William Penn Life, 1986 (21. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)
1986-09-01 / 5. szám
William Penn Life, September-October 1986, Pag NFCA: Helping Fraternals For 100 Years (Editors note: The year 1986 is special for us. It marks the 100th birthday of both the Statue of Liberty and our Association. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the National Fraternal Congress of America. What follows is the story of this great organization.) The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) is the trade association for fraternal benefit societies in the United States and Canada. It’s the umbrella organization for one of the continent’s largest volunteer networks. The NFCA was organized in November 1886 with 16 societies as founding members. Today, it has 100 society members, including the William Penn Association. The organization’s main purpose is to support fraternal benefit societies through legal counsel, financial advice and various committees which keep up-to-date with NATIONAL FRATERNAL CONGRESS OF AMERICA JOINING HANDS TO TOUCH LIVES the changing needs of the insurance industry. All fraternal organizations meeting the requirements of the Uniform Fraternal Code are invited to join the NFCA. That means an organization must: be without capital stock; exist solely for the mutual benefit of its members and their beneficiaries and not for profit; have a lodge system and representative form of government; and provide for the payment of death, sickness, disability and/or other benefits. The services of the NFCA to its member societies have been numerous. For example, the NFCA was instrumental in the passage of several legislative bills, such as the Whole Family Protection Bill and the Model Uniform Code. The NFCA also was responsible for convincing legislators to support the tax-exempt status of fraternal benefit societies during the sweeping tax-reform debates last year. To further its present day services to the fraternal system, the NFCA maintains standing committees on law, financial statements, investment management and valuations, public relations and general sessions programs. There also are special committees which vary to meet changing industry needs. The NFCA has 10 affiliated sections which serve specific vocational interests and job responsibilities within fraternal benefit societies. Through these sr ‘ions, member-society re «ntatives keep current oil fraternal trends and developments and make contact with their peers. The fraternal benefit societies which comprise the NFCA spend more than $229 million each year on non-insurance, fraternal benefits, including $4.6 million in college scholarships. These benefits meet needs in local communities in a variety of different ways, from launching a volunteer fire department in Kansas to conducting a dinner in Ohio to help a cancer victim overcome burdensome medical bills. Today the NFCA stands on the threshold of a new era — a time of creative change and exciting opportunity. It enters its second century as a strong and vital organization with a history of extraordinary development and achievements. The NFCA is moving forward in a way consistent with its historic mission, yet responsive to the present needs and expectations of its member societies. In this regard, it’s appropriate to preserve the privileges of fraternals; and equally important for fraternals to assure themselves and their members of their real worth. What fraternals have to offer this country is worth preserving and, more importantly, worth nurturing. The background of the fraternal legacy enjoyed today, engendered by a noble past, challenges members to build a better fraternal world for tomorrow — for this generation and many more generations to come. (This article was reprinted with permission from Correspondent, the official publication of the Aid Association for Lutherans. Portions of the original article have been edited or omitted.—JEL) NOTICE WE WANT YOU! QAYB. BANES National President A Message From Your President All Branch Officers, Coordinators, Members and Friends of | the William Penn Association: The Board of Directors has authorized the National Officers I to prepare new programs to revitalize our branch activities. I These will be juvenile and youth oriented. We need your help |and input. We want to know from each of you what activities you are involved in as parents, grandparents and friends. Are you a member of any group, club or league, I bowling, soccer and musical groups, teaching or coaching young people; arts and crafts; dancing, softball, baseball, golf, tennis, photography or computers? You name it. We want to know. We want to help I you. We want to support you with William Penn shirts, caps, jackets, materials ' or financial grants. We want to sponsor you. We want to feature articles in our William Penn Life about what you are Fdoing. Send us your articles and pictures. Have you won prizes, awards or 'scholarships? We want all William Penn members to be proud of your accomplishments. We own two beautiful camps or recreational areas. Camp Rolling Hills at Mt. ' St. George, Wellsburg, West Virginia, is about one hour from Pittsburgh. Penn Scenic View is in Somerset County near Trent, Pennsylvania, 65 miles east of Pittsburgh in the beautiful Laurel Mountains. Camp Rolling Hills is part of a 13 building complex including our Home for the Elderly and is situated on 505 acres of land. The large modern community building on a hilltop overlooking the Ohio River will seat 150. It has a commercial kitchen. There is a new beautiful, almost Olympic size swimming pool adjoining. A Retreat House nearby can accommodate two dozen overnight guests It is serviced by city water, gas and sewage. Penn Scenic View has a large modern community building with a smaller kitchen, a five acre lake adjoining and other buildings situated on 158 acres of land. Both complexes are suitable for day camp or weekend activities. We want to sponsor your programs at these facilities: sports, music, dancing, arts and crafts and a computer camp. We will organize competitions for any o: these events and sponsor classes. Fraternally and sincerely, WE WANT YOU! *xy NFCA Holds The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) will hold its annual meeting Sept. 25 to 28 in Washington, D.C. The meeting will mark the 100th anniversary of the NFCA. More than 85 member societies, including the William Penn Association, are scheduled to be represented at the historic meeting. Representatives from the Meeting various societies will hold a number of meetings to discuss a wide range of subjects and concerns affecting all fraternal benefit societies. The meeting also will feature two large banquets for all in attendance. The first will commemorate the NFCA’s 100th anniversary, the second will be the annual meeting banquet. Dr. Szarka Set To Begin Residency At Chandler Dr. Christine E. Szarka is scheduled to enter a threeyear residency program in internal medicine at the Chandler Medical Center of the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Dr. Szarka received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia this May. She is the daughter of Joseph and Goldie Szarka of McKeesport, Pa., and granddaughter of Frank and Helen Jeremias of White Oak Borough, Pa. Joseph Szarka is a former member of Branch 296, Springdale, Pa. A graduate of McKeesport Area Senior High School, Dr. Szarka was class valedictorian and senior class vice president in 1977. In 1981, she graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Magna Cum Laude with Chemistry departmen-Dr. Christine Szarka tal honors. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and was an active member in Lambda Sigma, Quo Vadis, Mentors and Phi Eta Sigma. She is a member of the American Medical Association, American Medical Women’s Association and Pennsylvania Medical Society.
