Zarja Official Publication Slovenian Union of America Uradno Glasilo Slovenske Zveze v Ameriki $10.99 U.S./$15.99 International Volume 89 Issue 1 January/February 2017 The Dawn Kamnik, Slovenia Slovenian Union of America 431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703 TELEPHONE: 815.727.1926 WEB SITE: slovenianunion.org 2015-2019 National Board of Directors PRESIDENT: Mary Lou Deyak Voelk (Branch 23) ottolou@gulftel.com VP OF OUTREACH: Vacant VP OF HOME OFFICE: Diane Hohenwater (Branch 20) dhohenwater@comcast.com VP OF CULTURE & HERITAGE: Vacant VP OF MARKETING & FUND-RAISING: Norm Setnicker (Branch 109) normas188@msn.com CORRESPONDING/RECORDING SECRETARY: Catherine “Cookie” Maxin (Branch 50) cookie.maxin@gmail.com TREASURER: Robert Kuhel (Branch 16) rjkuhel@sbcglobal.net To the Editor... Hi, Bonnie! Several years ago I came into possession of a Slovenian Bible. Inside I found two photos apparently taken during a family outing. Just recently it occurred to me that perhaps descendents of the family in question might recognize them if published in the Zarja. Should they want the photos I’d be more than happy to send them on. My wife Maria and I had been involved in Slovene activities in the Washington D.C. area for many years prior to our retirement in western North Carolina. Unfortunately the closest contact is in Knoxville, TN, a few hours away. We still are members of the KSKJ branch in D.C., and Maria also retains her membership in Branch 103 of the SUA. Many thanks for all the effort you and your staff make to produce a magazine that is informative and a pleasure to read! Blessings to you and your family, Harry & Maria Paulin (ISSN 0044-1848) Postmaster: Send all changes of address to: SLOVENIAN UNION OF AMERICA 431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703 © Copywrite All Rights Reserved Zarja - The Dawn EDITOR: Bonnie Pohar Prokup DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: Debbie Pohar EDITORIAL OFFICE: 3119 Carrie St., Peru, IL 61354 PUBLISHER: Slovenian Union of America Vol. 89, No. 1, January/February 2017 Published bimonthly 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 March/April issue must be received by January 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. Please contact the Zarja editor, Bonnie Prokup, if you have any information on these pictures. President’s Message... Srečno novo leto! Happy New Year! Excerpted from Rodna Gruda, English Section January 1984. It certainly is interesting to read about old Slovene superstitions concerning the New Year. While it is now 32 years later, don’t we all continue to hesitate walking under a leaning ladder, or believe a broken mirror gives you seven years of bad luck, or throw salt over one’s shoulder, or knock on wood? These are the customs which our Slovenian forefathers once respected at Christmastide, i.e. at about the time of the winter solstice when the days started to lengthen. Some of these customs began with Christmas and continued to Epiphany, most probably the result of using the Gregorian Calendar. As you read these superstitions, try to rationalize how and why they came to be! Just 32 years ago, in all parts of Slovenia, it was still believed that whoever gets up early on New Year’s Day will get up early the whole year through, and whoever lies in bed on New Year’s morning will be late in getting out of bed the whole year through. Many believed that if you win a game on New Year’s Day, then you would win games throughout the year. Seeing one’s shadow, without a head, on the wall was a common superstition that one would not live out the New Year. On New Year’s Day, meeting a woman first, especially an old woman, brought misfortune. On this day in nearly all parts of Slovenia, unmarried girls had a chance to find a husband - just throw some money or a red apple into the water before the sunsets. In Styria, it was the custom for girls to fetch water from the stream early on New Year’s Day. An apple was thrown into the water, while saying, “Good morning, cool water, I bless you from bottom to bottom. I give you a small gift, now you give me a big one.” The girls would take the pail of water home, where everyone would throw money into the water and then wash himself or herself, firmly believing that they would have plenty of money all the year round. People of Bela Krajina sometimes started the year with a “novoletnica.” This was a loaf of white bread, placed on the table next to the “bozicnik.” Everyone was only allowed a small piece of this bread. In Carinthia, three loaves of 20 + G +M +B +17 bread were placed in a triangle in front of the crucifix, with a candle next to them. At the same time they placed another loaf on the table which was made out of poorer flour, but this loaf was placed outside the triangle. The first loaf was begun on Christmas Day, and every animal received a piece of the poorer loaf on Christmas Day. The second loaf was eaten on New Year’s Day and the third on the day of the Epiphany. Handed down were superstitions regarding what to do or what not to do on New Year’s Day. In some places in Lower Carniola (Dolenjsko) it was believed that when one heard thunder for the first time in the New Year one must lie down on the ground. This would avoid pains in the belly the whole year round. On New Year’s Day the farmer must always go first into the stable, or else there will be no luck with the cattle during the year. Forbidden at the New Year, in the Kozjansko area, it was not good to eat any kind of poultry, only pork. The reasoning was chickens move backwards as they scratch about, whereas pigs always move forward. Thus, the farm will run unsuccessfully in the first case, and successfully in the second case. In the Kobarid area it was once believed that if the candles in the church were burning brightly, evenly, and without flickering on New Year’s Day, then the harvest would be a good one. If the candles were not burning well, a poor harvest and a stormy year could be expected. On New Year’s Eve, in all parts of Slovenia people believed that if one heard a hammer knocking, there would be a death that year. If an accordion was heard, someone would marry. A similar superstition, preserved in the vicinity of Kostel and Suhor in Lower Carniola, meant walking out of the village shortly before midnight to the “mejasi” (boundary stones) where the gardens of the houses ended and the fields began. There, they would put their feet on the boundary stone and listen to the voices of the night, then return in silence to their homes and relate what they A bozicnik is a large round loaf of bread that is decorated with small bread shaped figures of the nativity scene. This is placed at the center of the table on Christmas Eve, and remains there until it is eaten on New Year’s Day. January/February 2017 1 had heard. Hearing the chopping or the sawing of wood, or the sound of someone crying, meant someone was going to die soon. If it was music that was heard, a wedding could soon be expected. If there were sounds of a house falling down, a fire could be expected in that house, or at least somewhere in the village. The local people of Kocevje believed the following - If you want to find out what is going to happen in the New Year, then climb up a wooden fence or a tree on New Year’s Eve (during the daytime). However, you must not be carrying anything made of metal - no keys, no metal buttons on your jacket, or hobnail in your boots. Most common in the villages of Lower Carniola, there were superstitions connected with shoes. If a girl would like to know whether she could expect a bridegroom or not, she would throw a shoe over her shoulder towards the door on New Year’s Eve. If the toe of the shoe, upon landing, faced back towards the room, it was a sign she would not marry that year. In various parts of Slovenia it was a custom to throw molten lead into water at about 11 p.m. on New York’s Eve, and then guess the meaning of the figures which appear. It was believed that on New Year’s Eve the seeds of ferns had special powers. By catching fern seeds with a white handkerchief or white sheet and placing them beneath the animal’s bedding in the stable, one could hear how the cattle were predicting the fate of their owners and the animals as well. The Question: Why do people tend to be or to become superstitious? Today it is understood that throughout centuries, suspicious thinking was a way of trying to understand, so to have some control over their lives. There was disease, famine, and poverty. Yet today, superstition is very much alive. To freshen up the list, here is a new one added to the list of Slovene superstitions: For the first nourishment in the New Year, a slice of potica, without which all walnut trees will stop bearing walnuts for seven years. Something to Look Forward To On September 16, 2016, the Slovenian men’s ice hockey team secured a berth for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea by defeating Belarus 3:2 in the penalty shootout at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Minsk. Slovenia will play the Olympic ice hockey tournament in Pyeongchang in Group B against Russia, the USA, and Slovakia. Pickled Turnips Found in Southern Living magazine, August 2016 issue, a recipe for Pickled Turnips. A few slices in any sandwich adds a new flavor. The recipe calls for using turnips that are smaller than a baseball, but larger than a golf ball. Check out the recipe and photo on the SUA site - slovenianunion.org. In This Issue, The Colorful Butare It’s a fund-raising opportunity for the 2019 SUA National Convention in Cleveland, the iconic butare. A great item to purchase for the upcoming Palm Sunday, 2017. They make for memorable gifts for all occasions. Congratulations to Kathy Ferrante and Debbie Duris for the time and effort in putting this together. Let’s support Ohio in this endeavor! The order form can be found on page four (4) of this issue! Branch Information For any Branch that has not sent in the names of their new Branch officers, please do asap. MaryAlice, our webmaster, is patiently waiting for this information. Thank you. Again, the best to everyone in the New Year! to je to, Mary Lou Deyak Voelk President, Slovenian Union of America New Business The SUA National Officers will conduct their annual board meeting on February 2-4, 2017, at the home office in Joliet. The SUA National Board has extended an invitation to the SWU Scholarship Foundation (SWUSF) to a separate meeting of our two organizations on February 4, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. An agenda will be sent via e-mail to the SWUSF Officers prior to the meeting. The annual teleconference meeting with SUA’s Branch Member Representatives