Fraternity-Testvériség, 2005 (83. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2005-01-01 / 1. szám
Page 9 Fraternity- Testvériség the New Jersey Fraternal Congress for a young man in her area. She, like Priscilla Hunyady who directs the summer youth Hungarian language and culture camp, and so many other women relish the chance to become mentors to young people. Other women like Rose Gerzsenyi want to foster ethnic identity, not to the extent of her parents who encouraged her to date only Hungarians and eventually marry one, but her fraternal efforts help keep the Hungarian language alive and expose more young children to their heritage. Keeping Hungarian traditions and making ethnic foods are especially important for women like Marge Nicholas who don't speak the language or haven't a Hungarian church in their communities. She calls her fraternal work her “heritage lifeline.” All these women are like candles that provide light for others while consuming themselves. They know they make a difference in people’s lives, and serving is their mission, their “calling.” What better way to spend a life? Tips to Keeping Your Fraternal Life Energized As I interviewed the above-mentioned women, the real heart of our fraternal, 1 asked what kept their high-powered involvement in our fraternal going year after year. These were their words of advice for others who wish to emulate their enthusiasm and dedication to fraternal activities. 1. Attend fraternal conventions and programs. Take advantage of your colleagues’ experience, learn new methods and ways of connecting, gather new materials, and meet energized, competent activists from all over the country, some of whom are older, have been active for even more years, and can share activities that are guaranteed to work. The best list of activities can be found in the April, 2004 issue of the MONITOR called “50 Great Join Hands Day Project Ideas that Work,” pp. 18-19. Share news of your activities with other activists. You are obviously immersed in programs you already enjoy, so share your successes with others. Help promote your “sisters” for their strength, competence and ability to deal with varying life situations. Write a thank-you note to an outstanding fraternal worker, call her up to thank-her for her efforts, or praise her publicly at meetings and social events. Write for publication, even if it’s for your in-house, local magazine the Fraternity or for the MONITOR. Showcase outstanding activists you meet, and you’ll be amazed at the feedback you receive. Remember, letters to the editor are one of the most widely read portions of local papers, so speak out on fraternal issues important to you. Peggy Fabri of Beaver Falls, PA takes many pictures at every event she and her husband Joe host, and she regularly sends the pictures along with the write-up to the Fraternity and to the local media. Your writing will motivate others to express themselves, foster the fraternal’s reputation, and surprisingly, good editors become wonderful friends. 4. Read for your own enjoyment. Don’t feel that everything you read has to be related to fraternal news or insurance issues. One fraternal coordinator carries romance novels in a vinyl cover to read during her free time. For her, it’s sheer escapism for which she needn’t apologize. Become selfish with your private, happy reading time and recommend good books to others. 5. Find a physical exercise you enjoy and take care of your health. Because of the numbers of people you come into contact with at fraternal events, you will be exposed to many germs and viruses, so pamper yourself whenever possible. You need to find some release from the tension and stress of dealing with so many people and their problems, scheduling events, and planning menus. One fraternal coordinator discovered the joys of swimming, a cardiovascular, stress-eliminating exercise that increases flexibility and muscle tone. She feels rejuvenated and sleeps better knowing that adequate sleep and healthy meals are necessary to the good health she enjoys that allows her to remain active and interested in fraternal activities. 6. Take time for yourself and accept your limitations. You can’t be all things to all people. Many women’s total commitment to their fraternals become all-consuming, if they let it. The demands on their time are enormous, so to keep going, they have to prioritize. Women, unlike most men, are blessed with the ability to multi-task. They often simultaneously deal with their own children returning home to live, their ailing spouses, their grandchildren they have to help support, their aging parents that they must care for, and their fraternal’s organizational duties that require on-going attention. They are jugglers of duties and time, masters of “doing it all,” but they must insist on their own private time to rejuvenate if they want to carry on. 7. See a podiatrist and buy yourself a custom-pair of orthotics. If you are an activist, you will be on your feet much of the day, and especially as you age or 2.
