William Penn Life, 1991 (26. évfolyam, 2-10. szám)

1991-10-01 / 10. szám

October 1991, William Penn Life, Page 5

_________________________________________________32nd General Convention

Highlights of the 32nd General Convention

Chairman Joseph P. Arvay and National President E. E. Vargo present a gift to Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff. (Photo by Louis A. Fodor)

John Szanto of Branch 8286 Philadelphia presents memorabilia to National President E. E. Vargo and Chairman Joseph P. Arvay.----------Continued from Page 1

Hungarian language camps as just two examples of how the William Penn serves its members and their heritage.

The Convention placed the task of maintaining the Association’s fiscal strength and fraternal programs in the hands of the Board of Directors.

Re-elected to the Board by the delegates were: Joseph P. Arvay of Branch 19 New Brunswick, N.J.; Anthony C. Beke of Branch 13 Trenton, N.J.; Elmer A. Furedy of Branch 352 Coraopolis, Pa.; Michael J. Hrabar of Branch 16 Perth Amboy, N.J.; Roger G. Nagy of Branch 71 Duquesne, Pa.; Michael F. Tomcsak of Branch 590 Cape Coral, Fla.; Elmer W. Toth of Branch 89 Homestead, Pa.; and Frank J. Wukovits Jr. of Branch 132 South Bend, Ind.

The Convention also chose four new members to serve on the Board: Charles S. Fabian of Branch 48 New York; Louis A. Fodor of Branch 349 Weirton, W.Va.; Michael R. Kara of Branch 34 Pittsburgh; and William J. Kovach of Branch 159 Phoenixville, Pa.

All four had most recently served on the Association’s National Auditing Committee.

Elected by the Convention to serve on the Auditing Committee were six new members: Margaret H. Boso of Branch 129 Columbus, Ohio; Dennis A. Chobody of Branch 88 Rural Valley, Pa.; Charles J. Furedy of Branch 720 Boston; Joseph Hamari of Branch 13 Trenton, N.J.; Robert A. Ivancso of Branch 27 Toledo, Ohio; and Ernest J. Mozer Sr. of Branch 51 Passaic, N.J.

The new directors and auditors were sworn into office by former National President John Sabo.

The directors then met to elect the National Officers who will lead our Association for the next fours years. The Board unanimously re-elected Mr. Vargo as national president, George S. Charles Jr. as national vice president-secretary, and Frances A. Furedy as national vice presidenttreasurer.

The Board elected Mr. Arvay as its chairman and Mr. Hrabar and Mr. Nagy as vice chairmen. It also appointed Frank J. Radvany of Branch 13 Trenton, N.J., as secretary to the Board.

The Auditing Committee also met and elected Mr. Furedy and Mr. Ivancso as co-chairmen and Mrs. Boso as secretary.

Speaking on behalf of all the newly elected officials, President Vargo thanked the delegates for their support and asked for their cooperation. "We need the cooperation of all of you for our Association to succeed ... and be one of the stars of the fraternal benefit system.”

The meeting’s final business session on Wednesday featured another show of unity by the Convention, this time in support of the William Penn Fraternal Association Scholarship Foundation. The delegates donated a total of nearly $24,000 to the fund which provides grants to young members seeking higher education.

The social highlight of the meeting was Tuesday evening’s banquet honoring the Convention delegates. Among those addressing the banquet guests were Dr. Imre Bertalan, president of

the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, and Prof. August J. Molnár, president of the American Hungarian Foundation.

Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff extended an official welcome from the City of Pittsburgh. In return, President Vargo presented her with a gift from the Association.

Allegheny County Commissioners Tom Forester and Larry Dunn also addressed the banquet guests. They presented President Vargo with a resolution passed by the commissioners proclaiming Sept. 9 to 11, 1991, as "William Penn Association Days” in the county.

During the banquet, the Association took time to recognize those who have served it with love and dedication for many years. First among those was National Vice President-Treasurer Frances A. Furedy who received a standing ovation when it was announced that she was marking-------Continued from Page 1

man of the Board Joseph P. Arvay, National Vice President- Secretary George S. Charles Jr., and National Vice President- Treasurer Frances A. Furedy.

