William Penn Life, 1987 (22. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1987-04-01 / 4. szám
Page 8, William Penn Life, April 1987 Branch News Branch 800 elects officers, plans events Recently elected officer for 1987 at Branch 800, Altoona, Pa., were: (front row, from left) Robert Jones, treasurer; George Dorman, secretary; Leroy Douglas, vice president; Joe Masic, president; (back row, from left) Dave Fredericks, auditor; William Haberstroh, national director, and Vince Franks and Joe Polumbo standing in for Branch Marshal James Stoner who was in the hospital at the time this picture was taken. Br. 28 members attend several Hungarian activities By Harold Robinson Branch 800 Reporter ALTOONA, PA — Branch 800 held nomination and election of officers for 1987 at its monthly meeting on Dec. 2, 1986. Joe Masic was re-elected president. Others re-elected were Secretary George Dorman and Treasurer Robert Jones. Newly-elected officers were Vice President Leroy Douglas, Marshall James Stoner and auditors Vince Franks, Dave By Helen Kaluczky Branch 28 Reporter YOUNGSTOWN, OH — Members of Branch 28 attended the March 1 meeting of the American-Hungarian Federation of Churches and Societies held at Our Lady of Hungary Church Fredericks and Harold Robinson. National Director William J. Haberstroh installed the branch officers. After the meeting a light lunch was served. The branch also met Jan. 6 to plan its activities for this year. Among the activities planned are a communion breakfast, a bus trip, the annual corn boil and weiner roast in August, a memorial Mass for deceased members in November and a Christmas party in December. hall. Elected as officers of the Federation were Maria Goda, president; Kalman Molnár, first vice president; Mary Schauer, second vice president; Imre Fabo, treasurer; Frank Schauer, secretary; and- Kathy Novak, Joe Taylor, Bela Hulin and Helen Gombás, auditors. We wish them a successful year. The Federation will sponsor two main activities this year. One is a commemoration of Independence Day 1848. The other is Hungarian Day scheduled for Aug. 9 at Shady Run picnic grove. The Independence Day program was one of two recent wonderful events. The program was nostalgic yet gave one the inner peace that God will in His own time right every wrong and wipe away every tear. The other recent event was the performance of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble March 12 in Youngstown. Terry Check, host of the "Souvenirs of Hungary” program on radio station WKTL 90.7 FM in Struthers, Ohio, was there along with a lot of friends we haven’t seen in years. It would be wonderful to see them again at some of the current activities around town. They would be quite charmed by our local dancers as well as the arts and crafts on display at our club. At this time we would like to express our sympathy to the families of Stephen Wolfe and Helen Mulató who passed away last month. May they rest in peace. Our next branch meeting will be held at 2:00 p.m. April 26 at Gabe Nameth’s home on Bears Den Road. Regular meetings are on the third Sunday of the month, but because of Easter, April’s meeting is on the fourth Sunday. Please call Gabe, our branch coordinator, for your insurance needs at(216) 792-8145. We wish everyone a Happy Easter. Enjoy! Branch News In Brief_______ Branch 8019 PITTSBURGH — Branch 8019 will hold an Easter collection of canned goods to benefit needy families of St. Boniface parish. Plans for the collection were made at the branch’s March 11 meeting held in St. Boniface Church hall. The branch also passed a motion to donate $125.00 towards the church’s heating and electric bills. In appreciation for the use of the church hall for its regular meetings, the branch passed another motion to present the parish’s two priests with Easter gifts of $50.00 each. Branch 8095 UNIONTOWN, PA — Branch 8095 held a covered dish dinner March 8 at St. Anthony’s Friary for members and their guests. Among the 34 guests were Glen and Carole Johnson and Ted and Joan Kramarski of the South West Penn District. An enjoyable time was had by all. Branch 8321 WINDBER, PA — A total of 90 people attended a special recognition dinner honoring the 50-year members of Branch 8321. The dinner was held March 9 at St. Anthony’s Church hall. Each 50- year member received a special membership pin. Br, 51 to elect delegates By Ernest J. Mozer Branch 51 Coordinator PASSAIC, NJ — The 31st General Convention of the William Penn Association will be held on Monday, Sept. 