Zarja Official Publication Slovenian Union of America Uradno Glasilo Slovenske Zveze v Ameriki $8.99 U.S./$15.99 International Volume 93 Issue 3 Fall 2021 The Dawn Slovenian Union of America 431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703 TELEPHONE: 815.727.1926 WEBSITE: slovenianunion.org 2015-2019 National Board of Directors PRESIDENT: Mary Lou Deyak Voelk (Branch 23) marylouv174@gmail.com VP OF OUTREACH: Annette Charron (Branch 3) amtcharron@gmail.com VP OF HOME OFFICE: Richard Grill (Branch 99) rlgrill@hotmail.com VP OF MARKETING & FUNDRAISING: Stephanie Owens (Branch 93) nycslovenianunion@gmail.com VP OF CULTURE & HERITAGE: Beverly Kochmann (Branch 109) bbkochman@msn.com NATIONAL TREASURER: Robert J. Kuhel (Branch 16) rjkuhel@sbcglobal.net CORR./RECORDING SECRETARY: Mary Risner Glaize (Branch 30) tankandfrog1@yahoo.com STANDING COMMITTEES RESEARCH & ADVISORY Chuck Debevec (Branch 109) cfdebevec@live.com Richard Terselic (Branch 103) rat1@verizon.net EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL GRANTS Debbie Duris (Branch 111) dcduris@gmail.com Frances Kovatovich (Branch 35) velike2000@yahoo.com Carol Rutkiewicz (Branch 109) crutkiewicz@live.com Bill Zerial (Branch 99) billzer@sbcglobal.net MEMBERSHIP Sandra Brierton (Branch 102) sb24774@dce.k12.wi.us Christine Charron (Branch 3) christinedcharron@gmail.com James Lah (Branch 23) jlah@ely.k12.mn.us Richard Mutz (Branch 20) sua.members@gmail.com Lynn Zalokar (Branch 93) lzalokar@yahoo.com PRESERVATION Carol Novak (Branch 20) sua@slovenianunion.org Carole Terlep (Branch 20) sua@slovenianunion.org Georgene Agnich (Branch 20) sua@slovenianunion.org FACEBOOK EDITOR: Mary Risner Glaize (Branch 30) tankandfrog1@yahoo.com DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS: Denise P. Bartlett (Branch 43) denisepbartlett@wi.rr.com MEMBERSHIP MANAGER: Rick Mutz sua.members@gmail.com (ISSN 0044-1848) Postmaster: Send all changes of address to this location: SLOVENIAN UNION OF AMERICA 431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703 © Copyright All Rights Reserved LAURIE LEHMAN Afternoon Outing 12”x16” (scene of Piran, Slovenia) Original Paintings of Slovenia laurielehmanartist.com 989-560-1645 Zarja - The Dawn EDITOR: Bonnie Pohar Prokup DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: Debbie Pohar CONSULTING EDITORS: Annette Charron and Bernadette K. Fitzsimmons EDITORIAL OFFICE: 3119 Carrie St., Peru, IL 61354 PUBLISHER: Slovenian Union of America Vol. 93, No. 3 Fall 2021 Published quarterly Periodicals Postage paid at Joliet, IL and additional mailing offices. Communications for the next issue of publication Do you have something you would like to share with readers? We would love to hear from you! Please e-mail the editor at wprokup@ aol.com. We reserve the right to edit any article submitted. Articles must be related to Slovenia, SUA events, or members. The deadline for articles is the 10th day of the month, two (2) months preceding the issue. For example, articles for the Winter issue must be received by October 10. Thank you. Submission Guidelines E-mail your photos attached as jpeg files. If you have an old photo that is irreplaceable, please make a good-quality copy to share with us. (Scanned copies must be a resolution of 300 or higher.) By submitting material for publication, you grant the Slovenian Union of America the use of the material including your name, hometown, and state. We may modify, reproduce, and distribute it in any SUA-authorized medium and in any manner or appropriate place. Living the Legacy of our Slovenian Heritage Slovenian Union of America, Inc (SUA) THE STATE OF THE UNION 2021 graduations will go down in history. Classmates and teachers were but figures on a screen. The human factor, the intimacy of sitting in a classroom, did not exist. Loneliness prevailed. Adding to their anxiousness was a new subject matter, National & World Affairs. It was a learning year like no other. Somehow our young people stayed focused. Congratulations to our youth who have excelled in the face of the pandemic and historical events. In honor of their achievement, the SUA has presented each graduate a diploma. To our graduates, Caleb Clyde Douglass Juliana Fitzsimmons Carl Friesenhahn Marielle Rose Korringa Natalie Landgraf Olivia Parsons Jackson Adams Steffy Eleanor Whitmore Brittany Ellen Wood The world awaits your work ethic and your personal empathy and compassion. Regards, The SUA National Board SUA Zoom Events SUA offered its first Zoom event for SUA members and other interested participants on May 18, 2021, with Painted Hives: A Conversation with the Author. Kudos to the SUA Membership Committee members who all took part in creating this event from start to finish. Members of the committee are listed on the inside cover of Zarja. Sipping on a glass of wine during the SUA Zoom get together on June 10 was a new experience! Sommelier Brett led the tasting of three Slovenian wines. The hourlong class was filled with fun, tasting tips, and wine tasting etiquette. I learned that one should “smell the wine before sipping, observe the color” and “always hold the wine glass by the stem; holding the bowl alters the Fall 2021 sampling temperature of the wine and clouds the glass. You want to see the color.” Check out short reports about these two successful Zoom events on the back page in this edition of Zarja. National Board Meeting (Zoom); June 19, 2021 From Denise Bartlett, Director of Special Projects and Parliamentarian Our SUA Corporate Bylaws require a staggered election for three (3) National Board positions, two (2) years after the 2019 National Convention. All three (3) of the current office holders had their names placed in nomination. There were no further nominations submitted by SUA’s membership. During the Zoom meeting of the National Board Officers and the Branch Member Representatives held on Saturday, June 19, 2021 the three (3) - VP of Outreach (Annette Charron), VP of Culture and Heritage (Beverly Kochmann), and National Treasurer (Robert Kuhel), were elected by acclamation. Their four (4) year terms will be up in 2025. Celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the SUA Celebrating the 95th anniversary of the SUA in Rečici, the birthplace of Marie Prisland, has been in a planning stage for several years. A proclamation in Prisland’s honor was to be presented on December 19, 2021, to the village. COVID0-19 and variants have interrupted any plan or date we choose. Prisland’s family has suggested moving the trip June 2022. (Anniversaries can be celebrated at any time.) If you would be interested in such a tour, email marylouv174@ gmail.com. A certainty, a proclamation to Marie Črne (Cherne) Prisland will be written. Look for Feature Friday and/or news from SUA Member Representatives regarding its presentation. Will the presentation be a Zoom event or a tour group to Rečici? Mary Lou Deyak Voelk, President Slovenian Union of America 1 Andrej Stopar of Slovenian SRTV Andrej visited Cleveland and Pittsburgh, interviewing and filming historical documentation from Slovenian Americans who had participated in the 1991 quest for Slovenian’s independence. In Joliet, Andrej visited the Slovenian Union of America where his focus was Marie Prisland and her role in preserving Slovenian culture and tradition among Slovenian immigrants in the United States. Georgene Agnich, Branch 20, conducted a tour of the museum, libraries, and archives, and presented Andrej with the latest Zarja issue with its front cover in memory of Corrine Leskovar, editor of Zarja - The Dawn from 1952 to 2006. Andrej also toured St. Joseph Slovenian Church, the adjoining museum, and the KSKJ. Andrej was accompanied by Dr. John Vidmar, Slovenian Consulate, Lemont. While in the area, Andrej resided at Lemont where he toured and viewed its Slovenian archival history. Andrej Stopar and Tamara Vodopivec recording Mike Vidmar interview outside SUA office. Carole Terlep, Georgene Agnich, Mike Vidmar, John Vidmar, Dick Grill, Tamara Vodopivec, and Andrej Stopar in SUA Heritage Museum. Mike Vidmar, John Vidmar, Andrej Stopar, Tamara Vodopivec, and Dick Grill lunch at Merichka’s (Georgene Agnich not pictured). Annette and Ray Koncar with Mike Vidmar in St. Joseph Church. Tamara Vodopivec and Andrej Stopar near Maria Pomagaj altar in St. Joseph Church. Andrej Stopar and Tamara Vodopivec take photos in the Ancel Center of St. Joseph Church. 2 Zarja - The Dawn Calling all writers, poets and essayists! Slovenian Union of America The Slovenian Union of America Opens Submissions for the 2022 Slovenian Literary Award to Recognize and Promote Writers of Slovenian Heritage The award is open to both first time writers, as well as published authors. For nearly a century, the Slovenian Union of America has been dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Slovenian ancestry of its members. Writing has been a formative part of the Slovene heritage, and the SUA Slovenian Literary Award acknowledges those who continue this vital tradition. The winner will be announced in June 2022 honoring the award recipients for their literary contributions. The time and place will be announced at a later date. Applicants are welcome to register, provide a 100-word biography, and submit their work here: https://slovenianunion.org/sua-literary-award Accepting Submissions: November 1, 2021 - January 31, 2022 • All genres of creative writing will be considered - Short Stories, Novels, Speeches, Personal Essays, Memoirs, Poetry, Manuscripts, Screenplays, and Academic Work. • Musical compositions will not be considered. • The award is not limited to English; both English and Slovene will be accepted. • Works are judged on quality by a panel of writers and a committee. • Applicants may live anywhere but must be of Slovenian heritage. • Individual writers only (no groups) with up to three submissions per writer. • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. • Membership in SUA is not required. For press inquiries please contact slovenianliteraryaward@gmail.com Fall 2021 3 Donated Treasures from the Collection of Corinne Leskovar Attorney Miriam Burkland of Oak Park, Illinois, donated three treasures from the collection of her late mother, Corinne Leskovar, to the Slovenian Union of America on May 7, 2021. for Corinne Leskovar by Beverly Jackson in honor of Corinne’s 50 years as editor of Zarja. The quilt features twelve selected Zarja covers printed onto cloth against a background and border of three different shades of blue calico. A round beige pin with “S.Z.Z.” written in black, The first treasure is an antique binder with the title Castna with a beige bow behind it, is attached to the upper-left Knjiga S. Z. Z. (Honor Book of SWU) engraved in gold on corner of this charming and unique quilt. its cover. Its 26 typewritten chapters containing 163 pages describe the founding and development of the Slovenian The Slovenian Union of America thanks Miriam Burkland Women’s Union of America from 1926 to 1970. Miriam for donating these wonderful treasures that are lasting tribreceived no information from Corinne as to the author, utes to Marie Prisland, Albina Novak, and Corinne Leskobut she suspects Marie Prisland or Miriam’s grandmother, var, three towering figures in the history of SWUA/SUA. Albina Novak, was the author because the chapters were by Georgene Agnich clearly written by a native Slovenian. Miriam thinks that georgeneagnich@gmail.com Corinne may have updated the book as part of her du773.205.1326 ties as Zarja editor. An additional section, “ Zgodovina Zvezinih Podruznic,” contains an individual typewritten history of each branch, from Branch 1 to Branch 108, compiled by SWUA foundress Marie Prisland. It is an irreplaceable and fundamentally important book “that goes to Joliet,” in Corinne’s words to Miriam. The second treasure is a 16” x 20” color photo of “Albina Novak Guard,” likely SWUA’s first organized marching group, taken by Bukovnik Studio, Cleveland, in 1933. The sixteen young women pictured are smartly attired in jaunty red berets, red waistlength jackets, white skirts, and white hosiery, shoes, and gloves. Miriam searched for and found the photo published on page 218 of the November 1933 issue of Zarja, with all the guards identified by name. The third treasure is a 27” x 40” handmade souvenir quilt created Donations from Miriam Burkland from the collection of her mother, Corinne Leskovar. 