The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) is proud to recognize the following individuals as Fraternal MVPs (Most Valuable Participants) for the week of November 6, 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.

Dennis Bosch
Knights of Columbus
Council #6419
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Dennis has been a member of Knights of Columbus for 10 ½ years. Dennis is currently serving as treasurer of Council #6419 and served in this capacity during the 2004-05 council year as well. He also serves prominently as one of seven members of a community Outreach Committee, which, in addition to serving the needy of Hot Springs, has enhanced his council’s reputation among non-Catholics in the community. Before moving to Hot Springs, he also was treasurer of the newly formed Council #10248 in Dallas. Dennis is a regular communicant of St. John the Baptist Church, and before coming to Hot Springs, he was a Eucharistic Minister at St. Rita’s Church in Dallas.

It is the Council Community Outreach Program that involves literally hundreds of hours of Dennis’ prominent role. Last summer, following Hurricane Katrina, Dennis spearheaded organization of a team of more than 90 knights and wives from the Hot Springs Council and from the Hot Springs Village Council to perform needed repairs of Hot Springs Housing Authority family units prior to occupation by Katrina evacuees. This work involved carpentry work and painting of more than 60 units. Dennis recruited the workers, reported daily for work during the summer heat, and arranged for lunches for all the workers.

Dennis plays both a leadership and yeoman’s role in carrying out the council’s twice-a-year Charity Rummage Sales that generate income in part for his council, but mostly for support of the charitable work within his community, including $400 monthly for the Jackson House that serves meals daily to the poor; $200-plus monthly to buy diapers for infants and small children in local government housing; and approximately 50 window air-conditioners for residents of that housing. Dennis’ little red truck can be found, throughout the year, running all over Garland County helping to collect donated furniture and other household items for the April and October sales. Last year, the council raised about $25,000 from their sales. Dennis is on hand to help with all phases of this work—from collecting merchandise to arranging, re-arranging, pricing and selling.

In addition to conducting these huge sales, Dennis and his council respond to solicitations to help individuals and families who have had unexpected setbacks from such things as house fires and health problems. At this time, they are helping a destitute couple (in which the wife is experiencing serious health problems) who have no money for rent, food or prescription medicines. In the last month, they have expended about $1,500 for some of these essentials, and the council’s support will continue, as they help the husband find a job. Dennis is in the forefront of this charitable outreach, as he even hired the husband to help paint his boat dock.

Dorothy Parker
Catholic Family Life Insurance
Wausau WI-042 Chapter
Wausau, Wisconsin
A 47-year member with Catholic Family Life Insurance, Dorothy Parker is a recipient of the Society’s Bishop John Martin Henni Founders Award for Volunteer Service. Dorothy has logged in excess of 10,000 hours for a variety of causes relating to her faith and her community. She is an Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Eucharist in her parish, a member of the Catholic Women, and the Saint Jude Circle. Dorothy is involved in the Salvation Army, American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She has also been a volunteer seamstress creating U.S.-Flag-designed pillowcases for the national program to aid wounded veterans called Operation Comfort - the Patriotic Pillow Project. CFLI has partnered with the Chicago-based group for two years. Dorothy is a key volunteer in Wausau Chapter serving as an Action Team Leader for both community and parish projects. She, along with her equally active husband, John, is a member of the Catholic Family Camp-Out Committee, which oversees the Wisconsin-based event attracting some 300 members annually. She is a recent recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the USA Freedom Corps.

Richard Sarosi
William Penn Association
Branch #14
Solon, Ohio
Richard serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the William Penn Association Branch #14, which serves the greater Cleveland, Ohio-area. He has assisted with the many activities the branch has sponsored, which includes honoring members with 50 or more years of membership, the annual Branch #14 Christmas party for their youth, and other fraternal activities throughout the year. Richard is a member of various Hungarian organizations in the Greater Cleveland area, including the Hungarian Charity Club, whose fundraising activities include monthly bus excursions, helping to provide funds for Easter and Christmas gifts to local Hungarian churches. He also has volunteered at events for the Hungarian Cultural Center of Northeast Ohio. Richard is proud of his Hungarian heritage and his club affiliations reflect this pride.

