WFL Lodge No. 44 donates bicycles, keeps busy amid the pandemic

Published 8:00 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2020

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President Dan Rayman had the WFL Lodge No. 44 bike give-away Aug. 29 at Glenville Days, according to a press release. Hadley Johnson, daughter of Sarah and Brian Johnson of Glenville, won the 20-inch Sweet girls’ bike; and Kadian Jorgenson, son of Traci Jorgenson  of Austin, won the 20-inch Airflex boys’ bike.

Trustee Craig Rayman was a parade organizer, and also drove the convertible carrying his mother, parade Grand Marshall JeVonne Budach.

On Sept. 4, Rayman, trustee Frances Kycek Schulte and vice president Dan Belshan and his wife, Bonnie, raised and dedicated a new 6-foot-by-10-foot flag with the Pledge of Allegiance, and it flew over the Lodge property for Labor Day weekend through Patriot Day.

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Lodge officers continue to meet by phone, text and email. They do frequent upkeep on the hall grounds.

COVID-19 has put a damper on Lodge No. 44 meetings and projects, but members remain active in their communities, the release stated. Leland and Ann Estes, the couple who usually have a fundraising pickle basket at each Czech Fest, donated fresh garden produce to senior friends and neighbors. Kycek Schulte visited the elderly through the window at a nursing home and made other in-person visits where they spoke Czech. Mike and Martha Krikava continued their mask-sewing, sewing masks for school children and 50 masks they gave for use at the next indoor Lodge meeting (whenever the group is allowed to safely meet again). Jan Svoboda made masks for the Jim Smith scholarship fundraiser. Arlene Hajek rode at the head and Roger Rayman rode at the tail of the Dean Greibrok Memorial Tractor Ride, which took advantage of the shade on the Brick Hall grounds to check the machines. Joan Krikava remained active with the New Ulm Area Girl Scouts council board.

The group extends sympathy to the families of Gladys and Fred Belshan and Bernie Moucha upon their recent deaths, the release stated. All three of them were 75-year members of Lodge No. 44 and enjoyed activities at Brick Hall, especially events with music and dancing.