4 Zarja - The Dawn Congratulations & Thank You for Your Support! 2021 April’s Showers of Dollars Winners Thank you for supporting Slovenian Union of America’s 2021 fundraiser, April’s Showers of Dollars. The profit will enhance all aspects of the activities planned for Member Representatives and all attendees at SUA’s 29th National Convention being held in Pueblo, Colorado, at the Pueblo Convention Center in June 2023. Top Seller Winner’s List 1st Place (60 Sold) - Germaine Amato, Branch 111 - Northeast Ohio $150.00 2nd Place (28 Sold) - Lori Bond, Branch 20 - Joliet, IL $100.00 3rd Place (27 Sold) - Bill Zerial, Branch 99 - Lemont, IL $50.00 Daily Entry Winners April 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Entrant Peter F. Gaber, Chicago, IL Frank J. Markelc, Milwaukee, WI Jack Kolesari, New Berlin, WI Michael Campbell, Chicago, IL Rosemarie Duh, Richmond Hts, OH Jean Robertson, Lancaster, OH Marie DeBernardi, Carefree, AZ Lori Bond, Joliet, IL Dee Dee Sherek, Fridley, MN Robert J. Sever, Stroudsburg, PA Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas, Orland Park, IL Dominic Marinello, West Allis, WI Jerry Nasenbeny, Sun City West, AZ Ann Bruno, Parma, OH Judith Novak, DePue, IL Nancy Horwath, Joliet, IL Ryan Label, New Berlin, WI Frances Mutz, Crest Hill, IL Ricky Lee Black, Waukesha, WI Madeleine Khosla, Pueblo, CO Robert J. Kuhel, Highland Park, IL Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas, Orland Park, IL Celina Bond, Milwaukee, WI Joan C. Egly, Joliet, IL Barbara Friesenhahn, Austin, TX Barbara Pohar, LaSalle, IL Rosalie Biros, Oak Forest, IL Barbara M. Louthan, Poughkeepsie, NY Robert & Jean Ficek, New Bern, NC Mary Lewis, Shorewood, IL Amount Won/Seller/Branch #, Location $75 $75 $65 $185 $75 $65 $65 $75 $65 $75 $185 $75 $65 $65 $75 $75 $65 $185 $65 $75 $75 $75 $65 $75 $185 $75 $65 $75 $75 $75 Same, BR 30, At Large Same, BR 43, Milwaukee, WI Betty Ann Kolesari, BR 43, Milwaukee, WI Same, BR 30, At Large Same, BR 111, Northeast Ohio Jackie Smith, BR 43, Milwaukee, WI Leone DeBernardi, BR 23, Ely, MN Same, BR 20, Joliet, IL Jerry Sherek, BR 109, Twin Cities, MN Same, BR 30, At Large Same, BR 20, Joliet, IL Same, BR 43, Milwaukee, WI Sue Nasenbeny-Byrne, BR 93, NYC, NY Bill Zerial, BR 99, Lemont, IL Same, BR 30, At Large Same, BR 20, Joliet, IL Christine Label, BR 43, Milwaukee, WI Same, BR 20, Joliet, IL Angela Nankin, BR 43, Milwaukee, WI Same, BR 3, Pueblo, CO Same, BR 16, South Chicago, IL Same, BR 20, Joliet, IL Lori Bond, BR 20, Joliet, IL Same, BR 20, Joliet, IL Same, BR 5, Indianapolis, IN Same, BR 24, LaSalle, IL Dorothy Kabara, BR 20, Joliet, IL Same, BR 93, New York, NY Same, BR 24, LaSalle, IL Same, BR 20, Joliet, IL Top Branch Support - Entries Sold 220 - Branch 20 - Joliet, IL 154 - Branch 111 - Northeast Ohio 75 - Branch 3 - Pueblo, CO 73 - Branch 109 - Twin Cities, MN 72 - Branch 43 - Milwaukee, WI Fall 2021 5 Donations Thank you!-Hvala lepa! $200 Donation Barbara Bruch, 089, SUA $100 Donation Sonja Mosquin, 093, +Erika Beuno Mike Sixel, 102, +Josephine Artac & Pat Sixel Shawn Collins, 111, +Stephanie Segulin Milena Gobetz, 001, Educational Grant +Prof. Dr. Edi Gobetz Heather Prince-Hornby, 030, SUA $70 Donation Sandra Turner, 111, SUA $50 Donation Mary Ann Cullen, 003, +Catherine Perko Mary Kay Kais, 043, +Frank R. & Arline Fritz Albina Medved, 023, +Theresa Vlaisaljevich & Paula Mavec Julie J. Lesnik, 020, Cultural Grant Diane Tenut, 109, SUA $30 Donation Susan Pakiz, 102, +George Plautz Jr. Christine Polzin, 102, +Josephine & Ed Bayuk Andrea Demsar, 111, SUA $25 Donation Mary Jo Glavich, 003, +Sally Glavich Rosemarie Lowry, 099, Building Improvements +Fred Orehek $20 Donation Francine Pulkinen, 035, +Frank & Angeline Brula Ivanka Matic, 111, Educational Grant +Corinne Leskovar Bonnie Prokup, 024, SUA Stephanie Owens, 093, SUA $15 Donation Lillian M. Hartmann, 043, +Mick Hartmann Rosemary Ribich, 035, Educational Grant $10 Donation Elaine Volk, 003, +Elsie & Milan Medonich Louis M. Gerzin, 023, +Leonard Matt Zupancich Marty Bajda, 099, +Paula Mavac Menky Mata, 020, +Ron Mata Louis M. Gerzin, 023, Educational Grant Margaret Antoinette Carter, 003, Educational Grant +Mildred Stofac Elaine Volk, 003, H/O Ron Volk Agnes Govednik, 100, SUA Angela Androjna, 111, SUA Barbara Lee Kuhel, 111, SUA $5 Donation Menky Mata, 020, SUA 6 New Members Welcome - Dobrodošli 002, Chamernik, Mary 002, Hribar, Ashley 020, Smolich, Adam 023, Taylor, Billy 030, Baxter, Pamela 030, Biggins, Michael 030, Ekar, Kevin 030, Finamore, Rachel 093, Lovy, Linda 100, Dunford, Rachel 100, Gladis, Jennifer 100, Holland, Brooke 100, Lesnik, Paul 100, Metesh-McCoy, Ashley 100, Nichols-Arriola, MaryLynn 102, Sixel, Karen 109, Marsnik, Megan 111, Celestina, Mackenzie 111, Hauptman, Alex 111, Hocevar, Andrew 111, Lavrisha, JoAnn 111, Lavrisha, Joseph 111, Lavrisha, Michael Join Us Today WE slovenian OUR MEMBERS https://slovenianunion.org Zarja - The Dawn Slovenian Union of America BECOME A MEMBER OF SUA TODAY! Benefits of Membership √ Receive quarterly issues of Zarja - The Dawn magazine that highlights Slovenia, its rich heritage, culture, traditions, recipes, and more. √ Participate in local branch activities which promote “Keeping the Slovenian Spirit Alive.” √ Educational Grant and Cultural Grant Opportunities. √ Research both of SUA’s historical and genealogical resources - the Ivana Project and the Matti Register, both long-term scanning projects of member documents since 1926. √ Visit SUA’s website with links to numerous Slovenian-American interests. √ Visit SUA’s free Heritage Museum in Joliet, Illinois, with Slovenian heritage exhibits and library. New Member Application Annual Member Support is payable each January and covers the period January through December. Membership Renewal Notifications are sent annually in December. Adult ($30 Member Support/Zarja Subscription) Junior – Birth to 18 ($5 Member Support) International ($55 Member Support/Zarja Subscription) It is our policy to send one issue of Zarja to each address unless requested otherwise. Please print the requested information below and send this application form with a check payable to: Slovenian Union of America, 431 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432-1703 First Name: _____________________________ Last Name: ______________________________ M __ F __ Address: ______________________________________ City/State/Zip: _______________________________ Phone: _______________________________ E-Mail: _____________________________________________ Date of Birth: ____________________ Branch Affiliation Number (if known): ______ Location: ___________ Maiden Name: _______________________________________ Do you speak Slovenian? _________________ Please describe your interest in Slovenia: _________________________________________________________ Slovenian Surnames (if applicable): _____________________________________________________________ How did you hear about us? SUA member ____ newspaper ____ website ____ other ____________________ I would like to volunteer for the SUA. My area of interest or expertise is: _______________________________ Applicant’s signature: _____________________________________________ Date: ____________________ SUA operates exclusively for charitable, educational, and religious purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. www.slovenianunion.org | sua@slovenianunion.org | 815-727-1926 Fall 2021 7 Slovenian Women Union Scholarship Foundation Grant Recipients School Year 2021-2022 The Slovenian Women Union Scholarship Foundation (SWUSF) is pleased to announce 14 approved applicants to be awarded a total sum of $18,500 for school year 2021-2022. The following applicants have each been approved a $2,000 grant in memory of the late Jean Kurilich: Amalia Blood, incoming college freshman pursuing a degree in medical anthropology and pre-med at Barnard College, Columbia University. Adam Zakrajsek, incoming college freshman, attending Miami University to pursue a degree in either supply chain management or construction management. Grace Zakrajsek, incoming college freshman, attending University of Cincinnati to pursue a business degree in accounting. Mark Hauptman, junior, Miami University (OH) who is currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering and finance. Each of these applicants has a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher and is involved in community service at either a Slovenian-American Catholic parish or organization with activities including parish food pantry, delivery of hot meals, delivery of food baskets to the elderly and shut-ins, participation in benefit dinners, summer parish picnics, the KRES folklore dance group, Camp Pristava, Joseph House of Cleveland Inc., or the Slovenian Cultural Garden in Cleveland. Approved applicants for a $1,000 grant made possible by the generosity of the estate of the late Josef and Rose Marie Pirc include the following: John Cugel, sophomore, attending Fordham University and pursing a degree in liberal arts. Nicholas Filipovic, junior, in a computer science honors program at Cleveland State University. Ashley Kuhel, sophomore, pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign campus. Mia A. Krevh, college sophomore, currently pursuing a degree in biology with intent to receive a degree in Osteopathic School of Dental Medicine at Gannon University. 