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Upcoming local and national events – let’s go!!!

What Matters to Girls

The Schenectady League of Women Voters is hosting the Working Group on Girls Community Forum, “What Matters to Girls” on Wednesday, May 22nd at 7pm at the 1st Reformed Church, 8 North Church St., Schenectady NY. The Forum is dedicated to empowering middle and high school girls and will provide information on Girl’s Day Out and Girl’s Circles programs for student participants and adult volunteers. Topics will include increasing self esteem, making healthy choices, valuing education, and expanding girl’s vision of the future.

Connecting Faith-Based Groups with the Affordable Care Act: What You Need to Know about Changes in Health Insurance for Your Members

Congressman Paul Tonko is hosting a workshop on Connecting Faith-Based Groups with the Affordable Care Acton Wednesday, May 29th at The Crossings of Colonie, 580 Albany Shaker Rd., Loudonville, NY from 1—3pm. The focus of the workshop will be on providing up-to-date information on federal health insurance programs available to members of Faith-Based organizations. Representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Region II U.S. Department of Health & Human Services will be available to provide information and resources that can help make it easier to understand health insurance options.

Medicare (health insurance for people 65 and older or with long- term disability or end-stage renal disease), Medicaid (health insurance for people with limited income), and new options for expansion of health insurance that will soon be available under the Affordable Care Act will be discussed.

You may pre-register online or by calling 518-465-0700.

Youth Forum

Schenectady Youth Boxing & Fitness is sponsoring a Youth Forum on June 13th, 10am-12pm at the Fenimore Gallery at Proctors Theater, 432 State St., Schenectady, NY. The forum includes a roundtable discussion with members from community youth focused programs with a focus on sharing goals and information as well as information on upcoming summer plans. A light lunch and opportunities for networking will follow. For more information please contact Schenectady Youth Boxing & Fitness or Judy Decker by E-mail.

2013 Kurs Youth Encampment

The 2013 Kurs Youth Encampment sponsored by the Young Men’s Society of the Resurrection of the Polish National Catholic Church will be held from June 29th through July 6th at the Bishop Hodur Retreat & Recreation Center, 596 Honesdale Road, Waymart, PA. This is by far the best summer youth event anywhere. Our young people are encouraged to attend as well as to invite friends and parishioners for a summer event that builds up faith and friendships that last a lifetime.

Click on the links below for further information and forms:

National United Choirs 2013 Music Workshop

The National United Choirs 2013 Music Workshop and Convention will be held from July 24th to 27th at St. Mary’s Polish National Catholic Church, 5375 Broadview Road, Parma. OH. Click here for details and a registration form.

Polish National Union Trip to Poland

The Polish National Union (Spójnia) is sponsoring a trip to Poland in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Żarki (Libiąż) Poland, the birthplace of Bishop Francis Hodur. The parish was built through the generosity of members of the Polish National Union. The trip will run from September 18th through 25th and includes tours of southern Polsnd including noted attrations in Kraków, Zakopane, and Żarki. For details please see the current issue of Straż. Reservations are due by June 10th.

Christian Witness, PNCC, ,

Fraternalism – working together for the betterment of all

From the Times Leader: Fraternal Societies of Northeast Pennsylvania support Domestic Violence Service Center

Domestic Violence Service Center, which serves Luzerne and Carbon counties, has received a large donation of personal care products, other items and a monetary Christmas gift from the Fraternal Societies of Northeast Pennsylvania. DVSC provides safe shelter and direct services to battered and homeless women and their children. FSNEPA is comprised of six fraternal benefit societies whose charitable efforts are primarily funded by the sale of life insurance and other financial services.

Presenting the donations were John C. Andrzejewski III, secretary general, and Rose Wartko, president, Polish National Union of America; Charlotte L. Androckitis, general secretary and CEO, Polish Union of USA; Mary Jo Savidge, secretary and treasurer, Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union; Theresa Kluchinski, president, Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union; Mary Ann Ewasko, chair of Trustees, Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union; and Magdalen Iskra and Martha Iskra, First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association.

Current Events, PNCC, , , , ,

Fraternals face varying crises

From the Tribune-Review: Fraternal society puts $12 million lien on policies reflecting a issue confronting many of the country’s fraternal organizations. Pennsylvania has placed particularly stringent requirements on fraternal organizations and in particular on their operational liquidity. It should be noted that most, if not all are completely secure in terms of their death benefit funding.

