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 4, 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.

Sylvia Fajardo
Foresters
Sandia Branch
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sylvia has been involved with Foresters for the past 11 years and has served as branch president, secretary, auditor, newsletter coordinator and public relations officer.

Sylvia is an inspiration to those who know her and is passionate about serving her community. Sylvia is married to Phil, and over the past ten years, the Association for Retarded Citizens of Albuquerque (ARCA) has relied on Sylvia to foster 15 children and to provide respite for their most hard to place babies and toddlers with special needs. Through ARCA, Sylvia and her husband adopted three of their four children: Jonathon, Micayla and Micah.

Through her children, Sylvia has been involved with many of the organizations for which she gives her time. Jonathon, for example, has Muscular Dystrophy and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is a charity that is close to her heart and provides support for her and her family in many ways. Sylvia is a strong proponent for MDA and volunteers for many of their activities including their annual Stride and Ride event. Sylvia has led the branch, through her personal experience with the outstanding charities that have supported her family, and has facilitated thousands of dollars in donations as well as thousands of volunteer hours for these organizations including Christina Kent Day Nursery, McCollum School and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

William (Bill) Korducki
Catholic Family Life Insurance
Burlington WI-006 Chapter
Burlington, Wisconsin
Bill Korducki, a Certified Public Accountant by profession, has been a very involved fraternalist, citizen and Catholic for a number of years. He has served as president of his chapter for the past 10 years, maintaining their Gold Star status among CFLI chapters, and bringing awareness to the town of Burlington about the many good works undertaken by the chapter in the community. He is the organizer of several events for families as part of an effort to increase chapter membership.

Being civic-minded, Bill has worked on the Burlington Area School District’s finance committee, organizes the annual Fourth of July Flag-raising, and has served as Town Chairman. He currently is the secretary of Burlington’s Smart-Growth Committee. He also is involved as a coach and scoutmaster in numerous youth sports and scouting activities in his area.

Bill’s religious activities go far beyond involvement at a single parish. Since 1978, he has served as lector and Eucharistic Minister at Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Charles of Boromeau, St. Josephat’s Basillica, and St. Mary’s of Burlington. He has offered his time at these parishes in a number of ways, including serving as Renew Program leader, Archdiocesan Parish Representative and Young Adult Ministry Organizer. For the Basillica, he used his knowledge as an accountant to set up a finance committee, rework their financial system, assisting the pastor in establishing a foundation that currently oversees the upkeep of the historic Milwaukee church. He currently teaches religious education at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Katherine Novak
William Penn Association
Branch #28
Youngstown, Ohio
Kathy grew up knowing what it means to be a fraternalist, as her parents have always been very involved in the Youngstown and Hungarian communities. Kathy belongs to St. Stephen of Hungary Church where she participates in numerous ways. Her church responsibilities include serving on the finance committee, fundraising committee, St. Vincent de Paul Society, reading at mass and assisting with special events. Most recently she assisted with the church’s 100th anniversary celebration in addition to her many other responsibilities.

As a William Penn Association member, Kathy has grown up within its fraternal circle. She has bowled in numerous tournaments, and each month you can read her articles in the WP Life Publication. She has been the coordinator for Branch #28 for the past several years, maintaining reports for the national home office, volunteering at national events and serving as a part-time insurance agent.

Kathy serves as the secretary-treasurer for William Penn Branch #28. In an example of her ingenuity, she recently hired the local Art Mori Clowns to entertain at the annual Children’s Christmas Party. In addition, she plans bus excursions to Hungarian events. Because of her contributions, at the last National Convention she was selected to serve on the National Advisory Committee. Kathy also was elected to serve on the scholarship committee last May at the annual scholarship meeting.

Marion C. Mlodynia
Workmen's Benefit Fund of USA
WBF Branch #352
Commack, New York
Marion has been the secretary-treasurer of WBF Branch #352, Long Island, for the past 20 years. Prior to that, she spent ten years as the secretary treasurer of Branch #314 in Flushing, Queens. She was also the recording secretary of Branch 276 for the same number of years, in addition to serving on the Recreation Board for four years. Marion was one of the organizers of “The Young Adults Entertainment Committee” of WBF and participated in the organization of many outings, dances, trips, fund raisers, etc.

Marion started volunteering in her community over 30 years ago, when her oldest son was three. She wanted to do something for less fortunate children at Christmastime. After much searching, she discovered “The Ottilie Home for Children.” This was a home for children who had been either abandoned or abused by their parents. Marion obtained the names, ages and genders of each child living in the home; she approached friends and neighbors, in addition to her husbands’ co-workers, asking all to make a contribution to help these children. With the money donated, she bought, wrapped and addressed a special gift for each child in the home. There was even enough money left over for large gifts such as an electric table organ for the girls, basketball hoops and basketballs for the boys, etc. This undertaking was repeated over a period of several years.

Marion was the first woman of her parish to be admitted to the Holy Name Society, and is now their president. There is only one other woman president in the diocese. As President, she organizes many fundraisers and days of prayer, evenings of song and worship. She is very involved in her church as Lector, Extraordinary Minister, Wedding Hostess, RCIA, and the Baptism Committee. Marion is the leader of a prayer group that she organized 16 years ago, she has taught religious instruction to “special” children for years, and she also organizes a yearly bus trip to Washington D.C. for the annual Pro-Life Rally. Marion visits the shut-ins in her community and brings communion to them. She visits the local nursing home weekly and conducts a prayer communion service for the residents. She also assists the Knights of Columbus of Kings Park with their monthly visits to the VA home, along with assisting at the masses.

Virginia B. Espinola
Supreme Council of UPPEC
Council #97
El Nido, California
Virginia has been a member of Supreme Council of UPPEC for 62 years. In Council #97 of El Nido, she has been the Council treasurer for the past thirteen years. For at least the past 29 years, she has served on countless committees for Portuguese fraternal organizations, from rummage sales to making and selling Portuguese sweetbread and working on convention committees.

For many years, Virginia, together with her late husband, Oliver, were well known for preparing “sopas” and bean feeds, supporting fundraisers for organizations. They donated all the ingredients and prepared all the food, which many times has fed more than 500 people, for the Lion’s Club and Elk’s Club, fundraisers, providing scholarships, athletic equipment, or band uniforms, and for the past few years for the S.F.A. Festa Committee, to raise money to build the Portuguese Hall in Chowchilla.

For seven years, she was sewing leader for Dairyland 4-H Club of Chowchilla. She has been active with children in 4-H and FFA for many years, and currently supports these groups by buying project animals such as lambs and pigs. The purchased animals are then donated to the AG Booster Club, which sells the animals to provide funds for its scholarship program.

For many years, Virginia has worked with the Tenaya Hospital Guild as coordinator of the Annual Fresno Bee $1.00 sale to raise monies for the Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno, in addition to holding “sopa” feeds to raise money for the hospital. For three years, she also transported cancer patients for treatment to the cities of Fresno, Merced and Madera.