8 Nathaniel Dolinar was awarded the $1,000 SWUSF Colnar Scholarship provided by the estate of the late Anthony “Tony” Colnar for an applicant involved in community service and pursing a degree in engineering. Tony was a consistent donor to SWUSF. Nathaniel is majoring in engineering. Maya Stupica was awarded the $1,000 SWUSF TurveyChurch Scholarship. She is currently pursuing a law degree at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. Maya graduated May 2021 from Miami University (OH) with honors. This scholarship is named in honor of past officers of SWUSF, Mary Turvey and Marge Church. This award is for an individual pursuing excellence in academic studies and involved in a Slovenian-American community. Claire Zakrajsek was awarded the SNPJ #53 V Boj Scholarship made possible by a generous donation from net proceeds of the sale of the Slovenian National Home, Waterloo Road, Cleveland, Ohio, by SNPJ Lodge #53. Claire is a junior at University of Cincinnati where she is majoring in dramatic arts (ballet) with a minor in business. This scholarship is for an individual involved in a local Slovenian-American community along with strong academic achievement. Andrew John “AJ” Hocevar was awarded a $2,000 grant for post-graduate studies made possible by a generous donation from The Frances and Janes S. Lausche Foundation. AJ is pursuing a master’s degree in the field of bioengineering at University of Cincinnati. AJ has been engaged, along with his academic studies, in a cooperative program at UC to put his learning into real world experiences. AJ has been involved as a counselor at Camp Pristava, with the KRES Folklore Dance Group, at numerous benefit dinners and summer parish picnics at St. Vitus Parish, with Christmas food basket delivery to shut-ins and the elderly; he also helped with setting up Christmas decorations in St. Vitus Church. Jonathan Celestina was awarded a $1,000 general grant made possible by a generous donation from the Tucker family in Colorado, longtime sponsors of SWUSF. Jonathan is pursuing a dual degree in music and engineering at Cleveland State University. He has been involved in numerous volunteer activities, primarily at his home parish of St. Vitus Church. Zarja - The Dawn Mark Celestina was awarded a $500 grant to continue to pursue his studies in industrial design at Ohio State University. Mark was involved in high school at St. Ignatius High School in the Arimathea Society (pall bearers for elderly or indigent individuals), Labra, and annual delivery of food baskets to the elderly. He has also been a counselor at Camp Pristava and volunteered at a number of activities at his home parish of St. Vitus Church. An approved applicants of the SWUSF program must attend or will attend an accredited college, university, or technical institution in the USA as full-time student in good standing. Approved applicants must be of Slovenian descent but must be an American citizen along with being a current or applied member of/to Slovenian Union of America; successful applicants must be committed to performing community service hours. Applications are provided once a calendar year, normally around Palm Sunday. Grants/scholarships are generally awarded either on a one- or two-time basis, based on available funding. We thank the many generous donors to SWUSF. Slovene Conversation Online Fall 2021 Are you interested in learning the Slovene language with others? Slovene Conversation Online is hosting a webbased Slovene conversation class for beginner students. The focus is to encourage participants to speak to each other in Slovene at whatever level they are comfortable. A curriculum introducing pronunciation, vocabulary, and basic grammar principles has Josef Princ was a native of Metlika, Bukova, Illirska Bistric, Slovenia. He received his bachelor of engineering degree from the University of Ljubljana, furthering his studies in Germany and finally immigrating to the USA in 1957. He was employed at Nichols Homer Shield Co., where he designed and held a patent on the aluminum door. He also designed for Anderson Window Co. Josef was a dedicated supporter of the Slovenian Cultural Center in Lemont, Illinois. He retired and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where he passed away. been developed and is available for live inter- Rose Marie Princ was the daughter of August Moline and Rose Butala and a native of Chicago, Illinois. She had advanced degrees from University of Chicago, De Paul, North Illinois University. She taught at Nazareth Academy and J. Sterling High Schools for 27 years before accepting an administrative position at J. Sterling for the next 14 years. She was a great supporter of SWUASF as well as other educational endeavors in and around Las Vegas. If you are interested, please reach out to Branch action with students. The program receives a nominal grant from the Office for Slovenians Abroad and is developed and presented by the Slovenian Union of America, New York City Branch 93. President Stephanie Owens, and fill out this form: Slovene Conversation Online Fall 2021 for more details. The late Anthony Colnar was employed for many years at NASA in northeast Ohio. He was a generous donor to education of young people at former Fenn College, Cleveland State University (engineering program), and SWUSF. Prepared by Stane Kuhar, President, Slovenian Women Union Scholarship Foundation. c/o 6019 Lausche Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44103 / 216.361.1444 / email address: skuhar@hotmail.com. Fall 2021 9 “Slow-Being” On Being a Zarja Staff Writer, David Sodac, Branch 89 Oglesby, IL There was a time when I knew little to nothing about the ethnicity, nationality, or heritage of my paternal and maternal grandparents. I didn’t care; I just loved them and their unusual ways. Growing up during my schooling years, I never saw a need to know or understand my heritage - I never really gave it a thought! None of the kids in my neighborhood ever asked, nor did I ask them, nor did we care. We were just American kids. Sometimes we were gun-toting cowboys, rifle-carrying cavalry men, hatchet-carrying Indians, camouflaged army men, and on occasion, we could transform into a sword-slashing Zorro! My parents were first generation born in America of Slovenian immigrants, yet I didn’t really understand what that meant until I was much older. Don’t get me wrong; I knew that my grandparents’ customs were interestingly different and that they spoke in a “broken” English. Of course, each travel visit to my grandparents’ homes offered delectable krofi, potica, and homemade wine sips in my own little glass. My paternal grandfather would share a few stories of their homeland. He was always a jokester. Once he told me (with a sparkle in his eye…) what he and his farming brothers did to earn money during the cold winters in stari kraj, the “old country.” He wondered if I had ever heard of a honey wagon. Of course, I assumed it had to do with collecting or delivering honey… wrong! He then shared that they’d go from house to house with a wagon and clean out the contents from outhouses and shovel it into the wagon! An absolutely nauseating visual! Then he’d laugh loudly and lean over to spit into a coffee can nestled on the floor, his official spittoon. 10 Even after years of spending hours doing genealogy research, with some of it tediously accomplished in person within the Archiepiscopal Archives in Ljubljana, there are still times I’m not sure what I’ve learned! Just want to give you a little heads-up when you are doing your family genealogy. It gets mighty frustrating and confusing when you encounter variant spellings of your family surnames, the recording of nationality, race, and homeland. There were times I was convinced that I was more of a “slow being” than a Slovene! Let me attempt to share what I’ve come to know about Slovenian history, and hopefully it can impact your own genealogy discoveries. One of my many “slow” to learn discoveries was how one should properly pronounce the country of Slovenia. Even amongst Slovenian Americans, there are many folks who pronounce it as “Syl-VANE-ya” and a person from Slovenia, a “Syl-VANE-yon” as if from Pennsylvania. Official language sites suggest a Slovenian person should be pronounced as Sluh- VEEnee-un. Slovenia the country should be pronounced as Sluh-VEE-nee-yah. Slovenia means the “Land of Slavs.” The actual usage of the term Slovenia and Slovenes as a country and people had not always existed in its history. Historians write that the use of the term Slovenia describing a country was first used by the Greater Moravian Empire in tenth century. The South Slavic people who had been living in the Slavic territory were designated “Slaveni”, which is an old Slavic word meaning “the Slavs.” The history of the land where present-day Slovenia is located and of its people is an integral part of that early history. Just as we here in America haven’t always been called the United States of America until July 4, 1776, Slovenia as an independent country that didn’t legally exist until June 25, 1991. In the e-book, A Slovene History: Society - Politics - Culture, written by Peter Štih, Vasko Simoniti, and Peter Vodopivec, they offer a beautiful description of Slovenia. Slovenia is a geographic land exposed to the tides of history squeezed between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea. Slovenia has always been considered a place of transition, a borderland and a crossroads, but also a bridge between different cultures, people, nations, and states. Historians seem to agree that the ancestors of today’s Slovenes were descendants of Slavic tribes who arrived from the Carpathian Basin in the 6th century and settled in the Sava, Drava, and Mura River valleys and in the eastern Alps. The early Slavs were considered peaceful people, living in forests or along rivers and lakes, breeding cattle, and farming. They were superstitious people, seeing good and bad fairies or sprites, and worshipping a collection of gods and goddesses. Throughout the 7th century, the lands of the Slavic people went through tumultuous upheavals by the Avars and Frankish warring empires. Then in the 8th century, the lands were known as the Duchy of Carantania, later called Carinthia, which covered present-day southern Austria and parts of Slovenia. In the 9th century, the Slovenian lands were absorbed into the Holy Roman Empire. The Magyars, a nomadic people from present-day Hungary, invaded and destroyed the Empire of Great Moravia and then settled into the Slovene territory. The German King Otto I would defeat the Magyars in 955 and reclaimed the provinces of Carinthia, Styria, and Carniola. During the 10th-13th centuries, Slovenia remained under German Zarja - The Dawn “May all nations prosper That long to see the day When quarrels shall be chased away From under the sun, When all our countrymen Shall be free, And not enemies, but only neighbors, border us.” domination up until the Hungarian dynasty came to control Slovenia. The Hungarians were defeated by the Turks in the early 16th century, which