VĚSTNÍK
Monday, November 22, 2021
October—District Youth Counselors’ strategic planning meeting at Camp Kubena; Czech Heritage Festival in La Grange. Commentary The world is very different now, but we have made a lot of progress toward the challenges of maintaining over 124 years of the ideals, missions, and goals of SPJST. This has been a good meeting, and we are making a difference each and every time we meet. Congratulations and thank you to the Home Office Staff on their many years of service. Your passion for what you do is evident in all that you do for the members of SPJST. You are appreciated! Fraternally, Annie Vahalik District Six Director •••
District Seven Director Regina House Activity Report July—Supreme Lodge meeting in Temple; District Seven meeting in Jourdanton; District Seven delegates’ meeting in Jourdanton; State Youth Achievement Day (tabulator) in Temple. August—Virtual AQS Insurance Symposium; Lodge 107, Floresville meeting; virtual orientation meeting with convention secretaries; assisted with convention registration in Killeen; SPJST Convention in Killeen; virtual meeting with President/CEO Vanicek and Board of Directors. September—Rockport Volunteer Fire Department check presentation from SPJST Foundation; special called Board of Directors’ virtual meeting on annuities; Lodge 202, Jourdanton meeting; Lodge 79, Corpus Christi meeting; Lodge 258, Seguin meeting. October—Lodge 107, Floresville meeting; District Youth Counselors’ meeting at Camp Kubena. Commentary I want to thank my fellow board members for such a smooth transition into the new format of the first meeting of the Executive Committee. We had a lot of important decisions to make and we were able to make them in a very productive manner. I am extremely proud of the staff members that received their service awards at the meeting. What an honor it is to be among so many years of experience and so many dedicated individuals. I am also grateful to Rob Clift and his staff at Camp Kubena for the amazing job they are doing to make our camp the best it can be! I am also looking forward to serving with some of my fellow board members and the DYC’s on the Youth Program Charter Committee. Great things are headed our way! Fraternally, Regina House District Seven Director —SPJST—
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From the SPJST State Fraternal Director State Fraternal Director shares December updates
please know that you may contact Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny at melaniez@spjst.com for additional information.
SPJST Scholarship Applications Available Online Great news! You can find the new SPJST Scholarship Application by clicking on this link https://spjst.org/scholarships/. The application will be completed and submitted on-line. Here is a list of items to have available prior to starting the application: expected date of high school graduation; names of three personal references and their email addresses and phone numbers; a copy of your high school transcript that has been signed and/or stamped by a school official; a copy of your SAT or ACT scores; and a headshot photograph. Please look on-line for the scholarship application guidelines to help you complete all sections of the application. 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 scholarship. Completed scholarship applications must be submitted on-line no later than February 1, 2022. Again, all applications will be submitted on-line. A receipt of application will be emailed to you upon successful submission. For any additional scholarship questions, please contact Sandra Dubcak at 254-773-1575, ext. 127 or by email sandrad@spjst.com.
2022 Lodge Refund Requires Timely Response SPJST’s longstanding Premium Refund Program compensates lodges on the basis of the premium income generated by the lodge and a demonstrated commitment to achieving basic fraternal engagement and reporting requirements. The formula that is used for calculating your lodge’s premium refund for 2022 will be $1 for each paid-up certificate; and 1.25 percent of your lodge’s annual earned premium. As such, there is no maximum amount that any lodge can receive. This premium refund will be automatically deposited in February in the account that your lodge has on file with the SPJST Controller. In the event that the lodge has changed banking institutions, please notify the office of the Controller with the correct account information. In order for the lodge to receive its premium refund for the current year, the following guidelines will apply:
100 Pennies Scholarship Fund Drive Everyone spread the word! October 1 started the SPJST 100 Pennies Scholarship Fund Drive to benefit the scholarship fund. Through your generous donations, SPJST has been able to continue to provide scholarships to members who wish to further their education. Donations of any amount will be accepted and added to the general scholarship fund that is maintained by the Home Office. No amount is too small or too large. The 100 Pennies Scholarship Fund Drive will run through March 31, 2022. SPJST Meetings: Play It Safe Even though the Corona virus continues to be a part of our lives, we are asking lodges to have more faceto-face adult lodge meetings and youth club meetings. Please review the tips below and incorporate them in your face-to-face adult lodge meetings and youth club meetings. Precautions to consider include actions to prevent transmission between people, 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 on-line or teleconferencing remains an option that should be considered or when precautions cannot be effectively implemented or adequately communicated. If you have any specific questions relating to setting up an on-line meeting,
1. Updated list of lodge officers for 2022. Your lodge president and lodge secretary will be receiving the current roster of lodge officer names, addresses, and contact information that we have for the lodge. The roster is being sent by regular mail from Home Office staff member Tamara Gettys during the fourth week of November. Please update this list as necessary and provide the Home Office with the updated listing on or before January 18. If there have been no changes in your officer listing, then state “No Changes” on the roster and return by email to tamarag@spjst.com or by regular mail to the Home Office; Attention: Tamara Gettys. 2. Service to each other and service to the community represents an important part of the SPJST mission. 2020 and 2021 were extraordinary years due to COVID-19. Recognizing this, consideration has been extended to this year’s reporting process. Lodges that qualified to send delegates to the 33rd SPJST Convention will be considered to have met their meeting/activity obligation for the year 2021. This excludes those lodges where premium refunds are being withheld for various reasons. Lodges which did not qualify to send delegates to the 33rd SPJST Convention will be considered on a case by case basis. If your lodge has been recording its meeting and event activities on the fraternalsgive.org website, please continue to do so. This information is important in that it is used to help in constructing the SPJST’s year-end report to the American Fraternal Alliance. Please know that the process for recording and submitting your fraternal hours for 2022 is being simplified for next year. You will be receiving more information on this in the January State Fraternal Director’s letter.
