The NFCA Proudly Recognizes "Fraternalists-in-Action"
Fraternal MVPs—Week of October 22, 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 October 22, 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.
 Kimberly H. Williams
Woodmen of the World/Omaha Woodmen Life Insurance Society
Lodge #449
Merritt, North Carolina
Kimberly Williams is a wonderful example of fraternalism in her community. A dedicated member of Woodmen of the World Lodge #449 in Merritt, N.C., Kimberly actively served on several planning committees including the new member outreach, community service, youth lock-in, N.C.-zoo/camping trip, pool party, lodge clean-up, calendar planning, Famous Games Day, adult and youth Christmas parties, and the National Fraternal Challenge. As co-chair of many of these committees, she displayed excellent leadership and organizational skills. In addition, she served as a youth leader for the lodge and avidly participated in flag, honor-plaque and history-award presentations.
Over the course of a year, Kimberly, along with other lodge members, was instrumental in recruiting 86 new members, which raised the lodge’s membership to more than 1,000 adults and 270 youths. Thanks to this solid membership growth, the lodge has seen a resurgence of involvement in community activities and other fun events.
Kimberly’s outstanding volunteer efforts shined brightly on the lodge’s Community Service Committee. She participated in Woodmen of the World’s four national fraternal programs including JOIN HANDS DAY – painting playground equipment at the Silver Hill youth area; Flags Across America – attending a ceremony at Pamlico Senior Center; In Honor and Remembrance – presenting a flag set to the Minnesott Cub Scout Troop; and Make A Difference Day – reaching out to widows in the community. In addition, Kimberly participated in other fraternal programs that have had great impact on the local, state and national level:
· Grant-A-Wish Day – program that allows children to make four wishes a month for food, clothing and miscellaneous items that their families cannot afford to buy.
· Adopt-A-Child Month – program that provides children in need with a box of fun things to brighten their day.
· Adopt-An-Adult – program that supports adults who are ridden with cancer, leukemia or a terminal illness by providing them with books, magazines, puzzles, socks and hospital credits to purchase food and drinks.
· Adopt-A-Child at Christmas – program that provides children in need with special gifts.
Kimberly is an avid supporter of family-friendly activities. She was instrumental in helping to coordinate several fun lodge activities for the whole family, including bowling, roller skating, camping and swimming. She also invited guests to attend activities and encouraged other lodge members to do the same, stating that this was an opportunity to share information about Woodmen of the World. For a lodge that just eight years ago was little more than a block building with a worn-out roof and a broken stove, this action proved to be monumental. Today, the lodge is enjoying solid membership growth and a resurgence of involvement in community activities and other fun events. Ninety percent of its members are between 25 and 45 years old, and lodge officers range in age from 17 to 70.
Kimberly also was recently honored as the Second Runner-Up in the 2007 NFCA Fraternalist of the Year program, recognizing the nation’s top volunteers among the 10 million members affiliated with NFCA’s member-societies.
 Helen Bornbach
Catholic Family Life Insurance (CFLI)
Stratford/Rozellville Chapter
Stratford, Wisconsin
Helen Bornbach currently serves as the secretary for her chapter, as well as serving as chair for JOIN HANDS DAY and Flag Day Activities. Through her hard work and planning efforts the chapter has been able to donate over $10,000 to local schools and churches through the CFLI matching-funds program. She is instrumental in the chapter’s Adopt-A-School program and promotes TV Turn-Off Week to the students at St. Joseph School in Stratford. Because of her dedication as a volunteer, Helen has achieved Catholic Family’s highest volunteer honor, The Bishop John Martin Henni Founders Award for 10,000 hours of volunteer service.
Helen is devoted to her faith, active in her community, and passionate about patriotism. In her parish, she serves as a Eucharistic minister, and coordinator and member of the Resurrection Choir. She is a past Vice President of the Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW) and participates in all their parish activities, as well as sending get-well cards to the sick, sympathy cards to grieving families, and congratulations to those who have a new child. At Christmas, she purchases boxes of candy, wraps them and arranges for delivery visits to shut-ins.
She is very involved with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post, cooking and cleaning up following the VFW monthly steak feeds, auxiliary dinners, holiday parties, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and class reunions. A member of the auxiliary, she marches with the color guard in parades and has served as chaplain, auditor, and Americanism chairperson. She makes sure American flags are always available for sale at the VFW hall and arranges for the firing squad to attend veteran funerals.
