The NFCA Proudly Recognizes "Fraternalists-in-Action"
Fraternal MVPs—Week of April 30, 2007
The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) is proud to recognize the following individuals as Fraternal MVPs (Most Valuable Participants) for the week of April 30, 2007. Fraternal MVPs are “Fraternalists-in-Action” who volunteer their time, energy and compassion to strengthen their communities through participation in local lodge activities and other charitable endeavors.
Judy Tybor-Knizner
First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association (FCSLA)
Senior Branch #287
Chicago, Illinois
Judy and her family are shining examples of FCSLA family fraternalism. Judy continues the work of her grandmother, her mother, and now works with her daughter, who is Secretary of Junior Branch #J339.
Judy has lent her time and dedication over the years (since the 1970’s) to the Oak Forest, Illinois, Benedictine Auxiliary at Our Lady of Sorrows Convent. She chaired the Sisters’ Annual County Fair many times—raising $25,000 during this one-day event in just one year. Her community efforts range from visiting injured Navy personnel at the Great Lakes Naval Base to working to benefit the neglected children of Shelter Inc., in Will, Cook and DuPage Counties, to the Animal Welfare League of Chicago Ridge.
Fraternally, Judy has chaired the FCSLA Chicago District’s St. Ann’s Day, JOIN HANDS DAY, bingo and holiday events. Her Chicago District membership and roles of Treasurer, Secretary and Vice President date from the 1980’s. Branch Officer Judy is a high-volume seller of FCSLA’s insurance and annuities to her family and friends. She also is a long-time member of the Slovak Catholic Sokol, Assembly #11. With the Sokol, Judy chaired the annual bowling tournament and bowls with their teams.
Professionally, Judy has been a licensed Illinois funeral director and embalmer for 40 years, and heads the third-generation Slovak family funeral home, Kubina-Tybor, serving Chicago and the suburbs. Her attendance at St. Michael the Archangel (Slovak) Grammar School and Mount St. Mary Academy led to graduation from St. Dominic College in St. Charles, Illinois, and Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago. She and her husband of 31 years, Jim, have two grown children and a granddaughter, all of whom enjoy the Slovak traditions—especially the holidays with the food and baked goods, all homemade by Judy.
Ann Marie Simoncic
KSKJ Life, American Slovenian Catholic Union
St. Joseph #12
Vandling, Pennsylvania
Ann Marie is Secretary/Treasurer of KSKJ Life, St. Joseph's Lodge #12. Widowed, with three daughters and five grandchildren, Ann has been a member since she was a young girl and has been a dynamic lady, leading the lodge to do great things in her community. As a great promoter of KSKJ Life, Ann has almost tripled the amount of members in her lodge through personal referrals.
Ann has been instrumental in many of KSKJ's matching-funds events and, most recently, the JOIN HANDS DAY project in her community. She truly enjoys the comradeship of many people. Her lodge has helped many other non-profit organizations, such as the local fire company, with monetary donations that helped purchase a much-needed fire truck. St. Joseph Lodge members, under Ann's direction, also have volunteered at the firefighters’ events.
Ann helped to organize the Forest City, Pennsylvania, Library and raise funds for local churches, in addition to a plan that is in the works for building a new church in the community.
Ann has been involved in volunteer work to help raise awareness for cancer, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and the Red Cross. She frequently finds time to visit the Forest City Nursing Home and spends hours visiting with the patients. She's also planned many bake sales to assist different organizations, and coordinated a candy sale to raise funds for the community's new school, so the cheerleaders could have new uniforms and jackets.
Ann’s lodge honors each young member, upon his/her graduation from high school, with a $100 scholarship, and the scholarship is granted each year the student is enrolled in higher education. This is just another fine example of the creative ways that Ann uses to benefit her fellow members and her community through her unselfish works of volunteerism.
Bernice A. Davis
National Catholic Society of Foresters
St. Genevieve's Court #1003
Wahpeton, North Dakota
Bernice has served on her court’s major fundraising projects by working on their bingo sessions. These monies were donated to the court’s building fund to build a new parish school and daycare, which in turn, is hoped to increase their school enrollment and Catholic education.
Bernice has served on her court’s cheer committee, which sends get-well cards to members who are ill. Her court also sends sympathy cards to members that have a death in their family, and a rosary is offered for deceased court members. Bernice attends the annual Memorial Mass in November and mass for living members in May. Every December, Bernice’s court delivers food items to the Carmel of Mary, a Carmelite community near Wahpeton, as a Christmas gift. Bernice also helps prepare and serve soup and bread at the court’s Lenten soup supper.
Bernice is Vice-President of the Confraternity of Christian Mothers. Mass and prayers are offered the second Sunday of each month, and rosary is offered for deceased members. She also is a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She has served as their education chairman for the last three years. Her group sponsors a poster, prose and poetry contest for the fourth, fifth and sixth grades at St. John’s School. As chairman, she also organizes a “Books to Read” program. Books are collected and sent to the Turtle Mountain Native Americans community to encourage family reading. Food is collected for the Carmel of Mary. Group-home residents are entertained to an evening of bingo. Bernice has worked serving the rolls and coffee on Sundays and helped with bingo to raise funds for various charities.
In the summer of 2005, Bernice donated many hours helping the Apostolic Work Ministry pack clothing, utensils and furniture into a semi-trailer to be delivered to the needy at the Native Americans reservation in North Dakota. She also donated bedding items, which were sent to Katrina victims in New Orleans.
Bernice is chairman of her parish circle, which provides and serves food to families after funerals. They serve and furnish food for various church meetings and a reception for First Communion and Confirmation children and their families.
Bernice also is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, and helps support the organization with monetary donations.
Harry C. Helms
Woodmen of the World/Omaha Woodmen Life Insurance Society
Lodge # 1854
LaGrange, Georgia
Harry is a member of the Woodmen of the World Middle Georgia Disaster First Response Team. As such, he worked after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, in Excel, Alabama, where he was in charge of and worked on the cooking line for six days. The team helped prepare approximately 18,000 meals. Harry worked after Hurricane Katrina in South Alabama and South Mississippi for 37 consecutive days on the cooking team, preparing more than 90,000 meals. He also worked on the cooking team, after Hurricane Wilma in South Florida and helped supply more than 20,000 meals in that area. In each instance, a 16-18 hour day of continuous cooking was required of him. Harry returned with the cooking team to Bayou LaBatre, Alabama, in November 2005 to help prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for the hurricane victims there. They served more than 1,600 meals.
The NFCA salutes these outstanding Fraternalists-in-Action for their dedication, kindness and generosity. They embody the heart of fraternalism through their volunteer efforts and commitment to their communities.
To view previous week's MVPs, click here.
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