl Sulak Moehling and husband Jeffrey, Michelle Sulak Crowder and husband Christian, Lindsay Rusnak Parks and husband Kyle, and Chelsea Rusnak Rollins and husband Tre; and great-grandchildren
Bronze SPJST Cemetery Markers Bronze SPJST cemetery markers are available for purchase through the Home Office for $20 a piece. Price includes shipping and handling. The markers measure three inches in diameter and include a fourinch threaded post for mounting. To purchase or for more information, call the Home Office at 800-727-7578 and ask for Sandra. Order from The SPJST Store online at spjst.org.
ON LY $20
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Scott Koelzer, Amanda Koelzer, Zachary Koelzer, Nicholas Koelzer, Matthew Moehling, Ella Moehling, Grayson Crowder, Braydon Crowder, Karina Parks, and Lawson Parks. In celebration of Eleanor’s life, a memorial mass was held Monday, June 1 at St. Luke Catholic Church in Irving at 11 a.m. A private family visitation was held at Ben F. Brown Funeral Home in Irving following the memorial mass. Visitation was at Harper-Talasek Funeral Home in Temple on June 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. with a rosary at 5 p.m. On June 3, a mass was celebrated at St. Joseph
Catholic Church in Cyclone at 10 a.m. Eleanor was laid to rest at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Cyclone immediately following mass. Pallbearers were Helmuth Koelzer, Jeffrey Moehling, Christian Crowder, Kyle Parks, Tre Rollins, and Scott Koelzer. The family requests donations in memory of Eleanor be made to St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Irving. Resolution Committee Ruth Hanusch Joyce Skrabanek —SPJST—
Death Claims Paid in April 2020 SPJST • Temple, Texas Name Dorothy Kaspar Ruth S. Marek Elmer Marvin Faykus Gary W. Nesrsta Ann E. Schulz Ollie D. Nedbalek Johnnie M. Holick Ruby Marie Taisler Clarence H. Kolar Paschal Joe Jenkins Betty Joyce Ender Annie J. Dolezal Rafael Espinoza Frances K. Matthews Ima R. Schmidt Raymond Martin Balusek Richard L. Pearson Bobby Wayne Rayburn Alma Jane Jankowski Juanita Ann Todd Joe David Strunc Wilbur L. Golden Jeffrey E. Wollam Robert Louis Cykala Dorothy J. Pavelka Kimberly Hood Frances S. Bollom Kathleen F. Gajevsky Jo Ann Megginson Johnnie Ruth Homeyer Alice Helen White Katherine J. Butler Paz Garza Lara, Sr. Thomas Sacks Ries Alton Harry Huelsebusch
Lodge/Location 29, Taylor 79, Corpus Christi 29, Taylor 88, Houston 169, Brenham 88, Houston 66, Waco 80, Holland 223, Palacios 73, Seymour 182, Falls County 30, Taiton 219, El Paso 92, Fort Worth 183, Arlington 80, Holland 88, Houston 171, Lockhart 88, Houston 81, Needville 82, Ennis 88, Houston 139, Danbury 40, El CampoHillje 117, Robstown 157, Lubbock 141, Sealy 81, Needville 87, Temple 17, New Tabor 88, Houston 172, Pasadena 219, El Paso 18, Elgin 18, Elgin
Date of Admission 7/25/1946 7/12/1954 8/03/1945 9/22/1954 1/08/2003 11/23/1942 7/20/1956 4/16/1973 6/11/1945 6/11/2007 4/01/1996 7/08/1946 10/14/2015 1/11/1941 1/01/1985 10/10/1945 11/09/1972 4/01/2011 4/12/1996 9/20/1978 7/07/1953 7/25/1947 2/23/1972 7/12/1946 8/04/1952 2/19/1969 2/25/1981 9/14/1970 4/01/2015 6/05/1934 2/05/1952 11/05/1949 8/15/2016 6/12/1996 3/01/1999
Date of Death 3/19/2010 1/13/2019 2/29/2020 1/25/2020 3/07/2020 7/16/2014 3/12/2020 11/18/2019 2/23/2020 3/05/2020 3/13/2020 3/03/2020 3/16/2020 9/13/2019 2/17/2020 2/03/2020 3/24/2020 3/01/2020 2/28/2020 3/25/2020 3/15/2020 3/08/2020 3/04/2020 9/09/2017 5/03/2019 3/26/2017 11/13/2018 2/18/2020 3/19/2020 2/24/2020 2/28/2020 6/06/2019 4/08/2020 2/20/2020 2/29/2020
To the Bereaved Survivors of Our Deceased Brothers and Sisters, the SPJST Supreme Lodge Expresses Its Heartfelt Sympathy. Fraternally, Leonard D. Mikeska, FIC Chief Financial Officer —SPJST—
Age 88 91 86 82 77 92 90 97 88 67 72 92 73 94 99 90 93 84 88 89 67 95 64 88 94 49 98 79 80 88 97 79 81 90 92
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Death Claims Paid in March 2020 SPJST • Temple, Texas Name Sterling L. Wilson Calvin T. Janak Brandy Bayes Cota Lucille Jane Hruska Leon James Jurena Olga Agnes Duron Marjorie L. Bielec Felix Bunker, Jr. Johnnie L. Machu Janie Perdue Benny L. Janota Annetta M. Glass Bette T. Koudelka John Leo McClanahan Helen L. Bugaj Barbara Moseley Melissa Marie Matus Edward J. Duyka Eugene H. Slovak Harvey P. Williams Juana Velasquez Madrid Mark A. Strunc Dominga T. Esquivel Billie Jean Little Gregory Navarro Wilma C. Sims Elvira Y. Lopez Cynthia Jane Sellers Mary Jo Franklin Alberta M. Luskac Jerry Don Jordan Mildred Maxine Holeman Todd Edward Jackson George F. Kveton, Jr. Patsy M. Winkler Martha E. Glaser Charles Clay Barber Benjamin James Berkovsky Albina De Flores Joe Charlie Bartek Ella Krobot Jason K. Schwartz Rebecca Jo Taska Carlos Rosas Christian Ryan Brinkman Daniel Joe Mohel Helen Marie Jurica Beatrice K. Jalowy Charles Earl Thurmon Harry John Barina, Jr. Edith Viola Pavlicek
Lodge/Location 88, Houston 29, Taylor 38, Kovar 51, Ellinger 63, Sweet Home 84, Dallas 88, Houston 92, Fort Worth 29, Taylor 25, Ennis 32, Victoria 49, Rowena 196, HoustonWest 88, Houston 88, Houston 172, Pasadena 29, Taylor 84, Dallas 66, Waco 160, San Angelo 155, Austin 25, Ennis 258, Seguin 188, Centerville 25, Ennis 135, Ennis 160, San Angelo 28, East Bernard 47, Seaton 9, Snook 49, Rowena 88, Houston 25, Ennis 215, South Plains 88, Houston 15, Buckholts 6, Cottonwood 63, Sweet Home 133, San Antonio 47, Seaton 81, Needville 160, San Angelo 148, El Maton 133, San Antonio 186, Caldwell 88, Houston 186, Caldwell 88, Houston 39, Bryan 87, Temple 88, Houston
Date of Admission 11/21/1955 1/16/1963 2/14/2018 10/01/1982 10/10/1943 3/08/1951 4/30/1969 12/18/1968 8/20/1968 12/26/1945 12/01/1954 4/08/2013 2/01/1992 7/25/1950 6/17/1975 11/09/1972 5/27/1977 2/01/1971 12/12/1967 3/22/1977 11/22/2005 1/14/1958 8/24/2006 3/01/1984 1/23/1974 12/01/1984 1/17/2006 7/17/1950 12/18/1943 2/09/1973 5/21/2007 4/08/1963 4/01/1984 2/18/1974 7/29/1965 5/23/1972 4/16/2001 8/31/1943 10/16/2015 12/01/1951 6/28/1942 12/01/1986 2/22/1956 2/20/2007 3/26/2002 1/02/1945 2/05/1974 8/03/1976 10/10/2019 2/05/1991 3/22/1943
Date of Death 1/21/2020 1/05/2020 12/30/2019 5/11/2018 1/19/2020 1/08/2020 12/20/2019 1/13/2020 1/22/2020 7/03/2017 2/09/2020 1/26/2020 1/25/2020 2/10/2020 12/14/2019 1/11/2020 1/23/2020 1/27/2020 2/02/2020 9/17/2019 12/24/2019 1/24/2020 1/31/2020 8/13/2019 2/06/2020 2/11/2020 2/07/2020 2/07/2020 2/05/2020 1/17/2020 2/18/2020 2/12/2020 12/24/2019 1/20/2020 1/13/2019 2/15/2020 2/19/2020 1/31/2020 2/10/2020 2/21/2020 7/17/2019 2/25/2020 2/19/2020 2/12/2020 11/11/2019 2/15/2020 2/12/2020 2/13/2020 2/18/2020 2/09/2020 12/12/2019
To the Bereaved Survivors of Our Deceased Brothers and Sisters, the SPJST Supreme Lodge Expresses Its Heartfelt Sympathy. Fraternally, Leonard D. Mikeska, FIC Chief Financial Officer —SPJST—
Age 78 88 55 56 81 84 76 85 68 87 84 73 85 86 84 83 60 65 86 81 89 62 77 81 84 90 88 82 92 87 75 93 35 66 75 94 80 93 81 73 101 44 88 80 25 87 74 81 76 76 92
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VĚSTNÍK The deadline for all Věstník items is 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month. Send your news and photos directly to: SPJST Věstník Editor Melanie Zavodny P.O. Box 100 Temple, Texas 76503 Fax: 254-773-8087 Email: vestnik@spjst.org Questions? Call 800-727-7578
This section is dedicated to the youth of SPJST. As part of its membership benefits, SPJST offers a statewide youth program. If you or someone you know is interested in learning about opportunities offered to young members of SPJST, please contact your local lodge, District Youth Counselor (listed on page 2), or State Fraternal Director at 800-727-7578, or visit www.spjst.org.