Chairman Arvay noted that none of the recipients knew beforehand about the special presentation, but that all had certainly earned this recognition. "For many, this recognition is long overdue,” he said.

Several of the recipients were well known for their service to the Association at the national level. But most were grassroots fraternalists who have made solid and no less significant contributions at the branch level.

The first two awards were presented posthumously in honor of Charles Akai of Branch 24 Chicago and Steve Petruska Jr. of Branch 8 Johnstown, Pa. Both men had passed away earlier this year.

Accepting the awards on behalf of their late husbands were Elizaher 50th anniversary as an employee of the Association that week.

She then joined Chairman Arvay and Secretary Charles in presenting special plaques of appreciation to 21 members for whom such recognition, as Chairman Arvay said, "was long overdue.” (See related article on Page 1.)

The meeting also saw the Association reassert its friendship with sister fraternal societies and commitment to the National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA). The NFCA is an organization of 100 fraternal societies based throughout the U.S.

Leading fraternalists to address the Convention included NFCA President W. Patrick Donlin; Robert E. Miller, NFCA executive vice president; Hans G. Struff, president of the Pennsylvania Fraternal Congress and secretary-treasurer of the Greater Beneficial Union of Pittsburgh;

beth Akai and Vera Petruska. Both fought back tears as they thanked the Association for the awards, and each noted how proud their husbands were to serve the Association.

The other fraternalists to be honored that night were:

Frank Balogh of Branch 15

Chicago;

Alexander Chobody of Branch 88 Rural Valley, Pa.;

Stephen J. Emery of Branch 26 Sharon, Pa.;

Alex Fabiankovitz of Branch 336 Harrisburg, Pa.;

David George of Branch 129 Columbus, Ohio;

Alexander J. Goydan of Branch 226 McKeesport, Pa.;

George A. Horvath of Branch 174 Scranton, Pa.;

Steve Horvath of Branch 249 Dayton, Ohio;

Mary Huthansel of Branch 48 New York;

John E. Jávor of Branch 17 Lorain, Ohio;

and Paul M. Payerchin Jr., president of the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh and president of the United Lutheran Society.

The Convention also took time to remember those who could not be present at the meeting due to illness, including Secretary of the Board Frank J. Radvany.

A special memorial service was conducted during the opening session in honor of those distinguished members and friends who had passed away since the last convention in 1987.

Participating in the service were President Vargo, Prof. Molnár, the Rev. Louis Illés, the Rev. Paul Bolvary of St. Ann Church in Hazelwood, Pa., and vocalist Stephen Somiak.

The memorial service reminded the delegates of not only the people who helped build the Association but also the spirit which drove them to serve the Association with tireless dedication.

Louis Jesso of Branch 150 Masontown, Pa.

Louis J. Kubus of Branch 34 Pittsburgh;

Violet B. Lenart of Branch 226 McKeesport, Pa., and a former member of the National Auditing Committee;

Gus G. Nagy of Branch 71 Duquesne, Pa., and former national secretary;

Anthony G. Noel of Branch 590 Cape Coral, Fla.;

Louis Roka Jr. of Branch 214 Flint, Mich.;

John Sabo of Branch 226 McKeesport, Pa., and former national president;

Steve Sándor Jr. of Branch 28 Youngstown, Ohio; and

Stephen J. Szemes Jr. of Branch 76 Philadelphia, Pa.

Each recipient received a loud and well-deserved round of applause upon accepting the plaque. Some seemed a little stunned by the surprise recognition, but all appeared happy and proud to be honored by their beloved William Penn Association.

ALTERNATE NATIONAL DIRECTORS

Veronica C. Aronne James Deak Albert D. Furedy Andrew S. Gotz Mary Ann Groshans Steve Florvath

Barbara A. House Juliann Kwasneski George F. Mirkovich Steve Sándor, Jr. Stephen J. Varga William S. Vasvary

ALTERNATE NATIONAL AUDITORS

Glenna Aronne Dorothy J. Gall Gregory G. Nagy

Association honors fraternalists

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