William Penn Life, 1979 (14. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1979-10-01 / 4. szám
Of course, this is no( always true in all fraternal societies, for once in a while one hears a lot about the “awesome responsibility” of the office. Well, I agree about the wide range of responsibilities and I will not play down the importance of being number one under God in our Society. It is only when presidents “play God” that the job becomes awesome to them and to others. So I suggest that the presidency is fun and it is funny for anyone with a mild sense of humor. As a president: “You often eat many a meal you don’t want.”; “At banquets you make those ‘few remarks’ that get longer by the years.”; “You sit in on enough committee meetings to realize that the ideal committee is made up of three members, the second who is sick and the third member out of town.”; “You even learn the art of ping-ponging compliments.” Now, let us project to you what it will be like sitting in the president’s chair during the next four years. One of the first projects is to expand our efforts and commit our Association to building a larger Hungarian membership nationally and to promote our common heritage. We must restate our “reason for being” and direct our efforts towards the American Hungarian population in America. We must develop insurance and fraternal programs to satisfy their needs and develop a sales force primarily to serve this market. A program must be developed to increase our juvenile membership. The development of Scenic View would best serve this purpose. A program should be developed to provide leisure time and recreational facilities for our retired and elderly members so that they could enjoy their retirement in a most pleasant environment. We must not lose site of the fact that in “Unity there is Strength” and much continued effort should be put forth to consolidate if necessary all the Hungarian fraternal forces so that the compliment that “we enjoy today of being the largest Hungarian fraternal society” would be more truly expressed in a more representative name such as the “United American Hungarian Association.” I have reported to you that I had the pleasure of serving on the Executive Committee of the National Fraternal Congress of America during the past three years. I am presently serving on a committee to expand the efforts of all fraternal societies to better capitalize on our collective strength to being better prepared to deal with the challenges that may confront the system in the future. The final two decades of the twentieth century will be crucial and quite possibly determine the continuation of the fraternal benefit system. Putting it simply, the need is to do a better job of interpreting and communicating the value of fraternalism. To answer the need our Committee in the next National Fraternal Congress will be recommending and supporting the development of a program which we call the “fraternal communications program”. Through this medium we plan to have each society designate individual members to carry out three specific functions for their society. (1) Each Fraternal Communicator is asked to know as much as possible about his/her Society and the fraternal benefit system. (2) Each Fraternal Communicator is asked to be willing to receive updated information about their Society and the system. (3) Each Fraternal Communicator is asked to share details of their Society and/or system with as many individuals and audiences as possible. I stated in my opening remarks that being your president is an honor and trust to which now I would like to add its also a blessing, but since we cannot have a blessing without a burden, let me share with you how a burden turned into a blessing. Four years ago Mrs. Charles was not with us at the convention, she was hospitalized with a gallbladder condition which turned out to be cancer, the killer. On December 21, 1975 she passed away. Losing your loved one, your helpmate of forty six years is not a blessing. I am sure you agree that a lonely life could only be a burden. My refuge from the burden was my work and the Bible. From the Good Book I learned that man should not live alone, and must have a mate. So two years, three months, and sixteen days ago I married and my burden became a glorious, joyful blessing. (The records should show that Mr. Elmer Charles introduced his wife Marie nee Toth to the Convention and both were showered with applause, good wishes and happiness for the future.) (Assistant Secretary) Being named the fratemalist of the year three years ago, serving on the Executive Board of the National Fraternal Congreess of America, serving on the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Fraternal Congress for two years and as first Vice President this year has been a blessing. Sunday your having witnessed the blessing of the gift of Scenic View, your generous support of this development assures me that the blessing, will not become a burden. Most importantly, your re-electing me, my fellow officers and Board and Auditing Committee members by acclamation is a history-making joyful blessing. I am happy to restate that “how wonderful it is when burdens such as the American Life merger” became after many years of being a burden, a blessing. Our building program which also has been a burden, is now on the brink of becoming a blessing. Now, as we start a new term of office, I will begin to find, if necessary develop, some burdens so that we can turn them into blessings. Now in appreciation, I am grateful to our Branch Managers and Field Delegates from Michigan 27
