Zarja Official Publication Slovenian Union of America Uradno Glasilo Slovenske Zveze v Ameriki $10.99 U.S./$15.99 International Volume 88 Issue 6 November/December 2016 The Dawn ZarjaFest 2016 Road Trip Through the Homeland! Slovenian Union of America Contents 431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703 TELEPHONE: 815.727.1926 WEB SITE: slovenianunion.org President’s Message 1 Happy Anniversary, 90 Years 4 2015-2019 National Board of Directors Alice’s Last Christmas by David G. Sodac 8 The Tailor’s Son by Tom (Toma) Klobucher 12 Zlati Časi: Golden Times by James Lah 14 35th Poletna Šola by Mary Glaize 16 April’s Showers of Dollars 19 Across America - Branch Reports 21 Happy 90th Anniversary SUA Ads 30 ZarjaFest 2016 Photos 39 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 (ISSN 0044-1848) Postmaster: Send all changes of address to: SLOVENIAN UNION OF AMERICA 431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703 Zarja - The Dawn Members Unite... EDITOR: Bonnie Pohar Prokup DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: Debbie Pohar EDITORIAL OFFICE: 3119 Carrie St., Peru, IL 61354 PUBLISHER: Slovenian Union of America Vol. 88, No. 6, November/December 2016 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 January/February issue must be received by November 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. The Koci/Mlakar and Pohar/Prokup families unite at the University of Notre Dame, IN. SUA members & friends Barbi Prokup (senior at St. Mary’s College) and James Koci (senior at Notre Dame) were joined by their parents and family members for the first home game at Notre Dame. Both students will be graduating in spring 2017. President’s Message... Recipients of the Educational and Cultural Scholarship Grants for 2016 Congratulations to Abigail Terselic and Anna Fooy, the first recipients of the Educational Scholarship Grants given out by the SUA! Both are majoring in the medical field. Read about Abigail in Branch 103 - Washington, D.C., Branches’ report. Read about Anna in Branch 55 - Girard, OH, Branches’ report. Congratulations to Branch 23 - Ely, MN, for receiving the first Cultural Grant for the festival, “Taste of Slovenia.” Weeks prior to the August 6 event, Branch members gathered in the kitchen of St. Anthony Church for a noodlemaking marathon - 83 packages to be exact. What great gifts they make! The entire festival was recorded and edited by a professional photographer. As I write, a copy of the event arrived from President Pat Koski of Branch 23. Also included, a DVD of Slovenian National Costumes featuring tailor and seamstress, Mojca Berce of Slovenia, who demonstrates how to wear the narodna nosa. Albina Medved, Branch 23, is the model! Both DVD’s will be in the SUA Heritage Museum for your viewing. See Branch 23’s report for more on the festival. Thank you to our members! All donations to the Educational and Cultural Grant projects are tax deductible. The SUA’s National Board handles the management of these funds, with no deductions for expenses or salaries. All funds are directed to the recipients for their stated needs; any funds remaining are rolled over for the following year. To members of the SUA, thank you for your generosity; your donations have made these grants possible! Thank you also to Barbara Bruch of Branch 89 - Oglesby, IL, Frances Kovatovich of Branch 35 - Aurora, MN, and Bill Zerial, of Branch 99 - Lemont, IL, who serve on the Educational and Cultural Scholarship Grant committee. SUA Members Have Accomplished Relatives SUA members have some accomplished relatives, and Branch 103 - Washington, D.C. member, Rich Terselic, advised about one such family to whom he is related. Rich’s maternal grandmother, Frances Slana, was a Suhadolc (Suh-a-dolc) by birth. Her large Slovenian family had a number of highly accomplished members, including November/December 2016 1 recently-deceased, Joseph Sutter, considered “the father of the Boeing ‘747’ airliner.” Sutter “Americanized” his Suhadolc birth name to Sutter. Joseph Suhadolc’s father immigrated to northwest U.S. in the late 1800s to pursue mining in Alaska during the “gold rush” days. His father later settled in Seattle, WA, where son, Joseph, was born, grew up, and pursued aeronautical training. He joined Boeing in 1946 and worked on the design of several families of commercial and military aircraft. During the 1960s, he took over the lead on designing an enormous subsonic plane, initially thought to be for use as a cargo plane. However, the first commercial customer, Pan American Airlines, saw its use as a passenger plane. The first version flew successfully for the first time in 1969, and the passenger version in 1970. More than 1,500 747s and variants have been built. Joseph retired in 1986 from a position as a vice-president of Boeing. Other accomplished Suhadolc family members who remained in Slovenia include, Anton, a contemporary and competitor of highly regarded, fellow architect, Joze Plecnik. Two of Anton’s sons followed their father as highly regarded architects. Another excelled as a university mathematics professor, and two daughters pursued medical careers. September/October 2016 Zarja An e-mail came from Pat Sayovitz Koski, Branch 23 - Ely, MN, after reading of Bill Zerial and Corinne Leskovar cooling their soup with red wine in the September/October 2016 Zarja. She wrote: “I have just started reading the latest issue of Zarja and saw something I experienced many years ago. I was about seven or eight years old and on my way home from school for lunch. I went through the park, down the avenue, through the yard of my Sayovitz (Sajovic) grandparents, where I always stopped in to greet them. On this particular day, two bowls of hot, noodle soup sat on the kitchen table. As we visited briefly, my eyes were wide in amazement to see Grandma Sayovitz cooling her soup with a small glass of red wine. This image is still imbedded in my mind and I think and speak of it so often.” The Slovenian - American Table: SUA’s cookbook sales continue; less than 600 left to be sold. That means almost 2,000 cookbooks have been purchased. A heritage collection such as this, all bound under one title, is called The Slovenian - American Table. Time to think of the holiday season! 2 Butare Check out the Ljubljanske butarice ad submitted by the 2019 Slovenian Union of America Convention Chairperson, Kathleen Ferrante of Branch 47 - Garfield Heights, OH. These iconic symbols used during Palm Sunday are beautiful. The dyes come directly from Slovenia. The butarice are very light in weight; it is suggested that Branch members’ multiple orders be gathered together, so sharing can reduce shipping costs. November/ December on the Slovenian Calendar Slovenians celebrate the Day of the Dead each November 1 by visiting the graves of their loved ones. A place to visit is Zale, the largest cemetery in Ljubljana. It is an exceptional symbol to the Slovenian culture; it is also one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe - http://www.zale.si .While leaving candles and fresh flowers is a year-round tradition, the Day of the Dead becomes hectic. Cemeteries turn into colorful, fresh flower, markets as each grave is decorated to excess, with burning candles that cast a warm glow over the gravesite. Police are present to direct the traffic! Did you know that Slovenians spend more money on funeral candles per person than other nations in the world? They even have vending machines for them. Eleven days after the Day of the Dead, Slovenians gather for martinovanje, the changing of must into wine. If you have nowhere to go on this day, do a Google search: Martinovanje/ images. Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy the party as you scroll through the photos. December 6 brings St. Nicholas Day, miklavz, when children receive presents. Log onto the following site: www.stnicholascenter.org. Discover the truth about Santa Claus! Fun site! December 26 is a state holiday. Pour yourself another glass of wine and do a Google search: Slovenian Unity Day. Wikipedia will tell you all about it. A tip for our members: Whenever visiting the Market in Ljubljana, look for dried mushrooms. They tuck into a suitcase very nicely. A few tablespoons of reconstituted mushrooms, added to ordinary button mushrooms, makes for a wonderful tasting soup. They also make a great gift. Remember to check out the SUA Facebook site. Questions? Suggestions? I am as far away as an e-mail or phone call - ottolou@gulftel.com or 251.968.4364. to je to, Mary Lou Deyak Voelk President, Slovenian Union of America Zarja - The Dawn A Blessed Christmas The days in November and December are recognized as being so special; they have been coined as the Holiday Season. There is joy in “making a list and checking it twice.” Perhaps no other time of the year carries such nostalgia. It is a time when baking the family potica is not labor intensive, but a comforting reminder of past holidays and of home. Perhaps, this year, changes will come to your Slovenian-American family table. A new face may occupy a chair once left empty. Perhaps there are now two kinds of sweet potatoes on the table, marshmallow topped and whipped! Perhaps a new person will be saying grace. Let us now bow our heads and pray for God’s blessing. From Dr. John Vidmar, Honorary Consulate for the Republic of Slovenia: Dear Lord, As we gather together as family, we recall the approach of the end of the Year of Divine Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis last December. Mercy and forgiveness is what You extend to us and they are what bind families together. Following Your example, we ask You Lord to change our hearts to show mercy and forgiveness to all that have offended us. We also ask You to help change the hearts of all those that we have offended that they may extend mercy and forgiveness to us. We ask for Your help in striving for the ongoing value of mercy and forgiveness in our daily lives to realize Your kingdom. