Fraternity-Testvériség, 2003 (81. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2003-04-01 / 2. szám
1 1 Page 12 TESTVÉRISÉG • Destroy unused credit cards and review your credit report annually. When identity thefts occurs, act quickly. First, cancel all credit cards and close accounts you know or believe have been tampered with. Then, report lost or stolen credit cards to the three national credit-reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) in writing: • TransUnion, PO. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19022; TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Department, 800-680-7289. • Equifax Credit Information Services, Inc., P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374; Equifax Consumer Fraud Division, 888-766-0008. • Experian National Consumer Assistance Center, P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013; Experian’s National Consumer Assistance, 888-397-3742. HRFA Helps Needy Children in Iraq We are pleased to report that Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Julius Oroszvary, a member of Branch 20, Trenton, New Jersey, of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, is serving with a team from the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade in Safwan, Iraq. Civil Affairs Units are concerned with helping the civilian population. In addition to restoring electricity, water, and medical services, they are trying to help the schools. For the past month, the members of Branch 20 have been sending school supplies to LTC Oroszvary, which he is able to personally deliver to the schools. So far members have sent 11 boxes, containing small stuffed animals, pencils, pens, rulers, scissors, magnifying glasses, maps, and pictures to hang on the walls, colored pencils, markers, small bouncy balls, Frisbees, games, puzzles, multiplication charts, coloring books, blocks, and books. The things that American schools throw out at the end of every year are more than these kids have seen in their entire lives. An excerpt from LTC Oroszvary’s letter: “Today we visited seven schools and 1 had the shock of my life. No doors, no windows, roof leaking. The primary school, 1-6 grades, had 200 students and the secondary (7-12) had 80. In our house you can find more school supplies than in the two schools combined. It is a miracle that kids can learn under those conditions. But the intent of the government was to keep the people ignorant so they could continue to rule. We delivered some school supplies from UNICEF which were better suited for up to the first four grades but anything is better than nothing. The biggest shock was the kindergarten. It looked as austere as a prison with the exception of one UNICEF package, no books or toys. Probably shipping costs will be a limiting factor but any shipments to the kindergarten would be the most useful and would imprint the young kids with creativity and diversity. ” Now that school is out for the summer, the urgent need is for items that can be used on bare sand: Jump ropes, soccer balls, volley balls, kick balls, and any other kinds of balls for sports activities. Team soccer shirts would also be a good idea to send. The HRFA, through its branches nationwide, has pledged to help collect items for the children in Iraq. The items collected by the branches will be taken by the Branch Managers to the Bethlen Home in Ligo- nier, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, July 20, 2003, when we will be celebrating the Bethlen Home’s Fraternal Day. All items will be shipped to Iraq to LTC Oroszvary with the assistance of the Bethlen Home. If you would like to help, please contact your Branch Manager, or call the Home Office at 202-328- 2630 or 1-888-567-7884 for more information. Thank you for your assistance and support. Teri Pflum, Fraternal Coordinator Americans Want Flag Protected Washington, DC. — A constitutional amendment to protect the American Flag from acts of physical desecration, H.J. Res. 4, easily passed in the United States House of Representatives on June 3, 2003, for the fifth time, by a vote of 300 to 125. The amendment reads, “The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” The HRFA has been an on-going supporter of the proposed flag protection constitutional amendment, and we thank our members and friends who have voiced their support for the amendment. 1
