Malden Resident Honored for Her Volunteer Service
Janet Kuper honored as third runner-up Fraternalist of the Year by the National Fraternal Congress of America.

10/23/07

OAK BROOK, IL – The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) recognized Janet K. Kuper—a member of Modern Woodmen of America, Camp #4625, Malden, Missouri—for her outstanding volunteer efforts.  Kuper was recently named third runner-up for the NFCA’s 2007 Fraternalist of the Year award, recognizing the nation’s top volunteers among the 10 million members affiliated with NFCA’s member-societies.  She was recognized at the “Celebration of Fraternalism” luncheon held at the 121st NFCA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“Janet Kuper is a shining example of what it means to be a fraternalist,” said NFCA Chair of the Board Katharine E. Rounthwaite.  “We are pleased to honor Janet for selflessly giving her time to serve her community in so many ways.”

Modern Woodmen’s 2007 Fraternalist of the Year, Janet Kuper, “is always involved in something that makes her community a better place to live, go to school and worship,” says retired district representative and friend Bonnie Selby, who presented the award at a recent camp meeting.

To Kuper, fraternalism is another word for community spirit or love of neighbor; she enjoys helping youth become more community-minded.  A youth club leader for the past 16 years, Kuper and her club members especially like to serve the seniors and veterans in their community.  They adopt grandparents, visit nursing homes, do yard work, make seasonal cards, decorations and other crafts, and donate canned goods to the local senior center. 

Kuper has been secretary of Camp #4625 for the past seven years.  The camp has raised money for a local nutrition center that serves the needy and homebound, renovated playground equipment and planted trees at the local park, distributed child ID kits and collected hats and mittens for children.

As a child, Kuper attended St. Teresa’s School in Glennonville and later taught there 23 years.  Having been school principal for over a decade, she serves on many boards and committees.  Fellow youth club leader Patty Hirtz observes, “Being a principal in our small parochial school and community, it often falls on [Kuper’s] shoulders to see that things get done.” She also helps out at wedding and funeral dinners, serves meals to the elderly at the local community center and works on local fundraisers.

Kuper and her husband, Steven, reside in Malden and have four children, Stephen, Michael, Daniel and Julianna.

About Modern Woodmen of America
Founded in 1883 as a fraternal benefit society, Modern Woodmen of America celebrates its 125th year of serving members and their communities.  The organization offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.  Based in Rock Island, Illinois, Modern Woodmen serves more than 750,000 members nationwide.  For more information, visit www.modern-woodmen.org.

About the NFCA
The 121-year-old NFCA unites 75 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.  The association represents 10 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 $329 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2006 alone, contributed almost $410 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered nearly 95 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.