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. From our homes to yours, the Slovenian Union of America’s National Board extends to you and your family, a happy Thanksgiving and a blessed Christmas! National President: Mary Lou Deyak Voelk (Branch 23 - Ely, MN) National VP of Home Office: Diane Hohenwater (Branch 20 - Joliet, IL) National VP of Marketing and Fund-Raising: Norm Setnicker (Branch 109 - Twin Cities, MN) National Treasurer: Robert Kuhel (Branch 16 - South Chicago, IL) National Corresponding/Recording Secretary: Catherine “Cookie” Maxin (Branch 50 - Euclid, OH) November/December 2016 3 XC Srečno obletnico, 90 let (Happy anniversary, 90 years) It was coincidental, downloading a December 1976 Zarja-The Dawn issue from the National and University Library in Ljubljana and finding on page 11, the Pots and Pans recipe page written by Hermine Prisland Dicke, the daughter of SUA/ SWUA’s founder, Marie Prisland. There was the recipe for Pink Tea (Kuhano vino). It is a pleasure to repeat Mrs. Marie Prisland’s recipe for Pink Tea, which is served with potica or cookies. This traditional drink continues to be popular among the Slovenians in Sheboygan and is in demand for many ethnic social functions in the community. Also on page 11, was the recipe for an Apple Cake from Helen Cesnik, reporter for Branch 26 - Pittsburgh, PA, who submitted an “EXCELLENT, easy to prepare, Apple Cake recipe.” Included here are the same anniversary foods as they appeared in the Nov/Dec 1976 Zarja. A barley soup recipe direct from Slovenia and featured in SUA’s recent The Slovenian-American Table cookbook has been included. The very easy, tasty, rye cracker recipe came from the Lewis and Clark Cookbook. Be alerted, the crackers have been baptized with a sprinkling of salt, direct from the saltpans of Slovenia, and have been renamed Piranske Soline Kreker. If you have any questions regarding a recipe, please feel free to call me at 251.968.4364. Since this was the issue honoring the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Slovenian Women’s Union, now Slovenian Union of America, I asked Mrs. Mary Godez of Sheboygan, WI, (a charter member and one of the first supreme committee members) to submit a traditional recipe for Zuelze (žolce) a jellied meat, popular in November and December in Slovenia. Mary relates, “Just a bit of history - the žolce recipe brought back memories. My mother would pour the žolce ingredients into individual china soup bowls, and set them on the basement floor to cool. I loved that “stuff.” To this day I still call it Slovenian Jell-O.” 4 The Anniversary Recipes Žolce 6 # pork hocks 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp pickling spices (wrapped in cheese cloth) 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/4 to 2 cups vinegar 2 envelopes gelatin 1 cup cold water Salt and pepper to taste Wash and boil pork hocks with just enough water to cover, adding the salt and pickling spices, onion, and garlic. Cook until the meat almost falls off the bones. Remove hocks and pickling spices from broth. When hocks are cool, chop into small pieces about 1/4 to 3/8 inches in size. Scrape the fat from the skin of the hocks and discard. Cut about half of the skin into similar small pieces and add to the cut up meat. Strain the broth in which the meat has cooked, bring to a boil. Add vinegar to taste (1/2 cup at a time) and gelatin, which has been softened in cold water. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Taste the broth to decide if it is sour enough. Please note, the meat will absorb some of the sour flavor. Line two bread pans - 9 x 5 x 3 with plastic food wrap. Add the cut up meat and skin to the broth and pour into pans. Refrigerate. Žolce will keep for up to 3 weeks, refrigerated. Suggestion: “I cut the recipe in half! I used 1/2 cup of vinegar.” - Mary Godez Pink Tea (Kuhano vino) Kuhano Vino (cooked wine) as it is called in Slovenia, was renamed “Pink Tea” at a party 90 years ago by the members of Branch 1 Sheboygan, WI. Can you guess why it was renamed? 1 pint red wine 1 pint water 1 cinnamon stick 1 clove 1 slice lemon (cut crosswise) 1 slice orange (cut crosswise) Sugar to taste (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup) Bring above to boil, remove cinnamon, clove, and fruit slices. Serve hot with cookies or potica. Apple Cake 1 box yellow, white, or lemon cake mix 3 eggs 1 can apple pie filling Zarja - The Dawn 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup chopped nuts Optional - confectioners’ sugar & cream or milk & flavoring Using a mixer, blend the cake mix with the whole eggs. By hand, fold into the batter 1 can apple pie filling. Place into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Combine the sugars, cinnamon, and chopped nuts, and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, and if desired, drizzle confectioners’ sugar icing atop. * Note: 40 minutes may be too long of a baking time, check at 35 minutes. Quick White Icing Sift confectioners’ sugar into a bowl, moisten with cream or milk to spreading consistency. Add flavoring. Drizzle over the cake. Slovenian Barley Soup (Page 97, The Slovenian-American Table) The scene for this cooking lesson took place in Slovenia, in the kitchen of Marjia Bauer. Barb Pohar and Jean Ficek, both of Branch 24 - LaSalle, IL, performed the task as directed by Marjia. Karen Taylor of Branch 89 - Oglesby, IL, took copious notes of the entire process. The charring brings out the sugar in vegetables, adding flavor to the soup. 1 cup barley 1 onion 1 tomato diced or 1/2 can diced tomatoes 2 carrots, sliced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp black peppercorns 1/2 cup fresh parsley Smoked pork, ham, diced; a pork steak with bone also works! 1 cup white beans, navy or cannelloni, soaked overnight in cold water Salt & pepper to taste Rye Crackers 1 cup sifted all-purpose white flour 1/2 cup light rye or dark rye flour 1 1/2 tsp baking power 1/2 tsp salt 4 Tbsp cold butter, diced 1/2 cup ice water (as needed) Optional - fennel, rosemary seasoning In a bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water a little at a time until the dough is just formed. Do not over mix. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic food wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove dough from the refrigerator, and on a piece of plastic wrap, shape the dough into an evenly shaped 2 inch diameter log. Wrap the log with plastic wrap and place in the freezing compartment for at least 30 minutes. The dough should be quite firm, but not completely frozen. Preheat oven to 350º. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices and place on a baking sheet. Brush each cracker with water and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for about 15 minutes or until they have browned slightly and are crisp. Remove from heat and transfer the crackers to a cooling rack. Yield 20-24 2-inch crackers. Remember to file away these recipes for December 2017! Mary Lou Deyak Voelk dober tek (good appetite) In a large pot cover the barley with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let barley soak for 3 hours. Drain barley and cover with fresh water. Over medium high heat bring the barley to a second boil. Peel the onion and place it whole over a medium-high burner to char the outside. Once blackened on each side place the whole onion into the pot. Add smoked pork, ham. Add tomato, carrots, garlic, peppercorns, and parsley. After 30 minutes add the beans. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes. Occasionally stir during the cooking process. November/December 2016 5 6 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 Hvala lepa - Thank you! $300 Donation Deborah Voelk Good, 33, In honor of Mary Lou Voelk $10 Donation Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas, 20, SUA November/December 2016 Welcome - Dobrodošli Branch 2, Stoll, Celia Branch 2, Stoll, Elizabeth Branch 20, Rogel, Rose Mary Branch 23, Bacskay, Roberta Branch 23, McReady, Nancy Branch 43, Migliaccio, Anastasia Branch 43, Vugrinec-Migliaccio, Andrea Branch 89, Dixon, Gloria Branch 109, Koncar, Matthew 7 Alice’s Last Christmas As told to Zarja staff writer, David Sodac (e-mail: bdsodac@gmail.com) by Alice’s niece, Alice Argubright Ebner (Branch 89 - Oglesby, IL) 8 T he Old Farmer’s Almanac was predicting an early frost and persistently cold and snowy weather for the winter of 1942. It was going to be one of those winters where one should probably stay cozy indoors for warmth and comfort. For an active teenager like La Salle-Peru Township High School’s junior, Alice Kernz, it really didn’t sound like her idea of fun at all. Unfortunately for her, the doctor ordered it. Alice had accidently slipped and fell at her school swimming pool, bruising her knee. The discomfort and swelling continued; Alice’s parents took her to see a doctor. Little did anyone know that what would start as a simple sore and a slightly swollen knee of a 15 year old girl would ultimately result in a frightening diagnosis of cancer. Alice turned 15 that first week of November, but celebrated her birthday confined to bed rest. She had always been an outgoing, happy child, and quick to find the positive in situations. Alice was very active at St. Constantine Catholic Church in Oglesby, IL, highly active in school activities, and a junior member of the Slovenian Women’s Union of America, Branch 89 - Oglesby, along with her mother and all of her sisters. She was also the center of attention in her family being the youngest sibling of eight children born to Frank and Louise (Gergovich) Kernz of Oglesby, IL. This medical setback would be difficult. It was already a worrisome time in the family’s life. The United States was heavily engaged in one of the most widespread wars in history. The climatic naval Battle of Guadalcanal was being escalated between the Japanese and American Forces. Alice’s close-knit family was now scattered all across the states in service to their country. Frank Kern, her oldest brother, was stationed in Fort Benning, GA, completing his officer training. Her oldest sister, Mary, a Corporal in the WAAC’s, was stationed at Daytona Beach, FL. Another sister, Carolyn, who also had been inducted into the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, was stationed in Fort Des Moines, IA. Her sisters, Louise and Josie, were now both married and residing with their families in Ottawa, IL. Her sister, Eunice, also was married and residing in nearby Cedar Point, IL, and her youngest brother, Joe, was still at home and working. He would be inducted that coming January into the Army Air Corps at St. Petersburg, FL. Zarja - The Dawn For her immigrant parents it was quite challenging to travel to a large city for Alice’s diagnosis, hospitalization, and treatments in that 1940s era. Where would the money come from to pay all those medical bills? Gasoline rationing had just begun that December, which would also imYoung Alice on a bike. pact the Kernz pocketbook significantly. They would find a way to manage, as Alice would need to be taken to the Peoria hospital for treatment three days a week. Throughout her treatment Alice continued to write often to her brothers and sisters in the Armed Forces. She would write of having her weekly regimen of treatments, that the swelling was reduced, and that she could bend her leg better than before she started the treatments. She wrote of the many cards she received for her birthday on November 8 and the many gifts she received. In one letter she wrote of writing out Christmas cards with her married sister, Josie Argubright, - 36 cards in all! In Alice’s written words, “We sent cards to everyone.” for the holidays. There would be the placing of a proud banner with three blue stars hung over the doorframe, signifying three of their own in the Armed Forces. Then there was the unrelenting fear of sweet Alice’s signs of progressing