Presenting the 2020 SPJST Youth Showcase! What is SPJST Youth Showcase? The SPJST Youth Showcase was born of the idea that healthy competition inspires young people to do their best! Competition is wonderful when it provides feedback to young people about their performance and improvement, when winning is not the sole objective, and when young people get to grow from the experience. For years, that idea presented itself in SPJST in the form of seven District Youth Achievement Day contests held in early summer and culminating with State Youth Achievement Day at the end of summer break. Thanks to the social distancing mandated by the coronavirus, that changed things — at least for now! The SPJST Youth Showcase aims to fill that void and will consist of competition in five categories: Constructed Items Photography Pictorial Arts Individual Talent Royalty Who Can Enter? The SPJST Youth Showcase is open to all SPJST young people who have a current SPJST Life Insurance certificate. Certificates must be issued no later than June 1, 2020. Any young person who has completed kindergarten to an in-
coming high school senior is eligible to participate. The 2020 SPJST Youth Showcase is open to youth who have not previously been part of the SPJST youth program. Contestants will compete for first, second, and third place recognition in four age categories in each district: Completed Kindergarten to 8 Years Ages 9 to 11 Ages 12 to 14 Ages 15 to High School Senior SPJST Youth Showcase contestants must be single and cannot be a parent or pregnant. In the first round of the SPJST Youth Showcase, contestants will compete for district recognition. First place district winners will advance to the competition to be presented in August. All district and state results will be announced at www.spjst.org, on SPJST’s social media pages, and in the Věstník. How to Enter An SPJST Youth Showcase contestant must register electronically at spjst.org. All contestants may submit one entry per category. Youth will also do the same for talent and royalty competitions. Parents and youth will be responsible for completing electronic entry cards and submitting a digital file of their project (digital image for craft projects/vi-
deos for Individual Talent and Royalty speeches). The entry process of the electronic entry cards and uploads of the project must be submitted at the same time. No entries will be accepted by email or text. Electronic registration will begin on Monday, June 15 and close on Sunday, July 5 at 11:59 p.m. If a mistake is made with an upload and corrected before the cut off date, the contestant will be able to correct the problem before the entry is judged. General Youth Showcase Rules Upload one high quality digital image of the entry submitted for Constructed Items, Pictorial Arts, and Photography. The image should be of the entry against a solid white or colored background. Tie Breaker Ties will be broken for first place in all categories and for second place in royalty. If scores are tied after judging, the winner will be determined by reviewing the contestant’s scores. The contestant with the greatest number of first place scores from the judges will be the first place winner. Youth Showcase Craft Contests Contestants may enter one entry in each category: Constructed Items Pictorial Arts Photography General Craft Rules and Judging Criteria o Items must be made by the contestant. o Items previously entered in SPJST youth competitions may not be entered. o All craft entries and digital images must be submitted electronically. o Contestant will submit one digital image for each entry. Please use a solid white or colored background when taking photograph of your project. o Entries featuring and/or promoting the use of any alcohol, tobacco, or drug product will not be accepted. Constructed Items o The entry being submitted for judging must be made of clay or molded dough. Be creative and have fun! Judging Criteria Level of Difficulty.............40 points Creativity and Design .......40 points Neatness and Appearance..20 points
Pictorial Arts o The entry being submitted for judging must be a freehand painting or drawing on paper, canvas, or poster board using paint, ink, pencil, crayon, chalk, or markers. Judging Criteria Level of Difficulty.............40 points Creativity and Design .......40 points Neatness and Appearance..20 points Photography o The entry must illustrate the category, “Flower(s).” o The image must be in color. o Camera effects and digital modifications are not permitted. Judging Criteria and Description Composition.....................35 points The arrangement of the forms within the photo should be pleasing to the eye. How well did the photographer use the available space within his format? If the rules of thirds are broken, did the result justify that decision? Exposure .........................25 points The amount of light that enters the camera hitting the camera sensor is called exposure. If not enough light enters the camera and reaches the digital sensor, the image will be too dark or underexposed. If too much light enters the camera and reaches the digital sensor, the image will be too bright or overexposed.
VĚSTNÍK Impact .............................25 points Impact is the sense one gets upon viewing an image for the first time. This is best explained by the “I wish I’d taken that picture” reaction. Does the image make the viewer feel happy, sad, angry, proud, or another intense emotion? Creativity.........................15 points Creativity is the digital image original, fresh, and external expression of the imagination taken by the photographer? Did the photographer convey an idea, message or thought? Individual Talent Contest Rules and Judging Criteria Contestants are invited to perform the talent of their choice — dance, dramatic presentation, gymnastics, instrumental, vocal, pantomime, and lip-sync — are all permitted. Performance Guidelines o For Individual Talent, the performance must be limited to three minutes or less. The time limit does not include the introduction. o Contestants will not announce their name, lodge, or hometown in their introduction or at any time during their digitally recorded presentation. o No outside assistance with talent acts is permitted. o Performance, costumes, music, and props must be in good taste and age appropriate. If video is determined inappropriate, it will not be judged. Judging Criteria Technique........................40 points (Level of Skill) Rendition (Creativity) ...25 points Stage Presence................20 points (Poise/Personality) Extra Merit.....................15 points Royalty Competition The SPJST State King and SPJST State Queen are considered to be the “youth ambassadors” for the Society. As such, they represent the SPJST at several public events during their course of their reign. More than anything, perhaps, the SPJST Royalty Competition is about presentation and poise and the ability to communicate effectively. Contestants may enter by completing the online registration for “Royalty” at spjst.org. Speeches and autobiographies must be uploaded with the royalty entry. Royalty winners will be the 2020 SPJST
Monday, June 8, 2020
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Youth Ambassadors for the society. Compelling, confident public speaking is a crucial skill that is often not developed in a young person’s formative years; however, it can strongly impact how the young person views him/herself and how he/she develops and succeeds in school. The poise and increased command of public speaking that are gained from competing in this category at the district and state levels will not only help youth in school, but also empower them in any situation they encounter in life. King and Queen Competition King and queen contestants must be entering high school freshmen to high school seniors. Competition Guidelines The District competition will be the speech presentation. Royalty speech content shall be presented in a positive manner (pre-recorded). The State competition includes two interview questions and the speech presentation. Royalty speech content shall be presented in a positive manner. All contestants within a district will compete for the district titles. District winners will compete for the state titles. State royalty competition will take place on a web-based platform, such as GoToMeeting or Zoom. Speech Topic The topic for the 2020 royalty speeches is: “SPJST - Superheroes Unite!” The royalty speech must be in the contestant’s own words and not exceed three minutes. It will incorporate SPJST and make up 50 percent of the speech. The speech time limit is three minutes. A total of three points (one point by each of the three judges) will be deducted if a contestant exceeds the time limit. Time limit begins with the contestant’s first word. If any technical difficulties should arise during the state royalty competition, the contestant will have the opportunity to restart the speech. District Royalty Judging Criteria (Pre-Recorded) Speech Content.................40 points (Includes adhering to topic) Speech Delivery ...............50 points Stage Presence..................10 points (Neatness, Poise, Appearance)
State Royalty Judging Criteria (Live) Interview No. 1 .................15 points Interview No. 2 .................15 points Speech Content .................30 points (Includes adhering to topic) Speech Delivery ...............30 points Stage Presence ..................10 points (Neatness, Poise, Appearance) Contestant Guidelines o Contestants must have participated in a previous YAD in order to compete in the Royalty competition. o The attire for the district and state royalty contestants is professional (formal or business attire). o Past SPJST State Kings and past SPJST State Queens are not eligible to enter. o An SPJST queen candidate shall not be expecting or have given birth to a child. In the event such does occur during her reign, she shall relinquish her crown and all prizes. o An SPJST king candidate shall not have fathered or be fathering a child. In the event such does occur during his reign, he shall relinquish his crown and all prizes. o SPJST Royalty candidates who are being treated for the use of drugs or alcohol and/or convicted of an offense greater than a Class C misdemeanor (speeding ticket) prior to competition are ineligible to compete. In the event such does occur during his/her reign, he/she shall relinquish his/her crown and all prizes. o Contestants will have no facial hair and no visible body piercings and/or tattoos during competition. Dukes and Duchesses Duke and duchess candidates must have completed kindergarten and may
be up to 12 years of age. These young people will not compete during the online competition. They are designated by the king and queen contestants. Awards State King: $1,500 SPJST Scholarship*, trophy, sash State Queen: $1,500 SPJST Scholarship*, tiara, trophy, sash State Duke: Trophy, sash State Duchess: Small tiara, trophy, sash First and second runners-up will also receive awards. *The State King and State Queen will receive scholarship upon successful completion of reign and State Royalty requirements. —SPJST—
Lodge 84, Dallas Youth Club cancels meeting, encourages all to enter showcase Dear Members, Please note that Lodge 84, Dallas Youth Club will not have a meeting in June due to the coronavirus pandemic. We look forward to meeting again soon, but in the meantime, don’t forget to submit your entries for the 2020 SPJST Youth Showcase. More information is at spjst.org or in the youth section of the Věstník. Fraternally, Josh Tucker, age Reporter —SPJST—
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Monday, June 8, 2020
VĚSTNÍK
2020 Youth Club Member Update - Merit Points and Meeting Attendance First Quarter Merit Points and Meeting Attendance The totals below in the column labeled “Pts” are merit points earned in the January to December 2020 youth year. This is total merit points for the 2020 youth year. Please see “What is the Merit Point System?” for complete information about the contest. The number in the column labeled “Mtgs” is the number of meetings each youth club member has attended from January to December 2020. Please see “What is an Active Youth Member?” below to determine number of meetings needed to participate in youth activities. What is the Merit Point System? Youth club members earn merit points for participating in SPJST lodge, district, and state activities. At the end of the youth year, points are totaled and the youth with the highest points in the youth club receive cash awards. Contest Dates January 1 to December 31, 2020 Merit Point Contest Age Divisions Junior—Entering Kindergarten or Age 5 to Age 12 Teen—Age 13 Years to High School Senior Rules The youth leader or assistant youth leader is responsible for keeping track of the merit points for each active member of the youth club. The points are to be sent to the State Fraternal Director on the Quarterly and Merit Point Reports each quarter. Youth club members are also encouraged to keep up with their points and turn them in to the youth leader on a quarterly basis. This system helps both the youth leader and the youth member keep better records of youth participation. Current, official Quarterly and Merit Point Reports, available from the State Fraternal Director may only be used in the Merit Point Contest. The Quarterly and Merit Point Reports sent to the State Fraternal Director by the youth leader will be kept on file for at least six months following the conclusion of the contest.
