NATIONAL NEWS ational lovak ociety Where “Family Matters” JANUARY 2015 | NUMBER 3477 VOLUME 107 National Slovak Society News NATIONAL NEWS ational lovak ociety Inside this Issue... Periodical Postage Paid at McMurray, Pennsylvania and Additional Mailing Offices Assembly Activities Owned and Published by the Activities at a Glance ............................ 3 NATIONAL SLOVAK SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Organized February 16, 1890 From the Executive Officers 351 Valley Brook Road, McMurray, PA 15317-3337 President’s Column ................................. 4 USES 0371-140 - ISSN: 0027-7940 Secretary/Treasurer ................................ 5 Phone: (724) 731- 0094 -- E-Mail: [email protected] NSS Web Site: www.nsslife.org Fax No: 724-731-0145 NSS Financial Matters Founder and Honorary President, Peter V. Rovnianek 3rd Quarter Financial Report .................. 6 EDITOR Annuity Interest Rates ............................ 10 LORI CROWLEY Published Monthly Send articles for publication to: NSS Sales Department Lori Crowley National Sales Director............................ 11 351 Valley Brook Road McMurray, PA 15317-3337 Unsolicited manuscripts are not returned unless accompanied with a self-addressed stamped envelope. NSS Activities Deadline: 5th of preceding month. Fraternal Activities Coordinator .............. 9 “POSTMASTER” SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: NATIONAL SLOVAK SOCIETY Assembly Photos ................................. .. 14 351 VALLEY BROOK ROAD, MCMURRAY, PA 15317-3337 NSS NATIONAL OFFICERS Assembly News David G. Blazek, FIC, National President & Elder PVR Donations ....................................... 7 Linda Strom, Secretary/Treasurer Meeting Notices ..................................... 12-13 Departed Members ................................ 7 NSS NATIONAL DIRECTORS NSS HONORARY OFFICERS Nar; odne ; Noviny Alan Burns Sophia Hudak, Tribunal Member Michael Czarney Anthony Beno, Director Vyzva;n'ajte zvony k nove;mu roku ............ 15 Andrea Garbon Dean Burns, Vice-President Kalendar 2015 ...................................... 15 Keith S. Godor Edward Havir, Director Chodenie s Betlehemom ........................ 15 Abigail Gross Mary Jo Holker, Director Robert Katricak Edward Koches, Director Susan Ondrejco Paul J. Godor, Director Youth Circle Joseph Stefka, Jr. Joseph Tomaskovic, Jr., Director Drew Wesnak Poetry Contest Winners............................ 17 FSWFE HONORARY OFFICERS PBU HONORARY OFFICERS Justine Wesnak, President Henri O. Albert, President Reverend Monsignor Thomas V. Banick, Reverend George Virchick Spiritual Advisor Correction ROCWMAS HONORARY OFFICER In the November issue, under Olga Kasnot, President Departed Members, Margaret Heid’s name was misspelled. My apology FSWFE and PBU merged with NSS in 1997 to the family. ROCWMAS merged with the NSS in 1998 Editor 2 NATIONAL SLOVAK SOCIETY NEWS JANUARY 2015 Activities at a Glance... REGION 2 Assemblies L075, 0146, 0617 February 7 Region 2, Meeting/Luncheon, Grotto Pizza, Edwardsville, PA at 12:30 pm February 21 Assembly 0617, Meeting/Luncheon, Grotto Pizza, Edwardsville, PA at 12 Noon REGION 5 Assemblies P38A, 0039, 0100, L105, 0108, 0123, L161, 0283, 0377, 0434, 0441, 0588, 0700, 0737, 0774, 0809 February 7 Assembly 0737, Meeting, Godor’s residence, N Huntingdon, PA at 1:00 pm March 3 Assembly 0039, Meeting, I-HOP Restaurant, Uniontown, PA at 6:00 pm REGION 7 Assemblies P09A, 0008, 0731 December 4 Assembly P09A, Christmas Party, Yankee Kitchen, Boardman, OH at 5:45 pm December 6 Region 7, Christmas Party, Holy Family Parish Hall, Poland, OH at 1:00 pm REGION 8 Assemblies 0004, 0070, 0160, 0432, 0595 January 11 Assembly 0432, Toboggan Night, The Chalet, Strongsville, OH at 6:00 pm January 18 Assembly 0004, Meeting, Havir’s residence, Westlake, OH at 2:00 pm January 20 Assembly 0160, Annual Dinner/Meeting at 6:00 pm February 28 Assembly 0432, Annual Dinner Dance/Reverse Raffle REGION 10 Assemblies 0586 March 1 Assembly 0586, Meeting (Time and Location TBD) REGION 14 Assemblies RO59, L102 January 11 Region 14, Holiday Party, Wesnak’s residence, Whitehall, PA at 2:00 pm January 25 Assembly R059, Meeting, Lahutsky’s residence at 1:30 pm REGION 15 Assemblies L002, 0028, L145 No activities at this time AT LARGE Assemblies R019, L040, 0110, 0236, 0299, 0381, 0554, 0568, 0705, 0800, 0813 March 22 Assembly 0381, Welcome Spring Lunch/Meeting, Hungarian Rhapsody, South Gate, MI at 2:00 pm NATIONAL SLOVAK SOCIETY NEWS JANUARY 2015 3 National Slovak Society News from the Home Office 2014 at the age of 89. Mom passed on From The News of Narodniars very peacefully with family by her side. President’s Desk… Happy Birthday to Honorary Direc - We were blessed to have her as a tors Paul Godor and Edward Havir, for - mother, grandmother, and great grand - mer Home Office employees Karen mother for many years and will dearly Orban and Cathy Lydic. Also to Else miss her smiling