cancer. Alice adored Christmas and all its decorating and trimmings, particularly the Christmas tree. It brightened the household. The tree would lovingly be adorned with glistening and shimmering tinsel again this year, as in every year since she was born. Strands of the metallic silver tinsel would carefully be placed on the branches, one strand at a time. You could always go back the next day and fill in more bare spots on the tree with even more strands. This year would be no exception. The tree would be bathed in glinting tinsel, looking like dew-covered icicles slowly dripping off its evergreen branches. Christmas came; the local relatives and family gathered. However, it was with a heavy heart knowing the ultimate course that cancer takes. A family friend snapped a now treasured photo at this 1942 Christmas gathering. They gathered near the tree, surrounding Alice on the sofa, dressed in her new birthday chenille robe and slippers, and tried to give it the old Kernz smile for the camera. Young Alice’s face beamed with a knowing smile, maybe she had a premonition that this would be her last earthly Christmas. In a letter to her sister, Mary, she wrote, “Boy, is it cold outside, and the wind is blowing around. Yesterday it rained, and thundered, and lightening all day! We’re listening to Gracie Allen and George Burns, and boy, are they good! Fibber McGee and Molly come on after them. Then Bob Hope and Red Skeleton. Joe is working right now and mom is knitting Metz’s shawl. Mrs. Johnson said she almost got the gloves done. Thanks for the shirt. Boy, is it a nice one and I always wanted one. I had a pretty good birthday this year. Gloves from Metz, a chenille housecoat from Josie, and Lucy baked me a cake. Got a compact from Joe and a nice cross from Ma. It’s got a diamond in the middle of it. Got your card yesterday, too. Boy is it nice, all those jokes. Guess I’ll close for sure this time. So long, Alice.” Christmas was coming quickly. There would be a dark pall hanging over the Kernz household this Christmas of 1942. There would be the heartfelt emptiness with the absence Vintage Christmas Tinsel/Icicles made by National Tinsel Mfg. of Frank, Mary, and Carolyn, all unable to return home Co. (The old, heavy, lead-type, with a crinkled texture.) November/December 2016 9 The below zero wintry winds of January arrived. Young Joe Kernz, the next closest in age to Alice, anxiously packed his bags, said his farewells, and left for his military assignment in St. Petersburg, FL. Joe now became the fourth Kernz family member to serve his country in WWII. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower would assume control of the Allies’ North African forces. It was becoming a major turning point in the war against Germany. At home in Oglesby, IL, it was also becoming a turning point in the young life of Alice Kernz. Alice was losing her courageous battle against cancer. As her health worsened and the cancer spread, it was quite apparent to Frank and Louise Kernz that their children needed to be gathered back home. As the call went out to the four military children, another sister, Mrs. Eugene (Josephine) Argubright, gave her already anxious family another scare, as she was taken to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. Her surgery went well and she was resting comfortably in St. Mary’s Hospital by the time her brothers and sisters arrived home. Alice died on the 11th of February, 1943. Her brothers and sisters were fortunate to all arrive home to share their emotional goodbyes and support each other. They also were all granted extensions for furloughs and leaves to attend the funeral services that were held on Valentine’s Day in Alice’s last Christmas in 1942. In front of the tinseled Christmas tree: Eunice (Kernz) Supan. Seated on the floor with dolls: Joanne Bennett (now Cole), Mary Alice Bennett (now Corbitt). Seated left-right on the sofa: Josie (Kernz) Argubright, Eddie Kozel, Ma - Louise Kernz, Alice Kernz, holding her baby niece, Nancy Supan (now Henkel), Pa - Frank Kernz, and Lucy (Kernz) Bennett. Standing left-right: Joe Supan, Joe Kernz, and Pete Bennett. 10 Zarja - The Dawn the family home on 3rd Street in Oglesby. The sadness and memories of those days and Alice’s last earthly Christmas eventually settled into a part of their hearts where it would be etched forever. Three years later, Josephine and Eugene Argubright were blessed with the birth of their second daughter. They lovingly bestowed the name of Josephine’s beloved sister, Alice, upon their new little girl. Alice Argubright grew up, married James Ebner, and they began their own family. Alice always cherished the heartfelt stories she would hear from her aunts and uncles, about her Aunt Alice and her last Christmas. She shared that she used to think “my Alice” put the tinsel on the tree, one strand at a time over a period of several days, just because it looks nice. “Maybe it’s more than that, as I reflect back to the stories I’ve heard from my aunts and uncles of those sad days, I now think there is more to it than that!” Alice Argubright Ebner continued the tradition of carefully placing the silver strands of shimmering tinsel on her own family’s Christmas tree. She doesn’t use today’s modern vinyl tinsel that has a tendency to respond like static electricity and not lay straight. She special ordered the old fashioned metallic tinsel from Germany. Following the holidays, that tinsel is lovingly removed from the branches, strand by strand and saved again for next year. Maybe that’s why we have the lasting photograph of Alice beaming in the 1942 family Christmas. Her memory won’t fade away, she will forever sparkle and glimmer, like in Louise Gergovich Kernz was honored as Branch 89’s “Mother of the Year” in 1951. the reflections of silvery strands of tinsel. Through the years Louise (Gergovich) Kernz contributed and influenced numerous family members to join SUA/SWUA’s Branch 89 - Oglesby, IL. She was honored to be chosen their “Mother of the Year” in 1951. Most of her daughters and granddaughters have been or are members. Eunice (Kernz) Supan and her daughter, Nancy Henkel Lucy (Kernz) Bennett’s daughters, Joanne Cole, Mary Alice Corbett, Pat Bennett, and Barb Beer. Josephine (Kernz) Argubright and her daughters, Margie Walter and Alice Ebner, along with her husband, Jim Ebner. Caroline “Curl” (Kernz) Widmar was a member of the former DePue, IL, Branch, but her daughters, Annabelle Bryant and Elizabeth Fox, are members of Branch 89. Son Frankie Kernz’s daughter, Geri Lou Kernz Youngest son, Joey Kernz’s wife, Alice Ambrose Kernz, and their daughter, Kathy Utz November/December 2016 11 The Tailor’s Son Remembering the Old Country by Tom (Toma) Klobucher, Branch 24 - LaSalle, IL The Monument After a 15-minute stroll through a collection of rural homesteads, we had arrived. As we emerged from the backyard of one of the cottages that surrounded the ancient church building, I surveyed a clump of rocks covered by a thick layer of moss. Saplings sprang from the spaces between the white stones, and a cluster of indigo-blue and rose-red wildflowers huddled around the base of the marker that had brought us here. This was the gravesite of my grandparents, whom I never met. My eyes rose to take in the features of the aged monument. I saw the Virgin Mary, the cherubs, and the crucifix, and my thoughts turned to my father, whose own grave lay nearly 5,000 miles from that of his parents. A vision of the swastika stamps in my father’s passport passed before my mind’s eye, and I remembered that he had stood on this very spot in 1938, during his only visit back home to what is now called Slovenia - 25 years after leaving despite the appeals of his family. It struck me that seeing his father’s grave must have drawn the most powerful of emotions out of his sturdy frame. The Man I reflected on the resilience of this young man, who was determined to trade the travails of a teenage cow herder for the promises held out by an unknown land. My father turned 17 somewhere over the Atlantic on his way to America, where thugs, years of hard work in fields, mills, and copper mines, and plenty of other tests awaited him. He told me that at night he often left his accommodations, the 12 cattle-car-like steerage compartment in the lowest level of the ship, in order to spend a bit of quiet time enjoying the fresh air on deck, and if it wasn’t too cold, he sometimes slept there. The thoughts of America that pulsed through his youthful mind in those moments must have been based on some combination of imagination and hearsay. He didn’t bring much with him, just a few clothes and a bit of hard-earned cash, that would be pilfered by a pretended friend shortly after his arrival. Perhaps Lady Liberty had rarely raised her torch to one who spoke fewer words of English or faced longer odds than he did. The Stories In addition to his immense courage and resolve, he had an extraordinary asset - his stories. It was the tales of the Old Country, of Slovenia, and of the people he loved there that gave him strength to navigate formidable obstacles and restored to him his sense of identity, in the face of chaotic experiences as an immigrant. Many long years later, after he had established himself as a successful tailor shop owner in La Salle, Illinois, his young son, Tom, would often climb onto his lap and make a bold request that he knew his father couldn’t refuse, “Tell me a story!” Some seven decades later, my father is gone, but his stories have become my own, and much like him, I cannot keep them to myself. In fact, I had traveled to my father’s birthplace, reversing the trajectory of the voyage he made just over 100 years ago, for the specific purpose of sharing stories from his extraordinary life - and mine - with anyone who was interested. The Homeland On another day, a group of uncles and cousins from various parts of Slovenia, Europe, and beyond gather together at the old homestead in Knezina, Crnomelj. We set out to explore the surrounding lands of family lore. As we reached the fields where my father and his brothers had cared for around 20 head of cattle, I thought of my dad walking over that same ground as a teenage boy, trying to protect the animals from wolves and other threats. We noticed a spring that gurgled out of the side of a hill, and it was then that the stories started flowing. One of my relatives pointed out that it was here that our fathers and uncles had watered the cattle, and through an interpreter, he wondered aloud what that must have looked like. I recited my father’s account of himself and other local boys carving whistles out of the branches of a particular bush that grew in the area, and I told how he used to carve the same whistles for me when I was a boy. As those words were translated, several pairs of eyes seemed to flood with light, and a cousin chimed in to say that his father had told him the very same thing, and had made the same whistles for him. Several