will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. CST. This time allows us to accommodate all time zones. An agenda will be sent via e-mail to each of the Member Representatives prior to the meeting date. 2 Zarja - The Dawn V obljubljeno deželo: Slovenke v ZDA “The Promised Land: Slovenian Women in America” took place in the Exhibition Room at the National and University Library in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is in summer; the library organizes an exhibit associated with expatriates. In 2016, it was “The Promised Land,” that we never forget the bravery of these women; lest we never forget those who maintained the hearth, and through these efforts preserved the Slovenian language and culture. Over 9,000 viewers had experienced the viewing and program during the first nine weeks of exhibition. The exhibition featured women of Slovenian roots who became visible, women who gave immigration character: Ana Praček, Mary Molek, Irene Planinšek Odorizzi, Milena Šoukal, Rose Mary Prosen, Katka Zupancic, Angela Gospodarič, Mara Cerar, and Josephine Hull Janežič. A special feature of the exhibit was the published works of Marie Prisland, the founder of our Slovenian Union of America (SUA), formerly SWUA. Photo taken of the Prisland exhibit. In September 2016, SUA member, Marge Fischer, granddaughter of Marie Prisland, was on the ZarjaFest 2016 tour, a Road Trip Through the Homeland. It was truly a moving experience that Marge was able to attend this memorable exhibition honoring her grandmother. North America was considered the Promised Land; massive waves of Slovenian emigrants left the land of their birth in search of better living conditions. After 1945 a new wave of emigrants followed. Unlike the first immigration to the U.S., the new wave were displaced persons; in retrospect they became the “reinforcers,” for the next several generations. Today the responsibility mainly falls to the “reinforcers,” and those of us born and reared in the United States, to continue the immigrant saga, to snatch hold of the strength and fortitude of those who carved our Slovenian niche in America. January/February 2017 Marge Fischer, granddaughter of Marie Prisland. This exhibition sends a powerful message to the country, to the citizens of Slovenia, that we, in America, have not forgotten where we came from, and we, too, are always cognizant of our SUA mission. SUA MISSION: Dedicated to honor and preserve our Slovenian legacy; to promote its ideals and to ensure its longevity for future generations. The entire membership of the SUA sends our congratulations to Marge Fischer and the Prisland family. Congratulations also to Irene Planinšek Odorizzi, Branch 103, for the honor placed on her achievements. Mary Lou Deyak Voelk President, Slovenian Union of America 3 4 Zarja - The Dawn VP of Marketing & Fund-Raising Norm Setnicker, “Born in America with Slovenian Parts” Branch 109 - Twin Cities, MN ZARJA - The Dawn GIFT CARD ZARJA - The Dawn GIFT CARD Do you know someone who would enjoy reading about Slovenian heritage, culture, traditions, and recipes? Consider giving a gift subscription to “Zarja -The Dawn” magazine! PLEASE SEND A ZARJA GIFT SUBSCRIPTION TO: Name: _______________________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________ E-mail: __________________________________ GIFT FROM: _________________________________________________________________________ Message on gift card: ___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Send a $25 check, payable to SUA to: SUA Zarja - The Dawn Subscription 431 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432-1703 Donations New Members Thank you! -Hvala lepa! $25 Donation Richard Terselic, 103 $10 Donation Branch 43, Educational Grant +Dolores Kodrich Branch 43, Heritage Museum +Emil Ujcich Evan James Jorstad, 109, SUA $5 Donation Lois Klatt, 30, In honor of Jacob Loncarich January/February 2017 Welcome - Dobrodošli 3, Robin Secora 23, Joan Novosel 23, Mathias Smrekar 23, Rosemarie Vejtasa 23, Patricia Webster 24, Michael Furlan 24, Bob Spelich 43, Mary Lee St. John 35, Jacqueline Anne Hoag 35, Sara Marie Hoag 35, Sydney Marie Hoag 43, Charlie Hocevar 54, Anton & Stefka Savor 93, Veronika Dolar 93, Alyssa Owens 93, Stephanie Owens 93, Paul Whiteley 109, Louise Morgan 5 100th Anniversary of the Church of Saint Cyril and The Bob Hope Memorial Library/Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration – Branch 93 members celebrated with: 100th Anniversary Church of Saint Cyril New York, NY New York’s Lower East Side: The Most Revered, Archbishop Stanislav (Stane) Zore of the Archdiocese of Ljubljana. 6 Zarja - The Dawn Tanya Vajk and president-elect Stephanie Owens. Ellis Island librarian, Barry Moreno, with (left to right) Alyssa Owens, Maria Whitmire, Josephine Price, Vladimira Merzel-Hartmannsgruber, Carmen Owens, Veronica Smrdel. Mia Branc, recipient of the highest honor of the Franciscan Province of Slovenia, and her family. January/February 2017 His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York with 100-year-old parishioner, Mrs. Myra M. Hesch. Carmen Owens and Maria Whitmire. Photos: elenadubas.com/@elenadubasphoto 7 TITANIC Four-Year Old Manca, an Unlikely Titanic Heroine Written by Zarja staff reporter, David Sodac of Branch 89 - Oglesby, IL E-mail: bdsodac@gmail.com As the steamship’s bow began jostling and taking on the icy Atlantic Ocean waters, a terrified father, Franz Karun, yanked his four-year-old daughter, Manca (pronounced MAHN-sa), from her sound sleep. With his daughter cradled in his arms, Franz Karun weaved his way through steerage hatchways, packed with throngs of frenzied and desperate passengers seeking safety. Not only was he worried for his daughter and his own safety, but he frantically searched for his brother-in-law, Johann Markum, who was traveling with Franz and Manca to America. At 12:40 a.m., Captain Edward John Smith gave the orders to quickly fill the boats with women and children first. After all, the first and second-class passengers were safely tucked into the life boats, some just half-filled, and were lowered five stories to the chilling waters below and began their life-saving journey. Third-class passengers, like Manca, her father, and uncle were instructed to remain below until called for rescue. The eighth boat lowered 8 from the starboard side was lifeboat No. 15. Manca would eventually be grabbed by a crewman and placed into this lifeboat for rescue. Her father and uncle would remain waiting on deck, desperately hoping for room on a lifeboat. Allegedly, Franz and Johann stood on the deck waiting and watching the chaos of desperate and screaming people. They swigged from a bottle and while raising the bottle high, they gave a toast to what would become of their lives. Franz was very fortunate, he miraculously was allowed onto a lifeboat with his daughter as the Titanic was slipping into the sea. His brother-in-law wasn’t as lucky. On Tuesday, April 23, 1912, Franz and Manca arrived by train back to Galesburg, IL, following their discharge from a three-day hospitalization stay in New York. A throng of well-wishers from their immediate family and community warmly greeted them. The Galesburg Republican Register reporters interviewed Zarja - The Dawn Franz while he stood on the train’s platform. Franz Karun remarked, “I was a third-class passenger and sleeping in a room at the rear of the boat. With me were my little girl, and also my brother-in-law, John Markum, who was coming to this country to get work, and who left his wife and five children in Austria.” He then produced a crude drawing of the big ship to show where his room was located, not far from the rear of the boat. He continued, “I was fast asleep when the ship hit the iceberg; it was about 11 o’clock when someone woke us up. When we got to the top I could see that the forward end of the boat was sinking down and that there was quite a decline that way. There was a lifeboat lowered and I think that it was the last one put down. They put my little girl down first, letting her down with a rope. Then they let me down. I do not know why they did this; perhaps it was because it was the last boat and there was still room for somebody. When I got into the boat I found that I was the only man there. All the rest were women and children. Of course the sailors were in the boat to pull it. I think that I was the last man to get off the ship. There were 52 people on the boat. At a quarter to one o’clock, when we were about 300 feet from the steamship, it sank. Its forward end went down and it seemed to raise right in the air and dive.” At this point Mr. Karun took his drawing and lifted it up straight to indicate the position of the ship when it took the plunge. “I heard two big booms,” he continued, “I think it was the boilers exploding. I did not see the ship break in two. An awful scene followed, people drowning and crying for help. I shall never forget the sight.” April 10, 1912, the new transatlantic ocean liner sailed from Southampton, England, with 2,208 passengers and crew aboard; only five were from Slovenia. They were Franz Karun and his daughter, Manca, of Milje, traveling to Galesburg, IL; the brother-in-law, Johann (Janez) Markum of Milje, traveling to New York; Janko Vouk of Jesenice, traveling to Aurora, IL, and Jakov Pašič of Streklevac, traveling to St. Joseph’s, MN. Four days later, the luxury liner collided with an iceberg and sank in a matter of two hours from impact. The official death count was placed at 1,496 people and just 712 survivors. Of the Slovene passengers, only Franz and Manca Karum survived to tell their stories. The bodies of Johann (Janez) Markum, as well as those of Janko Vouk and Jakov Pašič were among the 333 never found. The lifeboat No.15 that carried the Karun father and daughter, would be rescued by the transatlantic passenger steam- The R.M.S. Titanic had been described as a floating palace, luxurious in her offerings for her first class passengers. The world had never seen such opulence aboard a steamship before. Her distinctive features included upscale restaurants, gentlemen’s smoking rooms, sporting facilities complete with squash courts, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool. There were onboard luxuries like telephones, running water in every room, and the elegant, ornate, grand staircase. On January/February 2017 9 Family photo of the Karun family. Left to Right: Frances, Manca, Mary, Franz, Marianna, Frank, and Urban. ship, R.M.S. Carpathia, responding to the Titanic’s distress signals. On Thursday, April 18, 1912, six long days after the disaster, the rescue ship Carpathia would arrive safely into the New York Harbor with the surviving, traumatized Titanic passengers and crew members. Mr. Franz Karun, 39, was born on December 2, 1872, near Milje, Austria-Hungary. He was the son of Janez and Marija (Treljec) Karun. Franz was married to Marianna Vombergar and they had five living children - Frances, Urban, Manca, Frank, and Mary. Franz Karun’s first trip to America was in 1906 and like many other young Slovene men, he worked hard to earn money in the United States to support his family back in Slovenia. Eventually, he earned enough money to bring his wife and his two oldest children to America in 1908. The Karun family left behind their five-month-old infant daughter, Manca, in the care and custody of her Aunt and Uncle Johann Markum. The Karun family then moved to Galesburg, IL, where he and his wife ran a boarding house for railroad workers. The family always retained their Austro-Hungarian citizenship. In 1912, Franz Karun returned back to his homeland to visit and settle some affairs and was now returning to Galesburg, IL, finally reuniting his youngest daughter, Manca, with her anxiously awaiting family. He bought his ticket for 138 Swiss francs (approximately $30 U.S.) and they boarded as third-class passengers on the R.M.S. Titanic, docked in Cherbourg, France. The brother-in-law, Johann Markum, also joined Franz Karun on the return voyage with high hopes of raising enough money while working in America to pay off some debts. 