Merit points are earned for only those activities listed under Youth Point Values. An activity can only earn points in one category on the point sheet. When in doubt about any activity earning points, contact the State Fraternal Director prior to the contest conclusion. Everyone will be subject to the same rules in every contest. Failure to comply with any rule shall mean immediate withdrawal. Merit Point Awards Awards are presented on the district and state levels in the junior and teen merit point contests. At eachDistrict YAD, the Home Office presents first through third place awards to top qualifying junior and teen youth club members. The top three junior and teen youth club members with the most points in each district will receive awards. In the event of a tie, all who tied for first through third places will receive the award. A youth may only receive the state award once in the age division. State Teen and State Junior awards are presented at State YAD. District Junior and Teen Point Awards First Place - $30 Second Place - $25 Third Place - $20 What is an Active Youth Member? A youngster with a current SPJST insurance certificate may enter the youth program the youth year that he/she will be entering kindergarten. To be considered active, youth club member must attend a majority (seven) of the monthly meetings during the year. The youth must attend the majority of these meetings at his/her home youth club. In those instances where a lodge does not have a youth club, the youngster may attend adult lodge meetings or the meetings of another youth club. The youngster will be eligible for camp and Youth Achievement Day (YAD) after the completion of his/her kindergarten year. Active youth members must be single and not be pregnant or a parent. The age of the youth on June 1 of the
current youth year will be the recognized age in the SPJST Youth Program (camp, YAD, contests, etc.). The 2020 youth year began January 1 and ends December 31. Youth club eligibility ends when the youth graduates from high school. Dist Ldg Name Pts Mtgs Dist Ldg
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 17 17 17 17 17 17 17
District Number Lodge Number Youth club member Merit points earned Jan. to Dec. 2020 Youth club meetings attended Jan. to Dec. Name
Eldridge, Konnor Gill, Caiden Green, Joshua Green, Riley Hruska, II, J. Beaux Hruska, Jase Hruska, Kyleigh Junek, Kade Kienow, Dakota Kienow, Shane Lauderdale, Jade Lauderdale, Zane Macik, Alexis Macik, Brayden Nicks, Courtlyn Paul, Charlotte Sebesta, Charlee Sebesta, Hagan Sebesta, Kimber Sebesta, McKenzie Sebesta, Sierra See, Caleb See, Colby See, IV, John William See, Wesley Tates, Tatiana Walker, Kamree Weaver, Jensen Weaver, Kallen Wilkerson, Allison Williams, Makenzie Withem, Brett Withem, Kennedi Charanza, Cameron Chmelar, Brylee Chmelar, Taylor Dowell, Maylee Dowell, Millison Dowell, Tabor Hermes, Nathan
Pts Mtgs
12 18 13 13 20 12 20 2 13 8 11 11 14 19 17 25 5 20 6 6 10 25 25 18 18 22 20 11 11 20 12 8 8 9 26 21 21 26 13 21
2 3 2 2 3 2 3 0 3 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 2 3 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 2 3
1 1 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
17 17 17 17 17 7 7 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 186 186 186 186 186 186 186 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 24 24 24 24 24 24 29 29 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47
Johnson, Luke 19 Kellum, Ashlyn 8 Kocurek, Bailen 31 Kocurek, Marley 31 Lloyd, Jackson 13 Lloyd, Rylie 20 Lopez, Abigail (Abby) 19 Lopez, Easton 19 McCuller, Cobey 21 Narro, Macy 31 Parker, Carson 26 Parker, Jaycee 31 Parks, Jada 26 Story, Andrea 14 Supak, Emmy 8 Supak, Lila 8 Woodward, Carisa 26 Brinkman, Kyle 22 Brinkman, Marina 17 Coker, Ciara 10 Enrique, III, Jessie 26 Enrique, Jessica 27 Pineda, Patsy 26 Ramon, Keith 17 Braden, Kenna 17 Daulton, Gabriel 18 David, Brennon Maxx 24 Gilliam, Brayden 18 Goodman, Sebastian 24 Henley, Braxton 18 Marshall, Aubrey 27 Marshall, Sterling 27 Teague, Collin 31 Teague, Jr., James 15 Bruggman, Shelby 10 Campbell, Cade 10 Campbell, Nash 10 Hoelscher, Jennifer 15 Ledford, Aniston 10 Malcik, Meghan 10 Girod, Brandon 12 Girod, Hailey 12 Bartek, Camdon 36 Bartek, Everhett 36 Bilbrey, Sydney 39 Bilbrey, Tyson 39 Burt, Jayten 6 Carroll, Kasen 6 Carroll, Kyndall 13 Carter, Dawsen 12 Carter, Jaysen 12 Erskine, Carson 12 Erskine, Jackson 7 Erskine, Logan 12 Federle, Ariana 31 Federle, Lydia 31 Federle, Rebecca 31 Galler, Fiona 20
2 1 3 3 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3
VĚSTNÍK
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Monday, June 8, 2020
2020 Youth Club Member Update - Merit Points and Meeting Attendance 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 47 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 182 182 182 187 187 187 187 187 187 187 6 6 6 6 25 25 25 25 25 25
Koslovsky, Tessa Kristinek, Riley Loos, Abigail Marek, Jackson Martinez, Kal-El Martinez, Seth Martinez, Tristan Ordogne, Travis Ranly, Elisa Ranly, Emma Ranly, Ian Regan, Emma Skrabanek, Kyler Smith, Robert Cash Stock, Tamryn Stone, Koby White, Braxton White, Brayton Young, Kayla Young, Kelsea Young, Valora Young, Zaydriana Newsom, Brooke Newsom, Makayla Poldrack, Tatiana Stefek, Hannah Stefek, Hayden Wuensche, Trent Wuensche, Trevor Cargill, Jaiden Cosper, Alec Cosper, Andrew Cosper, Braydon Taisler, Clayton Taisler, Molley Tubbs, Brooke Vaughan, Cole Ward, Hannah Beckendorf, Bailee Beckendorf, Paetyn Beckendorf, Tynlee Johnson, Alexandria McCarthy, Luke McCarthy, Mathieu Meyer, Alexis Meyer, Kadnce Meyer, Karter Meyer, Kember Charanza, Carter Dobecka, Aubrianna Dobecka, Quinlan Dobecka, Rendon Dvorak, Misty Holland, Luke Holland, Madison Holland, Maison Jurik, Chad Nelson, Cody
7 19 15 20 31 31 31 32 20 18 13 20 8 21 8 6 11 5 14 21 26 21 25 25 18 7 9 13 13 12 12 21 16 22 22 12 6 17 25 25 25 21 19 19 1 21 18 21 18 23 23 23 22 20 21 21 21 15
1 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 1 3 1 1 1 0 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
25 25 25 25 25 25 25 84 84 84 84 84 84 84 84 84 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 215 81 81 81 81 81 81 81 81 81 81 88
Oliver, Layne Oliver, Morgan Oliver, Victoria (Tori) Roberts, Aubrey Roberts, Avery Ryan, Kaylnn Sullivan, Preston Andreason, Davis Andreason, Olivia Jones, Jadie Jones, Jentry Ruzicka, Megan Ruzicka, Ryan Tucker, Josh Tucker, Kalyne Tucker, Kendall Burcie, McKenzie Hernandez, Kyleigh Hernandez, Reagan Humphreys, Rachael Jones, Holly Jones, Macy Jones, Miles Jones, Reid Masters, Mylie Noble, Nikolas Stoeppleman, Madalyn Suges, Steven Suges, Victoria Schwertner, Grace Schwertner, Olivia Schwertner, Colt Schwertner, Bella Schwertner, Tracy Wood, Cotton Wood, Hunter Wood, Tanner Craddock, Brenson Craddock, Carson Craddock, Hayden Gallant, Bree Gallant, Reese Jansa, Nolan Schwartz, Davis Schwartz, Parker Schwartz, Sterling Williams, Addee Dostal, Brady Dostal, Elizabeth Hargraves, III, Tripp Jones, Amber Mikulec, Miles Mikulec, Rylie Nesvadba, Bryce Nesvadba, Brylie Stavinoha, Evan Stavinoha, Maxx Berry, Diana
14 14 14 13 13 20 21 5 5 5 5 24 24 27 24 24 23 8 8 20 23 23 23 20 23 13 15 23 23 28 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 16 16 16 16 16 17 16 16 16 15 26 26 28 26 15 15 15 15 25 25 12
2 2 2 2 2 3 3 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 142 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40
Berry, Michael Brown, Addison Craig, Slade Craig, Sloan Godwin, Nancy Guerrero, Anahi Guerrero, Juan Guerrero, Sergio Haller, Chance Latigo, Natalie Parker, Cheyenne Parker, Kinsley Parker, Tyler Pflughaupt, Evan Pflughaupt, Megan Butera, Embry Butera, Ryder Coleman, Zachary Comberrel, Brielle Comberrel, Ryleigh Freel, Abigail Havies, Jolin Havies, Joseph Hermis, Aiden Kieschnick, Karley Lerner, Jaydan Lerner, Jonathan Lewis, Emily Lewis, Kaleigh Maul, Ashley Maul, Taylor Miller, Kaydence Bacak, Brett Bacak, Brooke Baker, Bethany Baker, Brittany Bubela, Grant Garrett, Abigail Garrett, Ella Garrett, Millie Jo Korenek, Faith Kresta, Andrew Kresta, Emily Kresta, Lauren Krpec, Shelby Lange, Grady Marcaurele, Luc Riha, Hudson Riha, Simone Riha, Vanessa Garcia, NayEli Garcia, Noah Gonzalez, Aiyana Gonzalez, Itzel Gutierrez, Jason Manrriquez, Claire Manrriquez, Maysen Manrriquez, Saydee
12 23 18 18 13 26 26 20 5 8 12 12 12 19 19 20 20 10 5 5 5 15 15 5 7 15 20 5 5 20 20 5 25 15 33 26 33 20 19 20 28 9 21 21 20 33 26 26 29 25 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18
1 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 3 1 1 3 3 1 2 1 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 1 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
40 40 40 40 40 79 79 79 79 79 107 107 107 107 107 107 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 185 202 202 202 202 202 202 202 202 202 202
Manrriquez, Taylor Manzano, Adryanna Manzano, Angelica Manzano, Trianna Taylor, Kelly Rebecek, Jacob Rebecek, Marcus Rew, Brandon Urbanovsky, Annika Urbanovsky, Sarah Hastings, Aubree Lynn, Christian Petett, Caitlyn Pruski, Colt Singleton, Haleigh Tholkes, Bohden Cabrera, Camila Gribble, Michael Haag, Katherine Haag, Sydney Haag-Howard, Lily Hilbig, Ethan Jurica, Jacob Jurica, Jody Kitchen, Madeline Kitchen, Rileigh Kitchen, Skeet Lago, Harrison Lago, Hudson McCoy, Steel Mills, Garrett Mills, Gatlin Mills, Payton O'Gorman, Madeline O'Gorman, Mary Ohnheiser, Megan Smith, Tate Stroobandt, Addison Stroobandt, Jack Velasquez, Anabella Velasquez, Mallory Velasquez, Shaylee Fair, Jenna Fair, Kayla Polasek, Katlyn Popham, Ciara Popham, Ryanne Poppe, Makenna Trench, Shaylynn Valdez, Diego Zielonka, Camdan Zielonka, Chloe —SPJST—
18 18 18 18 18 21 15 21 20 15 10 12 17 17 5 17 23 11 12 12 18 11 11 11 20 15 14 12 12 18 11 11 11 6 5 23 5 5 5 6 13 13 19 19 24 6 19 9 14 7 7 7
3 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 1 2 2 3 1 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 1 3 1 2 1 1 1
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Monday, June 8, 2020
VĚSTNÍK
Slovanská Podporující Jednota Státu Texas
Česká
Část
ROČNÍK 108 ČISLO 11 8.červen.2020
Podpora ★ Lidskost ★ Bratrstvi´ BENEVOLENCE
HUMANITY
BROTHERHOOD
Uředni orgán SPJST ★ Založené roku 1897
Čtenáři Píšou To Věstník Česká Část Jenom par slov česky z bible kralicé rok 1613; buh ti dal život a zajem se množit stím že můžeš požádat o pomoc modlitbou . . . Způsob modlitby přiště a zase česky. Zdenek Nedbalek Lodge 196, Houston-West —SPJST—
Schulenburg Public Library offers free Czech language class Schulenburg Public Library and West Public Library in partnership with Czech Ex-Students Association of Texas (CESAT) will offer Czech language classes online for children, teens, and adults. Participants in this free summer program will need a computer with a microphone, speakers, and access to the internet. You can take these classes from the comfort of your home. Current plans, which are still being developed, are for these classes/lectures to be offered three times a week. Charles University in Prague, Republic will contribute to these classes. For Children Saturdays - Beginning Czech starting June 13 from 8 to 8:45 a.m. for children with parental supervision. For Teens Saturdays - Beginning Czech starting June 13 from 10 to 10:45 a.m. for teens. For Adults Wednesdays - Beginning Czech, starting June 17 from 8 to 9 a.m. for adults.