Richard also is a member of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Cleveland in Alton Hills, Ohio, where he currently is serving as the Chief Elder. As Chief Elder, he is in charge of all aspects of church life, including the day-to-day operations, as well as serving as an ex-officio member of all committees. His church has many activities that take place at the church, including weekly Bible study, small prayer groups, weekly noodle making, dinners, hall rentals, visitations, Sunday school and the Fall Festival, which celebrates their Hungarian heritage.

Richard’s parents served as role models for his involvement in community and church activities, and his family has been a source of inspiration for giving unselfishly to his church, school and community. In addition, his sister, Caroline Lanzara, currently serves as President of William Penn Branch #14.

Bridget Jaska Krahula
Catholic Union of Texas, The KJT
St. Elizabeth's Society #132
Pflugerville, Texas
Bridget Krahula is an active member of both Pflugerville Society #132 and St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church. She has contributed her time and talent for a number of annual activities including Jamaica, Turkey Bingo, Brisket Bingo, Chili Bingo, Development Dinner, monthly pancake breakfasts and other events. Two of these events alone raised $3,000, nearly one-fifth of all scholarships awarded last year for the St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church Scholarship Fund. All proceeds from the Turkey Bingo Raffle benefited St. Vincent de Paul, a society dedicated to assisting the less fortunate. Bridget and her family renovated an upright piano into a piano bar, which was sold through the live auction for a Jamaica trip, to raise fund for the parish. Bridget also personally contributes numerous items to auctions and raffles to help raise funds for the church, scholarships and humanitarian organizations.

In addition to these activities, Bridget volunteers countless hours to provide music for her church, a service she has provided for the last twenty years. When events such as KJT Family Day Mass, Flag Day ceremonies, Stations of the Cross, funerals and holy day services arise, Bridget makes all the necessary musical arrangements. Bridget started a “Family Music Ministry” at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church ten years ago, with her 12-year-old daughter and 12-string guitar. Today, the group has more than 100 members who participate in a variety of roles.

As an educator with career and technology classes, Bridget promotes academic achievement through various scholarship and internship programs. She has donated funds to the Kateri Scholarship Fund for Kids to Kids. She and her husband, Jim, annually donate a bicycle to the St. Elizabeth Bike-a-Thon, benefiting the St. Elizabeth Scholarship Fund. In addition, she arranges workers for Manor Fest to raise scholarship funds for Manor High School students.

Richard M. Long
Travelers Protective Association of America (TPA)
Maryland Division, Post C
Hagerstown, Maryland
During his 48 years of membership in the TPA, Richard (Dick) Long has served as president, vice president, secretary-treasurer and chaplain of his post and serves as ritual chair. When the TPA began its distribution of DNA kits, Dick spoke about the program with the local chief of police, who advised him to continue promotion of the program in the Hagerstown area because DNA is a better method of identifying missing children, or anybody else, than fingerprinting. Dick and another member of Post C made a televised presentation to the county school board and superintendent and were urged to pursue using DNA in the local school system. After meetings and discussions with the school board, Dick and members of the Post C purchased and assembled the 1,600 DNA kits for distribution to kindergarten children beginning in 2005. This year, an additional 1,800 kits were distributed to kindergarten children to take home. It is the goal of Dick and his fellow members to continue distributing the kits for the next 10 years to the kindergarten children, which will include all students in the county. Dick believes that young children are more apt to take information home to their parents and, while it is a challenging program, he believes it has been very successful.

Dick’s concern for young children also is evidenced by his serving as a member of the board of an organization known as Children’s Village in Hagerstown/Washington County, Maryland. This program trains all second-grade students about police and fire safety. The organization provides a two-day instructional program covering “in-home” safety concerns and first aid training delivered by fire personnel emphasizing the proper method of “crawling low” to escape a smoke filled environment. Children also learn how to use “9-1-1” and to answer questions in emergencies.

He is a member of the Exchange Club in Hagerstown having served as treasurer and helps in many other ways that benefit the community. Mr. Long also served eight years as a judge of the Orphans Court to help settle wills and estate in Washington County. He is active in his local church serving on the endowment committee, in other areas of service to the church, and sang in the choir for over 50 years.