SPJST’s Sandra Hoggard Named NFCA Fraternalist of the Year San Antonio resident recognized for volunteer efforts with top fraternalist award by the National Fraternal Congress of America.
10/01/09
OAK BROOK, IL – The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) announced that Sandra Hoggard, a member of the SPJST, Lodge #202 in Jourdanton, Texas, is the 2009 Fraternalist of the Year. Hoggard was recognized at the 123rd NFCA Annual Meeting, September 17-19, in San Antonio.
“Fraternalism has always been a family affair for Sandra, coming from a long line of fraternalists. So you could say that she’s just carrying on a family tradition,” said NFCA President and CEO Joseph J. Annotti. “In her own words, she said, ‘I believe in a hand up, not a handout.’”
The Fraternalist of the Year Award is given annually to recognize the nation’s top volunteer among the almost 10 million members affiliated with the NFCA’s member-societies. The award goes to a fraternal benefit society member who has provided outstanding volunteer service in his/her community and excellent leadership in his/her local chapter throughout the past year. Hoggard received a commemorative trophy and a $1,000 donation to the charity of her choice.
This year, Hoggard has elected to donate her award, to the Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center of Temple, Texas, where Czech contributions to the ethnic diversity of Texas are highlighted in a comprehensive exhibit. With a generous donation the museum and library was able to purchase an historic building in downtown Temple but renovations are necessary and Hoggard’s honorarium will assist with the renovation.
Hoggard’s dedication to fraternalism is exhibited by the fact that she drives 100 miles roundtrip to attend her monthly lodge meeting. Besides being involved in all her lodge’s many community-minded fundraisers and events, she is the assistant leader of the very active youth lodge. Besides all the meeting and activity planning, chaperoning and driving, this also entails attending district and state level leadership workshops.
Hoggard serves as Chairman of the Board of the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies, an international non-profit association of over 3,500 professionals and accrediting program. This involves supervising the office and staff, writing articles, overseeing many volunteer committees and representing her association.
All this is on top of her job as accounting manager for Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company and as a single mom of three children.
She is also a mentor for an elementary school, spending an hour a week tutoring reading and math and assisting at school functions. She is active in the PTA of two other schools and helps with parties and field trips. Hoggard co-chaired the silent auction for the Bradley Middle School Band to help purchase new band instruments and uniforms. She is a team mom for the Texas Cheer Association and a team mom in the Northeast Youth Soccer Association. At Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, she worked with the youth group to conduct a food drive for Families of Transplant Patients.
Hoggard also participated with the Aggie Externship in career guidance programs and was a panelist for the Texas A&M Business School Career Night, discussing self-marketing and internship possibilities.
Click on the video below to learn more about this year's Fraternalist of the Year - Sandra Hoggard.
2009 Fraternalist of the Year Runners-Up The NFCA also announced the runners-up for the 2009 Fraternalist of the Year Award. For more information, click on the links below:
First Runner-Up Herbert J. Snyder, Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum
Third Runner-Up Ada Jarmosevich, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Fourth Runner-Up John Ferri, Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union
About SPJST The SPJST is a fraternal benefit society headquartered in Temple, Texas. For 109 years, the SPJST has worked to ensure the financial security of its members and its financial commitment to the communities where SPJST members live, work and play. SPJST lodges sponsor a wide range of family-oriented activities and community service projects. These include musical and dance groups, dances, picnics, games, contests, summer camps and an active Youth Program. For more information, visit www.spjst.com.
About the NFCA The 123-year-old NFCA unites 69 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. The association represents 9.3 million fraternalists in 37,000 local chapters, making it one of America’s largest member-volunteer networks. Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities. Combined, the NFCA’s member-societies maintain more than $353 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2008 alone, contributed almost $424 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered nearly 94 million hours for community-service projects. These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals make to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase: Joining Hands to Touch Lives.
This year, Hoggard has elected to donate her award, to the Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center of Temple, Texas, where Czech contributions to the ethnic diversity of Texas are highlighted in a comprehensive exhibit. With a generous donation the museum and library was able to purchase an historic building in downtown Temple but renovations are necessary and Hoggard’s honorarium will assist with the renovation.