The town of Stratford, Wis., is the site for Heritage Days, a major weekend festival for which Helen spends many hours preparing food. During the festival itself, she makes sure that everything is organized and all the volunteers are well-trained on the safe handling of food. Another popular event in Stratford is the annual Principals Academic Banquet, which was established by Helen and her husband, Orville, more than 15 years ago. The event honors high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who have been on their school’s A or B honor roll for four consecutive grading quarters.
 Mary Jane Beranek
The Catholic Aid Association
St. George Council
Gibbon, Minnesota
For 47 years, Mary Jane has been a member of the St. George Catholic Church, West Newton Township, and a member of the St. George Catholic Aid Council. She also is an active member of the Council of Catholic Women.
She is actively involved in her church, serving on the Liturgy and Environment Committees and the committee in charge of celebrating the church’s 150th anniversary as a parish in 2008. Mary Jane chairs the committee for the arts, crafts, garden and raffle displays at her parish festival. She also works for parish brunches and breakfasts, and is serving as co-chairman of funeral luncheons for her parish.
For the past several years, St. George Catholic Church has been the collection point for their mission in Guatemala. Mary Jane is an active supporter of the mission and helps gather items and donations to send. To raise funds, the mission sells coffee, and Mary Jane has been an active promoter of these sales.
Mary Jane has been fraternal secretary of her Catholic Aid Council since 1981. She takes an active part in the council’s communion breakfasts, youth-grant and matching-grant fundraisers, promotion of vocations, JOIN HANDS DAY events, ministry programs and parish donut Sundays along with heritage music at mass.
Mary Jane is always looking for new ways to promote the Catholic Aid Association in her community and parish. This year, her council will be organizing a community get-together for National Night Out, which is held nationally each year to provide social contact with neighbors living in a community, thus making it a safer place to live.
Living in a rural community and being a farmer’s wife, promoting agriculture has been a part of Mary Jane’s life for many years. She is a past president and active member of the Farm City Hub Club, which promotes agriculture and better working relationships between rural and urban areas. She also serves as membership chairperson to gain interest and continued membership in the organization. Mary Jane has helped with fundraisers to provide college scholarships and continue in the field of agriculture. She helps organize farm-safety demonstrations, as well as events to better relationships between farmers and city dwellers.
Mary Jane and her husband, Linus, have been married for 47 years and are still actively engaged in farming. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
 Joan M. Kuhne
Gleaner Life Insurance Society
Bavarian Arbor #762
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Joan Kuhne is a “lifelong learner,” assuming a leadership role in making life decisions in everything she does and balancing her achievements in life, giving back what has been generously provided to her.
She commits five to six hours daily to volunteering in organizations, besides being an active, part-time RN. She is president of the local Marine Corps League Auxiliary (MCLA) and serves as its representative to the Veterans Affairs Volunteer Service. With the MCLA, she has helped with recreational activities for hospitalized veterans like bingo, fishing trips and picnics. She also assists the Marines with the Toys for Tots program, the national Little Angel project, collected items for packages to be sent to active military personnel and provided food and monies for veterans and their families in need.
She has served as president and treasurer on the Saginaw County 4-H Council and has participated in their projects including knitting, conservation, fishing, crafts, canning, foods, sewing, clowning, adopt a highway and raising eight puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind, which she chairs. She is a certified “4-H Challenge” leader. She was instrumental in developing the “Youth Helping the Younger” program. She has hosted several international 4-H students.
A dedicated naturalist, Joan has been active in conservation for decades, working with the 4-H Pacesetters club to develop a native nature trail at the Frankenmuth Historical Museum and planting a heritage garden using heritage seeds and “Planting a Row for the Hungry.” In 2006, she brought her 4-H club and Project F.I.S.H. (Friends Involved with Sports Fishing Heritage) members together in a JOIN HANDS DAY project, planting more than 1,000 native plants on the Cass River’s bank to prevent erosion. She developed the “Michigan Maritime Traditions” workshop and participated in cleaning Lake Cadillac. She also saw the need and started the “Family Fishing/Shooting Sports Camp.” In addition, she has brought conservation studies on a monthly basis to students at an inner-city Saginaw school.
Joan is an active member of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, where she transports ill and elderly members, is in the Treble Choir and bell choir. She has used her medical expertise to volunteer at blood pressure clinics and as the camp nurse for 4-H and her church. She is a member of the Frankenmuth Professional Nurses and serves on its scholarship committee.
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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