14, 1987, at the Royal York Hotel, 100 Front Street, West, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Two delegates and two alternate delegates from Branch 51 will be elected to attend this convention. Our election will take place on Sunday, May 17, 1987, at the American Hungarian Citizens Club, 21 New Schley St., Garfield, N.J. at 2:00 p.m. Please be at the meeting on time. All members are urged to attend this meeting and cast their votes. Branch 336 prevails through war and floods By Alex Fabiankovitz Branch 336 Coordinator HARRISBURG, PA — Branch 336 of the William Penn Association was first orgnaized in the year 1922 as a branch of the Verhovay Aid Association. Its first president was David Cohen who was elected at the branch’s first meeting, held in a garage at the rear of the home of the vice president, Joe Gelesner. In the early years our only activities were annual picnics and harvest dances. But with the money raised at these affairs, the branch was able to donate $1,000 to restore a Catholic church in Sopron, Hungary. It was the start of a Branch 336’s long history of fraternal service. At the same time, the branch began efforts to preserve and celebrate the Hungarian heritage of its members. In 1932 the branch owned two handmade floss flags, one American and one Hungarian. The Hungarian flag was embroidered with the branch’s name and location. These flags were proudly displayed in 1934 during a parade through the main streets of Harrisburg. The branch even hired a band to lead the grand procession to St. Lawrence Church at Front and State streets where Father Huegel blessed both flags. The members closed out the celebration with a dinnerdance at Schaffer Hall in Steelton. The flags have now become a permanent part of the Association’s collection of historical materials. The 30’s also saw the birth of the branch’s active Pieces of History The Story of Our Branches Part 1___________________ As our Association enters its second century of fraternalism, we honor our branch members whose hard work has made our society thrive for more than one hundred years. This series on the history of our branches is dedicated to them. involvement in athletics. The young members held an annual festival and weekly street dances to raise money for the football and softball teams. The Verhovay softball team was a perennial powerhouse in Pennsylvania. Eventually, the branch formed a bowling team which played in the annual tournament. In 1940, Branch 336, with the aid of a $10,000 loan from the Home Office, purchased a two-story schoolhouse on Cameron Street. We had a new home. The first floor housed the malt beverage business while the second floor was reserved for meetings. The second floor later became a center for youth activities when a ping-pong table and jukebox were added. It gave the young members a place to socialize off the streets. Things began picking up in 1943 after the branch exchanged its malt beverage license for a liquor license. We were able to have a band every Saturday and Sunday night. Enough money was generated to allow us to treat our members to free food and drinks every Thursday night for many years. When World War II began, all active and social members names were put on a plaque in the main room. After the war ended a banquet was held for servicemen and their guests. It was a double celebration as we not only welcomed home our brave members but also burned our mortgage. With the war over, the members returned their full efforts to fraternalism and the William Penn. In 1949 we sent our first team to the national bowling tournament. Ever since we have chartered a bus to take an average of 25 men to the tournament each year. All went well with the branch for many years. Then came the flood of 1972. The rains of Hurricane Agnes left much work to be done. But the members pulled together, using their shovels, brooms, buckets and determination to restore the club in just a short time. But the damage to the neighborhood was too great. Three years after the flood, the home and surrounding buildings were condemned. A new building was purchased and again the members banded together to make the numerous necessary renovations. That building, on South 29th Street, has been our home since 1976. The completion of additions in 1985 allowed the hall to accomodate up to 150 people. While many changes have occurred at Branch 336 since 1922, one thing hasn’t: the deep fraternal spirit and love for the Hungarian heritage shared by its members.