10 Thirty-four years after the Titanic disaster, the Cosmopolitan Detroit newspaper interviewed Manca Karun upon her return to the United States and her visit with her sister, Mrs. Mary Koshir of Detroit. Manca recalled stories from her father saying, “My father jumped into the icy water, and my Uncle stayed behind. My father swam around for two hours, and when he reached our lifeboat he tried to climb aboard. The people hit his knuckles because they thought there were already too many people aboard, but I cried and pleaded with them so much that they let him on.” Tales such as these become somewhat embellished through the years, as they are told and retold. Whatever the version of the story, it was a terrifying, lifelong, impacting experience for all aboard, and in particular for the Karun family. Less than two years after the terrible nightmare of the Titanic sinking, with the threat of a worldwide war looming in Europe, Franz Karun would make the difficult decision to leave Galesburg, IL, and return his family to their homeland in Slovenia. In 1914, Franz’ wife, Marianna, passed away. Eventually, he would marry again and have two additional children, born and raised in Slovenia. Manca’s four siblings would ultimately return to the United States to live and raise their families, but Manca remained in Milje, Slovenia. She would meet and marry Anton Juvan, and together they raised four children. In 1934, her father died in his proud homeland of Slovenia. Manca Karun Yuvan would die in an auto accident on September 17, 1971, in Šenčur, Slovenia. Manca Karun was the aunt of Frances (Koshir) Adamic, a longtime SUA member of former Branch 30 - Detroit, MI. Her husband, Eddie Adamic, had written to me about his wife’s aunt’s (Manca) rescue experiences and survival from the sinking of the Titanic. He sent copies of the family’s newspaper clippings and Titanic articles for background information. Frances’ mother was Mary (Karun) Koshir, the younger sister of Manca, born in 1910 while the Karun family resided in Galesburg IL. A year after the Titanic tragedy, Mary moved back to Slovenia with her parents, brothers, and sisters. Mary Karun returned to the United States when she was 17 years old. She would meet and marry Joseph Koshir and raise their family in America. In late 1960, when Manca finally overcame her fear of traveling across the ocean, she made plans to stay with her sister Mary, living in Zarja - The Dawn Detroit. Mary’s daughter and husband, Eddie and Frances Adamic, were available and felt privileged to be the drivers for Manca upon this return trip to America. They drove her to visit her brother, Urban, and his family living in Cleveland, and then her sister, Anna Sitar, living in Chicago. Manca’s family has had the opportunity to return the favor when Eddie and Frances visited Slovenia on several past trips with his polka group, the Eddie Adamic Orchestra. Eddie is the orchestra director and plays the piano accordion with these Slovenian-style polka performers. Manca’s story is also a favorite for one of the performing staff at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, TN. Dressed as a crew member in clothing of the period, she tells her audience the story of Manca and her father. She explains that as third-class passengers, the Karun’s had very little hope of surviving the Titanic disaster. When crew members attempted to place Manca in a lifeboat, she clung in fright to her father. Her father begged to go with her, as she spoke no English. He feared she would never survive alone without him, even if she somehow made it off the Manca with her sister, Mary, in Detroit News 1961. sinking ship. However, only women and children were considered the top priority for rescue. Then a ship’s The intrigue and interest in the Titanic story never officer turned his back and let her and her father be seems to wane. There are permanent and traveling Ti- hauled into the lifeboat. The staff narrator explains tanic Exhibits across both the American and European that Manca saved her father’s life in that moment of Continents. A friend of Eddie and Frances Adamic, desperation. At four-years-old, she became one of the Pat Hostnik, visited one such museum in Branson, Titanic’s heroines! MO. She brought back a surprise artifact for Fran Adamic’s Titanic paraphernalia collection about her Aunt Manca. After purchasing her admission ticket, Pat was handed a “boarding pass” that resembled the actual tickets of real people who were passengers on that fateful 1912 sailing. Much to her surprise, the boarding pass was of four-year-old Manca Karun and it contained her information and story! January/February 2017 11 Fred Wayne Marentic 100% Slovenian and a Joliet Native Celebrity By Ginny Halterman Fred Wayne Marentic has been called a music legend. He has been a performer, an arranger, a composer, and a teacher. His life has been devoted to performing and sharing his music. He grew up in the Slovenian community in Joliet, IL. Fred was born on September 16, 1938, to Rudolph and Theresa (Lilek) Marentic, who had been trying for seven years to have a baby. The family was poor, but there was lots of love, especially for Fred. Fred reminisces about his early life: “Our family home at 704 Vista Lane in Joliet was a three-story apartment home, built prior to 1900 alongside a cliff. My family owned the building and we lived on the third floor. There were two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen with a coal stove. Our refrigerator was an ice box. We had ice delivered once a week. Neither of my parents finished grade school. Children were sent out to work when they were young. When my father 12 died in 1953, I found many degrees that he had received from correspondence schools. There were several from radio repair schools, which accounts for my remembering that all the important people, from the mayor on down, brought their electronic items to my dad to repair. He worked for American Steel and Wire for 33 years. One thing I did not understand when I was young, was why I had to walk a full mile to St. Joseph’s Grade School, when St. Mary’s was so close to our home. I later understood that St. Mary’s was Croatian. I had to go the longer distance to St. Joseph’s because this was “our” school. This meant walking over the old Illinois Waterway in the cold winter months. Later this turned out to be a blessing, because St. Joseph’s had a school band; St. Mary’s did not. One of my father’s jobs was to play the music at park picnics every weekend (much the same as today’s DJs, but without the talking). I got to hear live bands (mostly Zarja - The Dawn polka bands) playing for the people, and saw that music made people happy. I was hooked for life. In the fourth grade, I was given a chance to be in the school band. My parents said, “OK.” I told the band director I wanted to play trumpet, but he said, “I have too many trumpets. You have nice long arms so you can play the trombone.” I had no choice. I accepted. After two years I told him I did not want to play trombone. I wanted to play trumpet. Same answer, so I ended up on baritone sax. In the meantime, I saw the film, Young Man with the Horn. Harry James played all the music for the film. That was the sealer. I wanted to play trumpet. I talked to the director. Same answer. I ended up in the drum section until high school. When in the sixth grade, I found out that on Wednesdays there was a stage show that had live bands at the Rialto Theatre. My parents gave me money to attend. School got out at 3:10 pm. I ran down to the Rialto because the stage show started at 3:30 pm. I watched the entire show, watched the movie between shows, and then stayed and watched the stage show again. I knew when the show was ending, so I quickly left and ran to the stage door to meet and talk to the performers, like Woody Herman, Count Basie, Desi Arnaz, Fred at a young age. Merv Griffin (when he was just a singer), Stan Henson, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, etc. They asked if I played an instrument and when I said that I did, they talked to me in detail. They gave me the drive and ambition to continue on in music and make music my career. In the seventh and eighth grades, I was also able to join the College of St. Francis Drama Club. I was able to memorize and act well, so I ended up with the lead role in every play. I was even chosen to play Hiawatha at the Illinois State Fair. This was all entertainment connected, but still no trumpet. Finally in high school, I signed up for band and was placed in the percussion section, because that was the last thing I played in grade school. In the first band class, I walked up to the band director and told him I wanted to play trumpet. He said, “Fine. Get a trumpet and get a teacher.” Finally! I checked around and found a teacher, Chuck Vrsitti, who happened to have an old silver trumpet in perfect condition for $30. I bought it. Wedding photo of Rudolph and Theresa (Lilek) Marentic. January/February 2017 I sat down and practiced four to five hours a day to make up for lost time. Four weeks later I was hired to put a ninepiece band together for a job two weeks later. I asked my teacher what I should call the band. He asked me what my middle name was. I said, “Wayne.” Thus, Fredie Wayne 13 and his Band was born. One D from Freddie