heads nodded in recognition as smiles of remembrance came over the faces of the group. I then spoke of my dad’s humorous depictions of the amateur gymnastic feats that he and the other local boys had to perform in order to drink the water from the spring, leaning over the side of the hill and extending their cupped hands into the seeming void to be filled with the fresh, cool water that poured out of it. This anecdote was met with more bobbing heads and bright eyes - and more exclamations of, “My father told me about that, too!” As the words flew back and forth between us, we found that neither the century that had passed since these events took place nor the distance that now separated many of us from one another had done anything to take away from the vividness of these tales. Even though they were told in different tongues at a very different time, our stories were the same, and they bound us to one another, to those who had gone before, and to our common native land in a powerful way. Zarja - The Dawn November/December 2016 13 Zlati Časi: Golden Times A N e w G e n e r a t i o n Vi s i t s S l o v e n i a - by James Lah For 55 years, on the closest Saturday to the Fourth of July, the Lah/Cerar family has been holding a family picnic in true Slovenian-American fashion. We all know what that means - potica, kranjska klobasa - (Polish - on the Iron Range), and polkas. We celebrate family, we celebrate being American, and we celebrate being Slovenian. In 2014, Jason Cerar, a 30-some-year-old cousin, asked if we could plan a trip to Slovenia in 2016. He wanted his dad, accordionist Rod Cerar, to visit Slovenia and play the accordion there. I quickly went to my car, where I keep several copies of the Let’s Sing book the Slovenian Union of America has sold, and I marked page 147. My note read, “We shall sing this song on June 20, 2016, in Slovenia.” The song? - “Zlati Časi.” Eighteen Slovenian-Americans met in Slovenia this June. Eleven in our group had never been to Slovenia. These Slovenian-Americans are part of a new generation visiting Slovenia for the first time. This generation covered ages from 15 to 75, second and third generations, newlyweds, and golden wedding couples. The purpose of the trip was to connect with the country of our heart. We wanted the group, and my sons, to experience Slovenia - the country, the culture, and the people. Yes, we climbed Triglav, and it was beautiful! We were the first to reach the top that day and we saw everything from the Adriatic region to Austria. Yes, we swam in the sea by Izola. We ate all the seafood 14 14 we could and the most amazing krofe. Yes, we went to Avsenik’s and enjoyed the wonderful music and the food. But the most important thing we did was meet the people, Slovenian people, our people. The first Slovenians that our group met were the family that ran the penzion (bed & breakfast) Turizem Loka. This family of five, along with the grandparents, live together and ran the penzion. One day as our group enjoyed Slovenian meats, wine, and slivovitz, the father cut boughs off his cherry tree and laid them on the picnic tables for us. We shared our food and they shared theirs. On June 25, the 25th anniversary of the Republic of Slovenia’s Day of Independence, we had the first family reunion. At the Bormes gostilna (inn) just outside of Golo Brdo, 40 family members of my grandmother’s two husbands gathered with the Americans. For seven hours we ate, we talked, and we sang. It was a beautiful day! Rod Cerar played the accordion as his son had envis ioned. My sons met their relatives and sang with them. I gave a speech in Slovenian. The words centered on Zarja - The Dawn these, “Smo kot vinsko trto.Obeh vej prvotno enako zalog, ki prihajajo iz zemlje vse pravimo Slovenija. To je neverjetno, da naše trte loči več kot sto leti. Ena korenine tukaj; enega poganjka, ki se prevaža v Ameriko in tam korenine.” The tears were in all the Americans‘ eyes. Here we were returning to the home of our grandparents. A land they must have loved. We know that the immigrants from Slovenia had so little; they had to emigrate. But they must have loved their homeland so much that they imbued that love in the succeeding generations in America. On Sunday, June 26, the Cerar side hosted us and 60 other relatives with a family reunion on the Cerar homestead by Lukovica. It started with Mass. During the service they read the names of our Slovenian-American relatives who had died. We visited the graves of our relatives. We spent the next 12 hours in the same fashion as the day before, but it was even more grand! Laughter, tears, songs, and food were tying and strengthening the bonds of our Slovenia family. My two sons experienced true družina (family). plicity and earthiness pervaded their living. No one wanted to leave when the time came. We all were moved by the experiences and the people. It was truly a seminal experience. The seeds that were planted in the hearts and minds of all of us are growing in new ways. If you have been to Slovenia, you know what I mean when I say one cannot begin to explain what one experiences. They are golden times, pure and refined; they are zlati časi. Other experiences continued. On Monday, my wife, the two boys, and I spent time with my 85 year old cousin and his wife and daughter. We were invited to their home; it is a communist area apartment. My sons could see how simply, how effeciently, people live in Slovenia. They saw the earthiness in the backyard gardens and the jars of spruce buds steeping in the sun. That day we continued to their son‘s house, where we stayed the night with a young couple. The apartment was modernized, but again the sim- November/December 2016 15 35th Poletna Šola By Mary Glaize of Orlando, FL (Branch 30 - Home Office) The 35th Summer School of Slovene Language took place from July 4 to 29, 2016, at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, Slovenia. There were 107 participants from 31 countries besides Slovenia (Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United States of America, and Venezuela) at this year’s Summer School. Prior to submitting my application to the program, I had many questions. Branka Gradišar is the Head of Slovene Language Courses at the Centre for Slovene as a second and foreign language at the Faculty of Arts at the Univerza v Ljubljani Filozofska Fukulteta. I always got a quick response from her to any question that I had. Upon acceptance into the program, each of the participants received, and was asked to complete, a written examination in Slovenian and submit it for evaluation. No sweat - you can answer to the extent els – beginners, intermediate, and advanced. There of what you already know, if anything. are two and four-week class sessions for each level. Since I was enrolled for a four-week session, was We all had a common goal – to able to read and pronounce fairly learn Slovenian as a Second Lanwell, and had studied on my own guage. Participants included stuoff and on for a few years, I was dents earning credit hours, spouses placed in the intermediate group. and future spouses of Slovenians, There were seven of us who were doctors who wanted to practice enrolled for the four-week session medicine in Slovenia, business in this group – we were known as people who had Slovenian clients, Skupina 2, i.e., Group 2! a Thai diplomat’s wife, university students from other EU countries, as well as residents Our group consisted of a Hungarian CPA who spoke of Slovenia desiring Slovenian citizenship, and oth- Croatian and some Slovenian, a recent college graders who have Slovenian roots, friends, and a love of uate from the U.K., a teacher from Texas engaged to Slovenia. a Slovenian doctor, a medical student from Quebec, a young lady of Slovenian descent from Venezuela, a The school session started with a meeting of all par- second-year medical student from Ljubljana who went ticipants and the introduction of teachers, assistants, to International School where classes were in English, staff, and the programs included with each session. and me, a second-generation Slovenian-American Once we received the general information, we were with little language skills. So every day from 9 am each interviewed in Slovenian to assess our ability -12:30 pm (four weeks of language class) and from 2 to understand, speak, and read the language. Upon pm - 3:30 pm (two weeks of only conversation), we assessment, we were placed in the appropriate level were classmates. Our ages ranged from 19 to 68; I language group. There are three language class lev- was the oldest - all the others were under 30! 16 Zarja - The Dawn What the classes are like: Classes started promptly at 9:00 am. We were all there with our books, homework, and ready to go. Attendance rules were that we would be on time, and attend 80% of the classes. We had a halfhour break from 10:30 am - 11:00 am. The school had a “Hang-out” area with snacks, which we were welcome to partake. There was also a small café with both indoor and outdoor seating. The teachers were all excellent, full of energy, and prepared with good lesson plans. We had lessons each day that included noun declensions, cases and usage, verb conjugations, vocabulary as in the various readings in our workbooks, reading, and pronunciation. We learned the many rules and of course the exceptions, of which there are many! We had domača naloga, i.e., homework, associated with each lesson, including writing short paragraphs about topics, including a famous person or an incident. We also did various lessons in class and then reviewed the answers. When we did lessons based on a particular class, it was straightforward. During the last week of class, and after all the material was presented, our teacher put it all together in exercises to give us practice on what case and how the word was used. With all the rules, these exercises were a helpful review. Our language teacher, Anja Strajnar, always had an activity where we used Slovenian – sometimes karaoke, charades, various games, and acting parts, such as waiter and guest. These were fun activities that got all of us involved a n d i n t e racting with each other using the Slovenian language. During the interview process, I was encouraged to take the afternoon conversation class, which proved to be very useful. The language lessons and conversation class go hand in hand. It provided more practice using the language interactively. I had class from 9 am - 12:30 pm and 2 pm - 3:30 pm! I had just enough time to eat lunch and do some homework between class sessions. Cost of the Class: 915 EUR for a four-week course (80 hours) 540 EUR for a two-week course (40 hours) 158 EUR for a two-week elective course (18 hours) I paid the 915 (about $1,020 US) Euro cost for the four-week course via a Bank International Wire Transfer. The bill for the second class was an additional 158 Euros (about $175 US). I was able to go to the Pošta, i.e., Post Office, and pay with a