forced Hungary to join with the Austrian Hapsburg rule to avoid becoming a part of the Turkish Empire. The Hapsburg monarchy was the first to include all of the Slovene regions under its control. The Hapsburg dynasty ruled the Austrian Empire up until 1867. The Austrian Empire became part of the Austro-Hungarian kingdom after the dual monarchy was established. The Hapsburg monarchy ruled the Austrian lands for centuries including during the Holy Roman Empire and its successor states of the Austrian Empire, and Austria-Hungary. Its control lasted up to the end of World War I. Following WWI, Austria-Hungary was defeated and broke apart. Slovenia declared itself an independent nation and joined with Montenegro, Serbia, and Croatia to form an enlarged new nation known as the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In 1929, the name was changed to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. When World War II broke out, Germany invaded and occupied what was called the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Slovenia was divided among the Axis powers of Germany, Italy, and Hungary. The Slovenes fought back Fall 2021 and conducted a guerilla war against the Axis powers. The army was led by Marshal Tito, who later would become the leader of the nation after the war ended. The Nazis were defeated in 1945. Slovenia then became one of the republics of Yugoslavia, which was a new communist nation. It was not until 1991 that it became a free independent country. Today, Slovenia is a member of the European Union and NATO. Whew! That’s a lot of history summarized in one paragraph! The drive towards a sense of a national, unified identity didn’t emerge until the final decades of the eighteenth century. France Prešeren (1800 - 1849) became one of the most important Slovene literary figures of all time. He openly expressed his national and political ideas in his poem Zdravljica (A Toast). The poem was written in 1844. The poem’s verses called for a national struggle for freedom, brotherhood, and harmony between nations. In 1991 when Slovenia won its independence from Yugoslavia, the seventh verse of Prešeren’s poem was chosen as the national anthem. That particular verse expresses the ideal of a peaceful co-existence of all nations. Here is the English translation of Prešeren’s verse that is used as the National Anthem of the Republic of Slovenia: The use of the term “nationality” is considered as being a part of a nation, whether by birth, naturalization, or ties to a specific nation. An example of Slovenian nationality is a person born in Slovenia; however, it can also be a person born in the United States but with Slovenian roots. Slovenes have experienced the rule of a variety of nationalities through the centuries. Consequently, our grandparents’ recorded nationalities found in documents can become quite confusing. It depends upon their year of birth and the controlling country at the time of their immigration. Peter Hawlina, an internationally renowned Slovenian genealogist, discussed the issue of nationality at the Slovenian Genealogy Society International Conference. Peter was born and raised in Slovenia. He shared about how important it was for family genealogists to understand that the nationality confusion was caused by centuries of revolving rulers, as well as the religious and civil jurisdictions. Drawing upon his own family, he shared that his sister was born in 1940 in what was called the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He was born in 1941 under the Italian Occupation in Italy. His brother was considered German as he was born in 1943 after the Italians surrendered. His next sister was born in 1946 in the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. However, Peter and all of his siblings were born in the same house in the suburbs of Ljubljana. It was so helpful to hear him share this example. It really does get frustrating as you research available records. As far as what my grandparents’ roots were concerned, all I really knew was that all four came from the “old country.” My parents weren’t of much help in explaining 11 nationality. They just didn’t talk about it much. They said they grew up trying to blend in rather than be children of immigrants. Learning about my own grandparents from varied documents, there were times I was convinced we were Carniolian Austrian, Italian, Yugoslavian, or Slovenian. The understanding of my family’s heritage eventually all came together. All four of my grandparents were born in villages within a fifty-mile radius of each other. Their dates of birth ranged from 1874 to 1884 which placed them under the rule of Emperor Franz Joseph I who was the Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. Slovenia’s land was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the years they grew up within its borders. The Empire was governmentally divided under earlier German rule into crownlands or what were called Duchys. Most of the Slovenian lands were within the Duchies of Carniola (Kranjska), Carinthia (Koroška), Styria (Štajerska), Gorica (Goriška) and Lower Carniola (Bela Krajina). These duchies would remain basically unchanged until World War I. My family members all lived within the Duchy of Carniola, therefore often referred to as “Carniolians.” They immigrated to America between the years of 1896-1909. Their ship manifests were recorded with their nationalities as either Austrian, Slavic, or Carniolian, which is further confusing. Emperor Franz Joseph I 12 Their “race” category was listed as Slovenian or Austrian. Later records, like marriage licenses, US census, children’s births, baptism records, and applications for naturalization usually reflected their homeland’s then current domination, such as under Yugoslavia’s control. It can get quite confusing as Slovenia was forever under some other country’s control. ternal great-grandparents had moved from their village of Ratje (Slovenia) into nearby Neulag, a village located within the duchy of Gottschee. Gottschee was once a settlement of Germans in what is now Kočevje, Slovenia. My grandmother was around 5 years of age when they moved into the hills of Neulag. Eleven years later, she immigrated to America. Because of all the varied listings of nationalities and race in records, I went through several phases of who my ancestors actually were as a race and from what country. My first phase was that my maternal side were actually Austrian. After all, the land was under Austrian rule for most of its history. When grandma was mad at grandpa, she called him an Austrian under her breath. A maternal uncle was so sure the family was from Austria that he actually visited the village of Villach which he was convinced was his mother’s birthplace. Given his information, I must have Austrian roots. Being Austrian seemed even more likely after I discovered my grandmother’s 1900 ship manifest on the Ellis Island search website. Her boarding entry was recorded as being of Austrian nationality, and her last residence had been in Neulog. After isolating actual church records, I found that my ma- After I discovered my paternal grandfather’s 1905 ship manifest, some of my thinking changed as to my ancestral roots again. He had arrived into the Port of Baltimore, Massachusetts. The numbered passage line on the manifest showed the original spelling of “Matija Sodec” not Sodac as we went by. His nationality was listed as “Carniolian.” Being Carniolian was something I had never heard previously. The thought of being Carniolian seemed to conjure up being a roaming carnival gypsy… maybe my family were carnies! Thanks to computer search engines, I discovered Carniola was really one of the five crown lands or Duchys of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Actually, it went further back in history as Carniola was an Imperial Estate of the Holy Roman Empire as well. Its capital was Ljubljana (German: Laibach). The Duchy of Carniola actually encompassed most of today’s Zarja - The Dawn Slovenian land territory. After more Passport Translated from German research, I became convinced my In the Name of his Majesty family roots were Slovenian, I was Franz Joseph II Emperor of Austria, anxious to share all my newfound King of Bohema, King of Hungary. information with family members. I visited my dad’s younger sister who was the only remaining family member of that generation. Aunt Anne pooh-poohed the idea that the family was of Slovene descent. She insisted 22 APRIL 1901 that our family were Yugoslavian and always were! In part she was correct. The Slovenian lands came under Yugoslavian control in 1929 when King Peter I’s son, Alexander, seized power, abolished the constitution, and proclaimed the land the Kingdom of Passport for: Marija Papež Yugoslavia. So during her life span, Residence: Ratje [village] House 36 the “Old Country” was indeed a part District: Rudolfswerth of Yugoslavia. Yet, it is so important to Crownland: Krain realize that Yugoslavia was the name given to a collection of conquered, My grandfather Matt Sodac’s small ethnic nations. My Great Grandmother Marija Papež passport. Oath of Allegiance. The journey to understanding my family’s roots took quite some time and is continually evolving. There has been an internal driving force to learn, research, and better understand my family’s roots and heritage. There were times I felt like I owed it to them to make these discoveries and get to know them. After years of wondering if we were of Austrian descent, questioning if we were maybe Carniolian, ruling out being Yugoslavian, and then finally discerning who I am proud to Fall 2021 be… a Slovene. My paternal Sodec/Piltaver side of the family along with the Banko/ Papež maternal side were all hard-working, land-farming Slovenians. Each discovery of a bit of information on a past family member gives me a great sense of satisfaction. The facts contained in old records give me glimpses and hints as to who my famKing Peter II ily were and what they experienced. I feel comfort in knowing them better and appreciating how hard they struggled to create new and better lives for their families. Occasionally, I sense nods of approval from bygone relatives, known and unknown, as we become acquainted through genealogy discoveries. It all puts a smile on my face and warmth in my heart. I like being a “slow-being.” 