The NFCA Proudly Recognizes "Fraternalists-in-Action"

Fraternal MVPs-Week of July 3, 2006 

The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) is proud to recognize the following individuals as Fraternal MVPs (Most Valuable Participants) for the week of July 3, 2006. 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.

Ronald E. Moon
Woodmen of the World/Omaha Woodmen Life Insurance Society
Lodges #328 & #1441
Texarkana, Arkansas
For the last 27 years, Ronald has served in nearly every fraternal capacity on the local and jurisdictional levels, including multiple terms as Jurisdictional President and National Delegate. He also has been the recipient of numerous awards for his outstanding fraternalism.

Ronald is currently chairman of the state Fraternal Committee, which oversees fraternal activities in the Arkansas/West Missouri area. In addition, he is chairman of the Scholarship Committee, which has presented $17,000 per year to 17 deserving graduating seniors. Ronald’s greatest task in terms of time and effort has been the Chairmanship of the Orphans’ Home Christmas Parties. For the last seven years, he has traveled several thousand miles each December tending to, and attending up to, 17 Christmas parties for more than 650 children in the Arkansas/West Missouri area. His leadership in this area has fostered a greater fraternal spirit among many lodges and members.

The latest fraternal endeavor for Ronald is leadership of Lodge #1441 in Arkansas. It is the first Woodmen of the World lodge of its kind in the country and is known as the Arkansas WOW Travelers. It is comprised of members from all over the state who have motor homes, campers, tents or who just like to camp out. They meet every other month at a state park, public campground or the Woodmen Youth Camp. Ronald’s enthusiasm and dedication has been instrumental to the success of this new lodge.

Violet (Vi) Bergum
National Mutual Benefit
Branch #400
Madison, Wisconsin
After 34 years in the profession, Violet “Vi” Bergum retired from teaching elementary school in 1995. But she didn’t retire to sit around and reminisce about the past; she wanted to continue teaching about the past. It’s been said before that "once a teacher, always a teacher," and this certainly is true of Vi. To those who know and love her, the word “retired” does not begin to describe her. A better word would be “tireless.”

Vi has 49 different presentations that she makes at various schools, nursing homes and other senior facilities in Madison, Wisconsin. She is always in costume when giving a presentation, whether she is playing Miss Liberty, Mother Earth or the Irish Emerald Queen, and feels that this makes a huge impact on youth and adults alike. In fact, Ellen DeGeneres called and invited Vi to be a guest on her program as the Duchess of Mustard, but Vi declined saying she would be too nervous.

Probably best known for portraying Betsy Ross, Vi can be found teaching the history of the U.S. flag every year at National Mutual Benefit’s annual Flag Day ceremony on the Capitol Square in downtown Madison. In 2005, she was interviewed by and appeared on the local TV stations as Betsy. Vi also participates in parades around the area as the famous flag seamstress and is often accompanied by one of her twin daughters, Jani, dressed like Uncle Sam.

Joining National Mutual Benefit (NMB) in 1997,Vi quickly became an active member of the Madison area service chapter, Branch #400. When she lost her husband in 2003, she counteracted her loneliness by becoming even more involved in her volunteer efforts with the branch and in the community.

Because of her commitment to continually teaching youth and adults, Vi was named NMB’s Fraternalist of the Year and recipient of the 2005 President’s Award. For her outstanding volunteer achievements, she also was recognized as first runner-up for the 2005 Fraternalist of the Year Award presented by the National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA)—the highest level of recognition an NMB volunteer has ever received at the national level.

Edward Svajgl
Western Fraternal Life Association (WFLA)
Hvezda Svobody No. 45
Omaha, Nebraska
Ed is the current president of the Nebraska Fraternal Congress, and has been president of WFLA District 1 for 13 years, 2006 WFLA state convention chairperson and president of his lodge. The lodge actively participates in JOIN HANDS DAY events. In 2005, the lodge received a Gold Award for participation in a community event by United Way and the Nebraska Fraternal Congress. Under his leadership, the 107-year-old lodge remains active and vibrant, reaching out to assist the community as needed.