credit card. This meth- November/December 2016 17 od of payment was so much easier than going to the bank and doing an International Wire Transfer. There was also a small fee, less than a bank fee. Slovenian Citizenship Language Requirements: If you want to obtain an official certificate of Slovene, you can take the Exam of Slovene on a Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced level. For those of Slovenian descent who must be proficient in the Slovenian language, the basic level exam is what is needed to obtain Slovene citizenship. A candidate who passes at the basic level demonstrates that he/she, to a great extent, can independently communicate in predictable communicative situations on everyday topics, can understand the essential information in short, simply written, and spoken texts, with the aid of prompts can write a short text for everyday use, can express himself/herself in a simple way, orally, and in writing. Basic level means having mastered the basic and intermediate language courses. Final Impression: The 35th Poletna Šola was a great experience. The program, including classes and events, was so much more than I ever expected. The participants came from varied backgrounds for as many reasons. Most were single travelers, so everyone mingled easily. Everyone was eager to learn and enjoyed meeting new people from the many cultures and countries. Each day, besides classes, there was an afternoon or evening event, including hikes, city tour, a Slovenian evening picnic, boating, cooking class, food tour, and many other activities. These events were part of the summer school program. We met at the school and either walked or took a bus to the event location. Events were between two - four hours long. All were interesting, fun activities - from silk screening at Tivoli castle, to cooking Struklje, to making baskets at Ribnica, and SUPing (Stand Up Paddle Boarding) at Zbilje. We had many good activities. On weekends we were free to do whatever we wanted. There were many options. These costs were not included with the program. Many folks went to the coast city of Piran, Lake Bled, and parasailing. I was fortunate to have visits with family and got to go to a Perpetuum Jazzile concert in Poljanska Dolina, a firemen’s picnic in Gorenja Vas (where both a traditional folk and a popular well-known band played 18 “Pop Design”), a visit to Supanska Jama in Grosuplje, picked berries in Stara Gora, family picnics, a festival in Kranj and other local events. This time I was a local, not a tourist. Housing: I stayed in the dorm in Bežigrad, which was about two miles from the school. All summer program students were on the fourth floor. I requested and received a private room with a bathroom. Some were in triple rooms. The cost of the dorm was 20 euro/night (about $22.50 US), and this included three meals! Each floor had kitchen facilities, and laundry facilities were available. Other program participants either stayed in hostels near city center, rented an apartment through Airbnb near city center, and some stayed with relatives. The dorm was economical and good, in that there were other students staying there. I think that in the future I would opt to stay in an Airbnb closer to city center. Transportation: Bežigrad Dom was on the #6 and #11 bus route. There were also bicycles that you could use. You could pick up the bike at the bus stop and ride on well-marked bike lanes on the sidewalks and leave the bike at another station near the school. This is the link to the bicycle system: http://en.bicikelj.si/. Most classmates chose to ride bicycles; I chose to ride the bus – my Urbana senior pass cost 20 Euro and was good for the whole month. Emergencies: We had two emergency medical situations. The local medical facilities, the clinic at the school, and the emergency room at the hospital handled these cases competently and professionally. It is important to have travel insurance to cover emergency situations. Application to the Summer School Program: Complete the application and submit. If you have any questions, use e-mail and you can write in English. The head of the summer language program always answered my e-mails. This is the web site for the Centre for Slovene as a Second and Foreign Language: http://centerslo.si/en/courses-for-adults/schools/ summer-school/ To see all school courses offered: http://centerslo.si/en/courses-for-adults/schools 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 should 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:_______________ Phone:_____________________________________ E-mail:____________________________________ Seller’s Information: Name:_____________________________________ Address:___________________________________ 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 sl0wpoke@att.net November/December 2016 19 “April’s Showers of Dollars” Drawing April 2017 Fund-Raiser Slovenian Union of America 20 Need additional entries? Copies accepted or contact Eileen A. Plese at: Phone: 815.725.5208 or sl0wpoke@att.net 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 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 920.395.2148/ marilyn.hendricks@qualitystate.com It is hard to believe that another busy summer season has ended and a new school term has begun. With that in mind, we are proud that a member of our Branch is a recipient of the Stan Janezic Memorial Scholarship given out by the Slovenian Women’s Union Scholarship Foundation. Amanda Kinney is a civil engineering student with a minor in business administration at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville, WI. She is a leader and role model for her peers, as she is an active member in many on and off campus societies. She continues to be a strong supporter of Branch 1’s activities due to the strong influence she has had from her mother and grandparents. As she continues on in her studies, we are sure that whenever she can she will “Let her Slovenian heritage Amanda Kinney shine.” Looking ahead, it is also hard to believe that the holiday season is approaching quickly. With that in mind, our members will be keeping their hands busy making mittens and hats to be donated to the needy in our community. These items will be brought to our annual Christmas party in December. MARY ANN SCHELLINGER November/December 2016 BRANCH 2 - Chicago, Illinois Contact Information: Judy Stoll 708.479.2864/judithstoll@att.net Summer and autumn just flew by, didn’t they? Our annual Zveza picnic this past July turned out to be very pleasant after morning downpours and heavy winds made us wonder if there would be a picnic at all. Then the sun came out and once again we were blessed with beautiful weather for the rest of the day. Under the direction of Dolores Puhek, the “bag raffle,” with more than 30 nice prizes, was a busy place all afternoon. So thanks again to those who helped out and to everyone that came and enjoyed the food, the music (thanks Vince Rigler), and the day with us. Branch 2 also sponsored the bag raffle at the Honey Picnic in August, but credit for all the work goes to Gen Buol and Dolores Puhek. All the proceeds from this raffle were donated to the Franciscan Fathers in Lemont. Condolences to the family of Rose Grill, a longtime member of Branch 2, who died earlier in the year. Rose lived in Muncie, Indiana, with her son, Richard, and was 92 years old. Also, in September, Edward Vokurka, husband of 54 years to our member, Mary Ann, passed away. A noted and accomplished musician and singer, Edward will be greatly missed by his family and friends. A meeting was held on September 15, where discussions centered on the picnic, our yearly charitable donations, and our upcoming Christmas luncheon. If you are interested in attending the Christmas luncheon party, please contact me for information. HAPPY 90th ANNIVERSARY to both the SUA and to our own BRANCH 2! Have a happy Thanksgiving and a Blessed Christmas. JUDY STOLL BRANCH 3 - Pueblo, Colorado Contact Information: Annette Charron 719.569.7125/amtcharron@yahoo.com Branch 3 member, Angela Perez, was recently awarded the Theresa Rose Sevshek Memorial Scholarship for Continuing Education given out by the Slovenian Women’s Union Scholarship Foundation. Angela is a dedicated mem21 ber of SUA’s Branch 3 and volunteers for a number of philanthropic organizations. She is a descendant of Martin and Mary Krasovec from Busina vas, Slovenia. AnAngela Perez gela will pursue a career in international business and marketing after graduation in Spring 2017. Branch 3 does not meet during the summer months. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month from October through May at 12:30 p.m. in St. Mary’s church hall. Special luncheons at a local restaurant take the place of meetings in December to celebrate Christmas and in May to celebrate Mother’s Day and our Member of the Year. Branch 3’s next meeting will be held on November 1 at 12:30 p.m. The annual Christmas luncheon will be held at Park East Restaurant on December 6. Branch 3 is one of the sponsors of the Slovenian Heritage Dinner to be held at St. Mary’s on Saturday, October 29. ANNETTE SABO CHARRON & BARBARA KARLINGER and may we all keep Slovenia customs going another 90 years here in Indiana! BRANCH 5 - Indianapolis, Indiana Contact Information: Phyllis Fon phyllisswu5@aol.com Gobble-gobble, HoHoHo, Happy New Year!! Holiday Greetings to all Branch 5 members! As we end 2016, and start 2017, let’s take a moment to reflect on where SUA/ SWUA Indy is today, and how we got here. Ninety years ago, a very strong group of women in Haughville got together, discussed important issues of the day, and decided to do something about it. Joining a group of women who had already organized in the Chicago area, these women took a major step towards a better life for themselves and their families here in America, but still managed to retain their customs, traditions, and faith from “the old country.” Meetings were held in the middle of the day while children were at school and husbands were at work, and small dues and insurance payments were collected, all the while sharing experiences of daily life in Haughville. We no longer have the close-knit Slovenian community of old; many of us have moved miles from the area, but we are all still connected by the actions of those ladies 90 years ago, many of them our grandmothers and mothers. So this holiday season, as we celebrate with family and friends, as we sip our slivovitz and eat our potica, toast these adventurous ladies who kept these traditions for us, It is with great sadness that I report our 2016 Member of the Year, Martin “Teeny” Lambert, passed away unexpectedly in September. Teeny was very proud of his children and grandchildren. Please keep his family and friends in your prayers. Watch for “SAUSAGE FEST” dates and info on the Slovenian National Home website! Always a fun time, with plenty of fresh, smoked, and blood sausage and sides! Make plans to join us this