was left out for the word Distinction. I had already been hiring some Chicago arrangers to write for me, so between their charts and stocks I had purchased, I had a book. I immediately went out and bought nine music stands, lights, and extension cords. A band was born! The band was good enough that I got rehired to play there again two weeks later. This time I brought in Ed Shadosky (first trumpet) and Hank Stanley (lead alto) from Chicago - and Wow! What a band! At this time I joined Local 37 AF of FM. I also was brazen enough to put an ad in the International Musician as “an arranger at liberty – all styles.” I got work from about 22 bands, mostly tenor and Lawrence Welk styles. In the meantime, the reputation of the band kept growing. In 1955 I approached the Stepheny Records label in Chicago. This led to my first album, Fredie Wayne and His Orchestra. This was recorded at Universal Recording Studios in Chicago. I became the youngest person to ever record with his own big band. I had 17 musicians in front of me, all heavyweights. Things were still on a roll. After graduation I attended DePaul University, and was exempted from the Vietnam draft because I was an A student. I did so well because I was finally studying what I wanted to – music. In 1957, a fellow student knew that the Jimmy Dorsey Band was coming to town and that they needed a trombone player. He knew that I played the trumpet and the trombone, so he recommended me. The next thing I knew, I was in the trombone section. My time with them was short-lived, because I played a valve trombone, rather than a slide trombone. The bandleader could not accept that, but I did start writing for the band. I continued writing for DePaul University and others. Later that year I had one of the most memorable moments of my life while playing trumpet on a bandstand in Chicago. Eydie Gormé was singing when her husband, Steve Lawrence, who was in the military, came home on unexpected leave, stood offstage, and while she was singing, walked out behind her. Needless to say, it was one of the My father died in 1953 from diabetes. I saw him in the hospital before he died. I remember him saying proudly to the person in the room with him, “My son’s a trumpet player.” How could I not follow through after knowing he felt that way? I was always writing, including several compositions for the school band. I took one to Joliet Township High School to be played. Bruce Houskhecht asked why I wasn’t in the school band, because I had such writing talent. I told him that I went to the school across town – Joliet Catholic High. He was surprised, but we became close friends. I graduated in 1956 with an above average grade point, but was not able to attend graduation as I was home with the German measles. 14 Zarja - The Dawn most emotional and tearful experiences I’ve ever experienced. It still sends shivers up and down my back to this day to think about it. On the advice of a friend, Russ Garcia, I took time off from DePaul University and went to Germany to arrange music for bands there. A year later, I returned to DePaul University to continue my education. I also got a provisional teaching certificate, so while arranging music and continuing my work at the University, I taught at St. Mary’s in Wheaton and St. Petronilles in Glen Ellyn. I also put together a jazz quartet that performed in Wheaton. When it came time for me to graduate from DePaul University in 1966, the dean of the music school called me in. He said I was scheduled to graduate in June, but there was a serious problem. I had had no piano instruction and that was a requirement for graduation in my major. I explained that I taught during the day and went to night school until 8:30 pm. By that time the practice rooms were locked up. I lived in an apartment on the third floor and there was no way to get a piano up there. He put his head into his hands in deep thought for several minutes and finally made a decision. Because he knew of the quality of my compositions and arrangements, he was going to give me an exemption. I was very, very thankful. I have to be the only person ever to get a music degree without piano instruction. Between you and me, I cannot even play a Thompson Beginning Piano book. I hear everything in my head that I write down.” Fred earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from DePaul University, and there studied composition with the renowned Russian composer, Alexander Tcherepnin. He continues, “After graduation I worked with several schools in the Chicago area, developing band programs and teaching. I also recorded album #2 with a jazz fusion group that played every Sunday on Rush Street. I took my band from Michael Faraday-Marshall to Florida twice, where we played at Sea World, Circus World, and Cypress Gardens. We were invited to play at every major function in Chicago. In 1970, I was made teacher of the year for Chicago. Our band recorded two albums and performed on the Ray Raynor Show. I married twice and had 10 children, six were exceptional musicians. I began to teach my first child, Anthony, to play when he was two. At 3½ he won the outstanding soloist award at the Illinois State Fair. He won teacher of the year in Las Vegas. In 1966, I got my second chance to play with the Jimmy Dorsey Band. This time I played in the trumpet section. I happened to be walking near the bandstand in Ocean City, January/February 2017 NJ. One of their trumpet players had left the night before and had not returned. The bandleader asked if I could play the trumpet, told me to go backstage, get a uniform, and play with them. I had a full beard at the time, which was forbidden by both Dorsey bands. I was the only person to play in either band with a beard. I wouldn’t have life without music. The world could not exist without it. Writing music is like breathing. It’s my reason to live. I can express every emotion with my music.” Fred now lives in Winter Haven, FL. He concludes, “Today I am asked to talk to children at schools about their dreams and their resolve to achieve their dreams. I encourage them to never give up, just like the performers did for me when I was growing up.” As a professional Fred performed with Pat Boone, Lee Castle, Warren Covington, the Jimmy Dorsey band, Ralph Flanagan, The Four Aces, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Yakov Smirnoff, Buddy Greco, and many others. He arranged music for Jimmy Dorsey, U.S. Army Band, Count Basie, Warren Covington, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Woody Herman, University of Illinois Jazz Band, Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie, the Sands Hotel, the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, and the Green Bay Packers’ Bands, and many, many others. There are over 7,000 music arrangements written and available by Fred Wayne. Fred composed various pieces for the orchestras and bands in which he performed, as well as four musical productions for the John P. Rogers Production Company, Portrait of Harlem, The City, and a symphonic work premiered by the University of Texas. He taught and built band programs at many grade and high schools in the Chicago area, New Jersey, and Las Vegas. He directed the DePaul University Jazz Lab Band, the Malcolm X College Community Jazz Band, and the Illinois Bell Telephone Company Band. He taught classes at Malcolm X College, Chicago State University, and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He taught and judged at many fine arts camps. The list of colleges and schools where he worked to share his love of music with students is a very long one. 15 SWU Scholarship Foundation CELEBRATING 68 YEARS OF FINANCIALLY ASSISTING STUDENTS MISSION To generate funding to financially assist young students, with hope that they will promote and preserve Slovenian culture. For more information visit www.swusf.org or contact the SWU Scholarship Foundation, 4 Lawrence Drive, Marquette, Michigan 49855, or Mary Turvey President, mturvey@aol.com. STUDENTS ALERT! SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE - MARCH 1, 2017 The Slovenian Women’s Union Scholarship Foundation is offering a number of scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year. SWU Scholarships of $1,000 and $2,000 will be available for those attending an accredited college or graduate school full-time. SWU Scholarships of $500.00 will be offered to adult part-time students, taking accredited classes online or attending technical school classes part-time. Applicant must be of Slovene ancestry: one parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who has emigrated from Slovenia to America. CONTRIBUTORS: Your donations to the Slovenian Women’s Union Scholarship Foundation are needed and sincerely appreciated. All contributions MUST BE sent to: SWUSF, 4 Lawrence Drive, Marquette, Michigan 49855, so that they can be placed in our scholarship savings account for student awards during our strong growth of operation, currently and during future years of operation. 16 SWUSF ANNUAL REPORT: For those interested in the functions of the SWUSF program, an annual report, including bios of the 2016 SWUScholarship winners, business reports, and most importantly a list of those kind people and their donations for 2016 will be available. Send in a request for an annual report to mturvey@aol.com, giving your name and postal mailing address. A donation is not necessary. Zarja - The Dawn Slovenian Union of America “April’s Showers of Dollars” Drawing April 2017 Fund-Raiser CASH PRIZES TOTALING $2,955 Top Seller Prizes: 1st Place - $150 2nd Place - $100 3rd Place - $50 27 Daily Drawings at $65 April 1, 15, and 30 at $200 $10 Per Entry How the fund-raiser works: Each day in the month of April, 2017, one (1) winner will be chosen to win the listed cash prize for that day - $65 or $200. C U The month of April has much to celebrate - including April No Fool’s Day, Help with Tax Day, and the last day before May’s flowers. The winners chosen on April 1 – “April No Fool’s Day,” April 15 – “Help With Tax Day,” and April 30 – “Here Come May Flowers” will win $200 each. In addition, the top sellers (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) will win $150, $100, and $50 respectively. A minimum of 300 entries must be sold. It’s a WIN opportunity for everyone! ****Good Luck!