Czech Conversational Circle will continue to meet on Thursdays, starting June 18 from 8 to 9 a.m. for people who speak and want to practice their Czech. Some topics covered are Czech folklore, Czech literature, literature in translation, the impact of Texas Czechs on the development of Texas, Czech communities in Texas, Texas Czech literature in Czech, and the development of the Czech language from the year 500 to the 21st century. To register for the classes, email schulenburgpubliclibrary@yahoo.com. Thadious Polasek Library Director Schulenburg Public Library SPJST Lodge 67, Schulenburg —SPJST—
TCGS announces June book of the month Texas Czech Genealogical Society (TCGS) announces that its Book of the Month for June 2020 is Emigration from Moravia to America 1855-1918 for the Area of Frydek-Mistek. This book is one in a series of seven books, written by MUDr. Josef Simicek, which document emigration from the Moravian area of the Czech lands to America. The books were originally published in the Czech language. In 2013, TCGS gained the rights to translate the books to English and
to publish them, which opened up a wealth of information for persons researching Czech immigrants. Much of the information cannot be located except within the pages of these books. Frydek-Mistek is a town in the northeast portion of the Czech Republic, lying at the foothills of the Beskyd Mountain range, near the borders of Poland and Slovakia. Originally, these towns were separate villages. In 1943, the Germans joined them together into one town with the hyphenated name, Frydek-Mistek. People who immigrated from the towns and villages surrounding FrydekMistek are also included in this publication. The book lists the original name of the village, the name in German and the name as we know it now. Each individual town has a short description of its beginning along with some of the surnames of people who emigrated from there. The book contains 113 pages with columns for last name, first name, birth date, place of birth, date of arrival, port of arrival, ship name, death date, cemetery, and notes. Emigration from Moravia to America 1855-1918 for the Area of Frydek-Mistek sells for $45. During June, shipping and handling charges will be absorbed by
TCGS. Please mail your $45 check payable to TCGS, on or before June 30, to Nancy Machu, 3337 Bianco Terrace, Round Rock, Texas 78665. For questions, please call 512-971-4284. Submitted by, Nancy Machu Lodge 29, Taylor —SPJST—
CZECH CULTURAL CALENDAR TEMPORARILY CLOSED. Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center, 119 West French Avenue, Temple. ACTIVITIES TEMPORARILY CANCELED. First and third Tuesday tarok lessons • Czech film screenings at The Beltonian Theatre in Belton. Wednesdays POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Taylor Czech Speaking Class meets every Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at S.P.J.S.T. Assisted Living, 505 East Lake Drive in Taylor. This is an informal class setting for learning to speak, write, and read Czech. For information, contact Instructor Lydia Kurtin 512-859-2543. Submitted by Alice Bracewell, Lodge 48, Beyersville. Second Sundays POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Czech Language Class—at Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center, 250 West Fairgrounds Road on US Highway 77, La Grange, 1 to 4 p.m. Fee is $10 per person per class. Call or email to verify classes. Pre-registration preferred. For information, call 888-785-4500; 979-968-9399; or email info@czechtexas.org.
Second Tuesdays POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Czech Film Nights and Matinees—at The Beltonian Theatre, 219 East Central, Belton. Showtimes - 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Free admission. Film is presented by Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center (CHMGC). For information, call CHMGC 254-899-2935; find them on Facebook; or on the web at www.czechheritagemuseum.org. Find The Beltonian online at www.thebeltoniantheatre.com or on Facebook. June 13 CANCELED: Kolache Klobase Fest, East Bernard. August 1 TCGS Cookbook Submission Deadline: for TCGS upcoming cookbook Cooking With Czech Recipes Cookbook. Contact Cookbook Project Chair Charlene Hurta for guidelines, information or for submission purposes: 1231 CR 201A, Angleton, Texas 77515; phone 979-849-0348; or email cmhurta@earthlink.net. —SPJST—
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NCSML announces lunch and learn webinars The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library is pleased to announce a series of international webinars as part of its Lunch and Learn series. The free virtual programs, to be held in June and July, will encompass experts all over the world on topics related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 and our Maturing Population in the V4 and the United States Registration: https://bit.ly/2LLRu64 The Visegrad Group, also known as the Visegrad Four or simply V4, is the cultural and political alliance of four Central European countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. NCSML President and CEO Dr. Cecilia Rokusek will join medical experts from across the V4 and the United States to discuss the impact of the global pandemic on the more mature populations in all five countries from noon to 1 p.m. CTD on Wednesday, June 10. Panelists will include: Iva Holmerov, M.D., Ph.D., CEO Center of Gerontology, Alzheimer’s Europe Chairperson, and Vice Dean for International Relations. Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis, M.D., Ph.D., President, Polish Gerontological Society, Poland Naushira Pandya, M.D., C.M.D., Associate Professor and the Chair of the Department of Geriatrics at Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine and former National President of the American Medical Directors Association, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Siddharth Pandya, DO, Neuroradiologist, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 and the Medical Response across the Atlantic Registration: https://bit.ly/3cV37DD This webinar will be a broad focus on
Monday, June 8, 2020 COVID-19, comparing and contrasting responses in the United States, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Three medical experts will discuss the cause and effects of the global pandemic in all three countries from noon to 1 p.m. CTD on Wednesday, June 24. NCSML Vice President for Development and Marketing Jim Miller will moderate. Panelists will include: Jiří Stavovčík, B.A., MBA., Vice Dean, Department of Public Health, Palack˝ University, Olomouc, Czech Republic. Martin Izakovic, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President of Medical Staff Affairs, Medical Director of Hospitalist Program, Mercy Iowa City, Iowa. Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, MBA, Director of Clinical Research, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington D.C. Lunch and Learn: COVID-19 and Its Impact on Higher Education Registration: https://bit.ly/3d4ZmLO The effects of COVID-19 have affected the entire world in all facets of life. This webinar will feature some of the top experts in international education from the Czech and Slovak Republics, and the United States. As questions abound concerning what college and university campuses will look like this fall, both in the United States and aboard, join in for this live webinar from noon to 1 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, July 15. Larkin University President, Professor Rudi H. Ettrich, will talk with professors from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United States about the impact on higher education. Panelists will include: Dalibor Mikul·ö, PhDr. Ph.D. – Head of the International Relations Office, Palack˝ University, Olomouc, Czech Republic. Professor Daniela OstatnÌkov·, MD, Ph.D, – Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology, Academic Research Center for Autism, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia Professor John Chaimov, Ph.D., Associate Professor of German, Chair, International Studies Administrative
Coordinator, Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. All webinars are free of charge, but registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to access the webinar. Participants will need access to high-speed internet and a computer, tablet, or smartphone. For more information, contact Teresa Stenstrup, Director of Programs, at tstenstrup@ncsml.org. —SPJST—
Cooking with Czech Recipes cookbook to be published by TCGS The Cooking With Czech Recipes cookbook which will be published by Texas Czech Genealogical Society (TCGS) is destined to become a cookbook which will find its way to many Cookbook Corner bookshelves. Why? Because it will contain numerous, oneof-a-kind treasured recipes. These will include those delicious, special, often requested recipes submitted by Czech men, women, teens, and hopefully, kids as well. The recipe may be for a main dish, vegetable, salad, pie, cake, bread/rolls, dessert, etc. If prepared by a person with a drop of Czech blood, it qualifies as a Czech recipe, and we would love to include it in the cookbook. Also, don’t forget – if you enjoy a Czech relative’s certain recipe, give him or her a call and ask them to submit the recipe . . . or submit it for them. The cookbook will be part of TCGS’ 20th year celebration, but you do not have to be a TCGS member in order for your recipe to be included. Only requirement – Czech heritage. And ladies, please do us a special favor. Many of you have “oh-so-good
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Czech men cooks” in your lives. Please give them a word of encouragement to submit their recipes. Many are excellent on the grill, others in the kitchen: and still others – in both areas. This cookbook will also be special in that we invite you to include photos of the person preparing the dish or the finished dish. While the photos you submit will more than likely be in color, in the cookbook, they will be published in black and white. When submitting, please do not embed the photos - but please send the photos separately as .jpg attachments. We realize this may not be possible for everyone to submit digitally, but both recipes and photos can also be sent via postal mail. Reminder - If the recipe is one which has been passed down, we invite you to not only send us a photo of the family member but a family history or story as well. Charlene Hurta is serving as chair of this project. To contact her for more information or for submission purposes, she can be reached at mailing address 1231 CR 201A, Angleton, Texas 77515 or phone 979-849-0348. The submission deadline is August 1, 2020. —SPJST—
Texas Czech Genealogical Society to publish Czech Family Histories, Volume V It is hard to believe so many years have passed since TCGS published Czech Family Histories, Volumes I through IV. Volumes I and II were published in 2005, and Volumes III and IV in 2007. Our lives have greatly changed since
Texas Czech Genealogical Society Website: txczgs.org Promoting the study of the genealogy of the particular group of people known as “Texas Czechs.” For membership: Marie Dulak 979-589-1903
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those dates. We have celebrated many marriages, births, graduations, and yes, lives of those family members who have gone before us. Many who submitted articles for the previous histories are the family genealogist and, through research, new ancestors have been discovered. Possibly a trip, or several trips, to the Czech Republic have been made and new photos have been gained of not only ancestors or newly found relatives but ancestral homes as well. Perhaps you do not have an article in a previously published volume. Now is the perfect time for you to write and share your family history and cherished family memories. A number of times we hear, “I would love to write my family history so it would be documented and not be lost. My kids are not interested now, but one day they will be. My problem is, it is too expensive.” If anything above fits your profile, Texas Czech Genealogical Society (TCGS) would like for you to seriously consider writing and submitting your story, or stories, along with photos to be part of this project. You do not have to be a member of TCGS in order to participate; however, we would gladly welcome you. Submission Guidelines for TCGS Czech Family Histories, Volume V are: 1. You may submit as many articles as you wish. Each can be of any length, but each submission must be submitted separately on a CD, DVD, or flash drive, and must be accompanied by a printed copy of the article. Submissions can also be sent via email. If you do not have access to a computer, a typewritten hard copy will be accepted. We are sorry, but we cannot accept handwritten articles. 2. Articles should be typed using number 12 Times New Roman font and be single spaced with double spacing between paragraphs. Margins should be set at one inch. 3. If at all possible, only black and white photos should be submitted as the book will not be published with color photos. If color photos are submitted, they will be published in black and white. Photos should be of good quality. Copies of quality photos can be made at Walmart, Walgreens, or CVS for your convenience at a very low cost.