year - bring your friends and family to the feast. Many holiday blessings to you and your family. MARY, KAREN, & PHYLLIS 22 BRANCH 13 - San Francisco, California Contact Information: Moreen Spencer spencermj1@aol.com Hope everyone had a wonderful summer and now it’s time to get back to our regular meetings. It’s that time of the year when fall is in the air and winter will be arriving soon. We out here in California are all praying that we will have a wet winter. Five years is an awful long time for us to go without the rain that we so desperately need. On September 25, the annual “Grape Festival” was held at the Slovenian Progressive Home in San Francisco. A good Zarja - The Dawn time was had by all. Lot’s of food, wine, and a performance by renowned musician/entertainer, Igor Mikolic. I am so happy to report that our President Doreen Sustarich has recovered fully from her hip replacement. She is up and on the go as usual. Doreen keeps our Branch going. We are now a small group, but continue to keep our Slovenian heritage alive. Happy Birthday wishes to our charter member and longtime auditor for many years, Virginia Sustarich. On November 1 she celebrated her 92nd birthday. Virginia has been a member for 72 years. Her mother, Katie Judnich, entered Virginia into SWU’s membership in May 1944. She has always been a dedicated and strong supporter of our Branch. We are all proud of you, Virginia, especially me because you are my aunt. Virginia is so happy that her granddaughters are going to college in San Francisco. Michele is accepted into UC Berkeley University and Priscillia is going to SF City College. Longtime member, Margie Schleiger, has announced she is a proud grandmother once again. Her daughter, Krista, and husband, Matt, welcomed a new baby girl “Delaney Rose” into their family. Their granddaughter, Shannon, is so excited to have a little sister. Sending happy birthday wishes to all our November and December members. I cannot believe that we are coming to the end of another year. We had some lovely luncheons and have shared wonderful days together. Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, a very Blessed Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2017 with good health! MICHELE TWERS BRANCH 16 - South Chicago, Illinois Contact information: Chris Deckinga 708.224.3490, or Dolores Kral Franko dolores60617@yahoo.com, or Terri Rossi 219.588.3633/terrirossi@comcast.net Hello to all from Branch 16! After a summer break, we returned to St. George Church Hall for our September 10 meeting. We were treated like royalty by member, Vic Sebahar, who offered to bake “ Vi c S e b a har’s Superiorly Special Coffee Cake” for this meeting. Ah yes, the coffee cakes were delicious! Vic is a great baker and also bakes a fantastic potica. Vic Sebahar He has been November/December 2016 kind enough to do demonstrations in the past. He keeps us full of sweets and laughing at the same time. We are blessed to count him among our Branch membership! We’re also happy to report that Branch 16’s favorite author, Pascal Fran Griffin - Member of the Year 2016 Marco, son of member, Gen Marco, has just published his second thriller novel: Render Safe. Reviews are coming in strong for this sequel to Identity: Lost. You can find them on Amazon. We’ve made plans for a future outing. In place of a monthly meeting, we’ll visit an important shrine, The Shrine of Christ’s Passion, in nearby St. John, Indiana. We’ll go out to lunch as a group on that day as well. We talked about the upcoming Slovenian Union of America’s 90th anniversary. We are excited and wish the SUA many more years to come. We think 90 is a fantastic milestone and effort, and as a Branch we hope we will be able to reach 90 years also, in two more years! So with these wishes, we send our LOVE to SUA: CONGRATULATIONS ON 90 YEARS! And may there be 90 more! DOLORES KRAL FRANKO BRANCH 20 - Joliet, Illinois Contact Information: Diane Hohenwater dhohenwater@comcast.net Our new season of meetings is underway, and we work hard to provide a variety of speakers. At our September meeting, I had fun demonstrating how to prepare two delicious recipes from The Slovenian-American Table cookbook. I now know more about pumpkin seed oil than I ever dreamed possible. October’s meeting featured a presentation by Jean Herbst, who taught us about preserving the habitats of monarch butterflies. Not to be missed is our upcoming November 15 meeting. We are honored to welcome Will County, Illinois’ State’s Attorney, James Glasgow, who will educate us about financial scams, identity theft, and other important safety issues. Join us as we learn how to protect our hard-earned money and ourselves. Make plans now to attend our Christmas party on Sunday, 23 December 18, at 1:00 p.m. at Merichka’s Restaurant. The cost per person is $24, which includes tax, tip, and coffee, tea, milk, or soda. Several entrée choices are available, and all meals will include a salad, potato, and relish tray. A $10 gift exchange is optional. Reservations and payment must be made by December 4. Members and guests are welcome. Please contact me with any questions. Our sympathies go to the family of member, Jean Govednik, who passed away on August 18, 2016. Jean had been a member since the inception of Branch 20 in 1928, was a member of the Cadet Drill Team, and previously served as a Heritage Committee volunteer. We wish everyone a bountiful Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! DIANE HOHENWATER BRANCH 23 - Ely, Minnesota Salute to Slovenian Taste Buds: The buds on Branch 23 in Northern Minnesota were taste buds this summer. The Branch successfully hosted its fourth annual “Salute to Slovenia.” This year’s cultural celebration focused on the tastes of Slovenia. The first part of the event was taste-testing. For four hours people enjoyed 18 different flavors. We had krofe and medenjaki, two kinds of soup, sour beef, stuffed peppers, jota, walnut and tarragon potica, apple strudel, cevapčiči, flancate, three kinds of Slovenian wine, Laško beer, and three types of dry meat. Along with the food we had several demonstrations and educational activities. About 150 people tickled their taste buds. Once that was over the team started to prepare for an old world sausage dinner. We had three kinds of sausage, cucumber and beet salads, beans almandine, and Slovenian potatoes. Wine and dessert were served. Local musicians provided the music for the evening. Again, the second part of the Salute was as great a success as the first. Branch 23 would like to thank those from Branch 109 - Twin Cities, MN, Branch 99 - Lemont, IL, and Branch 35 - Aurora, MN, for their help. BRANCH 24 - LaSalle, Illinois Contact Information: Diane Data diane3121@comcast.net Zivijo! After our hot, rainy summer, September was here and what better time to make ajmoht or imouk, as some call it. Branch 24 gathered at Debbie Pohar’s kitchen for a demonstration by Mary Mecum on making this traditional chicken soup with dumplings. As we enjoyed Mary’s soup, many of the ladies present talked of their family’s variation on this recipe - to use the whole chicken or just the neck, gizzards, and feet? Cathy Lenkaitis was given the task of spooning the dumplings on top of the broth. Debbie baked Belokranjska pogača, a focaccia-type flat bread to go along with the soup. This recipe can be found in The Slovenian - American Table cookbook. Of course 24 we had a delightful crowd at this first meeting after our summer break; it involved food. Thanks to Mary and the Pohar ladies for this very enjoyable evening. As I am typing this report, I am looking at my suitcase and pile of clothes, as I should really be packing for my ZarjaFest 2016 trip to Slovenia. I leave in a few days for a trip through the homeland of my grandparents. Our group will be arriving in Vienna and drivMary Mecum ing through the majestic mountains of southern Austria to our starting point of Bled. It was 12 days of wine, beer, outstanding meals, toe-tapping music, breathtaking sights, and laughter with my fellow Slovenian travelers. I am eager to see my friends who I met on the Zivijo! Zarja trip in 2014, who like me, are going again. Thanks to the kindness of Manja, our tour guide, I hope to be visiting with my Grandpa Dusak’s family in Cerklje. My plan is to go with a half empty suitcase so that I can bring some of Slovenia back with me. More on this adventure in future issues. Our annual Christmas Dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 7, at Senica’s Oak Ridge. We were sad to hear of the passing of 94-year-old Genevieve Grilc. Gen was a former member of Branch 85 - Depue. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family. Dober Dan! DIANE DATA Zarja - The Dawn BRANCH 35 - Aurora, Minnesota Contact Information: Rosemary Sertich Ribich 218.865.6600/rribich@northlc.com Our Branch has not had any meetings since May and our events over the summer have been reported previously, so no need to take up time and space. We will have some issues and a yearly agenda to put together for 2017 when we resume our monthly meetings in October. H o p e f u l l y, our Branch President, Vida Lanari, and her entourage will be back safely from their trip to Slovenia and she will have many interesting stories to report and photos to share. Branch member Angela Seline married Eric Have you all Baraga at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church been stretch- in Chisholm, MN, on June 25. She is the ing your stru- daughter of Jean Seline, also of Branch 35. del dough? I am told the apple harvest is great this year. Remember, you can get them all prepped for the holidays and freeze them unbaked for later use. We like strudel instead of pumpkin pie, anyway. If anyone is on Facebook, there has been several posted sites on strudel dough-stretching. Also many recipes on various kinds of potica. It’s fun to read about all the different methods. In conversation, we agreed that everyone thinks theirs is the best! We also think that it’s how “MA” made it, and we grew up with it. Vesele božične praznike in srečno novo leto to all. God is good and may He bless us all with a good 2017! ROSEMARY SERTICH RIBICH BRANCH 43 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin Contact Person: Jan Gehm 414.321.1413/twogames@wi.rr.com Sincere congratulations are extended to St. John the Evangelist Church, celebrating 100 years. Our Branch has been a part of St. John’s for many of those years and I’m sure many of us have good memories of those years. Best Wishes for many more years of serving the faithful. Remember the bake sale on November 8, (election day) at the former South 88th St. School - now Spanish Immersion School. We can use everyone’s help, by baking, helping at the school, or any financial help. This year, since the school has reopened for classes, this fund-raiser will not begin until 3 pm. Please contact Jan Gehm for more information. Mark your calendars for November 12, 2016. We are planning