DISTRICT XV CONVENTION 2009

Polish Day at the Dash-In

Lodge get-together for "Polish Day" at the Dash-In - Our members enjoyed a Polish lunch together at the Dash-In restaurant’s “The Tastes of Poland ” in Fort Wayne on July 12, 2009. Polish Day has been a yearly event on the first day of the Three Rivers Festival, ever since the Fort Wayne International Festival stopped having the event, which our Lodge always had a huge success participating in.

POLISH 4-H EXCHANGE PROGRAM

 

The White Eagle Lodge continues to support the Polish 4-H Rural Youth Program. This year’s program hosted 27 Polish 4-H students and deligates in Northeast Indiana. They stayed with Host Families in Allen, Grant, Huntington, Kosciusko, Steuben, Wells and Whitley counties from May 28-June 8, 2009. On May 30, 2009 several of our Lodge members attended a Hog Roast Pot Luck Picnic held at the 4-H Extension Office at IPFW in Fort Wayne. This was part of their “Fort Wane Day.” The 4-H students, delegates, advisers, host families and guest attended the hog roast and pot luck. Their advisers showed a video of their programs in Poland and gave a brief history of their group. A group from NE Indiana will travel to Poland in 2010. More information about the program can be found here.

WHITE EAGLE LODGE HOSTS 2008 DISTRICT XV CONVENTION

“PNA White Eagle Lodge #3149 Hosts the 2008 District XV Convention.”

Our Lodge was proud to be the Host for the 2008's District XV Convention and thank Terre Coupe's Liberty Star Lodge for the use of their facilities and everyone who made the Convention a success. I want to specifically thank our National Vice President Paul Odrobina for his talk about Fraternalism, Our Commissioners Mary Wozniak and George Gustas for all their help and dedication to the Lodge’s in District XV, Congratulations goes to our National Director Barbara Martin, District XV Man & Woman of the year Censor Steve Tarkarski and Past Comissoner Irene Wroblenski, Past Comissioner Joe Samreta for all his support, Everyone who devoted their time working in the Conventions’ Committees, Congratulation to the new Officers elected for District XV: Sally Russell, Secretary, Jeanette Filip, Treasurer, and Directors, Irene Wroblewski, Helen Macher, Joseph Samreta, Nancy Teller, Jeff Wilenski, Janina Wojcik and Mille Rytel. I thank Louise Szczypiorski and staff who did an excellent job in preparing the Conventions meals. I thank Allison for her preparations and give her and her family condolences on that day, and last but not least our Lodge Members who proved themselves to be professional and “on the ball.”

INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS JANUARY 20th 2009

"Commissioner Mary Wozniak Congratulates Lodge President Jeff Wilenski."

On January 20th, 2009 PNA District XV Comissioner Mary Wozniak, Installed Our Lodge Officers for 2009. After each Officer read their duties according to the PNA bylaws, Mary Wozniak lead in the Oath for Officers with the Officers reciting their swear to promise to execute and uphold their duties according to the bylaws. Witness to the Oath (those present) District 15 Comissioner Mary Wozniak, White Eagle Lodge President Jeff Wilenski, Vice President Richard Pacer, Financial Secretary Jean Podzielinski, Recording Secretary Nellie Wood, Corresponding Secretary Joyce Pacer, and Lodge Member Phyllis Murphy. The Lodge Treasurer George Wilenski was instilled at the next Meeting on February 17th 2009.

Our Lodge has had a website for close to 10 years!  We now have a blog on Bogger.com and a presence on Facebook.  We believe this will help to connect more people and be able to share information together.

Our Lodge created it's website in 2002 using Geocities
www.geocities.com/pna3149

Geocities, ownd by Yahoo, closed its doors in 2009

Prior to it's closer we purchased our domain name: http://www.pna3149.com/

In 2009 we created a blog using  Blogger or Blogspot.com:
http://whiteeaglelodge.blogspot.com/
which is owned by Google

In 2010 we created a Facebook profile:
(White) Eagle Lodge:
http://www.facebook.com/White.Eagle.Lodge

The Facebook White Eagle Lodge Page is at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Eagle-Lodge/136503086394002
this url is quite long, though our profile is wasy to find!

I am working on a way to shorten the facebook URL.  Also, working on combining the three services pna3149.com, blog and facebook to work together. 

First National Conference of the Polish American Community

I would like to share some point make at a past conference.  These points discussed are all important items for us to think about that pertain to our Polish Freternal Society.

First National Conference of the Polish American Community held in Chicago

on October 15 -16, 2009

Northeastern Illinois University, Fine Arts Center, 5500 N. Saint Louis Ave. Chicago, IL 60625

(PAC host the first National Conference of the Polish American Community in the 21st Century)

General Session 3 - Leadership in the Polish American Community

    Dr. Casimir Kowalski , “passing the torch." -  Too many leaders hold on to their positions too long and prevent new leaders from having an opportunity. New leaders need to be developed. Any action is better than none... leaders are made not born.

    Laura Felusiak, PAC Secy. TX - ...bridge the gap between young and old. Education is a lifelong journey.  ...“share the vision, trust, and keep it.”

    Mr. Zielinski - 501(c)8 Fraternal Benefit Associations must be not-for-profit, have subordinate lodges in the country, offer a benefit (e.g., life or health insurance), and have a common bond among members that separates them from others.

    The original mission of the fraternals to provide mutual assistance has over time been supplanted (replaced)  by government, employer, and union programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment, life and health insurance, and pensions.

    ... Fraternals now have turned to volunteerism, community services, and scholarships. Will fraternals remain relevant; will the resources be there to (keep them alive)?... If ethnics buy insurance, IRAs, annuities. Fraternals offer excellent, competitive insurance, annuity, IRA and other products at lower cost and higher return than commercial firms. Because they are non-profits, they return their earnings to their members, communities, and Polish American organizations such as the PAC. They also are highly regulated and safe.

Issue Session A2 - Role and Importance of Ethnic Organizations

    Dr. Susanne Lotarski, PAC VP for PR, - Polonia and Poland are very different today from what they were when the PNA or PAC were founded. For most of its history in America, Polonia’s top goal was regaining freedom and independence for Poland. Twenty years ago this goal was achieved.

    ...we need to go back to our roots in this country. Our organizations always had dual missions. One was Poland’s freedom and independence. The other was the well-being and advancement of Polish Americans in the United States...  this latter mission, advancement of Polish Americans and rejuvenation of Polish American organizations, that is the crisis of our times. So much of our Polish heritage (culture) in this country has disappeared or is in danger of  disappearing. Too few Polish Americans under age 50 know about or care to get involved in the Polish community... These are the challenges we face. Polonia needs new energy, new directions, modern communications, and strengthened unity of purpose. In working toward this, Polonia needs a new partnership with Poland.

There are just a few point made at the Conference.  Read more at: http://www.pac1944.org/conf09/CepielikReport.htm

PNA Insurance Seminar with Bob Perkins