CDA No. 1962 Holds Its 59th Anniversary Family Dinner, Awards and Presentations
Seven new members were received and welcomed into CDA Court Annunciation No. 1962. Seated from left: Martha Soto, Maira Benitez Martinez, Yolanda Cuellar, Jenifer Tharp, Patricia Castillo Sanchez, Megan Brown, and Cindy Weishuhn. Standing from left: Court Chaplain Fr. Chris Smith, Second Vice State Regent Virginia Olsovsky, Membership Chairman Marilyn Kothmann, and Regent Sherry Hebert. Photos by Jeff Wick Sacred Heart Catholic School in La Grange received a $500 donation for its Library from Court Annunciation No. 1962. Regent Sherry Hebert made the announcement while Treasurer Aimee Krause made the presentation to Court Chaplain Fr. Chris Smith and Sacred Heart School Principal LaDonna Voelkel. Charter Members were recognized and presented gifts. From left: Second Vice State Regent Virginia Olsovsky, Charter members Doris Lidiak, Lorine Bertsch, Marian “Polly” Supak, and Regent Sherry Hebert. Unable to attend was Anna Mae Hajovsky. Court Annunciation No. 1962 Scholarship Committee with Fr. Chris Smith, from left: Co-Chairman Elizabeth Kallus, Beatrice Ortiz, Co-Chairman Stacy Ryza, Marilyn Freedman, Fr. Smith, Brenda Seberger, Amber Belvill Carroll, Peggy Supak, and Theresa Mueller. State guests and officers of Court Annunciation No. 1962. Seated from left, State Secretary Debbie Johnson, Second Vice State Regent Virginia Olsovsky, State Treasurer Janet Purdy. Standing from left: Recording Secretary Carolyn Weishuhn, Court Chaplain Fr. Chris Smith, Vice Regent Marilyn Kothmann, Regent Sherry Hebert, Financial Secretary Shirley Antosh, Treasurer Aimee Krause; State Spiritual Enhancement Chairman Mary Lou Anderle, State Youth/JCDA Co-Chairman Peggy Supak, State Ways and Means Co-Chairman Cynthia Novak, and JCDA State Second Vice President Celeine Fabre. Milestone Membership Pins were presented. From left: Second Vice State Regent Virginia Olsovsky, Fifty-year pin to Doris Lidiak, Twenty-five-year pin to Michelle “Shelly” Zbranek and Jean Heger, Seventy-year pin to Lorine Bertsch, Vice Regent Marilyn Kothmann, Regent Sherry Hebert, and Court Chaplain Fr. Chris Smith. Diane Wessels and Debbie Kleiber were unable to attend. Court Annunciation No. 1962 Education Contest winners were announced and awarded their prizes. Pictured with the winners are the committee members and CDA notables. Seated from left: Second Vice State Regent Virginia Olsovsky, Melinda Dunk, Kirtley Kallus, Ava Wied, Hallie Gross, Lyla Westberry, Mary Catherine Streiff, Gunner Janish, Chezni Berdoll, Helen Streiff, Leticia Solorzano, and Maira Benitez Martinez. Standing from left: Education Contest Chairman Rita Sulik, Robin Zapalac, Sophia Solorzano, Malee Kleiber, Jaylia Lucio, Sam Janacek, Court Chaplain Fr. Chris Smith, Krislee Kallus, Ella Nygren, Henry Gross, Maddox Kleiber, Ethan Scott, MaKenna Emmel, Debbie Hausmann, Adelyn Emmel, Mason Kleiber, Madison Markwardt, Orlando Solorzano, Karen Janda, Regent Sherry Hebert, and Karissa Kleiber. Unable to attend were Jaycee Zapalac, Aby Garza, Marley Vasek, and Zach Kocian.