The PNCC’s fraternal, the Polish National Union (Spójnia), which also includes the Russian Orthodox Catholic Mutual Aid Society (ROCMAS) is quite secure. The PNU was founded because Polish-American organizations acceded to Roman Catholic demands to exclude PNCC members.

Beaver-based Greek Catholic Union —” the state’s largest fraternal-benefit society —” has placed $12 million in liens on members’ policies in an unusual bid to shore up a capital base wracked by financial markets.

The balance-sheet maneuver equals an average $300 off the cash-surrender value, or 2 percent, of each member’s life insurance or annuity contract. The society explained the liens in letters sent to its roughly 40,000 members within the last month.

“As long as they don’t cash the policy, they don’t see any reduction in the value” of the insurance policy or annuity contract, GCU national President George Juba said Tuesday. Only those who cash in while the lien is still in effect are affected.

How soon the lien may be lifted, “only time will tell,” said Juba, “but as soon as possible.” He added “it depends on “economic and investment market conditions.”

The society’s surplus has dwindled from $23.2 million in March 2008 to $5.1 million this past March, according to the most recent data from the local organization.

GCU’s stock and bond investments have declined in value. The organization posted net income of $349,000 in the quarter ended March 31, according to the most recent data. It had a net loss of $858,000 the year earlier.

The Greek Catholic Union issues insurance and annuities products in 17 states. It was organized in 1892 by immigrants from the Carpathian Mountain region of the former Austro-Hungarian empire.

Fraternal benefit societies are nonprofit organizations that provide life insurance, annuities and health insurance to members. They are linked by a common ethnic or religious background, such as the Polish Women’s Alliance of America or the Mennonite Mutual Aid Association. More than 70 such groups in the United States and Canada sponsor a range of social- and community-service events.

Juba said “less than 3 percent” of members, or about 1,000 people, had contacted the society about the liens.

“They seem to be understanding of the current condition,” he said…

Christian Witness, Current Events, Perspective, PNCC, , , ,

Economic doom, economic safety

The collapse of major financial houses, the loss of retirement savings, and the ripple effects to come (increased unemployment, higher taxes, fewer “programs” to calm the surley, personal bankruptcy, unpaid bills, alcoholism, divorce, suicides, crime…) causes me to wonder; who played the market right?

I had cause to call my bank the other day. I forgot the password on an account and I needed a reset. The woman on the phone was extremely friendly. As she was doing the reset we had a little chit-chat. She noted that she had been busy. The topics came around to the current “crisis.” She quickly reassured me of the bank’s capitalization and soundness. I agreed with her.

Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t done an analysis of the bank’s financial statements, or an assessment of the credit risks they have taken, but I know this much – they are local.

These are the sorts of banks who still say no to people. They make folks jump through hoops to prove themselves before they hand out money. Tony and Anna couldn’t get the interest only mortgage, or any mortgage, if they didn’t have money down and a sufficient income to make the payments. Most of the little, hometown, homegrown banks and credit unions do it that way. They reduce unwarranted risk by sticking to models that work. They act in a principled and disciplined manner even if they could have eked out a 20% profit boost.

I also had pause to consider the fraternals, like the Polish National Union (Spójnia). These fraternals are so much more than insurance companies. Fraternals like the PNU provide insurance of course, but that provision is made based on sound business principals — principals that protect members in life and their families in times of grief. Beyond insurance, organizations like the PNUA have branched out into other lines like credit unions – again, focused on serving the members. Our PNUA serves its members in many ways, beyond the business model, that is, at a human level. They step in whenever necessary. For instance, the PNUA will grant charity to members when they are faced with a catastrophic event. They encourage education through college stipends, and underwrite youth focused programs through their charitable arm. Did AIG or Merrill do that? HSBC, Bear Stearns, BOA, or Chase…?

The local banks, the fraternals, the mom and pop companies that many felt were too small, too backward, too unsophisticated, are the ones who built upon solid principals (Matthew 7:24-29). They put the interest of their members (the insureds, the account holders) first. They will be the ones who are left standing.

Perhaps we need to recognize the fact that glamor, bright lights, and derivatives are just a faí§ade (2 Timothy 4:3). Perhaps we need to walk down to the corner, deposit slip in hand, PNU policy in hand, and reconnect with those who say yes when they mean yes and say no when they mean no (Matthew 5:37).

It really isn’t too late. Those who live by sound principals will be the ones who prosper.

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