13 Newest Slovenian Priest in Minnesota (and Slovenian Micro-Gathering) by Father Michael Monshau, O.P. Three members of the St. Paul Seminary community in St. Paul, Minnesota, enjoy sharing the Slovenian heritage. Although they do not gather frequently as a group, they enjoy the presence of one another in the same community, and just a few days ago, one of them was ordained to the priesthood! The longest tenured of the threesome at the seminary is Dr. Deborah Savage, Clinical Professor of Theology and Philosophy since 2008. Dr. Savage has also directed the Master’s degree programs in Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry at the seminary. Although she is not of Slovenian descent herself, she is married to Andrew Percic, a Slovenian-American St. Paul businessman, and she enjoys participating in Slovenian social events. The second member of the Slovenian trio at Saint Paul Seminary, Father James Bernard, just completed his seminary studies. He finished his Master of Divinity degree this spring and was ordained to the priesthood on May 29 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. His Slovenian forebears on his mother’s side of the family immigrated to Biwabic, a settlement on the Iron Range in Minnesota that was heavily populated by Slovenians. (He is a member of the KSKJ Lodge 197 out of St. Stephen, Minnesota, which is the oldest Slovenian settlement in the United States.) Within the seminary community as a seminarian, “Jimmy,” as he was called then, was well known as an aficionado of potica, having introduced scores of seminarians to this delicious and consoling baked delight at just the right time! Zarja readers might remember Father Bernard from the front cover of the August - October 2012 issue, in which he and John Zakelj were attired in traditional Slovenian costume at the Festival of Nations. Father Michael Monshau, O.P., is a Dominican priest originally from Joliet, Illinois, where historic Slovenian St. Joseph’s is his home parish. Father Monshau is a formation director and Professor of Homiletics and Spiritual Theology at St. Paul Seminary. After having taught in Rome and then for a short stint in New York, he became the newest member of the Slovenian trio when he arrived to teach at St. Paul Seminary in the dead of winter in January 2019. He remembers that just as he was beginning to think that January was not the best time of year to begin a new assignment in frigid Minnesota, Jimmy Bernard not only stopped by his office with a slice of potica, but told Father Michael of a restaurant only blocks away that serves potica year-round! Father Michael remembers that as the day he considered his situation and finally said to himself “I guess I’ll be O.K. here!” 14 Recently, the three had a short but meaningful gathering at the seminary. In preparation for this year’s ordination to the priesthood, the ordinandi placed commemorative holy cards of their ordination in the seminary lobby where other members of the seminary community could take them. The future Father Bernard had placed a stack of his ordination holy cards among the others. Father Michael was looking over the cards when suddenly he spotted one that would be as familiar to any Slovenian-American as hearth and home. It featured Marija Pomagaj, Our Lady of Brezje! Immediately he knew that would be Jimmy’s card and spontaneously he took one and went to find Dr. Savage to show it to her. When he found her, Dr. Savage intuited Father’s mission and said “I’ve already seen it! Jimmy’s holy card. Marija Pomagaj!” Jimmy was passing by just at that moment and the three shared a joyful moment admiring the print of Marija Pomagaj and appreciating Jimmy’s choice of that image for his ordination card. At that time, the accompanying photograph of the seminary’s Slovenian trio was taken. Interestingly, that moment could well have been the last time these three Slovenians will gather within the seminary walls in St. Paul. Having been ordained to the priesthood on May 29, Father Bernard is now on his first priestly assignment as the Parochial Vicar at St. Stephen Parish in Anoka, Minnesota. Dr. Savage has accepted a new position as Professor of Theology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Of the three, only Father Monshau will be at St. Paul Seminary when classes resume in the fall. Father James Bernard’s First Holy Mass of Thanksgiving was offered at his home parish of St. Joseph in West St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday, May 30. Seated in the front row on one side of the church were his father and family members. Dr. Savage was seated with her husband in the front row on the other side of the aisle, and Father Monshau was seated among the At his First Holy Mass, the concelebrants in the newly-ordained Fr. Jimmy sanctuary. A traditionBernard gives Holy al hymn during the Communion to his father. Mass to Marija Pomagaj signaled the presence of the Slovenian culture at that Mass, securing the protection of the Mother of God upon America’s newest Slovenian priest. Zarja - The Dawn Famous People What does it take for someone to qualify as a “famous person?” I suspect that such a criterion is likely to be subject to argument. Entertainers, sports figures, politicians, and inventors of important things are likely candidates. I got to thinking about some people with whom I’ve had association during my life that might make a “famous list” and was impressed with the number. I’ll share my list. SUA has a couple of “famous” people that come to mind, including our founder, Marie Prisland, and Corinne Leskovar. These women did much over many decades to promote and celebrate Slovenian culture in America. In my professional career, I had the opportunity to meet people who became “famous” in scientific and medical fields. Harold R. Kaufman was one of those people. I met him at the NASA research center in Cleveland where I worked as an engineer and was assigned to a group that he directed. NASA was thinking decades ahead as far as space exploration, and Kaufman originated a propulsion technique, the electron bombardment ion thruster, that fit in with NASA goals. Kaufman’s thruster had the advantage that it didn’t require a heavy fuel supply for long missions. The thruster concept involved bombarding a high molecular weight fuel with electrons in order to produce charged ions that could be accelerated through an electric field. This produced a propulsive force as Newton predicted in his f=ma equation. The physically small “engine” the Kaufman group developed was successfully flight-tested in space. It was then turned over to an aerospace firm that developed larger engines that were used to adjust the positioning of satellites. As best I know, the ion thruster has never been used for propulsion on a deep space mission although it could be. Dr. Kaufman received well-deserved credit for having been the originator of the concept. I left NASA-Cleveland and moved to the Washington, DC area. My first job there involved seeking to facilitate the transfer of technology from the space and defense sectors to the civilian economy. My next position involved membership in a group at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI sought to facilitate the progress of large cancer research programs. Among the group members was another “famous” list candidate, Dr. Abraham Cantarow. In addition to having been an accomplished researcher, he was the author and coauthor of texts on biochemistry and clinical biochemistry that achieved wide-scale adoption in universities worldwide. Fall 2021 in Our Lives by Rich Terselic From NCI I went to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assist the new drug approval process. While there, I was lent to the US Congress to direct a study seeking better means for tracking adverse reactions to drugs and improving drug use. The study had an expert advisory committee, the chair of which was a physician-gastroenterologist, Dr. Franz J. Inglefinger. At that time, he served as the editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. He was highly regarded worldwide for his performance in that role. A rule that he implemented was that if an author or authors submitted an article for publication in “the Journal,” they could not also submit the same or a similar article to other journals. Doing so was a common practice. I worked closely with Dr. Inglefinger for more than two years and had abundant opportunities to develop regard for him. His knowledge of science and medicine was extensive, and he was highly skilled as an editor. He meets my criteria as a “famous” person. The last “famous” person, whom I have mentioned before, is a Slovenian and a relative of mine. While I have read much about him, unlike the others I have described, I never met him. He is publicly known by his revised family name, Joseph Sutter, and has been assigned the title “Father of the Boeing 747” aircraft. His original family name was Suhadolc. My grandmother Frances Suhadolc and Sutter were cousins and came from the same village west of Ljubljana. Sutter’s father immigrated to the U.S. and originally worked as a gold miner in Alaska. He was quite successful and used his earnings to set up a meat business. His son, Joseph, was a first-generation Slovenian born in America. Sutter grew up in the Seattle, Washington area close to a Boeing factory. After WWII service with the US Navy and college, he began a lifelong engineering career with Boeing. After working on the development of numerous other airplanes, he was assigned major responsibilities on the 747 project. Thousands of 747s were manufactured. In recognition of his status in the aircraft engineering field, he was appointed to the panel that investigated the Space Shuttle Challenger failure. While several other members of my Suhadolc family achieved high levels in their professions, none achieved the public acclaim that Joseph Sutter did. Does my short list of “famous” people stimulate readers to remember their own “famous” people? Give it some thought. I wish to acknowledge the editorial assistance provided by my daughter, Susan Terselic Eckert. 