TheAnnual Family Dinner and 59th Anniversary of Court Annunciation No. 1962 of La Grange, Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA), took place on Sunday, April 6, at the La Grange KC Community Center. The social hour began at 3:30 p.m. followed by the Welcome given by Mistress of Ceremonies, Regent Sherry Hebert. She invited everyone “to reflect upon your gifts to help serve our Lord, our community and our Court. Praying and working together as a group, we can continue to make a world of difference.”
The Invocation and Blessing of the Meal was given by Rev. Fr. Chris Smith, followed by a dinner of roast beef, brown gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetable blend, homemade bread, tea and coffee, and desserts of chocolate fudge, strawberry, and white cakes.
After dinner, Regent Hebert introduced the people seated at the head table, namely, Court Chaplain Rev. Fr. Chris Smith from Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange, Transitional Deacon at Sacred Heart Parish Deacon Kingsley Ohaeri, Second Vice State Regent Virginia Olsovsky of Flatonia, and Court officers, Vice Regent Marilyn Kothmann and husband Jim, Recording Secretary Carolyn Weishuhn and husband James, Financial Secretary Shirley Antosh and husband Gary, Treasurer Aimee Krause, herself, Regent Sherry Hebert and husband Mark.
Also recognized were Deacon Kyle Janda and wife Katie and family from Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange, Deacon John McCourt and wife Eileen from the neighboring parishes in Plum and Hostyn, CDA State Secretary Debbie Johnson of Pearland and State Treasurer Janet Purdy of Weimar, Court Annunciation members who serve as State Chairmen - State Youth/ JCDA Co-Chairman Peggy Supak, State Ways and Means Co-Chairman Cynthia Novak, and State Spiritual Enhancement Chairman Mary Lou Anderle and husband James all of La Grange, and JCDA State Second Vice President Celeine Fabre of La Grange.
The program then began with a Reception of New CDA members. Membership Chairman Marilyn Kothmann was called on to present the seven candidates and she welcomed Megan Brown, Yolanda Cuellar, Maira Benitez Martinez, Patricia Castillo Sanchez, Martha Soto, Jenifer Tharp, and Cindy Weishuhn. Administering the CDA membership pledge was Regent Hebert. Stacy Ryza, Beatrice Ortiz, and Jacinta Cano serve on the membership committee.
Financial Secretary Antosh spoke about the Court’s history stating that on March 23, 1966, Court Annunciation No. 1962 was instituted with thirty-six Charter Members. She recognized the four living Charter Members while Regent Hebert presented gifts of appreciation to Lorine Bertsch, Doris Lidiak, Marian “Polly” Supak, and unable to attend was Anna Mae Hajovsky. After Fifty-Nine Years, Court Annunciation No. 1962 has over 330 members serving the Lord through the many projects and programs of the CDA.
Next, members who achieved milestone membership years were recognized and thanked for their loyalty by Regent Hebert. Second Vice State Regent Olsovsky and Vice Regent Kothmann presented the special pins while Regent Hebert named the recipients: twenty-five years - Jean Heger, Michelle “Shelly” Zbranek, and unable to attend was Debbie Kleiber; fifty years – Doris Lidiak, and unable to attend was Diane Wessels; seventy years – Lorine Bertsch.
The winners in the CDA National Education Contest sponsored on the local level by Court Annunciation No. 1962 were announced by Chairman Rita Sulik, while Karen Janda presented the certificates and monetary prizes for 1st place $20, 2nd place $15, and 3rd place $10 to the excited winners. The winning entries were on display and the Contest themes were “How do I feel when I forgive?” and “He who forgives an offense seeks love,” (Proverbs 17:9). The first-place entries were sent for judging at the CDA State level with State winners to be revealed at the upcoming April 23-27 CDA State Convention in Dallas. Committee members in addition to Sulik and Janda are Leticia Solorzano, Karissa Kleiber, Debbie Hausmann, and Maira Benitez Martinez.
