The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) is proud to recognize the following individuals as Fraternal MVPs (Most Valuable Participants) for the week of October 16, 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.

Edna L. Hart
Royal Neighbors of America
Camp #9500
Oroville, Washington
Edna has held all the offices of Camp #9500 during her more than 60 years as a member. Most recently, she served as recorder/treasurer from March 2001 through January 2005. Edna has been and continues to be a mentor and advisor to all of the camp officers and the number-one recruiter for her camp.

Edna is an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary and has been for 55 years. She currently is the treasurer, a position she has held for more than 25 years, and has held all the offices available. Edna participates in all the activities sponsored by the American Legion post, such as selling poppies for Memorial Day, putting poppies on the crosses for the graves of U.S. veterans, preparing meals for fundraisers, baking for bake sales and planning the annual Christmas party. She literally has made thousands of gift items for the veterans’ hospital gift shops. In addition, she knits caps, mittens and scarves for her favorite charity—an Indian school in Montana.

Edna is a charter member of the Oroville Eagles Auxiliary. She participates in every bake sale, provides Easter Eggs for the annual hunts, and contributes monetarily as well. Edna also was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary for many years, and served as its treasurer.

Peggy Francis
The Catholic Aid Association
Ss. Michael & Joseph Council #69
Mahnomen, Minnesota
Peggy’s day-to-day service to the community covers both the very young and the very old. By day, she cares for up to a dozen infant-through-school-aged children whose working parents know she offers a safe, loving environment, and has for the past 25 years. By night, once a week she drives meals to the elderly, to sit and chat and offer them companionship during dinner. Her caring has not gone unnoticed by friends, either. When a close friend’s fiancé was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, Peggy organized a silent auction and spaghetti dinner to offer financial assistance. And when her own kids were in grade school, she took a seat on the school board of St. Michael’s Elementary School to ensure the best possible education was being offered.

Peggy is the vice-president of the Ss. Michael & Joseph Council, and her husband, Roger, is the president. Through her council and parish, she’s been involved in the St. Michael’s Church choir, and as a Eucharistic Minister. With her own children heading off to college and starting careers, she said she’s had to take those activities off her list but looks forward to doing them again.

For the last several years, she’s been involved in matching-grant fundraisers through Catholic Aid for St. Michael’s Elementary, organizing big benefit dinners and helping with children’s school pizza sales for matching funds. During summers past, she and other Ss. Michael & Joseph Council members worked on the St. Michael’s rectory porch, staining it and planting and tending flowers.

Joseph A. Piasecki
Polish Roman Catholic Union of America (PRCUA)
Lodge #239
Elk Grove, Illinois
Joe is a fourth generation member of the PRCUA. His great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, sister, uncles, aunts and cousins have all been members. His grandmother is the financial secretary of Lodge #239 and a delegate to District #7.

Joe is 17 years old, and 18 months ago, was diagnosed with a heart condition (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) that forced him to stop participating in competitive athletics. He volunteered to coach soccer and to referee as a way of continuing to be a part of the sport and of the team. He is a volunteer coach at summer camp, working with incoming freshmen and sophomores. During the summer soccer camp, Joe spends 12 hours a week working with 50 kids, and during the season, he spent about 10 hours a week working with 16 kids. Joe not only volunteer coaches at camp, he helped coach the high-school Freshman A boy’s soccer team as well. Due to Joe’s hard work and leadership, a trophy was named in his honor at the soccer banquet for determination and “going above extra effort.”

Despite his heart condition, Joe remains very active in school activities. Out of 2,800 students at Conant High School, Joe was one of eight juniors selected to be in the school’s Peer Mediation Team that is headed by the school counselor. As part of this team, Joe is asked to sit in and be a mediator between students who are having conflicts. He listens to their problems and suggests solutions to help them resolve their differences. Joe also has participated in the jazz band and marching band, and was chosen to be a Drum Major for this year. Joe has been in his school plays the past two years, getting leading parts, and will try again this year. Joe also will be running for President his senior year.

Joe was one of 50 juniors (out of a class of 700) nominated and selected for the National Honor Society (NHS). As a member of the NHS, Joe participates in the Heart and Cancer walks and sells peanuts for Kiwanis. In addition, many of their school activities are done to benefit the other students or charitable organizations.

Trudy Montle
Catholic Ladies of Columbia
Athens Council #165
Albany, Ohio
Trudy presently is serving as trustee for the Athens Council #165 and served the prior four years as its president. She co-chaired and prepared the Council #165 contribution to the Athens Holiday Tree Festival, which auctions decorated trees and other holiday items. The proceeds of this event are distributed equally to the Hocking Valley Community for Troubled Youth in Nelsonville, Ohio, and the Athens County 4-H Organization. Trudy chaired the Council’s annual fundraising raffle with the proceeds used to fund needy projects such as The Right to Life, Needy Families, the Pregnancy Center, Hurricane Katrina victims of the Gulf Coast and other worthy needs that come before the Council. She also was instrumental in making lap-quilts for the Veterans Hospital in Chillicothe, Ohio, and aided in collecting personal notions for these veterans.

In the past year, Trudy also participated as a 4-H Advisor (39-year member) and on the 4-H Fashion Board (20-year member). She also served as a board member for the Athens Holiday Festival, treasurer of the Athens Emblem Club #165, chairman of the Athens County Red Cross Blood Drive, and co-chairman for the St. Paul – Christ the King – St. Francis Senior Citizen Club. In addition, Trudy has participated in and organized many parish events. Most recently, she organized and prepared the noon luncheons and evening receptions for the combined St. Paul and Christ the King Mission, and the St. Paul Lenten luncheon.