8 minute read
Youth Section
from Vestnik 2021.09.27
by SPJST
09/22/2021
SPJST Youth 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: SPJST Věstník Editor Melanie Zavodny P.O. Box 100 Temple, Texas 76503 Fax: 254-773-8087 Email: vestnik@spjst.org Online: spjst.org/news/submitarticle-photo 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), State Fraternal Director at 800-727-7578, or visit www.spjst.org.
State Fraternal Director shares October updates
Fall 2021 is Upon Us
Leaves are beginning to fall, and the mornings are becoming cooler. I love fall and the changing of the season. I know that everyone is now venturing out more — with school, sporting events, and meetings. I am glad to hear that some of our youth clubs are meeting again. I look forward to getting out again and visiting with you at your meetings. Please, make sure to play it safe when you have your meetings.
Welcome Back, District Two Youth Counselor Patsy Koslovsky!
It is with great happiness that we welcome back Patsy Koslovsky as our District Two Youth Counselor (DYC). We love you, Patsy, and have missed you over the past year. I also want to welcome Assistant DYC Amber Bartek. We are so glad to have you back with us. I look forward to working with Patsy and Amber. If you see them, please let them know how good it is to have them back with us.
Lodge 49, Rowena Family Loves Football
The Wood family from Lodge 49, Rowena is in full swing with football this season! Tanner (junior) is playing Friday night varsity football for the Miles Bulldogs. Hunter (sophomore) is playing Thursday nights junior varsity football for the Miles Bulldogs. Cotton (fifth grade) is playing Saturday’s flag football. This is a football-loving family! The newest addition to the family, Blake, came to support his uncle in this past Friday’s game. Go, Bulldogs!
2021 Youth Theme Contest “Saddle Up with SPJST”
On Monday, August 30, I met virtually with our seven DYCs to decide on a youth theme for 2022. This will be the design for the 2022 camp tee-shirt and our SPJST Youth Club Handbook. Entries must be postmarked or emailed by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday , October 31. You will find the rules and entry form on our SPJST Youth Program Facebook page and at spjst.org.
Vestnik Project
The October Vestnik Project focuses on District Seven Youth Counselor April Howard. SPJST youth members and leaders will get to know April when she was a youngster and what her interests were while growing up.
Vestnik Projects are to be completed and submitted online. If you receive the Vestnik by U.S. mail, you will need to scan the QR code to be directed to the online Vestnik Project. If you receive your Vestnik by email, click on the link under the QR code to direct you to the project. All 2021 Vestnik Projects will be accessible on the www.spjst.org webpage under the Youth Program tab.
State Royalty Appearance at Westfest
I want to thank State King Caleb See, Duke Zane Lauderdale, State Queen Megan Ohnheiser, and Duchess Lilyanna Haag-Howard and their parents for joining us at Westfest. Our youth ambassadors represented SPJST very well during the morning parade, their appearance at the booth sponsored by SPJST and Slovacek’s at the Sefcik Amphitheater, and Westfest opening ceremony and introductions.
The booth was a collaboration between SPJST and Slovacek’s selling Czech Christmas ornaments. The raised proceeds benefited the Czech Moravian Benevolence Fund and will go to several villages in the southeastern Moravian region due to the tornado which caused damage in the area. SPJST Youth Meetings, Play It Safe
As long as the coronavirus continues to spread and impact lives, please review the tips below and incorporate them in your face-to-face youth club meetings.
Precautions to consider include actions to prevent transmission between people, and where to hold the meeting, and how it can be modified to make a safer environment.
Meeting organizers are requested to provide all necessary supplies – masks, hand hygiene stations, hand sanitizer or soap and water, tissues, and distance markers. Meeting online or teleconferencing remains an option that should be considered or when precautions cannot be effectively implemented or adequately communicated.