**** T H E R E Your “April’s Showers of Dollars” drawing entry will be eligible for all daily drawings in the month of April, 2017. Sellers of the winning entries will receive $10 as an award for their selling efforts. The daily drawing amount and the seller’s $10 prize will be mailed to the winners of record the next business day. Winners will be notified by e-mail, if provided, and their names posted on the SUA website: www.slovenianunion.org. The following entry form must be printed clearly and accompany your $10 entry fee. Detach at perforation Entry Form (Please Print Clearly) Entrant’s Information: Name:_____________________________________ Address:___________________________________ City:______________________________________ State:_______________ZipCode:_______________ E-mail:____________________________________ Phone:_____________________________________ Seller’s Information: Address:___________________________________ Name:_____________________________________ City:______________________________________ State:______________ Zip Code:_______________ Phone:_____________________________________ E-mail:____________________________________ Branch Number and Location:__________________________________________________________________ Please mail completed form and $10 check payable to SUA to: Eileen A. Plese, Fund-Raiser Chairwoman 2225 Mason Avenue Joliet, IL 60435-5425 Phone: 815.725.5208 or sua@slovenianunion.org January/February 2017 17 “April’s Showers of Dollars” Drawing April 2017 Fund-Raiser Slovenian Union of America 18 Need additional entries? Copies accepted or contact Eileen A. Plese at: Phone: 815.725.5208 or sua@slovenianunion.org 28th National Convention - 2019 - Cleveland, Ohio “April’s Showers of Dollars” DRAWING April 2017 Fund-Raiser www.slovenianunion.org 2019 SUA National Convention. SUA holds its National Convention every four years in host cities around the country. These gatherings are important not only to conduct SUA business, but also to have a forum for Branch Member Representatives to come together to give their reports, share their ideas, discuss concerns, and further cement their mutual love and respect for all things related to their Slovenian heritage. Our next SUA National Convention will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2019. Plans are underway to make this another memorable event. The successful completion of this “April’s Showers of Dollars” Fund-Raiser will provide monies to help defray the costs of conducting SUA’s National Convention. The Convention Committee strives to offer an affordable convention package to enable Member Representatives and members from every SUA Branch to attend. The entries make excellent gifts for the holiday season, birthdays, and to say “Thank You.” How Does the Fund-Raiser Work? Everyone participating in the SUA “April’s Showers of Dollars” Fund-Raiser has the chance to win cash prizes. Each day in the month of April, 2017, one winner will be chosen to win the listed cash prize for that day - $65 or $200. In addition, each day the person who sold that day’s winning ticket will win $10. The daily winner and seller can be one and the same and win both prizes. The month of April 2017 has much to celebrate - including April No Fool’s Day, Help with Tax Day, and the last day before May’s flowers. The winners chosen on April 1, April 15, and April 30 will each win $200. In addition, the top sellers (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) will win $150 and $100 and $50 respectively. It’s a WIN opportunity for everyone. Your Participation is Appreciated! Thank you for your entry! Good Luck! Zarja - The Dawn Slovenian Union of America Across America - Branch Reports BRANCH 1 - Sheboygan, Wisconsin Contact Information: Marilyn Hendricks 920.627.8344/mhendricks2016@gmail.com As October shares with us its colorful season of Fall, what better way to spend the day than by attending a SUA Regional Convention. This year, Branch 43 - Milwaukee hosted the event. A few members from our Branch attended and were treated to an afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun. It was interesting to listen to Mark Škof talk about the wines from Slovenia, and a special treat was being able to sample a few different wines that he brought to the event. On October 30, our members attended a 9 a.m. Mass at Saints Cyril and Methodius church, which was celebrated for the special intention of all the deceased members of Branch 1. A business meeting followed. Home-baked goodies were served and discussion was held regarding the Christmas party, catered by the Branch Officers serving traditional Slovenian food. As in the past couple of years, members were reminded to keep working on making mittens and hats to be donated to one of our local food pantries. MARY ANN SCHELLINGER BRANCH 2 - Chicago, Illinois Contact Information: Judy Stoll 708.479.2864/judithstoll@att.net Happy New Year everyone! Hope you enjoyed the Christmas holidays. Welcome to our new members: Cheryl Holtz, Joe Zefran, Frank Zelko, Liz Stoll, and Celia Stoll. Sadly, this autumn, we lost a longtime member and friend, Irene Smid, age 94, who lived with her daughter in Colorado for the past few years. For decades, she was an active and helpful member of Branch 2 and known for baking the most wonderful cakes and other goodies. Our condolences to her family. A special thanks goes out to Mary Turvey, Marjorie Church, and the committee members of the Slovenian Women’s Union Scholarship Fund for all the volunteer work they have done for so many years. Branch 2 applauds and appreciates your efforts to help qualified students and to share their success and achievements with us. In September, Maria Rigler, Dolores Puhek, and Gene- January/February 2017 vieve Buol enjoyed a bus trip to Marquette, Michigan, to honor the Venerable Bishop Baraga. They stayed at the Country Inn and Suites along with representatives from other Branches, including some from Branch 43 and 99. A bright and sunny Sunday made up for a few showers on Saturday. Special events included a Native American drum performance and a visit to the Shoshone Monument in L’anse, Michigan. Father Metod was an excellent tour guide, and everyone was pleased to have the Rev. Stanislav Kerin as a guest on board the bus. Rev. Kerin is from the archdiocese of Ljubljana and is the director of the Missionary Center in Slovenia. A power point presentation by Dr. Sorrell that highlighted Venerable Baraga’s accomplishments in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota was followed by an outstanding banquet at the University of Marquette. Gen Buol stated that joining with others to support the cause of sainthood for Bishop Baraga was the best part of the trip. Information about our next meeting will be in the next issue of the Zarja. Until then, keep our sick members and those serving in defense of America in your prayers. JUDY STOLL BRANCH 3 - Pueblo, Colorado Contact Information: Annette Charron 719.569.7125/amtcharron@yahoo.com After taking a break over the summer months, Branch 3 resumed monthly meetings on October 4. Eileen Kaplan hosted the gathering and served glazed donuts, candied corn, and pretzels. Andrea DeGarbo provided the door prize, which was won by Betty Skul. Vice President Eileen Kaplan reported on the Cripple Creek casino bus trip sponsored in September, and attendees voted to donate funds in support of the Slovenian Heritage Dinner held in November. Betty Skul hosted the November 1 meeting and served mixed fruit and pumpkin bread. Patty Gersick Derby provided the door prize, which was won by Linda Secora. Vice President Eileen Kaplan led a discussion regarding SUA Scholarship fund correspondence. Branch 3 was one of the major sponsors of the annual Slo19 venian Heritage Dinner held on October 29 in St. Mary’s church hall. Many SUA members played instrumental roles in planning for the dinner and in preparing strudels and sarma in the weeks leading up to the event. Jay Skul and Gary Kleinheim entertained on their accordions with traditional Slovenian music throughout the dinner. Leanne Corsentino and SUA Branch 3 members Elaine Volk and Betty Skul serving at the annual Slovenian Heritage Dinner. The Branch 3 annual Christmas Party was held on Tuesday, December 6, at Park East restaurant. Christmas party attendees contributed to the paving of St. Mary’s church parking lot. Branch 3 members extend best wishes for a Blessed New Year! ANNETTE SABO CHARRON & BARBARA KARLINGER BRANCH 5 - Indianapolis, Indiana Contact Information: Phyllis Fon phyllisswu5@aol.com New Year greetings to all Branch 5 members! Hope you all safely survived the holidays, and are looking forward to a new start in 2017. A new start may be a new job, home, or family. A new start may mean moving forward and coping with the loss of a parent or sibling. A new start may even be as simple as making a new friend, or volunteering at your church. Whatever your new start, remember that success is not the goal, but that just by trying something new, you succeeded! Many of our Slovenian families came here for a new beginning, and many succeeded beyond their dreams! Others came here with the intent of making some money, and returned to Slovenia and bought farms, or started businesses. Those who didn’t like life here, or missed their families, returned home to Slovenia and started life anew. The fact is, they all took a giant leap of faith, coming to a new country with the promise of new life, new opportunities, and new adventures! May we all have the courage to face our new start in 2017! I have my old cookbooks sitting in front of me. Yes, I still use recipes in books, not straight from the Internet! I 20 like the feel of a book in my hands; I like looking at the words, not the printed words, but the handwritten words in the margins - words that were jotted down as I watched Auntie Em making apple strudel. Oh, she followed the recipe, but it was the little tips and hints that she showed me that are scribbled there. Teta Fani always said, “If you have to use toothpicks, you didn’t roll the sarma tight enough!” I wrote that down, too. Splotches of homemade tomato sauce on Fran’s handwritten, secret lasagna recipe brings back memories of her Italian kitchen and the wonderful smells coming from within! Tina D amazed me by throwing ground meat and veggies in a pot and making one of the best soups, while I sat there watching. Wrote it in my cookbook as soon as I got home! Each time I make one of these recipes, I feel like I have family and friends watching over my shoulder, making sure I am following all the little hints and tips, and making sure there is plenty to share! I have to really improvise the old Slovenian recipes, perhaps because I did not have these dishes growing up, and many of them I try to make a little healthier. When I got married, over 40 years ago, I didn’t know how to cook, but watching some amazing cooks put me on the right path to not looking on it as a chore, but something I love to do, especially with my family, and sharing all those little hints and tips keeps all these memories alive for the next