VĚSTNÍK 4. Please do not send original photos as they cannot be returned. 5. Please be sure to write the names of all persons on the back of the photos as they are viewed from the front, along with your name, address, and phone number, in the event we need to contact you. 6. It is best not to submit an article laid out in a particular manner as this, as a rule, does not comply with the book layout. Please do not embed photos in the article. 7. Because of the number of printers involved, some do not recognize the Czech diacritical markings and will change the letters, resulting in possible incorrect spellings, especially with names. Having said this, please do not use the Czech diacritical markings. 8. Genealogical outlines and charts should not be submitted, as due to spacing, they cannot be reproduced. If this type of information is to be submitted, submitter will need to place the information in paragraph form prior to submitting. 9. The Texas Czech Genealogical Society reserves the right to make minor corrections only, i.e., grammatical or sentence structure. TCGS will not write articles. If the book committee has any questions regarding the content, contact will be made with the article author. 10. All articles are expected to be in good taste. Articles must be received via email or postmarked on or before January 23, 2021. Articles are now being accepted and should be mailed to Charlene Hurta, 1231 CR 201A, Angleton, Texas 77515 or emailed to cmhurta@earthlink.net. For more information, call 979-8490348. —SPJST—
In Loving Memory of Effie Rosene
Ceremony of a release of a balloon By Bill Rosene SPJST Lodge 232, Houston Midtown This past Mother’s Day was one year since I lost the love of my life - Effie Sojak Rosene. We were together for 60 years before she left us as the result of a stroke that she suffered four years prior. Effie was the dominant source of the Czech Center Museum of Houston, which together as founders, we started in 1995. And, by source, I mean she was the reason we were successful in contacting and working with individuals of Czech background there and here in Houston. Effie and I both had retired from active employment - she with the Memorial system as assistant head of Memorial Northwest Hospital and I with the City of Houston. Prior to that, we found a little village about 40 miles north of Vienna, Austria. We loved it so much that Effie learned a great deal of the Czech language working with contractors, lawyers, Czech government officials, and architects as we built a small home on top of two wine cellars in the Village of Hlohovec. Learning the knowledge of Czech language helped her to deal with those who also would love to see an organization to promote that culture in the United States and specifically in Houston. Long range, we knew we had to have our own facility in Houston. While exercising in Northwest Mall of Houston, we noticed an empty store space and thought it would be a great location to open a gift shop with an office in the back to promote the proposed organization and to raise funds to erect a building for our purpose in Houston. After nine years, working six days a
week, and with the assistance of o u r board of directors, which was founded with other volunteers, Effie mainly had raised enough funds to build a three-and-one-half story building on San Jacinto Street, which is in bound to downtown Houston - with developing and completion of the first two floors. Effie never stopped working to locate other Czechs to find the funds to finish out the rest of the building. We started by having an annual fundraising gala party in several of the hotels in Houston. These were helpful, but the final funding was made in a surprise announcement by one of our members at the podium at a gala, who pledged sufficient funds to finish out the building. Fully funded by 2004, we opened with all floors finished and ready to do the business of introducing the Czech language and those of Czech descent to parties and events of Czech nature to the people of Houston. As I said, this was all accomplished by Effie working six days a week, 10 months a year in Houston, and some in Hlohovec at our monthly residence there. In 2014, Effie was working as usual after we had just returned from the Czech Republic. She suffered a stroke and was not in position to continue the daily work at the Center. She continued helping with advice as best she could give. It was heartbreaking to see and witness this vital person who had given so much, but now could not join in the business of working as she did prior to the four years she was made inactive by the stroke. After giving and working for 19 active years and four inactive years to the Czech Center, Effie finally succumbed on Sunday, May 12, 2019 - Mother’s Day. Her family was devastated, especially me, who had lost her company, companionship, and comradeship after all those years. I was not looking forward to the oneyear anniversary of her death on Mother’s Day this year. Now in an assistant living facility at Village of Meyerland, as the year’s anniversary was coming up, I was approached to release a balloon as part of a ceremony to mark
VĚSTNÍK the day for a remembrance. With three employees, I was wheeled out to the garden on a windy day to say a few words to Effie and release the balloon in her memory. The balloon did not stand a chance, but was blown right away at a low level, going north as we said goodbye and hoped that Effie was aware of the ceremony in her honor and memory. The ceremony was meaningful and gave us some wellbeing. We still miss Effie beyond belief, and we always will. A day or two later, I was talking to the director of the Czech Center on San Jacinto Street. She mentioned that she was out of the building in the parking area with her husband, and they were leaving to attend a meeting regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In the brief conversation, she happened to mention that as they were getting in their car and a balloon flew overhead
Monday, June 8, 2020 close to her. My daughters and I could not believe what had happened with the balloon . . . it flew directly over and to the Czech Center. We hoped and felt there must be meaning to that happening. We all said we hoped that Effie was with it and aware of what she did! All of us gained some solace in that moment for we hoped that was the meaning which would give her some solace, also. Editor’s Note: Charter members of SPJST Lodge 232, Houston Midtown, Bill and Effie Rosene are pictured at right with lodge members and SPJST representatives at the chartering celebration on March 4, 2017. Below photos are of the Czech Center Museum Houston, located at 4920 San Jacinto Street in Houston, Texas. —SPJST—
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Massacre and Destruction of Lidice For centuries, Lidice was an ordinary agricultural village, which belonged to the Buštehrad manor, located in a shallow valley of the Lidice Creek in the Kladno district sone 20 km west of Prague. The sleepy village of Lidice had been targeted because the Gestapo in Kladno had intercepted a letter belonging to a local family by the name of Horák, who had a son in the Czech army in Britain. This letter was labeled as “suspicious” and the ensuing action resulted. What happened to Lidice on June 10, 1942, shocked the entire world: the German government announced that it had destroyed the small village of Lidice, Czechoslovakia, killing every adult male and some 52 women. All surviving women and children were then deported to concentration camps, or if found suitable to be “Germanized,” sent to the greater Reich. The Nazis then proudly proclaimed that the village of Lidice, its residents, and its very name, were now forever blotted from memory. The village is today, a quiet town that lies adjacent to valleys and of meadows, with a few stone ruins of a farmhouse and church, and a striking bronze sculpture f
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After the Munich Agreement of September 1938, Hitler’s troops occupied the ethnic-German border regions of Bohemia and Moravia (the Sudetenland). Soon afterward, Hungary received territory in southern Slovakia and Ruthenia. Czechoslovakia ceased to exist in March 1939 when Hitler occupied the rest of the Czech lands, and the remaining part of Slovakia became a Nazi puppet state. Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia had tragic consequences for Lidice. In order to suppress the growing anti-Fascist resistance movement, security police chief SS Obergruppenfuhrer Reinherd Heydrich was appointed deputy Reichs-protektor in September 1941. During his short reign of terror, 5,000 anti-Fascist fighters and their helpers were imprisoned. The courts working under martial law were kept busy, and the Nazis even had people summarily executed without a trial in order to spread fear throughout the country. Many people throughout the Sudetenland died on the scaffold from Heydrich’s persecution, that he earned himself the nickname the “Hangman.” Edvard Beneš, leader of the Czechoslovak government-in-exile, together with František Moravec (head of Czechoslovak military intelligence), organized and coordinated a resistance network. Emil Hácha (third President of Czechoslovakia, 1938 to 1939), Prime Minister Eliáš (CzechosloEdvard Beneš vak general and politician and Prime Minister of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, April 27, 1939 to September 28, 1941), and the Czech resistance also acknowledged Beneš’ leadership.
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It was decided by Beneš and Moravec, together with other political and military leaders in Paris and London, that some action must be taken if they wanted to retain the leadership of the exiled movement under their control. That action was to be the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. Operation Anthropoid The most significant act of resistance was the assassination of SS Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, the Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, “The Butcher of Prague.” The mission codenamed Operation Anthropoid was to be carried out by seven Czech patriots - Adolf Opá lka, Josef Bublík, Jan Kubiš, Jaroslav Švarc, Jan Hrubý , Josef Valčík, and Josef Gabčík - who had trained with Polish forces in Britain. May 27, 1942 Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš were airlifted along with seven soldiers from Czechoslovakia’s army-in-exile. On May
Jan Kubis
Jozef Gabčík
27, 1942, Heydrich had planned to meet Hitler in Berlin. At 10:30 a.m., Heydrich proceeded on his daily commute from his home in Panenské Břežany to Prague Castle. Gabčík and Kubiš waited at the tram stop on the hair-pin curve - for which Heydrich’s car would have to slow - near Bulovka Hospital in Prague 8-Libeň. Gabčík tried to open fire, but his Sten gun jammed. Kubiš threw a modified anti-tank grenade at the vehicle, which severely
The village of Lidice - before and after Nazi destruction. wounded Heydrich. Heydrich was taken to Bulovka Hospital. He died eight days later from sepsis on June 4,1942. Soon after Heydrich’s death, Nazi reprisals began when an enraged Hitler ordered mass executions of the Czech populace. Thankfully for many Czech civilians, Hitler’s threat never materialized; however, Karl Hermann Frank, now Secretary of State for the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, reported from Berlin that the Führer had commanded the following concerning any village implicated in the Heydrich assassination: • Execute all adult males over the age of 15. • Immediately transport all women to concentration camps. • Place all children suitable for “Germanizing” with SS families in the Reich and raised as Germans. • Destroy the entire village and level the area. The sleepy village of Lidice had been targeted because the Gestapo in Kladno had intercepted a letter belonging to a local family by the name of Horák, who had a son in the Czech army in Britain. This letter was labeled as “suspicious” and the ensuing action resulted. Gestapo agents from Prague were joined in Kladno by two companies of police in battle-dress, and a squad of Security Police. The Security Police were under the command of SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Max Rostock, who would carry out the executions. In the early hours of the morning, trucks filled with Security Police rolled into the small town of Lidice in the Kladno district. All men of the village
were rounded up and taken to the farmstead of the Horák family on the edge of the village. Mattresses were taken from neighboring houses where they were stood up against the wall of the Horáks’ barn. Shooting of the men commenced at about 7 a.m. At first, the men shot in groups of five, but the SS commanders thought the executions were proceeding too slowly and ordered that 10 men be shot at a time.
