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 UCT's 2007 Fraternalists in Action selected UCT's 2007 Fraternal MVP's (Most Valuable Participants) to the National Fraternal Congress of America's (NFCA) Fraternalists in Action program are: Carolyn Dobschensky, Gerald (Jerry) Pauli, Sherry Polsgrove and Donna Hayes. The program is a two-pronged initiative to recognize outstanding fraternalists and to educate public officials about the importance of fraternal benefit societies. Click here for details. We are pleased to announce that Carolyn, Jerry, Sherry and Donna have been recognized by the NFCA for their achievements. We are also proud that Carolyn was selected as one of this year's Fraternalists in Action to travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with her state's senator to be recognized for her fraternal accomplishments and to share her fraternal story. 
Carolyn S. DobschenskyCarolyn S. Dobschensky of Saginaw, Mich., has been a member of Saginaw, Mich. Council 43 for 24 years. Her membership actually totals 30 years when including the years she spent as part of the Ladies’ Auxiliary. She became a member of UCT in order to learn about leadership and she believes she has achieved that goal by working extensively at the local, Grand and Supreme levels to help advance UCT’s mission. Carolyn has become involved in a number of community activities through UCT, one of which is volunteering for an annual golf outing that raises funds for a local rescue mission. The most important activity, however, is through Community Village, an assisted living facility in Saginaw. Carolyn serves as president of the annual Strawberry Festival, which raises around $5,000 annually and contributes such "extras" for Community Village’s residents as bowling, color tours, museum visits, theatre outings, lunches and Christmas gifts. The Festival involves 175-200 volunteers from various groups and Saginaw Council 43 sponsors the Food Court, which has about 30 members volunteering each year. In 2006, Carolyn was awarded the "Volunteer of the Year" plaque from Community Village. Though she appreciates the recognition, she considers the greatest reward to be the good feeling that comes from seeing the Village’s residents engage in activities they wouldn't be able to enjoy if the Strawberry Festival did not take place. During her time in the Ladies’ Auxiliary, Carolyn received honors at the local, Grand and Supreme levels. She is still active in the Auxiliary Past Supreme Counselors’ Association and currently serves on the May E. Tisdale Educational Trust Fund committee, which awards annual scholarships to the children and grandchildren of UCT members. Carolyn has served through the line of offices of Saginaw Council 43, earning her Past Counselor honors, and she has served through the Michigan Grand Council’s line of officers, earning her Past Grand Counselor honors. She has worked on most of the council committees at the local level, most importantly at Bingo, which contributes generously to the community. On the Grand level, she was most recently convention chairperson, and she currently holds the position of Grand Promotional Director. She has served on the auditing committee on the Supreme level and chaired the installations for Past Supreme Counselor David McKay and Supreme Past Counselor and Chairman of the Board David Piper. 
Gerald T. Pauli
Gerald T. (Jerry) Pauli joined Frontier Council 727, Cheyenne, Wyo., in 1970 with the idea that he was probably never going to be terribly active, that it was just an opportunity to go to dinners with nice people. His attitude has certainly changed during his 36 years of membership. As Jerry became more and more active within his local council, he learned how important fraternalism is to its members and the local community. He discovered through his fraternal activities that he enjoyed reaching out and helping others, especially those less fortunate than himself. He found in fraternalism friendships that can last a lifetime. Jerry, along with his wife, Jo Ann, has become the heart and soul of Council 727, and is literally involved with every project the council takes on. Whether it is coordinating the local safety poster contest for people with intellectual disabilities, selling Seeds of Hope to raise money for the UCT Charities Trust Fund, or holding an annual JOIN HANDS DAY event, he is at the center of it. Jerry is also responsible for motivating Council 727 to get involved in supporting the local Veteran's Administration Hospital and Nursing Home. Each year council members bake hundreds of cookies for hospital patients and nursing home residents and each Christmas they decorate two trees. Under Jerry's guidance the council has also come to support a local homeless shelter, collecting coats and clothes to donate each year. The Pauli home has also become the center of much of Council 727's fraternal activity where most of the monthly meetings and many of the holiday gatherings take place. Jerry has served through the line of offices of Council 727, earning his Past Counselor honors. He has also functioned as the council's secretary-treasurer for 25 years. He has also served through the line of the Colorado-Wyoming Grand Council, and earned his Past Grand Counselor honors. He has served on the Grand Council's executive committee for 21 years. Through the years, Jerry has received many plaques, certificates and letters of appreciation for his fraternal activities. While he appreciates the recognition, he remains active because he values the fraternalism - and the dinners, too, of course! 