15 Slovenian Union of America Across America - Branch Reports BRANCH 1 - Sheboygan, Wisconsin Contact information: Mary Ann Schellinger 920.457.7946/rhmas@yahoo.com Our branch like many others in our organization has not met face to face since February of 2020. Hopefully we will be able to schedule two events before the end of the year. Many people say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and many times a card can send the same message. I teach a class in how to make homemade greetings cards through our local senior center. One of the participants in our group came up with a card that has been perfect for all of us who have been struggling with the constraints the Covid-19 pandemic has put upon us. Not only have we been missing face to face contact but so many of us have lost friends and family during this difficult time. This has come so close to home as Aggie Gruenke passed away on June 22. She was a former president of Branch 1. For those of you who knew Aggie a long time ago, you will probably remember 16 that our branch was very small and struggling to keep afloat. Aggie breathed all kinds of life into our branch and was pivotal in increasing the membership. The leadership since then was able to build on that idea of fellowship and fun. Those of us who followed in the role of president of the branch had big shoes to fill, but Aggie was always around for encouragement. She was committed to getting members involved whether it be sewing costumes, working on the doll project, putting baskets together for craft fairs Zarja - The Dawn or fundraisers, drinking a cup of pink tea, or sharing her knowledge of making potica. So many memories have been shared regarding Aggie, but the best one which was also shared at her funeral service, was that she was known as the “Potica Queen.” Even though Aggie was Irish in nationality, we are sure that she was Slovenian in her heart. We all will miss her, but hopefully the good memories that we have will make these times of loss a bit easier. MARY ANN SCHELLINGER BRANCH 3 - Pueblo, Colorado Contact Information: 719.569.7125/amtcharron@gmail.com Branch 3 plans to resume regular branch meetings on Tuesday, October 5, 2021. Meetings start at 12:30 p.m. and are held in St. Mary’s Church hall. Branch 3 officers M.T. Karlinger, Betty Skul, and Diane Slaten have been meeting with Annette Charron, the Chairperson of the 2023 National SUA Convention, making preliminary plans for the event scheduled at the Pueblo Convention Center June 15-18, 2023. Branch President Eileen Kaplan and Member Representative Norma Becco are also involved. Young SUA members throughout the country who want to participate in planning convention activities for young professionals and/or students can contact Christine Charron (christinedcharron@gmail.com), a member of the SUA Membership Committee. A meeting for Branch 3 members wanting to be involved in the national convention planning will be held in September on a weekday evening at Eiler’s Place in the historic Pueblo Slovenian neighborhood. The meeting details will be emailed to Branch 3 members who have listed their emails with SUA. Individuals who want to attend this meeting but have not listed their email with SUA can contact M.T. Karlinger by email (maryk@sandiego.edu) or phone (719.924.8856) for the exact date and time. SUA members who want to be involved but who don’t live in Colorado are encouraged to send an email to amtcharron@gmail.com. The 2023 SUA Convention will be a celebration of Slovenian heritage in Colorado and beyond. Longtime Branch 3 member Marie Mutz passed away on June 26, 2021, at the age of 94. Marie served as the Chaplain for Branch 3, and Branch 3 members fondly remember the beautiful reflections and prayers Marie led regularly during branch meetings for recently deceased branch members. Marie was known for her strong devotion to the Catholic faith and her love for and support of her eight children (including active Branch 3 members Madeleine Khosla and Andrea DeGarbo), 16 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. ANNETTE SABO CHARRON & M.T. KARLINGER Fall 2021 BRANCH 5 - Indianapolis, Indiana Greetings Branch 5 members! Hopefully, you all enjoyed an almost normal summer, with plenty of family and friends together time. It has been a long, rainy season, so we are looking forward to the beauty of autumn in Indiana! As more travel opened up, several of our Junior Members were able to participate in summer activities again. Chase Poole traveled to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for Expedition 37, Advanced Space Camp. He said, “I definitely loved the flight simulations! It took teamwork, cooperation and hard work for my team to be successful!” Other Junior Members were able to participate in baseball, tennis, horseback riding, and some traveled to visit out-ofstate family! Sounds like fun was had by all! At the annual SUA meeting via Zoom, several successful Zoom events were discussed. One was a book discussion, the other a virtual wine tasting. Do all of you get these weekly/monthly events by email? Would you like to see a local event, perhaps a cooking demonstration at the Nash? Please let us know your ideas! 17 Slovenian Choir at church, for Marija Pomagaj Feast Day. May 24, the feast day of Marija Pomagaj, the Patroness of the Slovenian people and Protector of the Slovenian Heritage, was celebrated this year at St Malachy Church in Brownsburg. Our Slovenian Choir was asked to sing on Pentecost Sunday to symbolize the apostles speaking in many languages. Pentecost Sunday is the 50th day of Easter, which this year was May 23. Hvala Lepa to the wonderful members of the choir who sang so beautifully and made this such a special day! Watch for information on our annual Christmas Dinner at the Iron Skillet as we are trying to set a time and date. Hope you will be able to join us! Keeping all of you in our thoughts and prayers! MARY, KAREN & PHYLLIS SUA Branch 5 members, Scott and Sara Cline, celebrate the return to sports with their children, Ava, Charlie, and JJ. 18 Zarja - The Dawn BRANCH 20 - Joliet, Illinois Contact Information: Georgene Agnich 773.205.1326/georgeneagnich@gmail.com We extend our sympathy to member Bernice Nemanich and her family in the loss of her brother, Frank Nemanich, who passed away on May 12, 2021. We also extend our sympathy to member Joanna Johnston and her family in the loss of her mother, member Dorothy Mahan, who passed away on July 8, 2021. In April 2021, SUA members across the nation were called upon by SUA President Mary Lou Voelk to respond to the City of Joliet’s request for their opinions on preserving the City’s deteriorating outdoor art, especially the ten huge “From Slovenia to America” murals created by Branch 20 artists Lucille Dragovan and her sister, Lillian Brulc. Many voiced their opinions to assist the city in evaluating its outdoor art. Some members attended the Polka Mass and bought carryout chicken dinners at this year’s version of the St. Joseph Church Homecoming Fair on June 27, 2021; other traditional fair activities were cancelled this year because of the ongoing pandemic. Our officers met on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, to plan our 2021-2022 activities calendar. Members should have received their calendars in the mail, along with their Fall 2021 raffle tickets. We are looking forward to returning to normal and to having an enjoyable year together. GEORGENE AGNICH BRANCH 23 - Ely, Minnesota Dober Dan all! As you know Taste of Slovenia had been cancelled again this year. We hadn’t had a meeting since September of 2020 and just started having meetings in June 2021. It was decided we did not have enough time to plan Taste of Slovenia, and a lot of restrictions made it impossible. Another hurdle was the fact that we don’t have the “manpower” to do it all. So sorry! We do still have our kitchen towels, hot pads, and scrubbies for sale. They make great unique gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and other celebrations. They say Fall 2021 “Love in Every Slovenian” and “Minnesota Slovene.” They sell for $25 plus $5 for shipping for all three (towel, hot pad, and scrubbie). There is no choice of color for scrubbies. Send payments to Mary Ann Lekatz, P.O. Box 671, Ely, MN 55731. Checks can be made out to SUA Branch 23. By now, most of us gardeners have harvested our veggies and stuff. I always enjoy growing and digging in the dirt. My greenhouses produce an abundance of vegetables. My dad and grandpa would be proud of me! They were big gardeners, too. Hope your gardens also did well! Professor Klemencic is coming to Minnesota in September and will come to Ely. He is the one who wrote the book about Ely Slovenians. Our President Koski helped him with this and has kept in touch with him. The book is written in Slovenian, and he is looking to have it published in English. I’m sure we all looked forward to the 4th of July celebrations this year along with many festivals that we could not have last year because of Covid restrictions. It sure is nice to gather with family and friends again. Let’s hope and pray we don’t see a surge of cases again. Get your vaccinations! Be safe! I enjoyed the article in the summer issue, The Beginning of a Country - Republic of Slovenia. We are all proud of our Slovenian heritage. I fly the Slovenian flag on my flag pole, and I know President Koski flies one on her pole, too. I tried Katie’s Delicious Pandemic Potato Salad recipe from the Zarja. My husband loves potato salad. I’m not fond of it, so decided to make it for him. Katie, he loved it, and I will make it again. CHOTSIE HARRI BRANCH 24 - LaSalle, Illinois Zivijo! Our branch held our annual picnic on June 1. It was a beautiful day for a get-together. Barb Pohar hosted the event in her lovely backyard. I think everyone was ready to get out and socialize as it was well attended. Music was provided by Brian/Jim Duo. Plans for meetings in the fall are being discussed. Sadly, we report the passing of Willa Jean Dellinger of Peru. She was a beloved teacher for 27 years in the Peru Public Schools. Willa was an avid reader and traveler. She is survived by her husband, Jim, and daughter, Mary Elizabeth, five stepchildren, and many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren as well as her sister, Janice Rogowski. We also report the passing of Sylvia Kirsteatter. She was retired from Carus Publishing Co. and volunteered at the local hospital gift shop. Sylvia is survived by one son, Gary, and his daughter and her two grandchildren. Her sister, Marilyn Hurley, also survives. Let’s make the most of this beautiful weather and enjoy the summer. DIANE DATA 19 BRANCH 30 SUA member, 21-year-old Anna Horzen, a senior at Vanderbilt University, enjoys bouldering and sport climbing in her free time. She began climbing last September and fell in love with the sport. It provides both a mental and physical outlet that keeps her engaged for however long she is at the climbing gym or wall (could be an hour, could be 6). Shes looked forward to watching the Olympics this summer, especially since climbing was just added as a sport, and Slovenia is slated to win big! BRANCH 43 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin The present officers have met several times this summer and have planned activities for the rest of the 2021 year. Our members have received letters informing them of the interim board along with a survey asking members how SUA can best serve them, especially by creating events and learning activities to help maintain our Slovenian culture. With the cooperation of all our members we will again be active. Now, that some of the restrictions of Covid-19 have been lifted and hopefully most members are vaccinated, we can all get to see one another as we try to resume our meetings. If the facilities at the West Allis Library are once again opened to the public, we are hoping to have our first meet20 ing since the pandemic on Wednesday, September 22 at 1:00 p.m. with light snacks and dessert treats. After our business meeting, we will be playing Slovenian Bingo. Our October meeting is set for the 27th, again at the library at 1:00 p.m. with election of officers. Our celebration for the Member of the Year is way overdue. John and Janet Cerar were to be honored back in 2019, but we all know what happened. We finally will be able