Verhovayak Lapja, 1945 (28. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)

1945 / Verhovay Journal

November 14, 1945

Varhovay Journal

Page 7

rhe First Month of the Anniversary Contest

OFFICIAL, ANNOUNCEMENTS

The General Membership Contest which is to end on March list, 1946, midnight, is the prelude to the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association to oe held on May 31st and June 1st, 1946, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Great plans are in the making for this anniversary which will also serve as the occasion for the dedication of the new Home Dffice Building, the complete remodeling of which progresses satisfactorily, according to plans.

The program to be arranged for the Anniversary Banquet will exceed the visitors’ highest expectations. Entertainment will be provided to all and sundry. The readers will please note that the Verhovay National Bowling Tournament will be held on June 1st, 1946. Representatives of branches from all over the country will attend the games which should prove highly interesting as only the very best teams will be privileged to participate in the Tournament.

We will keep you informed as to further developments.

The bulk of the crowd to attend the 60th Anniversary will consist of those fellow-members who, by writing at least $15,000 new insurance, will be invited to Pittsburgh at the expense of the Association. Travelling expenses, hotel accomodations, meals will be paid by the Verhovay. The attending of the Anniversary at the expense of the Association, is the main-prize of the great six months’ contest.

Additional prizes are provided for all contestants who exceed the requirements of winning the main-prize by at least $5,000. These additional prizes range from $20 to $50 and will be awarded, regardless of number, to all who succeed in writing $20,000 or more new insurance. The top is $50,000.

Consolation prizes are provided, too, for all who participate in the contest but who do not succeed in meeting the requirements set for the winning of the main-prize. Everyone, who writes at least $3,000 during the six months, between October 31, 1945 and March 31, 1946, will win a prize.

WHO IS REQUIRED TO REGISTER?

Every member in good standing of the Verhovay F. I. Association is eligible for participation in the contest. Branch-managers and local organizers, however, are not required to register as they will be credited automatically with all new members secured by them during the six months’ period. All contestants, who are neither branch-managers nor local organizers, are required to register.

A number of applications have been received with signatures of members who are neither branch-managers nor local organizers, yet have failed to register. Contestants, however, must be registered or else they cannot be credited with the new members secured by them. Be sure to have your branch-manager write to the Home Office or to write yourself (Verhovay F. I. Association, 345—4th Ave., Pittsburgh 22, Pa.) advising the Supreme President of your intention to participate in the contest. Such announcement of your intention automatically qualifies you as a contestant. Rate-books, forms for writing up new members, will be sent upon request.

Contestants who have not yet registered, should do so without fail, in order that they may be properly credited with all new members secured by them up to this date.

In addition to the ex-officio contestants, the branch-managers and local organizers, the following fellow-members have registered up to October 31, 1945:

Branch 14, Daniel Kovács.

Branch 36, Casper Papp.

Branch 98, Charles Simon, William Richter, Julius Demko and John Vörösmarty.

Branch 120, Laslo Dienes.

Branch 132, Stephen Nyers, Mrs. Wendell Lukacs, Joseph Nagy, Jr., Ethel Benczúr.

Branch 164, Mrs. Margaret Kunstadt.

Branch 171, Mrs. John Lutheran.

Branch 174, Louis Kovács, John Nemeth, Zoltán Reichman and Joseph Balia, Sr.

Branch 216, John Titko.

Branch 237, Alexander Nyirati

Branch 417, Joseph Weber.

Branch 525, Mrs. Julius Nyikos.

RESULTS OF THE FIRST MONTH

Up to the 31st of Octobsr the Home Office received 350 applications. About 3%% were rejected. Nearly 50 were applications to be issued with November dating. More than 50 certificates were issued with October dating after the month was closed as applications were either pending or arrived during the last two days of the month. The rest, exactly 240 applications were approved and certificates issued during October. Of these 126 certificates were issued by the Senior Department and 114 by the Juvenile Order.

240 new members during a month is definitely not an outstanding achievement. It is for this reason' that we mentioned the fact that 350 applications were received. As the volume of applications received was increasing daily towards the end of the month, we have every hope that the results in November will be substantially higher, the much more so because we started the month with a backlog of 100 applications.

It is imperative that our confidence in future results be justified as 240 new members represent an averoge production of only 1 new member by every other branch. The true picture, however, is even darker than shown by figuring the average. We find that applications were received from S6 Branches only, that is, onefourth of all the branches of the Association.

Three-quarters of our Branches have not shown any sign of activity during the first month of the Anniversary Contest. It is for this reason that we urge the officers and members of all of our branches to make participation in the contest, on part of their

They Gave Their Lives

179. S.2/C. LOUIS SZKOCHEK

Louis Szkochek, Seaman Second Class, a member of Branch 83, New York, N. Y., was born in Palmerton, Pa., on December 16, 1920. Serving with the Navy in the Asiatic theatre of war, he was reported missing in action as of February 16, 1945. No further information was furnished until a few weeks ago when his mother received a telegram from the Navy Department informing her that S. 2/C. Louis Szkochek was killed in action on February 16, 1945 in the Asiatic area. Details are not known.

Our deep sympathy is expressed to his mother and the bereaved family.

180. PFC. JAMES MAD ARASZ

More than two months ago the death of Eugene Madaras, a member of Branch 214, Flint, Mich., was reported in the Journal. He was accidentally shot and subsequently died on May 21, 1945.

