The NFCA Proudly Recognizes "Fraternalists-in-Action"
Fraternal MVPs—Week of August 27, 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 August 27, 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.
Patricia Henke
Travelers Protective Association of America
Post I
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Pat has been a member of TPA for four years and has been active at the post and state levels. She currently is serving as state publicity chair and post membership chair.
To help Post I raise funds for safety programs, she obtained gifts from area businesses for a raffle and silent auction held in the spring and fall. The funds raised were used to purchase TPA safety materials and to participate in safety events and programs in the community.
Child safety is a major program of TPA, and it became a part of Pat’s life when she asked a fireman to join TPA. After Pat explained the association to him, he extended an invitation to her to join the Safe Kids Coalition, which she did. The end result was that TPA Post I partnered with the Safe Kids Coalition on several safety events, such as the fitting of children’s bicycle helmets at the Lambeau Field event, “The Super Bowl of Safety.” Pat also participated in another helmet-fitting event attended by 1,100 children. In addition, she supports the TPA Scholarship Trust for the Deaf and Near Deaf by placing canisters in area businesses to raise funds.
Pat does other volunteer work in the community with a smile. The Ryan Jerabek Walk was held to raise funds for school scholarships and Pat parked cars for 1,200 walkers. She also shops monthly for a disabled man; provides home care for people, as well as care and transportation for her son awaiting a transplant.
The Salvation Army is another recipient of her time, helping to sort food and clothing at their Christmas distribution and as a bell ringer. She sold T-shirts at the Tall Ships Festival to benefit the Humane Society and worked at the Rick Johnson Cancer Benefit. Pat also volunteered through her church to prepare and serve Thanksgiving Dinner to 1,200 people at Packer Stadium.
Heather Hoffman
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
North Rice County Chapter #31205
Northfield, Minnesota
Serving as the North Rice County Chapter Board’s Youth Director, Heather was in charge of planning and organizing two JOIN HANDS DAY events. Her main goal was to get youth and adults together involved in the community while doing acts of kindness for others. The larger of the two projects involved many community youth and adults who landscaped a courtyard at the Northfield High School, Northfield, MN.
Heather met with school officials to plan a landscape design and found a Thrivent Financial for Lutherans member, employed by a local landscape contractor, who drew up the design. The volunteers planted new bushes, trimmed existing shrubbery, removed plants that had died, installed edging, laid rock and divided existing perennials. A few of the student volunteers carried on the project by continuing to water the new shrubs.
The second JOIN HANDS DAY project Heather organized was assembling, filling and delivering bird feeders to shut-ins. The volunteers, members of the Northfield Junior Olympic Volleyball Team, hung feeders outside residents’ windows.
Heather was a member of the National Honor Society at Northfield High School where she served as a small group leader. She encouraged underclassman to volunteer at a local retirement home, delivering mail to the residents. Often the students would also help by reading the cards and letters to the residents. Another activity that Heather participated in through the National Honor Society was the annual Northfield High School Red Cross Blood Drive. She helped set up and also served as a support person for donors.
For the past two years, Heather has volunteered at a local elementary school. This past year she helped Spanish-speaking third graders who were struggling with their math.
Heather worked with a group of classmates on a project for the Parents Forever Network, compiling results for hundreds of surveys. Heather was in charge of translating surveys that were completed in Spanish. She also entered all the data into the computer.
Heather also participated in designing the Northfield High School volleyball web page, in the Luther College Phone-A-Thon, and served as a part-time volunteer coach for seventh grade volleyball. She continues to spread her caring spirit for others and her joy of volunteerism through various new projects in which she continues to serve.
Melvin Hubing
Catholic Knights
Branch #70
Belgium, Wisconsin
Melvin Hubing has been a member of Catholic Knights for 58 years. Although he does not wish to be a branch officer, Melvin works closely with those elected to serve the branch and is a valued member of their team. According to Branch #70 Vice President, LaMont Lukens, and Secretary/Treasurer, Mary Jane Lukens, “You don’t even have to ask Melvin to help, he’s just always there.” He attends all meetings and functions sponsored by the branch. In addition, they state that Melvin “is a leader, no matter what you do,” often taking responsibility for the work necessary before a branch activity. For last year’s Make A Difference Day project, Melvin gathered everything needed to clean the church yard and make repairs. He also collected a significant number of auction items for the parish dinner auction co-sponsored by his branch. He did the same for his parish festival. Melvin’s branch also raised funds for a local family in need by selling brats and hamburgers outside a local store. Melvin arranged for tents to cover those buying and selling, so they wouldn’t have to stand out in the cold.
Melvin supports his community and is always willing to lend a hand to those in need. As a member of the Belgium Fire Department for many years, Melvin is still active and sees to it that local firefighters have food and drink available when they’re battling larger blazes. He assists widows in the town of Belgium, making plumbing repairs, fixing windows and more. And, as an active member of the American Legion, Melvin volunteers seven or eight days each year at Camp American Legion, which is for the benefit of sick or disabled veterans. He also manages the annual opening and closing of the camp. Since he supports so many causes, Melvin can always be counted on to have raffle tickets for sale or be looking for a donation to the latest fundraiser auction.
Melvin is the “right-hand man” to the pastor of his parish and the principal of the parish school. Not only does he serve as chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee for the school, he also volunteers a minimum of 20 hours per week doing necessary maintenance and making repairs to the facilities. Melvin has taken the lead on many larger initiatives such as collecting money to purchase a car for the parish nuns, building a garage for the car, converting the convent to a parish center and then making it handicap-accessible. He knows how to motivate people and rally them together to work for a cause. Since he spends so much time volunteering at the school each day, Melvin has come to know many of the students and has become a trusted friend and role model. Several years ago, the students voted him as “their favorite friend.”
Mary Ann Adcock
Catholic Life Insurance
Fort Worth Branch #113
Fort Worth, Texas
Mary Ann Adcock and her husband, Ken, have been involved in Catholic Life Insurance for more than 35 years. While she’s been a branch leader for many years, she says her proudest moment was when she pulled together four area branches for a Make A Difference Day project to welcome troops home from Iraq.
“Fifty members met in the special area at DFW [Dallas/Fort Worth] Airport to cheer and great our young men and women who were coming home for some R & R,” she said. “Catholic Life showed its finest patriotic colors that day.”
Besides Make A Difference Day, Mary Ann’s branch annually collects food for the Tarrant Area Food Bank. They also sponsor members who walk in the Race for the Cure, have lent a hand with Habitat for Humanity and sponsor an annual pancake breakfast for the Diocesan youth at Camp Fort Worth.
Before her retirement a few years ago, Mary Ann was a banker. A natural born leader, she was active in the National Association of Bank Women serving, as an officer on the local, state and national levels.
Like all retired people, Mary Ann is busier today than she’s ever been. When she and Ken have a chance, they enjoy spending time with her daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters.
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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