Women and Children The women of Lidice were no more spared than the children of the village. Separated from their children, most were transported to Ravensbrück concentration camp, where 60 of them died. Many of the children were sent to Chełmno in today’s Poland, where they would be killed by exhaust fumes. Others were sent to Germany for re-education. The well-organized Gestapo first secured anything of value – the town’s meager funds, accounts, property records, livestock, agricultural machinery, and food. As the population was collected, they were relieved of their money, savings books, and jewelry. The communal registry was used to identify each citizen and their age. A total of 173 men were held on Horák’s farm, 11 who were working that night at the iron works, escaped immediate capture.
VĚSTNÍK The empty houses were methodically searched, and items of value loaded upon trucks – sewing machines, furniture, bicycles were all taken for the people of Lidice would have no further use for them. They plundered the village’s St. Martin church for its holy vessels. In the village, the dead were left lying where they fell, and the newly brought out soon-to-be victims had to first walk past them and stand in front of them. The firing squad always took two steps back, and the scene of horror repeated itself. The men were not blindfolded and were taken to the place of execution without bonds. This spectacle continued until there were 173 dead bodies lying in the Horák farm orchard. The next day, another 19 men who were working in a mine, along with seven women, were sent to Prague, where they were also shot. Any still-standing walls were blown up. Bulldozers flattened the ruins, uprooted the fruit-trees, and filled in the lake and even diverted the stream. Ploughs were driven back and forth across the acres of rubble so that no recognizable outline should remain.
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Lidice Memorial
Women of Lidice Memorial
Lidice, 1945 The re-establishment of the village began soon after the liberation of Czechoslovakia in May 1945.
Sculpture commemmorates the 82 children of Lidice, killed at Chełmno. , . , . , . , .
Memorial ceremony on the site of the village to honor Lidice victims. http://www.livingprague.com/lidice.htm www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=lidice http://www.timemoneyandblood.com/HTML/posters/british/lidice.ht ml http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/nazioccupation/heydrichkilling.html
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.” ~ Laurence Binyon
“The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their story for them.” ~ Czeslaw Milosz , . , . , . , .
Weeping Woman Memorial
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SPJST Fraternal Activities and Entertainment Post your lodge’s upcoming SPJST fraternal activities and entertainment dates and information here. These listings are free. The deadline for submitting information for the Fraternal Activities and Entertainment Guide is on the first and third Mondays of each month at 5 p.m., unless otherwise posted. Send updates to: VĚSTNÍK, c/o Editor Melanie Zavodny, P.O. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503. FAX to: 254-773-8087. Email to: vestnik@spjst.org. Advertising rates are $2 per column inch for lodge ads; $4 per column inch for non-profit organization ads; and $6 per column inch for commercial ads. For advertising information, please call the Editor at 800-727-7578 or email vestnik@spjst.org. LODGE 1, FAYETTEVILLE (1) Lodge Hall: 507 East Main Street, Fayetteville. Directions: Lodge hall is located on Hwy 159 East, 3 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, 6 p.m. at the hall. LODGE 4, HALLETTSVILLE (6) Sunday, July 12—Lodge meeting, 3 p.m. Sunday, August 16—Annual Family Day Lodge Meetings: Held every other month at 3 p.m. at Hallettsville Chamber of Commerce, 1614 North Texana Street, Hallettsville. For information/updates, call 361798-3347. LODGE 6, COTTONWOOD (3) Lodge Hall: 700 South Czech Hall Road, West. 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. Lodge hall is on the right about 1/2 mile down the road. Hall Rental Information: Peggy Dobecka 254-7170383 or Jeanette Beseda 254-717-7840. Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at the lodge hall. Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 1:30 p.m. at the hall. For information, contact Youth Leader Peggy Dobecka 254-717-0383; or dataped@sbcglobal.net.
LODGE 17, NEW TABOR (1) Lodge Hall: 2674 CR 225, Caldwell. Directions: From Caldwell, turn from Hwy 36 east onto FM 166. Proceed 2.1 miles then turn left on CR 225. Go 1 mile, veering to the right. Hall is on the right. Hall Rental Information: 979-272-3440. Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 3 p.m. at the hall. For information, call Youth Leader Holly Narro 979-218-4931. LODGE 18, ELGIN (2) Sunday, August 23—Mark Halata Lodge Hall: 702 Hwy 95 North, Elgin. Lodge 18 is a nonsmoking facility. Hall Rentals/Band Bookings: David Meyer 512-217-0162. Hall phone: 512-285-3100. Lodge Meetings: Third Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. at the hall. LODGE 20, GRANGER (2) Lodge Hall: 114 West Davilla, Granger. Hall Rental Information: Brenna Bohac 512-859-2584. Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the hall. A light meal is served before each meeting. All members are invited. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 1:30 p.m. at the hall. Call Youth Leader Brita Goodman for information 254-541-5344.
LODGE 8, WEIMAR (6) Lodge Meetings: Fourth Monday of February, May, August, and November at 6 p.m. at Oakridge Smokehouse Restaurant, Schulenburg. Dates are February 24, May 25, August 24, and November 23.
LODGE 23, MORAVIA (6) Lodge Hall: FM 957 North, Schulenburg. Located 12 miles south of Schulenburg, in Moravia. Directions: From Hwy 77 between Hallettsville and Schulenburg, take FM 532 West for 4 miles to Moravia. Turn right on FM 957 North; go 1 mile. Hall is on the right. Lodge Meetings: Tuesday after the second Sunday in March, June, and September, 7:30 p.m.; and the first Sunday of December, 3 p.m. at the hall.
LODGE 9, SNOOK (1) Lodge Hall: 457 CR 269, Snook. 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; hall is on the left. Hall Rental Information: 979272-3732. Lodge Meetings: First Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: First Wednesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at the hall. For information, call Youth Leader Loree Lewis 979-220-4733.
LODGE 24, CYCLONE (2) Lodge Hall: 411 FM 964, Cyclone. Directions: Hall is 12 miles east of Temple, past Zabcikville. Exit Hwy 53 at blinking light to FM 485; go 1 mile to FM 964. Hall Rental Information: Mark Maddux 254-721-1774; or Brenda Maddux 254-721-1682. Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month, 7 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at the hall. For information, call Kim Campbell 254-721-0586.
LODGE 13, DIME BOX (1) Lodge Hall: 1081 County Road 425, Dime Box. Directions: In Dime Box, turn left from FM 141 on CR 424. Go east on CR 425 for 3/10 mile; hall is on the left. Hall Rental Information: 979-884-1451; Hall Phone: 979-8841451. Lodge Meetings: Second Thursday of each month, 7 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 1 p.m. For information, contact Youth Leader Julie Schneider 512-269-8180.
LODGE 25, ENNIS (3) Lodge Hall: 1901 East Hwy 34, Ennis. Hall Rental Information: 972-875-8381. Mail: PO Box 129, Ennis, Texas 75120. Email: SPJSTennis@yahoo.com. Game Room: Open every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. Lodge Meetings: Second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the lodge dining room with supper at 6:30 p.m. followed by a complimentary social in the game room. Youth Club Meetings: For date, time, place, and more information, call Youth Leader Rita Holland 469-337-2284.
LODGE 15, BUCKHOLTS (2) Lodge Hall: 600 State Hwy 190/Hwy 36, Buckholts (historic hexagon-shaped building with a stone entrance.) Directions: Hall is located on Hwy 36, east of Buckholts, 1/4 mile east of downtown Buckholts. Hall Rental Information: 254-217-2863. Lodge Meetings: Held quarterly. For information, call 254-721-3902.
LODGE 28, EAST BERNARD (6) Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of March, June, September, and December at 12 noon at Wharton County Library - East Bernard Branch, 746 Clubside Drive, East Bernard.Call Secretary Helen Kelner 281-342-2624 for information.
Due to the global pandemic, please contact the lodge/district prior to attending any event due to possible schedule changes, postponement, or cancellation. LODGE 29, TAYLOR (2) • All Wednesday, Friday night dances - free admission • Old-fashioned hamburgers served Fridays, 6 to 9 p.m. Lodge Hall: 5025 FM 619, Taylor. Directions: In Taylor, at intersection of State Hwy 95 and US 79 Business (4th Street), turn east on Hwy 79. Proceed to FM 619, turn north (left) and go about .8 mile to the large, 2-story hall. Hall Rental Information/Hall Phone: 512-352-9139. Live Music: First and third Wednesday each month, free, 7 to 10 p.m.; Friday night dance, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. For information and meeting location, call Youth Leader Cristy Girod 512468-1347. LODGE 30, TAITON (6) Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 1:30 p.m. at Taiton Community Center, 14221 FM 961, El Campo. Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at Taiton Community Center, 14221 FM 961, El Campo. For information, call Youth Leader Lisa Bubela 979-543-7120. LODGE 32, VICTORIA (6) Lodge Meetings: Held the second Thursday of every other month - January, March, May, July, September, and November, 2019 at Victoria Mall Meeting Room, at 6:30 p.m. For information, contact Secretary Linda Mozisek 361-220-7725. LODGE 35, ELK (3) Lodge Hall: 9508 Elk Road, Axtell. Directions: From Interstate 35 in Waco, take Hwy 84 East exit. Stay on Hwy 84 East through Bellmead; go approximately 8 miles. On the right side of Hwy 84 will be a sign saying “Elk.” Take the Elk Road. Turn right on Elk Road; go approximately 1 mile; the road will dead end. Turn right at the dead end; go approximately 1/2 mile. Hall is on the left. Hall Rental Information: Gene Pavelka 254-749-3326. Hall Phone: 254-863-9320. Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. at the hall. Sales Agent: James (Dude) Mann 254-715-0275; mrdudemann@yahoo.com. LODGE 38, KOVAR (1) Lodge Hall: 278 Zimmerhanzel Road, Flatonia. Hall Rental Information: 512-237-9099/day; 830-8394353/night. Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at the hall. For information, call 512332-6758. LODGE 39, BRYAN (1) Lodge Hall: Cherry Bend Circle, Lot 12, Bryan. Directions: From Hwy 6, turn west on OSR. Go 2 miles to Mumford Road; turn left. Go 1.1 mile and turn left on Magnolia. Take the first right turn on Cherry Bend Circle. Hall (white building) is at the bend of the road. Lodge Meetings: Held quarterly - watch for date in Věstník, 1 p.m. at the hall. Lunch at 12:30 p.m. Meat, drinks, and serving items provided by the lodge. Please bring a dessert or side dish. For information, call President Wade O’Shields 979-218-3527; or FAC Ronnie Roesler 979-406-0158. LODGE 40, EL CAMPO-HILLJE (6) Lodge Hall: 30420 Loop 524 US Hwy 59, Hillje. Directions: Hall is just off US 59 in Hillje. Hall Rental Information: Cathy Garcia 979-332-1614; Hall Phone: 979-648-2317. Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 1 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: For meeting date, time, location, call Youth Leader Cathy Garcia 979-332-1614. LODGE 41, PORT LAVACA (6) Lodge Meetings: Third Tuesday of February, May, August, and November at 6 p.m. at Six Mile Volunteer Fire Department Meeting Room, Royal Road, Port Lavaca. For information, call lodge Secretary Mary Sitka 361552-5170 or email danmarysitka@yahoo.com.