Outside of his fraternal service, Ed is actively involved in the community. He coordinates a monthly meal at the Stephen Center, a homeless shelter in South Omaha. He served as the decorations chairman for the Sts. Peter and Paul Development Dinner, where he also volunteered as a cook. More than $22,000 was raised at the event, in part because of his tireless efforts. He also volunteers with the Sokol South Omaha Gym Club, Youth Emergency Services and the Child Saving Institute. Ed is also actively involved as a Steering Committee member of the Interior Design Coalition of Nebraska. The Coalition is working with the Nebraska Legislature on passage of an Interior Design Title Act for the State.

Genevieve (Gen) Piturro
Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum
Claremont Council #1655
Irvington, New York
Even though Gen is a new member of the Royal Arcanum, she had partnered with the Claremont Council by participating in JOIN HANDS DAY and Make A Difference Day. She was impressed by the society’s fraternal activities and soon became a member of the Claremont Council.

Gen is the Founder/Executive Director of Pajama Program. Following many years of volunteer work with Starlight Foundation, Genevieve founded Pajama Program to help create a warm and nurturing environment for youngsters living under difficult circumstances.

In 2001, Gen was a married, career woman, working long hours at a business she had founded. Although she was very busy at her new venture, she still found time to volunteer at various charities that assisted children, where she discovered that many did not have some of the basic comforts that most children enjoy, like a warm pair of pajamas or a few books to call their own. She met one child who did not even know what pajamas were. She knew that she had to do something. She asked as many people as she could for help, because too many children were going to sleep in such a lonely way. Parenting Magazine contained an article about her new charity, whose first project was to provide pajamas and books to children in New York City soon after September 11, 2001. In its first year, the Pajama Program sent 1,000 pajamas and by the end of 2005, 30,000 pajamas and books were shipped. On July 31, 2004, the Pajama Program Reading Center opened in a space donated by the Andrus Children’s Center. There are Pajama Program chapters in New York, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Kentucky, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Hundreds of pajamas have been sent to children in Armenia, Bosnia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Greece, Italy, Iraq, Mexico, Siberia, South Africa and Ukraine.

After reading an article on South African orphanages in O, The Oprah Magazine, Gen contacted two of the orphanages via e-mail and asked if they could use pajamas for the children. The response was an emphatic “yes” and 100 pairs of pajamas were dispatched. Oprah Magazine also ran an article about the Pajama Program. Soon after its publication, Gen was contacted by Sgt. Joni Homstead from Idaho, who was stationed in Iraq when she read the article about Gen’s organization. Sgt. Homstead asked if pajamas could be sent to her, so she and a local priest could deliver them to the needy children in Iraq. Gen quickly replied and sent 100 pajamas to Iraq.

Randy C. Young
Order of United Commercial Travelers of America (UCT)
Baton Rouge Council #499
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Randy has been a member of UCT’s Baton Rouge Council #499 for 32 years. UCT is a family heritage for Randy. His father and grandfather were both UCT members. He became active – and remains active – in the organization in order to help his community and those less fortunate than he is. For Randy, UCT is about charity and the importance of volunteerism. He believes that his involvement with UCT has helped him to grow fraternally and socially, has inspired him to increase his charitable activities, and has introduced him to some of the most caring people on the planet.

Through his fraternal activities with UCT, Randy has become involved in a number of community fundraising activities including raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, the Association of Retarded Citizens, the Baton Rouge Activities Training Center for the Mentally Handicapped, and two Special Olympics bowling teams. He also has been actively involved for years in his community by helping to conduct Easter egg hunts for children, assisting with the organization of Junior Golf tournaments, and visiting nursing-home and homebound residents. Most recently, Randy has been involved with relief efforts following the devastating 2005 hurricanes along the Gulf Coast.

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.