generation! Who needs the Internet? I want to thank all the members who came to the KSKJ Goulash and Polenta fund-raising dinner for Happy Hollow summer camp for children with respiratory issues. We raised enough money to enable two children to attend camp at no cost this summer! Thanks also to those who attended our chicken and noodle dinner at the Nash, our Slovenian Wine tasting event, and to all who joined us at the Iron Skillet for our Holiday Dinner. It is always nice to dress up and have a leisurely dinner with friends and family at this annual event! Next on the calendar: Sausagefest! Plan on joining our Slovenian community at this very popular event in January! Please keep all our families who have lost loved ones this past year, our families with members in the military, and most of all, the safety of our country in your thoughts and prayers in this New Year. GOD BLESS! MARY, KAREN, & PHYLLIS BRANCH 13 - San Francisco, California Happy 2017 to all! We ended the year with our Christmas luncheon. We served delicious spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread, and holiday desserts. The Slovenian Hall was decked out for the holidays, which added to the festive mood of the occasion. After our luncheon we had our meeting and the annual election of officers. The same slate of officers were re-elected for 2017. President - Doreen Sustarich, Vice President - Beverly Jackson, Secretary/Reporter/Treasurer - Michele Twers, Auditors - Virginia Sustarich and Ann Sustarich. I must also mention our faithful Zarja - The Dawn and longtime member, Jackie Lowe, who attends all of our meetings, rain or shine, and supports us in all of our activities. Virginia Sustarich turned 92 years as the November/December Zarja was going to print. A current Virginia Sustarich picture was unavailable at the time; so pictured here is our beloved Virginia. Also, on February 11 we will celebrate another birthday. Longtime member and past president, Louise Petrusich, will turn 95 years young. Her daughters, Janet (Bill) Nagel and Denise (Scott) Shaffer, as well as her four grandchilLouise Petrusich dren and five great-grandchildren are all very proud of her. We are planning and looking forward to our SUA Branch 13 Member of the Year Luncheon in May. Details will be in the next Zarja. We would like to apologize to Krista and Matt Devlin for the incorrectly listing in last month’s Zarja article, listing that Shannon was the granddaughter of Krista and Matt. Shannon is their daughter and Delaney Rose is Shannon’s new little sister. Sending happy birthday wishes to all our January and February members. Happy Valentine’s Day to all! MICHELE TWERS BRANCH 20 - Joliet, Illinois Contact Information: Diane Hohenwater dhohenwater@comcast.net We sincerely hope you enjoyed a happy holiday season and send our best wishes for a healthy and prosperous new year. Congratulations to the winners of our Fall Raffle; $300 went to Claire Posega, $200 to Catherine Emery, and $100 January/February 2017 to Lorraine Hrubos. We appreciate the support of our members on making this raffle a big success. Thank you to those who attended our Christmas party. It was great to spend time with a delightful group of people at our beloved Merichka’s Restaurant. Our next Branch event is the Installation of Officers on Sunday, January 15, at 1:00 p.m. We would love to have you join us at St. Joseph Park for a luncheon hosted by the officers. If you know of someone deserving of our Branch’s Member of the Year award, please contact me about the details of submitting a nomination letter. Several members have celebrated milestone anniversaries. Congratulations to Grace and Otto Doerk for 61 years, Pat and Bob Figurowski for 55 years, and Pat and Richard Butterbach for 50 years of wedded bliss! Conversely, our sympathies go to the families of Lillian Adamic and Bernadine Ukovich, our recently deceased members. Thank you to everyone who helped me during my three years as Zarja reporter. I am handing over the Branch reporting duties to Georgene Agnich, who will do an amazing job. DIANE HOHENWATER BRANCH 24 - LaSalle, Illinois Contact Information: Diane Data diane3121@comcast.net Zivijo! In my last report I was preparing for my Zarja Fest 2016 trip to Slovenia and planned to take a half-empty suitcase so that I could bring Slovenia home with me. As usual, I packed more than I needed, but was able to bring lots of Slovenia back with me - honey, wine, crystal, books, and memories to last a lifetime! On my shopping list were the red candleholders that are on every grave in Slovenia. I purchased a few in the gift shop in Brezje. Then we visited Museum Avsenik in Begunje, where we watched a wonderful documentary on the famed musical family of Slavko Avsenik and his brothers. They have entertained the world for years with their Slovenian polkas and waltzes. We visited the nearby cemetery where we saw quite a few familiar names. Just outside the cemetery, my friend from Branch 89, Barbara Bruch, pointed out the recycling bins were full of discarded candleholders and tops. With a little help from some of the others in my group, I was able to reach down into the bin and get two more beautiful red candleholders and lids. I think the American term is “dumpster diving.” Pictures were taken. With a little cleaning and fresh candles, I used two of those candles holders on my grandparent’s graves for our All Souls’ Day Cemetery Walk on October 30. A few others who purchased the candles on the trip decorated family plots with them. Again this year we had a large group on the walk to say prayers and pay their respects to their deceased family members. We topped the evening off with dinner and the polka music of Eddie Korosa from Joliet, IL. November 11 was St. Martin’s Day (Martinovanje) - did 21 you enjoy a glass of wine? At our November meeting we talked about holiday traditions for St. Nicholas Day (Sveti Miklavž), Christmas (Božič), and the New Year (Novo leto). We shared traditions that have been carried over from the “old country,” and sampled krofi, chestnuts, sausage rolls, fruits, nuts, and potica (using the recipe from the demonstration we saw on Bled Island). As you read this, we should be in the midst of celebrating the joyous Christmas season with our loved ones and anticipating a healthy and happy New Year. Wishing you all a blessed holiday season from Branch 24. Dober Dan! DIANE DATA 22 Branch 35 member, Angela Seline, married Eric Baraga at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Chisholm, MN, this past June 25. She is the daughter of Jean Seline, also a Branch 35 member. Zarja - The Dawn BRANCH 43 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin Contact Person: Jan Gehm twogames@wi.rr.com If you didn’t attend the SUA Wisconsin Regional Convention on October 16, you missed a delicious family-style luncheon and a very enjoyable afternoon. The social hour began at 11 a.m., lunch was followed by a very interesting presentation by Mark Škof about Slovenian wines, with members tasting several of them. A short and well-run business meeting followed, and then a very entertaining musical program by the “Nightingals” concluded our gathering. The raffle prizes were abundant. Many thanks to Regional President Jackie Smith and her committee who planned and carried out these plans. Our election for Branch Officers to serve in 2017 took place in October. All current officers were reelected. Our Branch’s newly elected representative to the United Slovenes to Preserve our Ethnic Heritage (U.S.P.E.H.), an umbrella group of the eight Slovenian organizations in the Greater Milwaukee Area, is Linda Abstetar, replacing Denise Bartlett. Thank you to all officers and Denise and Linda! The bake sale held on the Presidential Election day was a big success. Many thanks to all of the bakers, everyone who helped at the school, and for the monetary donations. Our Branch’s first attempt to celebrate Martinovanje, held on November 12, was a big success with 40 guests attending. Mark Škof gave another very interesting wine presentation, while we dined and sampled several Slovenian wines. We are planning to enhance the event even more next year. You will have to wait until the next Zarja issue for news of our Christmas Party on December 3. Sincere sympathy is extended to the Mejac and Bevsek families. Minka Mejac, as she was affectionately called, passed away at age 95 in late October and all will miss her. Minka was the talented lady, not a member but a dear friend to our Branch, who taught us the art of making butare for us to proudly carry in Palm Sunday processions. Another dear lady who will be missed is Sophie Bevsek, a longtime member who passed away, at age 96, just before Thanksgiving. Rest in Peace, Minka and Sophie. Why not decide that in 2017, you will attend our monthly meetings? They are usually held on the last Wednesday of the month. There are a few exceptions and they will be noted on your calendar, which you should receive by the end of the year. Please consult them. January 25, 2017, is the first meeting of the year and events for the year will be discussed. Maybe you have some topic/theme ideas; come and share them. The meetings are held at the West Allis Library, and I guarantee you’ll have some delicious treats or luncheon to enjoy. Please contact our Branch President, Jan Gehm, for more information. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all! MARY “MICI” BREGANT January/February 2017 BRANCH 50 - Cleveland, Ohio Contact Information: Rick Tomsick 440.655.6735/ricktomsick@gmail.com Greetings from the “5-0” on America’s North Coast! As I write this just before Thanksgiving, I am reminded of all the blessings we have in this great country, despite the struggles and setbacks. I certainly have much to be grateful for in my life, and I think it is always important, no matter the time of year, to reflect on our blessings. Personally, I think that even the occasional upsetting challenges in our lives can be seen as blessings in disguise. So our fond best wishes to all for a New Year 2017 filled with gratitude and joy! With the election of President Donald Trump, we are soon going to have a Slovenian First Lady in the White House! Think about the very slim odds that something like that could have happened! Slovenia is a relatively small country and now all America will know something about the culture and natural beauty that Slovenia has to offer. This will be good for the U.S. and Slovenia, and definitely presents an opportunity for each of us to talk to our non-Slovenian friends with pride about the country of our ancestors, because they will undoubtedly want to know more about Slovenia! Our Christmas luncheon was held at the Dubrovnik Gardens on December 7. The first regular meeting of the year for Branch 50 will be on Wednesday, April 17, at 1 p.m. at the Euclid Public Library. Of course we will be planning another Mother’s Day luncheon in May, but we will let you know more details about that when the time comes closer. I am so impressed to hear about Jennifer Hrovat, Cookie Maxin’s niece (Cookie is SUA’s National Corresponding/ Recording Secretary), who writes a blog on grandmasicebox.com, complete with many great recipes that we can all remember. Thanks to Jennifer for keeping the tradition alive! I wish I could do something like that with some of my grandma’s recipes (not to mention my Mom’s cake recipes!). There is a fantastic recipe for cole slaw that I want to try right away. Do check out her website and take a look; I don’t have room right here to print her recipes, but there are lots of them, including a humorous recipe for how to boil water for those of us without great culinary skills. We’re very proud of our 2016 scholarship winner, Olivia Vidmar, who graduated from Villa Angela - St. Joseph High School as valedictorian of the class of 2016, and is enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology to study Mechanical Engineering. Olivia was a leader in many clubs and activities, both in and out of school, including being president of the National Honor Society, team captain for her varsity cross country team, and treasurer and lead performer in “Folklorna skupina Kres,” which has taken her to many performance venues to celebrate her proud Slovenian roots. And finally, this is a bit of January wisdom from my dear friend, Anne Zakelj of Willoughby Hills, Ohio: “Če na Vincenca sonce peče, obilo vina v sode steče” (“If the 23 sun burns hot on Vincent’s day, then an abundance of wine will flow into barrels!”). Please keep one another and all members of Branch 50 and all of the SUA in your prayers, especially remembering the sick and the suffering, the dead and the poor souls in purgatory, and those they have left behind, to bring comfort and joy to all who mourn. Please write to me at ricktomsick@gmail.com with any family news and I will add you to our list of updates for Branch 50 (you don’t need to be a member of Branch 50). I always like to hear from members near and far. Stokrat poklonov to everyone for all you do in SUA! RICK TOMSICK BRANCH 93 - New York, New York Contact Information: Elizabeth Gross 718.335.8459/Lizg669@gmail.com With the enthusiasm (but none of the bitterness) of the national election, members unanimously voted in a new administration for our Branch on October 15 at a meeting held at Tocqueville restaurant. Taking over on January 1 are Stephanie Owens as President, Camille Okoren Price as Vice President, Veronika Dolar as Treasurer, and Alyssa Owens as Secretary. Maria Whitmire will continue as Member Representative with the SUA. Tanya Vajk will continue as Past-President. We’ve had a super abundance of musical offerings the last few months. Guitarists Mak Grgič and Nejc Kuhar joined organist Stephen Ackert for a concert of original and classical music at St. Cyril’s Church in October. In November, the Brooklyn Museum hosted the nine-member Slavic Soul Party band, noted for their Balkan-flavored pop music. Three days later, Jan Kus & the Slavo-Rican Assembly took to the stage for the new group’s first show at NuBlu 151 in the East Village, combining musical traditions from the Balkans and Slavic folk songs with those of the Caribbean; it was a heady rhythmical mix! Slovenian artists are also prominent in multi-media productions. In September, we could see a preview of a new work by Maribor-native, Maya Milenovic Workman. Dos Worlds is designed as a conglomerate of all arts and what surrounds us - dance, film, the visual arts, literature, and even current events. In October, Jaša (Mrevlje-Pollak) created what he called a “sculptural intervention and performance,” titled Above All We Are Not Done Screaming. (If you’re curious to see what this avant-garde art looks like, check out www.JASHA.org; there are a couple of his works there. If you can understand them; please send me an e-mail!). Artist Manca Ahlin created “The Good Shepherd,” a sculpture made of sisal rope, using the bobbin lace technique, to commemorate the centennial of the Church of Saint Cyril. Two hundred-sixty people participated in the 100th anniversary celebrations held October 14-16, 2016, in New York City at The Bob Hope Memorial Library/ 24 Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, Church of Saint Cyril, and New York Athletic Club. Members and volunteers included Mia Branc and her family, Mariana Burger and her family, Tončka Delak and her family, Elena Dubas, Elizabeth Gross, Emily and Bob Harley, Anton Malensek, Bernadette and Carol McCann, Camille and Josephine Okoren-Price, Alyssa, Carmen, and Stephanie Owens, Carole Ryavec, Maria Skrilec, Tanya Vajk, Joan Walker and Chris Jisi, Metza Whiteley, Maria Whitmire, and Lynn Zalokar. Aboard the ferry to Ellis Island (left to right): first row, Camille and Josephine Price, Carmen and Alyssa Owens, second row, Maria Whitmire, Vladimira Merzel-Hartmannsgruber, and Veronica Smrdel. In the world of film, we are proud to let you know that the SaMo Indie, an independent film festival in Santa Monica, awarded an Honorable Mention for Carole Ryavec’s, Letters from Slovenia, which we viewed at St. Cyril’s earlier in 2016. In November, the NY Horror Film Festival screened Tomaž Gorkič’s, Idyll, where a fashion model literally fights for survival, subtly allegoric for modern-day Slovene and general society; a dark reflection of the world we live in. Slovenian choreographers, Astrid von Ussar and Mojca Ussar, founded the Dance Gallery Festival in 2007, an international dance festival that takes place in NYC and Texas. In November, they returned to NY with more than 30 artists presenting all new works. In the 10 years since its founding, more than 300 choreographers have participated in the festival; on YouTube see a Slovenian TV interview, Parada Plesa, with Mojca Ussar (in Slovene). There is also a short dance video depicting Astrid’s work. It was a wonderful fall for our members who enjoy meeting Slovenian authors. In October, Maja Haderlap, the author and current writer-in-residence at Deutsches Haus at New York University, presented a reading from her recent novel, Angel of Oblivion. The work, originally written in German, tells the story of a family from the Slovenian minority in Austria. Tess Lewis, who translated Zarja - The Dawn the work into English, was also at the reading. Questions from the standing-room-only audience flowed freely and it was fascinating to learn the subtleties between Austrian German and that of Germany, and why she didn’t write the work in Slovene, and why she wanted another person to do the translation into the Slovene version. In November, the Community Bookstore in Brooklyn hosted Slovene journalist, Jela Krečič, in spirited conversation with her husband, philosopher and political activist Slavoj Žižek. Krečič’s debut novel, None Like Her, published this year by Istros Books, has been described as a witty, sharp-edged tale of romantic misadventures; a far cry from her exclusive interview with Julian Assange in 2013. VTIS New York’s “Slovene Knowledge Around the World” seminar for November at NYU featured short presentations by four Slovene researchers and young professionals. Vid Čibej, an international tax law expert, advises companies on optimizing processes to deliver maximum value for the company. Andrej Košmrlj, in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at Princeton, has investigated the mechanics of thin membranes and mechanical metamaterials. Teja Pristavec is currently a PhD student at Rutgers University, with research interests that include inequality, aging, and families. In addition, she is working on a project examining maternal feeding practices in the context of environmental contaminants awareness. Polona Šafarič Tepeš is currently researching at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in NY, focusing on why lung cancer rates have risen 116 percent among non-smoking women, while among non-smoking men the rates have fallen 21 percent. Each participant had 15 minutes to present their work in a “lightning talk” and then answer questions from the audience. Interest-wise it was a widely diverse group, but certainly something for everybody! ELIZABETH GROSS BRANCH 99 - Lemont, Illinois Contact Information: Jana Hlade jmhlade@hotmail.com Happy New Year! We hope you had a very blessed holiday season and that the New Year brings health and happiness. Last October, our Branch held a “Safeguarding Your Home Workshop.” Thank you to retired Chicago Police Officers and Branch 99 members, husband and wife John Manley and Gloria Ekerman, for this presentation. They gave several helpful insights about the best ways to protect your home from break-in and theft. Thank you to all who donated bakery and supported our annual Cookie Sale in December. The filled tins of home- January/February 2017 made cookies made a great holiday gift and proceeds support our Branch activities. The new calendar for Branch events is in process. Watch your e-mail or postal mailboxes! Wishing you a very Happy New Year! JANA HLADE BRANCH 108 - Olney, Maryland Contact Information: Bernadette Fitzsimmons bettekfitz@verizon.net The Christmas holidays have just passed, and many of us of Slovenian ancestry feel nostalgic about family holiday traditions. There are numerous ways we have preserved our cultural legacy, such as baking potica, krofe, and other traditional recipes handed down through the generations. We’ve sung and played Slovenian songs, read Slovenian stories and poetry, and sent greeting cards to Slovenian relatives, attended Sveti Miklavž celebrations, and New Year’s celebrations with friends/relatives of Slovenian descent. The New Year is before us; plans are underway for the year ahead to once again become better organized. As we begin a new year, let’s contemplate for a moment about the Slovenian saying, “Vredno novo leto da nam dobro žetvo.” In English this literally means, “A worthwhile new year bestows on us a good harvest.” In modern times, a good harvest may be interpreted as work needing to be done before goals can be fully achieved, and keeping in mind that we do indeed reap what we sow. Here’s an idea for a New Year’s resolution - take time this winter to sort family mementos, such as photographs, postcards, paintings, books, magazines, audio tapes and any other memorable family heirlooms in such a way that the next generation will not discard them. These are all precious mementos which may be of interest to your children or