to honor them on Saturday, November 13, at Meyers Restaurant at noon. Reserve this day and celebrate with all of us. The date of our Christmas Party is set for Saturday, December 4, at Alioto’s Restaurant. More details will be given at our meeting, but mark your calendar. We would like to extend our sincere condolences to Jerry Floryance, Sr. on the loss of his son, Gerry, Jr., who passed away on June 28 at the age of 61. May he rest in peace. MICI BREGANT BRANCH 89 - Oglesby, Illinois Contact information: Terry Kamnikar 815.481.3552/tlkamn92@gmail.com The majority of the summer months are behind us. As we transition into another season, Branch 89 looks forward to getting together on October 30 at the Nativity of Our Lord in Spring Valley, Illinois, for a Mass for our deceased and living branch members with dinner to follow. Together at last! Definitely a time to celebrate. In branch news, Branch 89 member Natalie Landgraf graduated summa cum laude from Western Illinois University’s College of Business and Technology in May, receiving a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management and a minor in Spanish. Congratulations, Natalie! Branch member Alice (Ambrose) Kernz, 97, passed away on June 3, 2021. Alice was born and raised in Oglesby. She married Joe Kernz on June 25, 1949. They were married for 61 years until he passed in 2010. They moved their family from Oglesby to Perrysburg, Ohio, several decades ago. She is survived by her children: Kathy (Tom) Utz, Jan (Tim) Brown, Jim Kernz and Jeff Kernz; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and her sister, Molly Rodriguez. Our deepest sympathy to her family. If you have any branch news, please contact me or President Julie Harback at suabranch89@yahoo.com. May you enjoy the rest of your summer! Be well and stay safe! TERRY KAMNIKAR BRANCH 93 - New York, New York Contact Information: Kathleen Simmonds 917.780.9412/kathleensimmo@gmail.com As New York opens up again and the days become longer, we at Branch 93 have been busy making the most of summer in the city. Music venues, theatres, restaurants, and bars are all heaving with people, and we are incredibly Zarja - The Dawn Gaia Visnar in the Living Room Theater’s A Doll’s House, Part 2. excited to share with you all of the amazing things our members have been doing. This July, member Gaia Visnar starred in A Doll’s House, Part 2 at the Living Room Theater in Vermont. The show celebrated the theater’s 10th anniversary season and had rave reviews. The Bennington Banner described the actors as “brilliant, exquisitely directed” and the staging “a surprise and a delight.” Congratulations Gaia! Kathleen Simmonds also performed with The Drilling Company in Two Noble Kinsmen in shows at Bryant Park and The Clemente Soto Velez in July. It was incredible to see live audiences watching theater outside in iconic New York venues. We are thrilled to announce that The Science in Theater Festival will be taking place November 12-14 at The Cell Theater in NYC. The brainchild of our very own Tjasa Ferme, this unique event is а 3-day festivity that pairs artists and playwrights with scientists, combining theater with new technologies. For more info go to www.scienceintheatre.com. We are excited to announce Rachel Finamore as Member Representative for our branch. Ever since her first trip to Slovenia, Rachel has admired the hospitality and warmth Fall 2021 of the Slovenian people. She is excited to welcome new members to the chapter with the same open arms and ensure that everyone feels at home. We are excited to have you Rachel! Finally, as always, to our Branch 93 community… We would love to hear your ideas for future events! KATHLEEN SIMMONDS BRANCH 100 - Fontana, California Our awaited kolache demonstration event on Saturday, June 26, 2021, was a success with attendees both in person at Teresa and Ken Koci’s home in Laguna Nigel and on Zoom. Ken was responsible for setting up a second camera so those on Zoom had a feeling of being with those there in person. “Pastry Chef” Teresa was very well prepared with all ingredients lined up on the island in her large kitchen. The recipe she used was her mother-in-law Jean Koci’s recipe. The recipe was sent ahead of time to all branch members. Teresa started the dough from scratch, explaining what she was doing as she followed the recipe. The dough had to rise (she may have prepared a batch earlier so dough was ready for the next step and we didn’t have to wait for 21 the batch she just made to rise). The three fillings were ready to go, too: prune, apricot, and apple cinnamon. The ready-to go-dough was placed on a large floured board pan, ready for rising again before going into the oven. She repeated the process two more times and then covered the three pans with a cloth, setting them aside to rise. Members attending in person were certainly having more fun than those of us watching. We weren’t sharing the wine and finished kolaches and camaraderie but still felt as if we were part of the group. Teresa was so relaxed as she showed us how to make the dough and the finished breads. It was nice to watch up front how the dough progressed from the packet of yeast to the members enjoying the finished kolache. The event did not include a meeting. The date for the next branch in-person meeting is Saturday, November 6,,around noon at either the Jagerhaus or Phoenix Club, German restaurants in Anaheim. Teresa will notify everyone in time to RSVP. Mark your calendars now! MYRA ANDRES FISHER BRANCH 109 - Twin Cities (TC) of Minnesota Contact Information: Elaine Barthelemy elaineab@yahoo.com Each time I begin writing my report, I wonder whether I will have enough material, but our branch never lets me down. For our May Zoom member meeting, Pat Dillon, Chuck Debevec, and Joe Petrich presented a fascinating synopsis of the history of World War II in Slovenia in a clear and well-organized narrative. They brought this chaotic period in Slovenian history alive for us as they shared heart-wrenching stories of their families during the civil war raging there at the time. Joe and Chuck recommended reading Slovenia 1945: Memories of Death and Survival after World War II by John Cosellis and Marcus Ferrar. In a well-crafted blend of personal memories, history, and eye-witness accounts, the authors recount the tragic story of 12,000 Slovenes who boarded trains in Austria at the end of May 1945. They believed they were on their way to Italy and freedom, but the truth was not so positive. In July, Twin Cities Slovenians member Norm Setnicker participated in a program titled Ethnicities That Shaped and cut into three sections, waiting to be rolled out. Teresa carefully patted and rolled the first section into a rectangle, and when she decided it was the correct size, she spread the first filing over the dough. When finished, she rolled the dough in jelly-roll fashion and placed it in a prepared bread 22 Norm Setnicker speaking about Slovenian immigration. Zarja - The Dawn the Iron Range as part of this year’s Northern Lights Music Festival in Virginia, Minnesota. Norm spoke about Slovenian immigration and its effects on the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. We know that Norm represented us well. Other speakers there focused on Italians and Finns who settled on The Range. The Anniversary of Slovenian Independence is an annual celebration that will be hosted once again by Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovenia, Miro Medved, and his wife, Karen, at their lovely home. Twin Cities Slovenians are pleased to be invited to this consulate event, especially this year as it is the 30th anniversary, and we will be able to interact in person for the first time in many months. Normally held on June 25, the party has been moved to September 18 due to COVID. Miro and Karen are planning a full day of fun, including a bocce ball tournament, a special program, beverages and food throughout the day, and a dinner at 5:30. John Medved, Andrej Rode (Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia), and Miro Medved at the 25th Anniversary celebration in 2016. If all goes as planned, the singing group Krila, personal friends of Miro and Karen, will travel from Slovenia (if travel from Slovenia is permitted in September) and will The bocce ball tournament is a popular competition. Fall 2021 Karen Medved arranging Slovenian desserts. sing the Slovenian national anthem and the US national anthem along with other songs. Krila (“Wings” in Slovenian) will also perform a concert of their beautiful harmonies in Sundin Hall at Hamline University. Hearing them sing there two years ago brought tears to my eyes thinking about how my mother would have loved their music. The group of 13 began twenty-seven years ago as friends meeting to share their common love of Slovenian music. They continue to meet weekly and perform for the sheer joy of singing together. Over the years, their reputation has grown, and they are in demand, performing throughout Slovenia as well as other nearby countries. We are sad to report the loss of two of our members. John Medved, brother of SUA members Frank, Albin, Miro, and Bernadine, passed away on April 18, 2021. John was a regular at TCS functions for many years as well as a longtime participant in the Slovenian Language Class. Jim Klobuchar, past TCS member, l o n g t i m e S t a r Tr i b u n e columnist and s p o r t s w r i t e r, and father of member and US Senator Amy Klobuchar, passed away on May 12, 2021. We extend our sympathies to their families. Finally, don’t forget about our fundraiser 2022 Jim Klobuchar at the 25th Celebration. 23 Cover photo of our 2022 calendar. calendar, full of beautiful photos of Slovenia and with listings of both Slovenian and U.S. holidays. Get your calendar order form by writing to tcslo2013@gmail.com. These wonderful Christmas gifts are $15.00 each (includ- ing shipping). The deadline for ordering is September 15th. Calendars will be mailed in early October. ELAINE BARTHELEMY SUA is now on Instagram! Follow us at slovenian_union_of_america or scan the code with your smartphone. Follow us for more content on Slovenia and Slovenian heritage! 