LODGE 47, SEATON (2) Lodge Hall: 10842 State Hwy 53, Temple. Directions: Seaton Star Hall is 7 miles east of Temple on Hwy 53. Star Hall is a non-smoking facility. Hall Rental Information: Danny Stepan 254-760-7819; Hall Phone: 254-985-2548. Visit www.seatonstarhall.com. Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 1 p.m. at the hall.Call Youth Leader Amber Bartek for information 254-931-0295. LODGE 48, BEYERSVILLE (2) After the lodge hall suffered devastating damage due to a fire on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, construction on a new hall has begun. For information or questions, contact Lodge 48 President Robert Leshikar 512-635-3021. Lodge Hall: 10450 FM 619, Taylor. Directions: From Taylor, take the South Loop. Turn right on FM 112 and go about 0.8 mile. Turn right on FM 619; continue on FM 619 for approximately 4 miles. Hall is on the right. Hall Rental Information: 512-739-9324. Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of each month, 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month at 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For information, call Youth Leader Michelle Newsom 512-913-0226. LODGE 49, ROWENA (4) Lodge Hall: 706 FM 2133, Rowena. Hall Rental Information: 325-262-3377 - Butch Wood. Lodge Meetings: First Wednesday of February, May, August, and November at 6 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. at the hall. Call Youth Leader Becky Wood for information 325-656-0029. LODGE 51, ELLINGER (1) Lodge Meetings: Third Friday of March, June, September, and December, 6:30 p.m. at Ellinger Fire Department, West Main Street in Ellinger. For information, call Calvin Hlinsky 979-378-2364. LODGE 54, WEST (3) Lodge Meetings: First Friday in March, June, and November, and the second Friday in September at St. Joseph Hall, 303 South Harrison Street in West, 7 p.m. For information, call Freddie Kaluza 254-709-2303. LODGE 63, SWEET HOME (6) Lodge Meetings: Third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. For meeting location or information, call Lodge Secretary Ann Moseley 361-781-2644. LODGE 66, WACO (3) Lodge Meetings: Date, time, location TBA in the lodge’s monthly meeting minutes that appear in the Věstník. For information, call 254-799-4247. LODGE 67, SCHULENBURG (1) Lodge Meetings: Third or fourth Sunday of March, June, September, and December (Christmas) at Oakridge Smokehouse Restaurant in Schulenburg, 2 p.m. To confirm meeting date/s, call Ernest Kutac 979-561-7190. LODGE 73, SEYMOUR (4) Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 12 p.m. - unless otherwise noted. For meeting location, call Alice Orsak 940-889-2391. LODGE 76, WICHITA FALLS (4) Attention: Beginning in June, 2020, lodge meetings will begin at 12:30 p.m. Lodge Meetings: Sunday, June 7; Sunday, September 13; and Sunday, December 6. Meetings are at 12:30 p.m. at Luby’s Cafeteria, 1801 Ninth Street in Wichita Falls. For information, contact Dianna Ibarra 940-224-7383. LODGE 79, CORPUS CHRISTI (7) Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 1 p.m. at the Sokol Hall, 5502 Kostoryz Road, Corpus Christi. Meal served at 1 p.m.; meeting follows. Visitors welcome. Youth Club Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at Sokol Hall, 5502 Kostoryz Road, Corpus Christi. Call Youth Leader Marcia Rew for information 361-563-6779.
VĚSTNÍK
Monday, June 8, 2020
LODGE 80, HOLLAND (2) Lodge Hall: 12141 East FM 2268, Holland. Directions: On Hwy 95, south of Holland, turn east on FM 2268. Go 1/2 mile to hall, which is on the right. Hall Phone: 254-657-2485. Bingo: Every Thursday, 7 p.m. Permit No. SP12371416574; AL17460607355. Lodge Meetings: Held bi-monthly. Watch the Věstník for dates/times. Board of Directors’ Meetings: Watch the Věstník for dates/times. Youth Club Meetings: Second Wednesday of each month at the hall, 6 p.m. Call Youth Leader Kelly Taisler 254-913-3309 for location, information.
LODGE 130, DALLAS (3) Lodge Meetings: For monthly meeting date, time, and location, contact President/Sales Agent John Vrla 214-9063385 or email jvrla@cebridge.net.
LODGE 81, NEEDVILLE (5) Lodge Hall: 13609 Hwy 36, Needville. Directions: Hall is located at the corner of Hwy 36 and FM 361, one mile from the traffic light in Needville. Hall Manager/Bookings: Dan Natho 979-618-1426. Hall Phone: 361-793-4742. Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 1 p.m.; meal at 12 noon at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: Contact Youth Leader Madeline Gadway 979-900-9566; or madeline.gadway@gmail.com.
LODGE 135, ENNIS (3) Lodge Meetings: Third Thursday of January, April, July, and October, 7 p.m. at Sokol Hall, 2622 East Hwy 34, Ennis. Directions: From IH-35 East at Waxahachie, take Hwy 287 East exit. Stay Hwy 287 on until you come to Ennis. Go straight through downtown Ennis and under the overpass at IH-45. Then go approximately 1 3/4 miles on Hwy 34. Sokol Hall is on the left.
LODGE 84, DALLAS (3) Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. Meeting location will be posted in the Věstník. Youth Club Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. - unless otherwise announced in the Věstník. Contact Youth Leader Lynda Novak 972-948-4456. LODGE 87, TEMPLE (2) Lodge Hall: 320 North 50th Street, Temple. Directions: From East Adams Avenue, turn north onto 50th Street; go 2/10 mile. Hall is on the left. Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at the hall. For information, call 254773-2363. LODGE 88, HOUSTON (5) Lodge Hall: 1435 Beall Street at West 15th, Houston (the Heights). Directions: Hwy 290—Take Mangum Dacoma exit; stay on frontage road. At third traffic light, turn left onto 18th Street. Go under freeway at third traffic light, turn on Beall Street. Hall is on the right. Hall Phone/Rental Information: Call 713-869-5767; or visit www.lodge88.org. Dances are held 8 to 11:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. For more information, call 713-869-5767, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Beer, set-ups, soda, and ice sold at bar. Please do not bring from outside. *Dress Code dances: evening attire for ladies and gentlemen. *Introductory pricing. Bingo: Every Thursday evening; games start at 7 p.m. License No. 17407503501. Lodge Meetings: Third Monday, 7 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: Starting January 2020, Lodge 88 Youth Club meetings will be held on the second Sunday of the month at the lodge. hall. For information, call Youth Leader Vanessa Guerrero 281-745-1697. LODGE 91, SAN JACINTO (5) Lodge Meetings: Quarterly meetings - TBA in the Věstník. For information, contact Lodge Secretary Vonda Smesny 832-694-8762. LODGE 92, FORT WORTH (3) Lodge Hall: 3316 Roberts Cut Off Road, Fort Worth 76114. Directions: From IH-35 West in Fort Worth, take IH-30 West to the Henderson exit. Take Henderson North; it becomes Jacksboro Hwy (TX 199). Stay on this road north until Roberts Cut Off, which is a right off of Jacksboro Hwy. Hall - also known as National Hall - is on the right about 2 or 3 blocks down the road. Great Western Inn Motel is on the corner. Hall Event/Rental Information: Call National Hall Events Manager Jon Durham 817-624-1361. Visit Lodge 92 website www.nationalhallfortworth.com. Ladies Circle: Meets the second Tuesday of each month. Randy and the 92nd Road House Band plays every first Sunday. Dressy casual. Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at the hall - unless otherwise noted. LODGE 97, PLACEDO (6) Lodge Meetings: Monday, March 2; Monday, June 1; Monday, September 14 in the Community Room at Victoria Mall, 6 p.m. For information, call Secretary Judy Bellanger 361-576-2935. LODGE 107, FLORESVILLE (7) Lodge Hall: 1156 FM 1303, Floresville. Directions: From Floresville, take FM 536 West for 3 miles to FM 1303; turn right and go 2 miles. Hall is on the right. Hall Rental Information: 830-393-7796. Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 3 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: For meeting date/time/location, contact Youth Leader Lian Lynn 830-480-2737. LODGE 117, ROBSTOWN (7) Lodge Meetings: First Saturday of March, June, September, and December, 1:30 p.m. at Hilltop Community Center, 11425 Leopard, Corpus Christi.
LODGE 133, SAN ANTONIO (7) Lodge Meetings: Quarterly meetings are held in March, July, October, and December at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Activity Center, 1630 Goliad Road, San Antonio. For information, contact President Jarolyn Popp 830-9645135.
