William Penn Life, 2017 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2017-12-01 / 12. szám
Focus on Fraternalism with Barbara A. House Christmas Greetings from the Fraternal Department WILLIAM PENN ASSOCIATION and our members have shared another busy and successful year. Grateful thanks to our National Officers, Home Office employees, Board of Directors, Fraternal Department Secretary Judit Ganchuk and you, our wonderful members. Thank you for supporting and participating in our many events. Our activities and events could not happen without all of you. Wait until you see next year's events. Many branches took part in our annual Join Hands Day. I hope more of you take part in 2018. We can all reach out and help someone. Please call me if you need suggestions; I have a few ideas. Our Hungarian Heritage Experience was the best ever. We had as many new participants as we had repeat students. The management and staff at Sequanota Lutheran Conference Center and Camp continue to be wonderful hosts. It was a little cooler there this year, but we were busy from sun up to sun down. We hope the new pool will be ready in 2018 when we visit Aug. 5 to 11. And, yes, we are taking reservations. The WPA Picnic was again at the Hungarian Cultural Center of Northeastern Ohio in Hiram, Ohio. Thank you to all who volunteered. We are already planning next year's picnic, scheduled for Aug. 25, 2018. Our annual trip to Europe this year was all in Hungary. We had a wonderful group, as always. We made many new friends. Our 2018 tour will include Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and even a visit to Venice. We are planning for departure in late September. Make your reservations as soon as possible. We already have nine travelers on our list. We supported many of your local church celebrations, golf tournaments, picnics, dances, dinners, festivals, Easter and Christmas baskets and branch Christmas parties. We also supported many events at the Bethlen Communities in Ligonier, Pa., and we mourned the loss of our longtime friend, Bethlen Commuties executive director and WPA supporter Rev. Imre Bertalan. May he rest in peace. We are the only Hungarian fraternal benefit society in the United States. Please spread the word about all our many events. You help determine our future. Now, let me tell you about some of the future plans we have for you. Take out your new 2018 WPA calendars and write these events down: • Joining Hands Against Hunger drive in early 2018. Each participating branch will be reimbursed up to $50. • WPA's Easter Basket program in early 2018. Again, each participating branch will be reimbursed up to $50. • Join Hands Day on May 5 and throughout the year. Participating branches will be reimbursed up to $500. • This year we will support the Calvin Synod meeting in May. This event is held every other year. WPA will host a dinner at the Darlington Inn during this event. • Hungarian Festival, New Brunswick, N.J., on June 2. This is the largest festival I have ever attended. • Hungarian Night at Lake County (Ohio) Captains baseball game on June 30. This event grows every year. • 35th Annual WPA Golf Tournament and Scholarship Days on July 13 and 14 in Ohio. We're adding a new twist to a popular event for your entire family's enjoyment. More details to come soon. • We continue to support the Hungarian Reformed Church Camp in July. • WPA's annual Hungarian Heritage Experience on Aug. 5 to 11. • The Birmingham Ethnic Festival in Ohio on Aug. 18 and 19. 1 The WPA Picnic on Aug. 25 in Hiram, Ohio. • And, we round out our fraternal year with the WPA Tour 2018 in late September. Remember, many of our events have early bird discounts. We wish you a wonderful Christmas season and a happy 2018. We ask God to continue to bless our beloved William Penn Association and you, our wonderful members. Special thanks to my Branch 18 officers who helped me to attend many of your events. We wish you happiness to keep you sweet, just enough trials to keep you strong, enough success to keep you eager, enough faith to give you courage and enough determination to make each of your days special. (Thank you Father Barnabas). Boldog és áldott Karácsonyt a bethlehemi Jézus áldásával és békés, sikeres új esztendőt. (Happy and Blessed Christmas with the blessing of Jesus of Bethlehem, and a peacefid, successfid New Year.) Photo of wreath © Can Stock Photo Inc./vnlit WILLIAM PENN LIFE 0 December 2017 0 3