Sherry Polsgrove
Sherry Polsgrove has been a member of Russellville, Ark. Council 665 for 14 years. She is a second generation member her father was active with UCT for more than 30 years and brought her into the organization. Sherry believes in UCT’s motto of “People Helping People” and shows it by putting pride and commitment into every project she is involved with, focusing on positive results for both UCT and the community. In fact, for Sherry, who has been known to drive more than 150 miles round trip in one day to visit hospital patients and to take food to the homes of the sick and bereaved in the community, “People Helping People” is more than just a motto. It's a way of life. A dedicated fraternalist, Sherry spearheads or is involved with nearly every project Council 665 takes on, including assisting with Thanksgiving meals for people with disabilities, volunteering for Special Olympics tournaments and fund raisers, participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and coordinating programs for underprivileged youth. Other community activities she is involved with include an annual countywide cleanup, an annual food drive for a local mission, the local Veteran’s Day parade, a local Meth Project Awareness Day, and holding a JOIN HANDS DAY event with local youth each year. In addition, Sherry is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Merchants Association. She was on the list of the 1992 Outstanding Young Women of America and was named the 1998 Ambassador of the Year by the Bryant, Ark., Chamber of Commerce. In 2004 she was honored for her service to the Arkansas River Valley Baptist Association and in 2006 was named UCT’s Fraternalist of the Year. Sherry has served through the line of offices of Russellville Council 665, earning her Past Counselor honors, and she has served through the Arkansas Grand Council’s line of offices, earning her Past Grand Counselor honors. While Sherry appreciates the recognition her efforts have brought, she finds the best thing about her UCT experience is that it is not about her but about helping others. Bringing joy to other people through her fraternal activities is what truly makes her happy. 
Donna J. Hayes
Donna Hayes became "unofficially" involved in UCT's Hot Springs, Ark. Council 493 as a partner to her husband, Tom, when he became the council's senior counselor. Since women were not admitted as organization members at the time, Donna functioned unofficially as the council's secretary-treasurer until 1982 when UCT finally admitted women as full members. She then became Council 493's official secretary-treasurer. She was the second woman in Arkansas to become a UCT member and the first to become a local council secretary-treasurer. Whether it is participating in the annual Tootsie Roll Drive, ringing bells for the Salvation Army, purchasing Christmas gifts for underprivileged children, sponsoring a local youth program or building a float for the local Christmas parade, Donna has been at the forefront of UCT's activities within her local community. She has served for 30 years on the board of directors of First Step School, a local daycare center for people with disabilities, and has been fundamental in helping the school to grow. She also serves on the board of On Our Own, an independent housing program for people with disabilities, and considers her involvement with both projects to be her proudest volunteer achievement. Donna has earned her Past Counselor honors as secretary-treasurer of Council 493 and her Past Grand Counselor honors after serving six years on the Grand Executive Committee for the Arkansas Grand Council. She is currently serving as Grand Secretary for the Arkansas Grand Council and was recently elected secretary for the International Secretary-Treasurers' Association (I.S.T.A.). Her volunteer efforts have led Donna to be recognized with the Arkansas Volunteer Award and nominated for the Hot Springs “Works with Charities” award, but she considers being a UCT member - part of something that affects so many people in a positive way - a way of life and the best reward of all. |
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