The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) is proud to recognize the following individuals as Fraternal MVPs (Most Valuable Participants) for the week of September 18, 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.

Linda Branam
Modern Woodmen of America
Camp # 18059
Newport, Tennessee
Linda has been a member of Modern Woodmen for 12 years. She has been very effective as a leader of a Modern Woodmen of America Youth Service Club in Newport, TN, where her original club’s membership grew so rapidly that a second club was formed. Activity-oriented in purpose, Linda’s two youth clubs have contributed much to the local school and community. Through fundraising projects, greenhouse construction is now underway for the school and city to share as an educational program that provides landscaping plants for streets playgrounds and parks. Funds raised by her clubs and matched by Modern Woodmen’s home office also have provided much needed equipment for a school food-services program. A local, non-profit summer Appalachian History Program for youths also received funds from Linda’s clubs’ efforts, to help pay for snacks and supplies.

In 2005, Linda’s clubs collected more than 3,000 items for their annual canned food drive for the local food bank. More than 11,000 items have been collected in the past three years. Members of the clubs bought school clothes and supplies for needy children through Modern Woodmen’s Help-A-Child program. Members have helped families at Safe Space, a local women’s shelter, by donating clothing and supplies. Club members also visited and donated food and supplies to the local animal shelter, which heavily depends on public support.

Linda also is involved in many community activities in her rural Appalachian county of 30,000 people. For many years, she has assisted in St. Jude’s Hospital fundraising events, having received the “Spirit of St. Jude” award in both Newport and Morristown, TN. In 2005, she was awarded as the top fundraiser for the local St. Jude Drive. Linda has voluntarily written numerous grants for her high school library, literacy council and local schools. In 2005, her local elementary school received a $25,000 grant, which was written by Linda, to provide an after-school daycare for children whose parents could not afford daycare tuition. She also assisted a “Celebration of Life” group, a cancer survivors group, in successfully receiving a grant to provide transportation for cancer treatment to those without transportation. Linda also is a member of Southside Baptist Church, where she is a Sunday school teacher, vacation Bible School teacher and choir member.

Most recently, Linda was named second runner-up for the NFCA’s 2006 Fraternalist of the Year Award, recognizing the top fraternal volunteer from among the association’s member-societies.

Joseph (Joe) Popelka
National Mutual Benefit
Oconomowoc Branch #717
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Joe has served as president of the branch for six years. He also served as vice president, secretary, historian and trustee. Joe is involved with most of Branch #717’s activities. He has chaired family picnics, miniature golf outing, hayrides, Easter egg hunts, Christmas parties and many other events. He was active in fundraising for the fire departments to purchase an ATV vehicle for search and rescue. He also was active in fundraising events to help a local family who lost their home to a fire.

For the last 20 years, Joe has chaired his branch’s Clark Farm Nature Center Project, which improves the center with regular annual clean-up and maintenance. Improvements to the center have included rebuilding an amphitheater, building several benches and a sampling pier with ongoing maintenance of each. The Clark Farm Nature Center is a natural area that the whole community enjoys, including the local schools that use the center for their science classes.

Joe also is active in his church. He and his wife have been prayer couples for Lutheran Marriage Encounter over the past seven years to help strengthen marriages and families. Joe helped chair the Family Summer Retreat for his church, as well as the Father-Son Fishing Trip and the Father-Daughter Canoe Trip. Joe also was the head of his Men in Mission Bible Study, acted as a mentor for a Confirmation student, has been a communion assistant and was trained to give communion to shut-ins.

Raymond Miller
Western Fraternal Life Association (WFLA)
Lodge Oxford #427
Oxford, Iowa
Raymond Miller is the lodge secretary and lives in a small town. Why are these two factors important? Ray encourages the members to be involved in programs that help this small community. Adult and youth members of the lodge have been involved with the Adopt-A-Highway program for several years. This annual cleaning of a stretch of the highway is usually followed by a picnic at his home. He and other members purchased and helped build playground equipment and a picnic table for the town park. Ray also built and painted 20 birdhouses that he installed around town. In addition, Ray annually gets the members together to string the town’s Christmas lights and decorations along the main street of town, installs flags in the cemetery for Memorial Day and decorates and drives the WFLA float in the town’s Fourth of July parade.

Ray also realizes the importance of youth, and he and others have been involved in the local schools guided-reading program. His lodge also works with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, sponsors a youth sports team and gives a bicycle away to youth through an annual drawing.

Leading volunteer efforts in his lodge has helped create pride and cohesiveness in the
community.

Joseph (Joe) Choromanski
Polish Falcons of America
Nest #36
Milford, Connecticut
Joe has been a member of Polish Falcons for most of his life, joining the gym class at the age of four; and his involvement with the gym class continues. As a child, Joe participated in District and National zlots (competitions), volleyball tournaments, track meets and camps. He currently is the District V Instructor, giving up his position as Nest Instructor to his 21-year-old daughter. Joe is the Nest #36 President and has been since Nests #36, #107 and #212 merged in January of 2003.

The most important part of Joe’s involvement is his devotion to the youth programs of Polish Falcons. Weekly, Joe teaches gym classes on Friday evenings, and teaches volleyball on Saturday afternoons. When Joe’s daughters were on the high school gymnastics team, Joe was one of their coaches. Whatever activity his children were involved in, Joe was there to help.

As the District Instructor, Joe coordinates an annual track meet where all the children of Polish Falcons in District V compete. He also makes visits to the gym classes of other Nests in his District to be sure they are aware of all that is offered on a national level. Every year, Joe volunteers at the Annual National PFA Camp held in Angola, NY. Joe is a counselor, coaches volleyball, is on night patrol and gives instructions for the drills that are so much a part of the Polish Falcons.

The Falcons has had such an impact on Joe that he is very passionate that his children and others have the same wonderful memories and opportunities he had as a Falcon. His dedication and commitment to the youth of this organization is a reflection of his passion.

Dianna J. Wolfe
The Order of United Commercial Travelers of America
Racine Council #337
Racine, Wisconsin
Dianna has been a member of The Order of United Commercial Travelers of America (UCT)’s Racine Council #337 for 11 years. She is a second-generation UCT fraternalist—her father is a Past Supreme Counselor (past international president) of the organization. Dianna became involved with UCT because she was impressed with the organization’s dedication to supporting and enriching the lives of people with developmental disabilities and mental retardation. She has continued as an active UCT member because of the positive impact the organization’s fraternal activities have on the lives of less fortunate individuals in her community.

Dianna has become involved in a number of community events through her fraternal activities with UCT. She has been an active volunteer for Special Olympics, assisting with basketball and bowling tournaments as well as track and field meets. She has also participated in numerous special events held for residents at the Wisconsin Center for the Mentally Disabled.

Dianna served as her local council’s secretary-treasurer for six years and has earned her Past Counselor honors for doing so. She has been serving through the line of offices of the Wisconsin Grand (regional) Council and will serve as Grand Counselor (regional president) during 2006-2007. She has also served on several committees on the Supreme (international) level.

Dianna has been publicly recognized for her fraternal activities, including being named Racine UCT’s Woman of the Year, but this is not why she continues to be active as a fraternalist. She remains involved because she sees how fraternalism changes people’s lives and that gives her life greater meaning.