We don’t know as yet whether or not James was related to Eugene Madaras in any way, but otherwise the circumstances are so much alike that we had to look up the old records to make sure that we are not dealing with duplicate reports.

James Madarasz was born, just like Eugene, in Flint, Mich., on May 16, 1924. He was a member of Branch 412, Flint, Mich., and is the first heroic member of that Branch. His mother, Mrs. Catherine Madarasz, 1547 Nevada St., Flint, Micvli.,. received the tragic notice that her son died on October 15, 1945, in Italy as result of a vehicle accident. Her sorrow is shared by all Verhovay members.

With deep sorrow we add the names of these two young heroes to the list of the fatal casualties suffered by the Verhovay. There are 180 names on this list up to this date. We hope to be able to close this list in the near future but judging from the number of our missing fellow-members and the accident-rate prevalent in the areas where our young men are stationed and the dangers which surround them in some areas of occupation, we realize that more must be added as the months pass__Even so, the Verhovay losses are unproportionally high... one out of every 33 Verhovay soldier lost his life in the service of his country... while the grand average in the armed forces of the United States is one out of every 50... Our losses exceed the national average by 30% and this figure is an indication of the loyalty and selfsacrifice of the sons of Hungarian immigrants.

The fact that these death-notices were received after the war had ended, does not detract from but rather adds to the sorrow of the bereaved because the end .of the war brought new hopes to the hearts of anxious parents and the disappointment in what seemed a happy certainty, makes the burden of mourning even more difficult to bear.

THE MEMORY OF OUR 180 HEROIC DEAD SHALL REMAIN WITH US FOR EVER.

resp. branches, their business. The matter of the Anniversary Contest should be discussed at the branch-meeting with the view that every branch be represented by at last one member in the Contest. Branch-managers who, for any reason, cannot participate in the campaign, should approach some members of the branch with the request that they enter the contest.

LEADING CONTESTANTS BY THE END OF OCTOBER

The following is the list of contestants who attained leading positions by the end of October.

1. ) Mrs. Steven Paul, 129, Columbus, O. $7,500. (10 members.)

2. ) John Korosfoy, 369, Alliance, O. $5,600. (11 members.)

3. ) Michael Balogh, 448, Avella, Pa. $5,000. (5 members.)

4. ) Joseph Kovács, 348, Mona, W. Va. $4,400. (8 members.)

5. ) Mrs. Margaret Kunstadt, 164, Chicago, 111. $4,000. (3

members.)

6. ) Valentine Erdélyi, 8, Johnstown, Pa. $3,500. (6 members.)

7. ) Dennis Palfalvy, 452, Colliers, W. Va. $3,500. (5 members.)

8. ) Coloman Palangi, 83, New York, N. Y. $3,000. (5 members.)

9. ) Vendel Petrovits, 2, Kulpmont, Pa. $3,000. (4 members.)

10. ) Charles Nemes, 13, Trenton, N. J. $3,000. (4 members.)

11. ) John Kremple, 412, Flint, Mich. $3,000. (4 members.)

12. ) Emery Sera, 189, Alliance, Q. $3,000. (3 members.)

13. ) Emery Stark, 428, Milwaukee, Wis. $3,000. (1 member.)

To these fellow-members and the 96 branches which have

entered the Contest, we express our sincere appreciation. All other branches are urged to join this movement while there is still time to do so with the assurance of winning a prize. This Contest may

end with a smashing success but the cooperation of all branches is needed. Let’s make an all-out . effort to enlist the aid of all Verhovayans. The 60th anniverdedication of the '“Verhovay sary of the Association and the Building” are important enough occasions to arouse the enthusiasm of our fellow-members.

October ended with 240 new members. During November we should easily get at least 400 new members and that’s asking very little for it amounts to only 1 member per Branch, if all the branches would do their moderate share, we should get 800 new members during every month of the Contest. Then, and only then, could it be called a success, worthy to the tradition that have made the Verhovay the greatest and strongest American Hungarian Fraternal Association. -------------------v------------------Measure of a Man

NOT—How did he die?

BUT—How did he live?

NOT—What did he gain?

BUT—What did he give? These are the units To measure the worth Of a man, as a man,

Regardless of birth.

NOT—What was his station?

BUT—Had he a heart?

AND—How did he play His God-given part?

Was he ever ready With a word of good cheer,

To bring back a smile,

To banish a tear?

NOT—What was his church?

NOR—What was his creed?

BUT—Had he befriended Those really in need?

NOT—What did the sketch In the newspapers say?

BUT—How many were sorry When he passed away?

(North-American Union.)------------V-----------NEVER MIND THE CHANGE Those who have seen the freedom with which American troops spend money will enjoy this story from India.

An American, having hired a tonga for a distance the ordinary fare for which would be half a rupee, magnanimously handed the driver a 50-rupee note.

The man shook his head violently .and demanded 60.

“No,” said the American, “that’s enough. I shan’t pay any more.” The Indian thereupon accepted the money and walked away, leaving the tonga pony with the purchaser.------------V-----------Initiative isn’t intuition or second sight—it is perpetual trying, everlasting vigilance, unceasing work.

Sometimes we may learn more from a man’s errors than from his virtues.

—Henry W. Longfellow

He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount of fear.—Ralph Waldo Emerson.

It’s faith in. something and enthusiasm for something that makes life worth looking at.