News

From the desk of the Supreme Secretary
by Scott T. Pogorelec, F.I.C.
BRING ON MAY

Greetings from the Home Office! The weather is finally starting to turn warmer, and we are noticing the beautiful colors of May coming together. This month is also filled with many important dates and activities for our members, and it serves as a kickoff to our fraternal calendar.

I hope that many of our members will take the time to celebrate Join Hands Day on Saturday, May 4th. It is a National Day of Volunteering sponsored by America’s fraternal benefit societies. It is a day of community service that specifically targets and develops relationships between young people and adults through neighborhood volunteering. Many communities across the world use this day as a building block to start the communication process between the young and old. With the mix of our young adults and our “wise and experienced” members, the Slovak Catholic Sokol can be a shining example of this special day. Since its inception, Join Hands Day has enjoyed the support and participation of many of our members. I urge our local Assembly and Wreath leaders to schedule a community service event and let the rest of our membership know about it through our Falcon and our social media platforms. For the past 119 years, our organization has encouraged our members to get involved in their communities because it is essential to our identity. Remember, Join Hands Day should not only be celebrated one day a year. This is what we do and who we are as Sokols!

On the following weekend, we celebrate a very important day. I am speaking, of course, of Mother’s Day, which will be celebrated on Sunday, May 12th. Anna Jarvis is recognized as the Founder of Mother’s Day in the United States. She developed the inspiration of celebrating Mother’s Day from her own mother, Mrs. Anna Marie Jarvis. As an activist and social worker, the elder Mrs. Jarvis used to express her desire to honor all mothers and pay them tribute. Following her mother’s death, Anna wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mother’s Day. All that hard work paid off as President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution on May 8, 1914, designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Happy Mother’s Day to every member who is blessed to be called Mother; from Great Grand Mothers (Prababička), Grand Mother (Babička), Mother (Matka), God Mother (Krstná Matka) or any other title given to a special woman. May your Mother’s Day be filled with happiness and love, and you enjoy your day, since your endless love and caring cannot be truly measured but know it is appreciated by all who benefit from it. And I would especially like to wish my mother, Annie, my wife, Maggie, and my sister, Jennifer, a very Happy Mother’s Day! We love you!

I hope that all our Sokol bowlers have a wonderful time at our 78th International Bowling Tournament in Pittsburgh, PA on May 17th and 18th. Enjoy the spirted fraternalism and competition and pick up all those spares!

Let us also not forget the national holiday, Memorial Day, created to honor and remember those who have died performing their duties while serving in the United States Armed Services. They served and died so we can live in the United States and their sacrifice helped other countries shed the chains of their oppressors. May we never forget what they did for many, and the loss felt by their families. May all their souls rest in peace.

Until next time, have a wonderful month of May and good health to all! Stay safe, stay strong, and STAY POSITIVE!

Zdar Boh!