Christmas Ornament Contest
Please know that your District Christmas Ornament Contest will be in person this year and not virtual. Here is a listing of districts and when the contests will be happening: District One—Sunday, October 24
Lodge 17, New Tabor District Two—Sunday, October 24
Lodge 47, Seaton District Three—Sunday, October 17
Sokol Dallas (Czech Heritage Day) District Four—TBA District Five—Saturday, October 9
Lodge 88, Houston (Czech Fest) District Six—TBA District Seven—Sunday, November 14
Lodge 107, Floresville
Dates for 2022 Camp Sessions
Please mark your calendars for these camp dates:
LIT Camp
Wednesday, June 22 to Sunday, June 26
Junior Camp Session One
Wednesday, July 6 to Sunday, July 10
Junior Camp Session Two Wednesday, July 13 to Sunday, July 17
District One Youth Participate in Burleson County Fair Parade Saturday, September 18, 2021 • Caldwell, Texas
District One youth from Lodges 9, Snook; 17, New Tabor; and 186, Caldwell participated in the Burleson County Fair Parade on Saturday, September 18, 2021, in Caldwell, Texas. They rode the SPJST Float. State/District One King Caleb See and State/District One Duke Zane Lauderdale, both of Lodge 9, Snook, and District One Queen/First Runner-Up State Queen Macy Narro and District One Duchess/First Runner-Up State Duchess Brylee Chmelar, both of Lodge 17, New Tabor, were driven in a Corvette by District One Director Donnie Victorick.
Youth SPJST Scholarship Applications Available Online November 1
The SPJST scholarship applications will be available online starting November 1. If you have a 2022 graduating high school senior in your lodge, please let them know they are eligible to apply for an SPJST scholarship. Also, full-time undergraduates who have not received an SPJST Scholarship may apply for the General Scholarship. Fraternally, Frank Horak State Fraternal Director —SPJST—
I attended the annual Caldwell Kolache Festival. I watched the beseda dancers and really liked the music. I want to learn the beseda when I get older. My favorite kolache is the cream cheese! I really like the dough! I enjoyed the day with my grandmas and liked seeing everyone there. Thanks! Marley Kocurek, age 7 —SPJST—
Lodge 47, Seaton youth ready for Halloween
Dear Vestnik Readers,
School has been fun so far. I really really like school. I got new glasses for school. They are green. I am playing soccer. Our first game is Saturday. Soccer is fun.
This year, I made my first kolaches. I like baking kolaches because I am good at rolling the dough. I learned to roll the dough at a kolache baking demonstration in Caldwell. I watched the guy make kolaches by rolling out the dough and making the fillings. I want to try to make chocolate filling for kolaches. I placed first with my peach kolaches this year at the baking contest in Caldwell. I was very excited! I got to see all of my SPJST friends at the Kolache Festival in Caldwell. We danced the beseda. I like dancing the beseda because it is fun, and I can show it to other people. —Bailen Kocurek, age 10
Halloween is coming up. I cannot wait. For Halloween, I want to be something scary. I went to the Halloween store and saw all kinds of scary stuff. Halloween is fun. I cannot wait to get all the candy. It is only September. Halloween is in 47 days. It is taking forever. Fraternally, Andrew Ordogne, age 6 —SPJST—
Lodge 49, Rowena youth loves teachers
Lodge 49, Rowena youth: football off to a rough start
Dear SPJST,
Football is starting off to a rough start. We have been changing offense and defense each week to see what is going to work best for us. I’m now a running back and liking it some. We will see how this week goes. Tanner Wood, age 16 —SPJST— Dear SPJST,
I’m fixing to have my first game of flag football. I can’t wait! I’m a running back and a safety on defense. School is okay, and I love my new teachers. They are awesome! Cotton Wood, age 11 —SPJST—
Lodge 49, Rowena youth wins barbecue award
Dear SPJST,
This past weekend, we had Cotton Festival here in Miles, and my barbecue team got third place in ribs. That is pretty awesome because there were more than 80 teams. We had a good time. The best was that I got to see my new nephew. Hunter Wood, age 15 —SPJST—
Lodge 81, Needville youth: We made it through the hurricane
We made it through the hurricane - only limbs were down. We spent the morning picking all the pecans that fell from the winds. I am going to help Momma make a pecan pie for our meeting next Sunday.
