ˇ ´ VESTNIK S P J S T Benevolence
Volume 93 Number 8
★
H E R A L D
Humanity
★
Brotherhood
February 23, 2005
ISSN —07458800
Inside
TACC Head to Address SPJST Awards Banquet this Saturday in Killeen
Winter Sales Representative Classes Page 4-5
Lodge 79 Member Celebrates 90th Birthday Page 7 Lodge 25 Youth Ennis Idol Winner Page 16
Lodges 17, 48, 186 Youth Club Activities Page 16, 18
Family Fun Dates ..........4 Interest Rates.................2 Lodge Letters ................6 In Memoriam................14 Youth.............................16 Design a Czech Kroj Vest Contest......19 Czech Culture..............20 Activities Calendar......22
Tommy Engelke, executive vice president of the Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council (TACC), will address SPJST leaders attending the 12th Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 26 at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center. TACC is a statewide trade association made up of agricultural, electric, and telephone cooperatives as well as water supply corporations and farm credit institutions. Mr. Engelke is past president of the Professional Agricultural Workers of America and is a recognized facilitator of long-range business planning exercises for civic groups and agribusiness firms. Building upon his professional experience as a manager, lobbyist and communicator, Mr. Engelke has established a reputation as a knowledgeable and entertaining presenter. A 1975 agronomy and 1976 masters of agriculture graduate in agricultural development,
both from Texas A&M Univ e r s i t y, M r . Engelke was born and raised on a 600acre crop and lives t o c k farm near the south Tommy Engelke central Te x a s town of Kingsbury, approximately 45 miles east of San Antonio. He began his career by working with the Soil Conservation Service in Seguin and Gonzales. Later, he joined the Rice Council for Market Development in Houston. In 1977, he began a 12-year stint with the Texas Farm Credit System. In this role, he was responsible for communications, public affairs and marketing. Mr. Engelke is known for his charisma and passionate energy that he brings to his work and to his presentations.
SPJST to announce 2004 State Fraternalist of the Year at Awards Banquet Since 1987, SPJST has honored its outstanding statewide fraternalists—members who have demonstrated exceptional service to the lodge and community. Local lodge fraternalists are then consid- SPJST Proudly the ered for Salutes 2004 Fraternalists s t a t e w i d e of the Year recognition. The applications are reviewed and a decision is made by an outside selection committee. The 2004 SPJST State Fraternalist of PHILIP JAMES VAHALIK Lodge 4 Hallettsville
GEORGIE SOUKUP Lodge 6 Cottonwood
HENRIETTA M. VESELKA Lodge 8 Weimar
SHARON KOVAR Lodge 9 Snook
JOHNNY VRABEL Lodge 18 Elgin
DORIS J. BELL Lodge 20 Granger
HAROLD VANICEK Lodge 24 Cyclone
KAY LYNN KOVAR Lodge 25 Ennis
MARY ANN DENKELER Lodge 26 Skidmore
ANTON J. (TONY) KELNER Lodge 28 East Bernard
YVONNE MARCAURELE Lodge 30 Taiton
MARY RASKA Lodge 32 Victoria
ARDIS ANN BACAK Lodge 40 El Campo-Hillje
BETH RABROKER Lodge 47 Seaton
MAYNARD SCHWERTNER Lodge 49 Rowena
JANICE MARIE KALUZA Lodge 54 West
DEBBIE GALLER Lodge 66 Waco
MARY ANN COOK Lodge 76 Wichita Falls
the Year and four honorable mentions will be announced at the SPJST Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 26 in Killeen. Photographs of the 2004 SPJST Local Lodge Fraternalists of the Year appears in this week’s centerspread, on pages 12 and 13. A listing of the dedicated members who have earned the S t a t e Fraternalist of the Year distinction appears on page 3.
HELEN PAVELKA Lodge 79 Corpus Christi
BARBARA TAISLER Lodge 80 Holland
JAMES LISKA Lodge 84 Dallas
BERTHA M. CAPPS Lodge 87 Temple
DOROTHY PFLUGHAUPT Lodge 88 Houston
JOE KOZEL Lodge 92 Fort Worth
CLARA BELL AHRENS Lodge 93 Hobson
JOSEPH C. SPACEK, SR. Lodge 106 La Grange
VICKI REESE Lodge 133 San Antonio
GEROMA JEAN MOTL Lodge 155 Austin
CHARLENE DUSEK Lodge 160 San Angelo
RUBY SKRABANEK Lodge 172 Pasadena
GWEN PUTMAN WALSH Lodge 178 Longview
ERNEST B. KELLY, JR. Lodge 180 Burleson
MARGALENE HAAS Lodge 187 Round Rock
MARVIN SCHULZ Lodge 196 Houston-West
BETTIE V. HOUSE Lodge 202 Jourdanton
GRACIE KNESCHK Lodge 204 Stephenville
LETA S. CROSS Lodge 229 Abilene
GINGER GREGER Lodge 246 Morgan’s Point
As a testament to his ongoing support of youth achievement, he has twice served as chairman of the Past State FFA Officers Alumni Chapter. Mr. Engelke says that he holds the world’s second best job anyone could ever want. His first love is returning to his parents’ farm and helping whenever and wherever possible. He and his wife, Audrey, and daughter Joanna and son Clayton live in Austin. This year’s SPJST Awards Banquet will include a presentation on Challenge 2005—
SPJST’s new membership campaign and what’s in it for you and your lodge. Awards will be presented to lodges, sales representatives, and youth clubs across the state. Dinner will be served, and several cash drawings will conclude the day’s activities. The new 64,000 squarefoot Killeen Civic and Conference Center is located at 3601 South WS Young Drive in Killeen. Registration begins at 12 noon, and program commences at 1 p.m. —SPJST—
SPJST Supreme Lodge elects 2005 Chairman, Vice Chairman District One Director Donnie Victorick of Snook was elected SPJST Supreme Lodge Chairman for 2005. District S i x Chairman Director Victorick Michael Ahlstrom was elected Supreme Lodge Vice Chairman for the same term, during the Supreme Lodge Meeting, held January 18-20 at the SPJST Home Office in Temple. Chairman Victorick is a lifetime member of SPJST. He is an active member of Lodge 9, Snook where he serves as treasurer. Brother Victorick served as District One President for 16 years, and he has been District One Director since 1999. He served as Convention Chairman at the 2004 SPJST
Convention. He and his wife, Janice, have two child r e n , daughter, Melissa Brown of Pearland and son, Ashley of Houston. Brother Vice Chairman Victorick Ahlstrom says, “I look forward to serving as Supreme Lodge Chairman, and I especially look forward to working with all of the Supreme Lodge Officers and Directors in making SPJST the best fraternal organization possible.” Vice Chairman Ahlstrom is the District Six Director and a member of Lodge 32, Victoria. He and his wife, Kathy, have two daughters, Shanna Starkey of Austin and Sheryl Goodson of Denton, and three grandchildren. —SPJST—