our first Martinovanje Celebration from 5pm to 8pm, at the Twisted Cork in Muskego. All details have not been worked out as yet. You can contact Jan Gehm for more information and to make your reservation. Our Annual Christmas Party will be held at noon on Saturday, December 3, 2016, at Aliota’s Restaurant in Wauwatosa. To make your reservation please contact Jan Gehm. Happy Holidays from our Branch members to yours! MARY “MICI” BREGANT BRANCH 47 - Garfield Heights, Ohio Contact Information: Debbie Duris 330.467.2281/dcduris@gmail.com Happy Holidays! Our next meeting will be the Christmas Celebration at 1pm on Saturday, December 3, at Creekside Restaurant & Bar at 8803 Brecksville Rd. in Brecksville. Please call Branch President Debbie Duris if you plan to attend, so she can include you in the reservation count. I will gladly share any of our members’ activities. Just call me on my cell 330.730.8951, or e-mail me at kjferrante@ gmail.com, and I will include it in the next Branch report. Wishing everyone a delicious Thanksgiving, Blessed Christmas, and a Happy New Year with your family and friends! KATHY FERRANTE Members of Branch 47 enjoyed a day touring some of Cleveland’s sights. Pictured from left to right is Elsie Lavrencic, Dorothy Squire, Margarita Franchini, Lynn McKittrick, Ginger Kemmerling, Debbie Duris, Diane Fornaro, and Kathy Ferrante. November/December 2016 25 BRANCH 55 - Girard, Ohio Members of Branch 55 are so proud to announce that our own Anna Fooy has received an SUA Educational Scholarship Grant for 2016. (I am particularly proud also, as Anna is my niece.) The grant covers her non-tuition expenses of $504. Anna is attending the School of Health Sciences, pre- physical therapy, at Oakland University in Rochester, MI. Her credentials speak - volunteering at the local hospital, the Hope Warming Center, and the Mother and Unborn Center. Her high GPA with a diverse course of study is commendable. Anna has experienced the blows of body injury. A torn ACL was devastating, but it introduced her to the world of physical therapy. Anna says, “I want to be a physical therapist, because they change the world. I am always learning when I’m with physical therapists. While grades and knowledge are of upmost importance, people Anna Fooy skills will trump everything when it comes to working with the patient.” Anna speaks fluent Slovenian. During the month of July, Anna joined thousands of young people in Krakow, Poland, for the celebration of World Youth Day. Quoting Anna, “It’s such a beautiful city; it was filled with so much excitement for Pope Francis.” Anna is the daughter of Tom and Dori Fooy of Warren, Michigan, and has a younger brother, Nicholas. MARIA SELAK BRANCH 89 - Oglesby, Illinois Contact Information: Barbara Bruch 815.339.2714/barbarabruch@yahoo.com Hello everyone! On a perfect Sunday afternoon, we had a great picnic to start the new year of meetings. The picnic was at my house in a recreated gostilna, circa 1920, on a farm in the country. Thirty members and guests attended and we all had a very good time. Thank you to all our good cooks for the great meal. We are planning a year of interesting meetings. There will be a sauerkraut-making demonstration in October and we will grill cevapčiči in April. We are also repeating our Slovenian Heritage Day and have a movie about an emigrant’s experience to watch. Our Christmas dinner will be 26 on November 20, the Sunday before Thanksgiving - so save that date. Out of town members can always contact us with questions or comments; we would love to hear from you. Bog Blagoslovi, BARBARA BRUCH BRANCH 93 - New York, New York Contact Information: Elizabeth Gross 718.335.8459/Lizg669@gmail.com If you’re a classical music or opera enthusiast, you’re lucky to get to hear a Slovenian performer of the genre once a year; but - if you love Jazz, and Slovenian Jazz musicians come to New York! In September, the talented Slovenian saxophonist and composer, Igor Lumpert, was once again at the Cornelia Street Café with his group of longtime friends and collaborators, Innertextures. And popular percussionist and composer, Žan Tetičkovič, (Branch members recall his fantastic senior concert at the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music last summer) has come out with a studio album, The Port of Life - a book designed by Marko Damiš, with photography by Andrej Lumut, and poetry by Sergej Harlamov. Music included as an integral part is provided by an 11-piece ensemble - if you saw the film, Time to Improvise, you will remember Jani Moder on gui- Zarja - The Dawn tar and Marko Črnčec on piano - they’re in the group, as well as Lenart Krečič who performed at Branch meetings at St. Cyril’s. The concept for the book was inspired by Žan’s visits to Ellis Island and his reflections about immigration and acculturation, Jean John, and designed by Andrej Lamut, Galerija slik ©2016 as a complete sonic, visual, and tactile experience. To order, visit www. jean-john.com (Jean John, born Žan Tetičkovič). Also in September, Ambassador Andrej Logar gave us an opportunity to meet Slovenia’s official delegation to the General Debate of the 71st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations at a reception at the Church of St. Cyril. Also present was President Borut Pahor and Foreign Affairs Minister, Karl Erjavec. Whether Branch members expressed their opinions on Slovenia’s handling of the refugee crisis, or the chances of Danilo Turk becoming the new head of the UN, meeting at the church probably insured good behavior. ELIZABETH GROSS BRANCH 99 - Lemont, Illinois Contact Information: Jana Hlade jmhlade@hotmail.com Fall is upon us! We hope you had a Happy Halloween and are enjoying the fall colors. This past August, our Branch hosted a Štruklji culinary class at the Slovenian Catholic Center (SCC). This dish is composed of dough and various types of filling, which can be cooked in boiling water or baked. The class made the Štruklji with a cottage cheese, scrambled egg, bread, November/December 2016 and chives filling. Thank you to Bill Zerial for sharing his expertise and for teaching this class. On December 11, our Branch will be hosting its annual Christmas Cookie Sale and a Branch meeting at the SCC. Cookies should be dropped off at 11:00 a.m.; the cookie sale begins at 12:00 p.m. in the SCC lobby. We thank all bakers in advance and hope everyone can come out to support our Branch. Filled cookie tins are $5 each. After the Cookie Sale, please stay for a Branch meeting in the SCC library at 1:30 p.m. We will be discussing plans for 2017 and electing new officers. Wishing you a very blessed Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! JANA HLADE BRANCH 100 - Southern California Contact Information: Jean Koci 949.495.0097/ajkoci@cox.net The September/October issue of the Zarja just arrived in my mailbox today and it is another issue bringing personal stories of members and their families. It is amazing how so many of the refugee families who came to the U.S. in those years after World War II were able to adapt to their new lives in a new country. Most did not know how to speak English, but worked hard and learned, either by going to school or picking up the language through association with those who helped them. They also had good work ethics and most likely family obligations making it urgent to find work, save, and become self-supporting. Some were able to keep connections with their families in Slovenia, Austria, and elsewhere, but some were fearful because of accusations against them. The stories that they told show brave hearts and the desire for freedom. My parents came to America without so much turmoil, but it was still somewhat of a struggle in a new land. They, at least, had a few relatives that had come before them and were willing to help in a small way by sponsorship. My dad was a tailor, and my mom was an excellent cook and housekeeper. So they were both able to find work shortly 27 after their arrival, one in 1907 and the other in 1921. Mom had survived through WWI, but those were the years that she learned what made her such a successful homemaker. She made many friends in the Slovenian neighborhood of Chicago and St. Steven’s Church. In fact, she was acquainted with many of the original members of Chicago’s Branch 2. Branch 100 continues to have at least one cooking/baking class each year to provide a hands-on session where our members can see how various traditional Slovenian foods are prepared. I think these foods are some of the things that keep us together and become important parts of our heritage. If the younger generation doesn’t connect with anything else of their heritage or culture, they often remember the food prepared by a mother or grandmother from their childhood. We have a DVD of the krofi demonstration given by Teresa Koci last February. The filming was done by Mike Bajc from Maribor whose profession is “videography.” It is a one-hour presentation and a very entertaining film showing every detail of the making of krofi by Teresa, who took notes while helping her grandmother, Rose Novak, some years ago. She also spent a lot of time perfecting the method prior to the class. About 20 members of our Branch attended the session that was held in Teresa’s large kitchen in Laguna Niguel. Anyone interested in having a copy of this can contact me at the e-mail or phone number listed above, and I will make sure that you will get a copy. We are selling them for $15 as a fund-raiser for the Branch and for our ongoing charitable contributions. Checks payable to: SUA Branch 100 can be mailed to Jean Koci, 29476 Vista Plaza Dr., Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. The Christmas Holidays will be starting soon after you read this, so I am wishing all a Blessed Christmas Season. Watch for a notice with details about the Branch Christmas Luncheon! You won’t want to miss it. JEAN KOCI BRANCH 103 - Washington D.C. Contact Information: Rich Terselic rat1@verizon.net The Branch is proud and pleased to share that a member, Abigail Terselic, is one of the first recipients of the new SUA Education Grants. Abigail is among the five granddaughters of Branch President Mary Lou Terselic who are Branch members. Abigail is the daughter of Robert and Carrie Terselic. Robert is a Marine Corps retiree, and the family lives outside Albuquerque, New Mexico, on a “ranchette.” Abigail has four brothers and sisters. As a Marine Corps “brat,” Abigail grew up living at locations on both coasts. She was homeschooled for most of her precollege education. As a toddler, she was diagnosed with a treatable form of leukemia and received both inpatient and outpatient treatment at the former Walter Reed Medical Center in 28 Washington, D.C. After successfully recovering, she grew in strength, beginning swimming at an early point. She became a competitive swimmer, under the encouragement of her father, a former championship swimmer. Abigail’s exposure to the medical