The local Education Contest winners: Division 1 (Grades 4-5): Essay – 1st Helen Streiff, 2nd Chezni Berdoll, 3rd Gunner Janish; Poetry – 1st Helen Streiff, 2nd Hallie Gross, 3rd Gunner Janish; Art – 1st Marley Vasek, 2nd Adalyn Emmel, 3rd Ava Wied; Computer Art – 1st Ethan Scott, 2nd Krislee Kallus. Division 2 (Grades 6-7-8): Essay – 1st Mary Catherine Streiff, 2nd Lyla Wesberry; Poetry – 1st Henry Gross, 2nd Zach Kocian, 3rd Maddox Kleiber; Art – 1st MaKenna Emmel, 2nd Jaycee Zapalac, 3rd Kirtley Kallus; Computer Art – 1st Sam Janacek; Photography – 1st Aby Garza. Division 3 (Grades 9-10-11-12): Essay – 1st Orlando Solorzano; Poetry – 1st Madison Markwardt, 2nd Orlando Solorzano, 3rd Mason Kleiber;Art – 1st Ella Nygren, 2nd Madison Markwardt, 3rd Orlando Solorzano; Photography – 1st Jaylia Lucio, 2nd Malee Kleiber. Division 4 (Adult CDA Members): Poetry – 1st Melinda Dunk; Art – 1st Robin Zapalac, 2nd Melinda Dunk; Photography – 1st Sophia Solorzano, 2nd Melinda Dunk, 3rd Robin Zapalac.
A $500 donation to the Sacred Heart Catholic School Library in La Grange was given in honor of the Court’s Chaplain Fr. Chris Smith and Spiritual Advisor Deacon Mike Meismer, and in memory of Msgr. Harry Mazurkiewicz who had been Court Chaplain for over forty years. The announcement was made by Regent Hebert while Treasurer Krause presented the gift to Sacred Heart School Principal LaDonna Voelkel and Fr. Chris Smith.
Memorial Scholarships of $600 each were awarded to seventeen high school graduating seniors who are children of Court Annunciation No. 1962 members or members of JCDA Court Annunciation No. 1962. In addition, two Memorial Scholarships of $300 each were awarded to JCDA Outstanding Members. Committee Co-Chairmen Stacy Ryza and Elizabeth Kallus announced the named Memorial Scholarships while memorial family members came forward and presented the scholarships to their recipients. Assisting were Scholarship Committee members Peggy Supak, Marilyn Freedman, Brenda Seberger, Theresa Mueller, Beatrice Ortiz, and Amber Belvill Carroll. Appreciation was conveyed for the generous donations to the scholarship program made by memorial families, friends, members of Court Annunciation, and the community .
Extending his congratulations during the various events and presentations was Court Chaplain Fr. Chris Smith.
Recording Secretary Weishuhn read the names of people sending their regrets and blessings on not being able to attend, namely, State Regent Carolyn Ritchey, Immediate Past State Regent Rebecca Brown, and Deacon Mike Meismer.
State Regent Carolyn Ritchey sent her message that was conveyed by Second Vice State Regent Olsovsky. In it she mentions regretting not being able to attend because, “being with all of you is like being with family, and I appreciated your hospitality every time that I attended your family dinner.” She went on to say, “I want to congratulate Stacy Ryza again on her efforts in membership recruitment and for receiving the St. Faustina Award at the 2024 National Convention. You truly deserved that award.”
She also said, “Liz (Kallus), you and your committee have found a way to make the evening better and better each year, and for all the efforts, time, and talent, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”
Then she congratulated all the contest winners and those receiving scholarships and ended by saying, “May God continue to bless you in all that you do and remember, where God guides, He provides.”
Gifts of appreciation were presented to the three State CDA officers by the local officers.
JCDA State Second Vice President Fabre shared a message. She stressed the importance of being useful in your life and encouraged girls to join the JCDA. She also thanked those who have helped her in her life. Regent Hebert gave her a gift of thanks.
In her Closing Remarks, Regent Hebert thanked everyone for attending the annual event and extended special thanks to various people, after which she invited Fr. Chris to give the Benediction and Closing Prayer.