LODGE 139, DANBURY (5) Lodge Meetings: Held quarterly - the second Sunday of March, June, September, and December at Main Street Steakhouse, 1802 Main Street in Danbury. Meeting at 12 noon, luncheon follows. For information, call Lonnie 979922-1553. LODGE 141, SEALY (1) Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of every other month February, April, June, August, October, and December at 6 p.m. at Gordon Memorial Library, 917 North Circle Drive, Sealy. For information, contact Secretary Bernice Stolarski 979-885-6786. LODGE 142, HOUSTON (5) Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month except in December which is the second Sunday at 2 p.m. - unless otherwise noted; meal served at 1 p.m. Meetings are held at SPJST Lodge 88, Houston, 1435 Beall Street at West 15th, Houston (the Heights) in the annex building - unless otherwise noted. For information, contact Lodge142 President Dennis Hermis 713-826-2981; or Secretary Elizabeth Hermis 281-787-8717. Youth Club Meetings: Held the same date, time, and location as the adult lodge meetings - unless otherwise noted. For information, call Youth Leader Amanda Muzny 713-560-5377. LODGE 148, EL MATON (6) Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 3 p.m. at Frank Hahn’s Camphouse in El Maton. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month following the adult lodge meeting at Frank Hahn’s Camphouse in El Maton. Call Youth Leader Melissa Zielonka for information 979618-1890. LODGE 151, WHARTON (6) Lodge Meetings: Second Monday of March, June, September, and December, 6:30 p.m. at Wharton Depot Museum, 100 South Sunset Street, Wharton. For information, call 979-532-5884. LODGE 154, FORT WORTH (3) Lodge Hall: 6500 Boat Club Road, Fort Worth. Directions: From IH-35 West in Fort Worth, take IH-20 West exit. Stay on IH-20 West until you come to 820; stay on 820 until you come to Jacksboro Hwy and Azle Street exit. Take Azle Street exit; go to the traffic light. Turn left at the traffic light. Go to the second traffic light then turn right onto Boat Club Road. Go approx. 2 1/2 miles. Hall is on the right. Hall Phone: 817-237-5181. Lodge Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 3:30 p.m. at the hall. For information, call 817731-2580. Youth Club Meetings: Third Sunday of each month, 5 p.m. at the hall. Contact Youth Leaders CarrieAnn Jones 817-371-1727, carrieannjones@att.net; or Appa Burcie 817-614-2967, abburcie2015@gmail.com for information. LODGE 155, AUSTIN (2) Lodge Meetings: For dates time, and location of quarterly meetings, call Secretary Ginny Prasatik 512-472-1721. LODGE 157, LUBBOCK (4) Lodge Meetings: Last Sunday of every other month of March, June, and September; then December - the first Sunday at 2:30 p.m. For meeting location, contact Secretary Cynthia Kristinek - phone 806-763-7245; or email cyndynjerome@gmail.com. LODGE 160, SAN ANGELO (4) Lodge Meetings: Third Wednesday of February, May, and August; and the November meeting is held the third Sunday. Watch the Věstník for meeting time/location. For information, contact President Sandra Jansa 325-651-8045; or sandra.jansa@hotmail.com. Youth Club Meetings: For date, time, location, call Youth Leader Ryan Jansa 325-234-5879.
LODGE 162, IOWA COLONY (5) Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at Iowa Colony Community Center, 12003 CR 65, Iowa Colony. For information, contact President Betty Crawford 713-594-5049. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at Iowa Colony Community Center. For information, call Youth Leader Brenda Moyle 713-3031471. LODGE 169, BRENHAM (1) Lodge Meetings: Fourth Thursday in February, April, June, August, October, 6:30 p.m. at Texas Seafood and Steakhouse, 2209 South Market Street, Brenham. (December meeting/social information will be announced at a later date.) Lodge Information: Call Stephen Bliznak 979-2514150; or Lenora Bliznak 979-277-8845. LODGE 172, PASADENA (5) Lodge Hall: 3609 Preston Road, Pasadena. Lodge Meetings: Fourth Sunday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at the lodge hall, 3609 Preston Avenue, in Pasadena. November and December meetings will be held on the third Sunday. For information, contact Jo 346-317-4412; or Helen 713920-7172 LODGE 177, ACADEMY (2) Lodge Hall: 711 Rio Poco, Little River-Academy. Directions: Hall is on the south side of Academy, just off Hwy 95, on the right. Hall Phone: 254-982-4434. Please leave a message with questions. Bingo: Every Tuesday and Friday at 7 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Kitchen is open. Board of Trustees/Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of January, March, May, July, September, and November - Board Meeting, 6:15 p.m. Regular lodge meeting, 6:30 p.m. LODGE 179, WARRENTON (1) Lodge Meetings: Second Thursday of each month, 11 a.m. Location will be announced in the Věstník prior to the meeting each month. For information, contact Ricky Weyand 979-966-7138. LODGE 180, BURLESON (3) Lodge Meetings: First Tuesday of each month at the Burleson Police Department Building - Community Room, 1161 S.W. Wilshire Boulevard, Burleson at 6 p.m. For information, call 817-905-2097 or 972-268-0022. LODGE 182, FALLS COUNTY (2) Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. at The Chicken Place, 504 Bridge Street, Marlin. Youth Club Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 3 p.m. at The Chicken Place, 504 Bridge Street, Marlin. For information, contact Youth Leader Becky Beckendorf 254-749-5732. LODGE 183, ARLINGTON (3) Lodge Hall: 3100 Pleasant Valley Lane, Arlington. Directions: Take IH-35 West to Fort Worth. Take IH-20 East exit and proceed on IH-20 East until you come to Cooper Street exit. Take Cooper Street exit to the North. Stay on Cooper Street until you come to Mayfield Street. Turn right on Mayfield; go down and turn left on Pleasant Valley Lane. Hall Rental Information/Hall Phone: 682-800-3485. Game Nights are every Tuesday and Thursday, 7 p.m. and every Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Permit No. 17516910506. Lodge Meetings/Family Nights: Third Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. at the hall. LODGE 184, MOULTON (6) Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of February, May, August, and November, 7 p.m. at Moulton VFD building in the meeting room. RSVP to Elmer Michna at 361-772-3876 or Johnnie Hoffman at 361-772-5049. Please RSVP by Thursday of the week prior to the meeting. LODGE 185, NEW BRAUNFELS (7) Lodge Meetings: Every other month - February, April, June, August, October, and December. Call for meeting date, time, and location. Youth Club Meetings: Fourth Sunday of each month, 2 p.m. (subject to change). Call Youth Leader Jessica McCoy for information 979-777-8215. LODGE 186, CALDWELL (1) Lodge Hall: 937 State Hwy 36, Caldwell. Directions: Hall is just off Hwy 36 on the south side of Caldwell, next to Burleson County Fairgrounds. Hall Rental Information: 979567-4264. Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at the hall. Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of each month, 2:30 p.m. at the hall. Call Youth Leader Yolanda Brinkman for information 979-567-0637. LODGE 187, ROUND ROCK (2) Lodge Hall: 920 Luther Peterson Place, Round Rock. Directions: From Taylor, take Hwy 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 four-way 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
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third street is Sunrise. Turn right onto Sunrise. The second street to the right will be Luther Peterson Boulevard. Hall Rental Information: 512-255-1554; or 512-771-4948. Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, beginning at 2 p.m. at the hall, followed by entertainment and potluck meal. LODGE 189, BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION (1) Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of March, June, September, and December, 2 p.m. at (unless otherwise noted) C and J Barbecue, 1010 South Texas Avenue in Bryan. LODGE 191, LUFKIN (5) Lodge Hall: 197 Hughes Road, Lufkin. Hall Rental Information/Dance Reservations: George Scogin 936-8752867. Regular Dances: Third Friday night of each month, 7 to 10 p.m. Please bring finger foods for the snack table. Lodge Meetings: Monday night before the Friday dance of the month, 7 p.m. at the hall. LODGE 196, HOUSTON-WEST (5) Lodge Hall: 17810 Huffmeister Road, Cypress. Directions: Off Hwy 290 West at Skinner. Hall Phone: 281-373-9482; email spjstlodge196@gmail.com. Lodge Meetings: First Sunday of each month. Potluck social at 1 p.m.; meeting begins at 2 p.m. - unless otherwise noted. For information, call Cadance Wager 713-515-2835. LODGE 200, BRUCEVILLE-EDDY (2) Lodge Meetings: First Wednesday of each month on even months - February, April, June, August, October, and December, 6:30 p.m. at Taylor Hall, 100 4th Street, Eddy. For information, contact President Allen Trigg, Sr. 254-6245152. LODGE 201 BLEIBLERVILLE-NELSONVILLE (1) Lodge Hall: 3948 FM 2502, Bleiblerville. Directions: Hall is across the street from the post office in Bleiblerville. Lodge Meetings: Second Sunday of each month, 3 p.m. at the hall. For information, call Jenell 979-357-2181. LODGE 202, JOURDANTON (7) Adult Lodge Meetings: Held quarterly, the first Sunday of March and June at 1 p.m.; and the second Sunday of September and December at 1 p.m. A meal will be served at each meeting. Meetings are at Jourdanton Community Center, 1101 Campbell Avenue, Jourdanton. For information, contact Secretary Bettie House 830-281-8246. Youth Club Meetings: First Sunday of every month at 1:15 p.m. except in September and December, meetings are held on the second Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. at Jourdanton Community Center, 1101 Campbell Avenue, Jourdanton. For information, contact Youth Leader Regina House 830-570-2046. LODGE 207, IOWA PARK (4) Lodge Meetings: Third Thursday of each month, 6 p.m. For meeting location, call Secretary Joyce Kotulek 940-8550882. LODGE 215, SOUTH PLAINS (4) Lodge Meetings: First Saturday of each month, 6 p.m. at 631 Lockwood Street in Tahoka. For information, contact Secretary Pam Lehmann 806-535-8356. Youth Club Meetings: First Saturday of each month, 6 p.m. at 631 Lockwood Street in Tahoka. For information, contact Youth Leader Janeece Williams 806-632-5239. LODGE 219, EL PASO (4) Lodge Meetings: Second Wednesday of March, April, and May at 6 p.m. at Puerto Vallarta Grill, 1611 Montana Avenue, El Paso. For questions, call President Aracely Quiz 915-999-2062. LODGE 229, ABILENE (4) Lodge Meetings: Second Tuesday of February, May, August, and November at 6 p.m. For meeting location information, contact Secretary Tammy Copeland 325-333-4089. LODGE 232, HOUSTON MIDTOWN (5) Lodge Meetings: Held the third Tuesday of every other month in January, March, May, July, September, and November, 6:30 p.m. at Czech Center Museum Houston, 4920 San Jacinto, Houston. For information, contact Secretary Catherine Anderson 713-726-1928.
LODGE 246, MORGAN’S POINT (2) Lodge Meetings: Unless otherwise announced, second Tuesday of January, March, May, July, September, and November, 11:30 a.m. For meeting location, call President Ingrid Petrik 254-760-1831 or Secretary Melanie Zavodny 254-534-0807. LODGE 258, SEGUIN (7) Lodge Meetings: For meeting date, location, and time, contact President Chester Jenke 210-413-3053 or Treasurer Colleen Jenke 210-215-9494. —SPJST—
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