care system impressed her at an early age, with Abigail Terselic a career goal of working in that system. In Fall 2016 she began classes at the University of Oklahoma leading to her entry into the nursing curriculum. During her first year she achieved a 4.0 grade point average. Congratulations to Abigail on the SUA award! In other news, Branch member, Donna Zadnik, and her husband, Val, made the move from home ownership to retirement living in an apartment in Woodbridge, Virginia. Likewise, former Branch secretary, Mimi Mejac, who had shared the home of her Branch member daughter, Maria, moved to a retirement facility located in Potomac, Maryland. Best wishes to both on their moves. BRANCH 108 - Olney, Maryland Contact Information: Bernadette Fitzsimmons bettekfitz@verizon.net ŽIVIJO, vesele božične praznike in srečno novo leto to all our members and friends of SUA! Our members have had some interesting experiences in recent months; we’d like to share some of their news with our readers. Erika K. Roda and her mother, May Kokal, were guests at the European Union Delegation meeting in May where National Bee Day was proposed; they were invited to share the late Daniel Kokal’s original family beehive panels dating back to 1904. They were served a honey breakfast, made by Slovenian students who had “won a trip here and stayed at the Slovenian Embassy,” and heard interesting lectures and open discussions on the importance of bees in our lives. Their family especially enjoyed all the photos on the back cover of a recent Zarja issue, particularly the large one of May’s grandson, Daniel Hester, who was wearing one of his grandfather’s alpine hats. Judith Monshau Smith was in San Francisco, CA, in August with her daughter and son-in-law to welcome the birth of twin girls, and to help out with her granddaughter Zarja - The Dawn - big sister Mattie Mae, age 21 months. Congratulations! Lynn Koiner and her father, Charlie Koiner, participated in the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, displaying their fruits, vegetables, and bounty from their farm in Silver Spring. Each year they receive numerous prizes and ribbons for their great-tasting, nutritious, homegrown foods. Bernadette K. Fitzsimmons and her family happened to be traveling near Bethlehem, PA, over the summer and stopped by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, established by Slovenians in 1913 and dedicated in 1914. During the visit to Bethlehem, they also stopped by to view the memorial dedicated to Slovenians from Murska Sobota Sister’s Cities Association, located behind the Bethlehem public library. For more information visit St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church Facebook page. Nika B. Kovacic is celebrating her 80th birthday in December! CONGRATULATIONS to her on this momentous occasion, and on her 50th anniversary of membership and dedication to the Slovenian Union of America. She regularly attends Slovenian Mass at the Our Lady of Brezje Chapel in Washington, D.C., various events, SUA meetings, makes potica, Nika B. Kovacic and other Slovenian specialties, enjoys gardening, and stays active in her community. Earlier this year Nika had a one-hour long presentation about her experience growing up in Slovenia, coming to America, and shared Slovenian customs with a big audience at the Martha Schweinhaut Senior Center in Forest Glen, MD. BERNADETTE FITZSIMMONS November/December 2016 BRANCH 109 - Twin Cities (TC) of Minnesota Contact Information: Elaine Barthelemy elaineab@yahoo.com On September 17, we met at the New Brighton Community Center with a presentation by Dr. Margaret Pryately, Professor Emerita from St. Cloud State. Dr. Pryately gave us a special sneak preview of a traveling exhibit titled, “Farmers, Miners and Refugees: Slovenian Immigration in Minnesota since 1855” by describing the process used to create the exhibit and sharing examples of its banners and artifacts. The exhibit, consisting of 14 banners, integrates the south, central, and northern concentrations of Minnesota’s Slovenian immigrants into one story. Letters and objects help visitors visualize the lives of their ancestors, while videos of potica-making and sausage-making tempt the palate. Recipes for dishes such as krofe or golaž are even available. Several members of SUA Branch 109 worked on the project. Norm Setnicker, Frank Medved, and Sue Rademacher all wrote banners, as did Chuck Debevec, who also positioned the pictures and proofread everything. Miro and Karen Medved provided an enjoyable meeting place in their home. In addition to SUA, two other partners in the project were KSKJ Life and Bernick’s, a local, family-run, 100-year old Slovenian company. The exhibit will be displayed at the Stearns History Museum in St. Cloud from October 16, 2016, through January 31, 2017, in Duluth in April and May, in Ely in June and August, and finally at the Slovenian Embassy in Washington D.C. from September through December, 2017. Available for purchase at the September meeting were the 2016-17 calendars, designed for the fifth year by Rick Pisa. Starting each spring, Rick invites members to submit their photos taken in Slovenia. Board members help choose the best 12 for the calendar, which serves as a fund-raiser for Branch 109. Rick could not be present, as he and his son, David, were in Slovenia. By the time you read this article, your writer should be back from an epic trip across Asia with an itinerary of Seoul, Hong Kong, Koh Samui, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Dubai, and Doha, visiting friends in each city. Next year: Slovenia! ELAINE BARTHELEMY The book Historic Slavic Music by Kathy Bergan may be purchased from the Iron Range Historical Society in Gilbert, MN, for $12 + $2 postage. Checks may be sent to: IRHS, PO Box 786, Gilbert, MN 55741 The IRHS is an all volunteer nonprofit. 29 Happy Anniversary Slovenian Union of America December 1926-2016 From a conglomeration of genes and generations of decisions, we came to be Slovenian-Americans. A connection with the past gives a legacy for a future. Gastronomic meals celebrated and stored in memory, Expressions of music and dance to lift the soul, All wrapped in faith. Heritage identifies ME! My Slovene heritage, the song of my life, not to be stolen or copyrighted. MLV Eugene and Mary Lou Deyak Voelk To the thousands of SUA Branch members, who throughout these nine decades, have kept the spirit of our Slovenian heritage aglow; for this we are forever grateful. 30 Zarja - The Dawn CONGRATULATIONS SLOVENIAN UNION OF AMERICA Sustaining Our Slovenian Culture and Traditions for 90 Years The Setnikar Legacy Begins - September 4, 1911 Living the Legacy of Our Slovenian Heritage - September 4, 2016 Norm Setnicker (second from left) with his cousin, Ron Setniker, and daughters, Shelby and Susan. November/December 2016 31 Cheers on 90 Years of Keeping the Slovenian Spirit Alive Bonnie Pohar Prokup Illinois/Indiana Regional President 1995 - 1999 National Secretary 1999 - 2007 National President 2007 - 2015 Director of Design, Zarja - The Dawn 2005 - 2015 Editor, Zarja - The Dawn 2015 - Present Debbie Pohar Editor, Zarja - The Dawn 2005 - 2015 National Vice President of Outreach 2007 - 2015 Director of Design, Zarja - The Dawn 2015 - Present 32 Zarja - The Dawn Congratulations to the Slovenian Union of America 90 Years Branch 24 - LaSalle, IL November/December 2016 33 CONGRATULATIONS TO SLOVENIAN UNION OF AMERICA ON ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY The members of Branch 47 in Garfield Heights, Ohio, are proud to be a part of SUA. Thank you to our dedicated and loving past and current members for supporting SUA. 90 years strong and still going! Congratulations to SUA on its 90th Anniversary! In Loving Memory of Lifelong Members of Branch 20: Josephine Ramuta Sumic and Ann Ramuta Savol Rosanne Savol Lichkai & Mary Jo Savol Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Stara Mama & Stari Ata Love and Blessings, Kathleen Ferrante Past National President 1999 - 2007 34 Frances and Drago Androjna Love, Your Grand Kids: Alex, Jake, Ethan, Ashley, and Luke Zarja - The Dawn Congratulations on 90 years of accomplishments and looking forward to a hope-filled future. Branch 103 Washington, D.C. Congratulations to the Slovenian Union of America for 90 strong years of preserving our beautiful Slovenian culture and heritage. Much success for many more years to come! Čestitamo Slovenski zvezi Amerike ob 90. obletnici. Veliko uspehov še na mnoga leta! Slovenian Union of America Branch 43 - Milwaukee, WI Officers and Members November/December 2016 Congratulations and Happy 90th Anniversary to the Slovenian Union of America from SUA’s youngest branch, Branch 109. It’s a pleasure and an honor to be part of SUA! For membership and meeting information, please check www.twincitiesslovenians.org Our proud members congratulate the Slovenian Union of America on its 90th Anniversary and offer our best wishes for an even brighter future. Branch 20 Joliet, IL 35 Congratulations on 90 Years of Keeping the Slovenian Heritage Alive and Well In honor of past and present members of Branch 89 - Oglesby, IL Congratulations on 90 Years SUA The Bill Kobe Family Congratulations on SUA 90th Anniversary Pioneer Lodge #559 S.N.P.J Jean Cherway - Pres. Kaitlyn Chiappetta - V.P. Melanie Matiasek - Sec. Louis Chiappetta - S.A.A. Auditors: Michael Vidmar/Robert J. Kuhel 36 Best Wishes on Your “90” Anniversary In memory of a very special friend, Father David Stalzer Joseph & Dolores “Smitty” Ambrozich 90 Years of History, Culture, and Friendships. Slovenian Union of America 1926 - 2016 CONGRATULATIONS! The Members of Branch 100, Southern California Keeping the Slovenian Spirit Alive for 90 Years! SUA Zarja - The Dawn The SlovenianAmerican Table Congratulations Rev. Msgr. Matthew G. Malnar of Branch 102 - Willard, WI, on your 50th year of Ordination to the priesthood. A cookbook that presents many of the favorite dishes that Slovenian immigrants brought with them to America, but with a modern flair. 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. Find Your Slovenian Roots! Mail your check to: Slovenian Union of America - Attn: Cookbook 431 North Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703 DON’T KNOW HOW TO BEGIN OR WHERE TO GO NEXT? *Please include a phone number in case we have a START DIGGING TODAY! question regarding your order. Call us, email us, or visit our website www.sloveniangenealogy.org. • Explore research tools/tips • Read The Linden Tree • Much more - 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 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 Kollander World Travel Life is short! 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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. 38 Zarja - The Dawn ZarjaFest November/December 2016 39 ZarjaFest 40 Zarja - The Dawn NON-PROFIT PERIODICALS PERIODICALS POSTAGE POSTAGE PAID PAID IL LASALLE, LASALLE, IL ZarjaFest 2016