grandchildren at some point in the future. And if not, Slovenian museums or archives might also be a good place to keep those kinds of records. Start by using decorative boxes and sorting mementos by labeling and dating them as best you can. For example, letters and photos from grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives can be organized in a photo album or scrapbook. Even if there are bits and pieces of inJohn Manley and Gloria Ekerman. formation miss25 ing, handwrite or type what you remember about them, book. If you didn’t get a copy of the English version yet, or what stories were handed down to you about relatives. go to, https://www.amazon.com/War-Changes-EveryAdding a note on the boxes, such as “Do not discard,” along thing-character-Slovenian-ebook/dp/B00NLJ56P6, or visit with an e-mail address and phone number given below the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C. to lets your relatives know that there is a place for Slovenian obtain one. artifacts and historical memorabilia. Some artifacts may In closing, I’ve translated the traditional Slovenian saying, describe a unique immigration story to help us gain a new “Na tri kralje jasen dan bo, za dolgo zimo hrani seno.” perspective on Slovenian culture, language, religion, and “If it’s a clear day on The Feast of Three Kings, prepare assimilation to the American culture. Some may tell a story for a long winter and save the hay.” of a past event with the SUA, the KSKJ, or SNPJ, with BERNADETTE FITZSIMMONS which you, or your relatives may have had a membership. This is important, as it reminds future generations about BRANCH 109 - Twin Cities (TC) of Minnesota the presence of Slovenians in the United States. Contact Information: Elaine Barthelemy Keep in mind that if you or your children may not appreelaineab@yahoo.com ciate Slovenian items as much as they should, the Embassy Music and wine, two important parts of our Slovenian of Slovenia in Washington, D.C. will be more than happy traditions, were featured in the October and November to assist you so they are saved, and not discarded. You Branch 109 member meetings. In October, member and may contact Nuška Zakrajšek at 202.386.6621 or nuska. zakrajsek@gov.si, or Borut Žunič at 202.386.6617 or borut.zunic@gov.si at the Embassy to discuss if you have any questions about what may be interesting to save, or if you don’t know what to do with, or don’t have space for in your home. Nuška and Borut may help you determine what materials should not be discarded, and may be of interest to Slovenian National Archives, or other museums in Slovenia. Please keep in mind there is also a possibility to donate the items to the SUA Heritage Museum in Joliet, IL, KSKJ Archives, or the Slovenian Museum and Archives in Cleveland. Branch 108 member, Estelle Zorman, and her sister, Mitzi, created an unedited DVD for their families that documents their lives in Slovenia as little girls during the war, their Marge Pryately at our September meeting talking about the recollections of hard times in a displaced persons camp “Slovenian Immigration in Minnesota” traveling exhibit. in Spittal, Austria, including their memories of arriving to the United States, and assimilating to American culture. In addition, they created a seven hour-long audiotape, which serves as an oral history of their lives for their families, and generations to come. This inspiration came to Estelle from wanting to share her interesting family story with her children and grandchildren. Estelle will speak at an upcoming Branch luncheon meeting about the process of creating an informal documentary, and will summarize her fascinating life story. Stasha Seaton has moved to Hoboken, New Jersey, to live closer to her family, and will continue her SUA membership with Branch 108. Her new address is: 1 Independence Court, Apt. 515, Hoboken, NJ 07030. She would be delighted to stay in touch with her friends from Maryland and Washington, D.C. Stasha’s e-mail address is sfseaton@gmail.com. Congratulations to Stasha on her book, War Changes Everything, written in English, and soon to be published in Slovenia in the Slovenian language. Her book is a riveting historical account of her life during Hank Thunander playing his accordion and after WWII that you will not read about in any other at our Branch 109’s October meeting. 26 Zarja - The Dawn noted accordionist, Hank Thunander, entertained and educated us as he played Slovenian polkas and gave examples of polka styles from other countries, such as Croatia, Sweden, Germany, and Finland. Inducted into the Cleveland Polka Hall of Fame in 2011, Hank shared years of rich experiences as he talked about famous polka bands and song origins. He honored our requests and encouraged us to sing and dance along. Wine was the theme in our November meeting at the home of Miro and Karen Medved at our Martinovanje celebration. Slovenians have many other holidays centering on wine, but this is the biggest one. Usually held on November 11, it celebrates must (fresh grape juice) turning into wine. Miro invited his priest from St. Odilia’s Catholic Church, Father James Stiles, to bless the wine in the Slovenian tradition before the celebration began. Miro talked about the history of the holiday and led the singing of songs about (what else?) wine, featuring Mi Slovenci Vinca Ne Prodamo and En Hribček Bom Kupil. In true Slovenian spirit, over 60 attendees enjoyed wine, conversation, and a potluck of delicious food. Our Slovenian language class continues under the tutelage of Frank Medved with 22 students meeting twice a month from October through April. For the sixth year, enthusiastic participants are learning the language and sharing stories about Slovenia. Upon returning from my 44-day Asian adventure, I have a greater appreciation for the fact people around the world all have the same needs and desires. As a mostly solo traveler, I was more apt to speak to fellow travelers and met wonderful people from places as diverse as Iraq, Syria, Northern Ireland, Israel, the Philippines, Brazil, and Pakistan. Across the board they were helpful, friendly, and interested in learning about others. We are definitely more alike than we are different! ELAINE BARTHELEMY Find Your Slovenian Roots! DON’T KNOW HOW TO BEGIN OR WHERE TO GO NEXT? START DIGGING TODAY! Call us, email us, or visit our website www.sloveniangenealogy.org. • Explore research tools/tips • Read The Linden Tree • Much more Our mission is to help YOU! Slovenian Genealogy Research Center 6415 St. Clair Avenue • Cleveland, OH 44103 1.216.361.5600 • sgsi.rc@gmail.com SGSI is a designated 501(c)3 non-profit society by the US Internal Revenue Service Congratulations to the Slovenian Union of America on its 90th Anniversary Living the Legacy ----------------------------------------------In honor of past and present members of combined branches of Branch 35 - Aurora, MN Congratulations on SUA’s 90th Anniversary Pioneer Lodge #559 S.N.P.J Father James Stiles blessing the wine at Branch 109’s Martinovanje Celebration. January/February 2017 Jean Cherway - Pres. Kaitlyn Chiappetta - V.P. Melanie Matiasek - Sec. Louis Chiappetta - S.A.A. Auditors - Michael Vidmar/Robert J. Kuhel 27 The Slovenian- American Table A cookbook that presents many of the favorite dishes, but with a modern flair, that Slovenian immigrants brought with them to America. This book is more than a cookbook; it is a guide for today’s American families to bring Slovenian heritage into their festivities, all with a modern American twist. This book takes you through a calendar year and offers primarily recipes, but also includes crafts, entertaining and decorating tips, a little background information of the holidays, and all with full-color pictures. Mail your check to: Slovenian Union of America Attn: Cookbook 431 North Chicago St. Joliet, IL 60432-1703 *Please include a phone number in case we have a question regarding your order. - OR - Call: 815.467.7619 - OR - E-mail: sua@slovenianunion.org Cost: $25.00 (includes tax) Plus Shipping/Handling: 1 Book - $4.50 10 Books - $14.00 2-3 Books - $6.00 22 Books - $16.00 4-5 Books - $8.00 Kollander World Travel Life is short! Begin Your Journey Dreams made possible by your travel agent aLast minute Summer Vacations aFall Foliage Trip aChristmas Markets aHoliday Getaways aFamily Group Funcations aRiver Cruise for 2017 Let the professionals do the work for you. Call us for your quote! (Prices based on 2 in a room Land only.) HIGHLIGHTS OF SLOVENIA 2016 7 days touring Slovenia Departures Aug. 8, 29, Sept. 12, October 3 $1679pp EXPERIENCE SLOVENIA WITH KARA MARUSZAK & FRIENDS JUNE 24 JULY 4, 2017 $1822pp Coming JULY 2017 SNPJ TOUR to SLOVENIA Call us for details & brochure 761 East 200th St -Euclid OH 44119 (800) 800-5981 www.kollander.com 28 Zarja - The Dawn WANT MORE OUT OF LIFE? At KSKJ Life we’ve put members and communities first since 1894. We offer quality, reliable life insurance and annuity solutions. And, because we are a not-for-profit organization, we’re able to focus our profits on giving back to members and their communities. Take advantage of the great financial and member benefits that KSKJ Life has to offer. FINANCIAL BENEFITS MEMBER BENEFITS Life Insurance Products PerkSpot Discount Program Annuities American Hearing Benefits Medicare Supplement 1 Educational Grant Program ScriptSave Baby Benefit Volunteer & Service Opportunities Social and Athletic Activities for Youth and Adults KSKJLIFE.COM | 800.THE.KSKJ KSKJ Life, American Slovenian Catholic Union, is an Illinois fraternal benefit society located at 2439 Glenwood Ave., Joliet, IL 60435. 2016-09-Z (1) Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency, including the Centers for Medicare. e k s n a j l b u e j c i L r a t u B PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID LASALLE, IL Slovenian Union of America, Inc Living the Legacy of our Slovenian Hertitage Slovenian Union of America 2019 National Convention Fund-Raiser The Slovenian “Ljubljanske Butarice” as those found in the Ljubljana Market Place. The Slovenian tradition of making “butare” for Palm Sunday dates back hundreds of years when real palms were not available. Using Slovenian ingenuity, wood shavings dyed in various colors became popular when greens were not available. To this day, “Ljubljanske Butarice,” has remained a very important part of the Slovenian culture. Today butare are being made in the United States in crafting as exact as those found in the Ljubljana marketplace. Even the dyes are from Slovenia. See page 4 of this issue of Zarja - The Dawn for Sizes, Price/S&H, and ordering information. Samples can be viewed at the Home Office/ Heritage Museum/Library in Joliet, IL. Call 815.727.1926