24 Zarja - The Dawn St. Stephen Catholic Church 150 Anniversary th St. Stephen, Minnesota Sometime in the mid-1800s, Father Francis Xavier Pierz (Pirc), a priest from Slovenia who came to the United States to serve the Native population, wrote letters to his fellow countrymen encouraging them to come to Minnesota. As a result, 51 families settled in St. Stephen and nearby St. Anthony. As a result, St. Stephen became the first settlement of Slovenian pioneers in the U.S., a distinction that is a source of great pride for its residents to this day. St. Stephen’s Church, 1903. Fall 2021 25 The first church in the community was built of logs in 1871 by Slovenians and Germans in the area. The 30’ x 50’ church was built without pews, and the congregation stood while the priest read by the light that came in through the spaces between the logs. In 1904, Slovenian architect, John Jager, completed the church that stands in St. Stephen today. Local farmers, many of whose descendants still live in St. Stephen, hauled huge fieldstones for the foundation and bricks for the walls. Walking through the cemetery rows, one can see engraved names on headstones, such as Legatt, Kosel, Pogačnik, Peternell, Zumer, Hlebain, Vouk, Tobec, and Smoley, commemorating these Slovenian pioneers. Blessing of Slovenian flag: Miro Medved, Alenka Jurek, Liz Legatt, and Fr. Ron Weyrens. For the past year, the Church of St. Stephen has been planning a celebration of its 150th anniversary. On the weekend of April 24 and 25 of this year, the church celebrated the contributions of the first settlers by hosting Inaugural flag raising: Liz Legatt, Alenka Jurek, Karen Medved, Miro Medved, Frank Bucar, Fr. Eugene Doyle, and Fr. Ron Weyrens (in back). Interior of St. Stephen’s Church, 1903. 26 Zarja - The Dawn a Slovenian Heritage weekend. A Mass was held on Saturday, April 24, attended by Alenka Jurek, Slovenian Consul General, and Miro Medved, Honorary Consul General, and his wife, Karen. The Singing Slovenes also performed at the Mass. Ms. Jurek presented the church with a commendation from the government of Slovenia. Following the Mass, a Slovenian flag was blessed by Father Ron Weyrens, and a procession was led by Father from the church and through the cemetery where the flag was raised during the singing of the Slovenian National Anthem. The flag, pole, and commemorative plaque, donated by Karen and Miro Medved, are now a permanent fixtures on the church grounds. A reception followed with potica and cookies decorated with the Slovenian flag. The following day, Sunday, another Mass was celebrated with the Singing Slovenes again in attendance and the blessing of tractors, and seed to be planted. And of course, no decent Slovenian celebration happens without food, so a palačinke breakfast was served. On June 6, 2021, the church ended its festivities with a Mass attended by Bishop Donald Joseph Kettler, Bishop of St. Cloud, followed by a Corpus Christi procession through the cemetery and woods surrounding the church. Attendees were then treated to a hog roast with all the fixings, music, activities for kids, horse-drawn wagon rides, and, of course, great fellowship. One family’s story A short distance from St. Stephen’s Church is the 141-year-old Mensinger (Mencinger) farm, run by 3rd generation David Mensinger. In 1866 David’s greatgrandfather, Lucas Mensinger, came to St. Stephen from Kranjska Gora in the Gorenjska region of Slovenia. Two years later, Lucas’ wife-to-be, Agnes (Neza) Blenkush (Blenkuš), also came from Kranjska Gora. (A second set of great-grandparents, Andrew (Andreas) Zupan and Rosalia Zemlja, both from Spodnje Gorje in the Gorenjska region, would come a few years later.) They brought with them the language, traditions, and work ethic of Slovenia. After working for a farmer for many years, Lucas was able to buy 80 acres of farmland in 1880. The family raised dairy cows, hogs and chickens. That has continued through the generations to today. Lucas and Agnes spoke only Slovenian, along with other Slovenian settlers. In fact, it would be another 50 years or so before English would be the dominant language. Sermons in church were preached in Slovenian, Slovenian was spoken at home and with others in the community, and English wasn’t learned until the 2nd generation of children started school. David said that while his father didn’t speak Slovenian in the home, he did speak it when he got together with his siblings. Few in the community today know more than a few words in Slovenian. David’s Fall 2021 ancestors passed on other things that remain, however. The making of potica, handsewn or knit garments, scarves, pillowcases, and honey cakes brought from the homeland, prayer books and holy cards in Slovenian, and 54 letters written in Slovenian from the 1860s and 1870s have all been passed down through the generations to descendants of Lucas and Neza. The letters give news of deaths and marriages in the homeland, the wars in Europe, and the hardships faced back home. One such letter, dated 1871, spoke of heavy snow, friends killed in an avalanche, and winter so cold that all the wood was burned. The letter indicated that “we will have to warm our houses with our breath. Further I must write to you that many brides are preparing for Amerika, but I will not write their names because I think that from this flour will be little bread. And why... because our girls in general work so hard that they will wear out their stomachs. Yet they all want to go if they can at least walk... since the heavy winter has made the stoves cold.” These are treasures that remain near and dear to those trusted with their keeping. David and his wife, Laura, have three children - one son and two daughters. None of them have any interest in farming the land, but one daughter wants to be the keeper of that valuable piece of history by remaining in the home and perhaps leasing the land out to an area farmer. So while some things, like the language, have been lost over time, Slovenia certainly remains in the hearts and souls of the community of St. Stephen. *Many thanks from the Church of St. Stephen to the SUA for the award of a cultural grant to help fund the church’s Slovenian Heritage weekend. by Cindy Gauthier Twin Cities Slovenians - Branch 109 Church of St. Stephen, 2021. 27 Katie’s “As Cool As A Cucumber” Salad Cucumber, a culinary vegetable that grows on a creeping vine, is waiting to embellish your dinner table. When your meal needs a little crunch, this dish is your perfect, yummy, and healthy side. 3 seedless cucumbers, peeled Peel with a vegetable peeler, thinly slice your cucumbers, and toss with 1 tablespoon of Slovenian salt. Set aside for about an hour. 1 small onion, sliced paper thin ¾ cup sour cream ¼ teaspoon dill weed ¼ teaspoon Roasted Garlic, Rosemary & Sea Salt Spice Blend (I buy at TJMaxx, I love it on lots of foods.) ½ cup chopped walnuts. When you’re Slovenian you can never have too many chopped walnuts. Squeeze out liquid from your sliced cucumbers. Add onion, sour cream, spices, and walnuts. Mix and enjoy. When you serve this delicious dish, your family and friends will indeed think you are “as cool as a cucumber.” 6 servings – 150 calories / serving Katie Gorton, Branch 1 SLOVENIAN DAYS IN CLEVELAND, 2021 SEPTEMBER 9-19, 2021 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 at 6:00 p.m. Slovenian Film Evening Oswald Building, 1100 Superior Ave., Cleveland FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 at 6:00 p.m. Jazz Evening (Rick Kodramaz, Leo Coach, Dan Bode, Al Moses) Slovenian Cultural Garden, 820 East Blvd., Cleveland TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 at 6:00 p.m. Literary Evening (Russell Vidrick, Bruce Weigl, John Panza, Ray McNiece) Cleveland Public Library, 325 Superior Ave., Cleveland WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 at 6:00 p.m. Carniola Sausage Festival and Competition SNPJ Farm, 10946 Heath Rd., Kirtland THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 at 6:00 p.m. The Main Celebration of the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Slovenia. Opening: The Exhibition of the Technical Museum of Slovenia Us and Them without Borders. Presentation of Slovenian cuisine and wines in the framework of the project: Slovenia - European Region of Gastronomy. Rotunda City Hall, 601 Lakeside Ave. E, Cleveland SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 at 6:00 p.m. Opening of the Exhibition: The Road to the Recognition of Slovenian Independence in the USA and Ohio through the View of American Press. Slovenian Museum and Archive, 6417 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 at 7:00 p.m. Concert of classical music (Alex Yuill and friends) Slovenian National Home, 6417 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 at 10:00 a.m. Slovenian Mass at St. Mary’s in Collinwood, FR. Kumše 15519 Holmes Ave., Cleveland SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 at 3:00 p.m. Celebration of the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Slovenia and 60th anniversary of Slovenska Pristava with a cultural program. Slovenska Pristava, Harpersfield, 1024 Brandt Rd., Geneva SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 in the afternoon Tribute to the Woitila Band SNPJ Farm, 10946 Heath Rd., Kirtland 28 Zarja - The Dawn SUA Zoom Book Group Come Join Us! A book group that will meet quarterly on a weeknight with either a book discussion or speakers is forming. The books the organizers have in mind will be easy to find in most public libraries and relate to the immigrant or the immigrant ancestor experience of most members (the Ellis Island and post WWII periods) and also other books before or after that time period. The books may be specifically about Slovenians or well-known books that relate to the time periods of Slovenian immigration. If you are interested in participating, please send an email to suabookclub@gmail.com with your name, branch number, and city. If you have book suggestions, send those too! Want More Out of Life? KSKJ Life is a Christian, community-focused life insurance company that has provided financial security to its members and their families since 1894. We offer competitive life insurance products and retirement solutions, premier personalized service and meaningful member benefits and programs. As a not-for-profit organization, KSKJ Life makes a difference by reinvesting back into local communities and is dedicated to continuing its mission by helping families achieve financial security. Connect With Us Today! 1-800-843-5755 kskjlife.com KSKJ Life, American Slovenian Catholic Union, is an Illinois fraternal benefit society located at 2439 Glenwood Ave., Joliet, IL 60435. 2021.07.Z Membership Events SUA May 18, 2021, brought the SUA Membership Committee’s first virtual event: Painted Hives: A Conversation with the Author. The SUA welcomed author Jay Ebben to discuss his novel and experiences in Slovenia. With over 50 attendees and great conversations, the event was a success! We thank Jay and all those who participated. Stay tuned for future virtual events! On June 10, 2021, over 25 Slovenian Union of America members and friends from across the country (and globe!) gathered on Zoom to be transported to various wine regions in Slovenia. We learned about the wine making process, bottling, and the corks being used in modern wine making! We also enjoyed a few glasses of white and red Slovenian wines and had some thoughtful questions that were answered by our sommelier. It was a delightful experience together, and we came together to raise critical funds for the good works of the Slovenian Union of America. Many thanks to all who attended! PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID LASALLE, IL