face. May her soul Resosky, Susan Payerchin, Tod rest in peace. We love you mom. Wilcock, and to daughter Shannon Woods. Happy Birthday to all others celebrating in January. Best wishes to Ed Havir for a speedy New Year’s Resolutions recovery from his most recent health Each year I think we all have great set back. Also congratulations to Na - intentions to change something in our tional Director Abigail and Michael life by making a New Year Resolution Gross on the birth of their second son. that maybe we hold to for a week or a David G. Blazek, FIC As of this writing I don't know the month or two and then it falls by the National President name of our potential newest member wayside. I have an idea for you, that if for the society, but I understand you follow it, you will benefit from this mother and son are doing well. for the entire year and even longer. My deepest sympathy to the family Make a promise to yourself that when A very Happy New Year to each of of Susan Hrusik, Assembly 0065, you meet with your tax preparer to file our members and their families, from Chicago, Illinois. Sue attended numer - your tax return for 2014, ask them how the Officers, Board members and entire ous NSS conventions and was active in much you can contribute to your IRA staff at the Home Office. As we begin a the church, Ladies Guild, and also an and then make that contribution. You new year of growth for the National officer for Asssembly 586 for many will benefit from paying less taxes and Slovak Society, we need to look back at years. She will be missed. will help to insure a bigger nest egg at where we started and where we are at On a sad note, my mother Jean retirement time. This resolution is one this time, our 125th year of providing Blazek passed away on December 3, you can keep and will benefit you for protection to our members throughout many years to come. the country. At the first convention of the National Slovak Society held in February of 1890, there were only 6 delegates in attendance, charged with ratifying a Constitution and By-Laws; Friends of Slovakia Awards Dinner setting goals for the future, and pledg - On November 14th, I had the distinct pleasure of representing our society at the ing to promote Slovak culture in Amer - Fifth Slovak-American Awards Dinner sponsored by the Friends of Slovakia and held ica. At that meeting a total of $200.00 at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Washington, DC. This dinner also cele - was contributed to start the organiza - brated the tenth anniversary of Slo - tion that would provide death benefits vakia's membership in NATO and and a sick benefit to our brothers and the EU, the twenty-fifth anniversary sisters that were in need. By the end of of the Velvet Revolution and the 1890, membership had grown to over seventieth anniversary of the Slovak 1,000 members, the NSS had property National Uprising. The Diplomacy holdings valued at $1,748.64 and Award was presented to The Honor - back-up money stood at $600.00. able Theodore E. Russell, Ambassa - Today, our property and assets are dor of the United States to around $800 million. We have come a Slovakia. The Cultural Award was long way from our beginnings 125 presented to Peter Breiner, Concert years ago and this is why we will cele - L-R: The Honorable Peter Burian, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, NSS Pianist and Composer. The Educa - brate our anniversary on March 7, President David G. Blazek, and H.E. Peter Kmec, tional Award was presented to The 2015. Please mark your calendar to Slovak Ambassador to the U.S. Fund for American Studies and the save the date and plan on being with Slovak-American of the Year Award us in Pittsburgh for our 125th Anniver - was presented to Professor Jan Vilcek, Department of Microbiology, New York Univer - sary Banquet. sity School of Medicine and President, Vilcek Foundation. Congratulations to all the awardees for their contributions to society. 4 NATIONAL SLOVAK SOCIETY NEWS JANUARY 2015 National Slovak Society News from the Home Office Gross Annuity Margin; Buys & Sells A Page From My Notebook...... and closing comments. At the end of By Linda M. Strom, National Secretary/Treasurer the presentation revisions to the NSS Email: [email protected] Investment Policy Guidelines were re - viewed and approved. Annuity Interest Rates were reviewed December 2014 and a motion was made to keep the rates the same for the 1st Quarter of Condolences 2015. My condolences go out to President The Assembly Growth Committee re - Blazek and his family on the passing of viewed the Assembly Tracking Program his mother Jean Blazek and to the and discussed activities for Fraternal Tracking Points. Hrusik family on the passing of long M Strom as Secretary/Treasurer of the The Fraternal Growth Committee acted time member Susan Hrusik from As - NSS for a four (4) year term (11/1/14 - upon all petitions received for consider - sembly 0065 in Chicago, IL. 10/31/18).