- Croatian Fraternal Union
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The Croatian Fraternal Union LogoThe Croatian Fraternal Union (Croatian: Hrvatska bratska zajednica), the oldest and largest Croatian organization in North America, is a fraternal benefit society of the Croatian diaspora based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Its founders were Croatians from Allegheny City, Pennsylvania who sought to create an organization which could aid sick workers and help others cover funeral expenses. It was formed on September 2, 1894 as Croatian Union of the United States (which was subsequently renamed a year later to the National Croatian Society). In 1925, the National Croatian Society merged with several other Croatian fraternal organizations to form the present day Croatian Fraternal Union. After this merger, the organization was able to offer better, more efficient service to its members.
The CFU currently offers a wide variety of insurance plans. However, it has been an important group in preserving Croatian culture in North America, by supporting Croatian roots, and traditional tamburitza groups . The Zajedničar, the CFU's newspaper, has been in circulation since 1904 and currently provides insurance information, as well as providing details about CFU cultural events from around the continent.
One of the streets in Zagreb, capital city of Croatia, is called Street of the Croatian Fraternal Union. The National and University Library in Zagreb, one of Croatia's central cultural institutions, is located in that street. Josip Marohnić, founding father and first president of the CFU, also has a street named in his honor in Zagreb.
Contents
Current Officers – National Board
National President Bernard M. Luketich Vice President/Member Services Joseph M. Brigich National Secretary/Treasurer Edward W. Pazo Second Vice President Bernadette Luketich-Sikaras President, Board of Trustees Matt Turcol Secretary, Board of Trustees Pamela Plesh Weigand Member, Board of Trustees Don Langenfeld George Pavlecic Mary Krilich Joyce Michael Ricci Robert Luketic Current Officers – High Trial Board
President Richard Major Secretary Stan Blaz Michael Ricci Robert Panenic Catherine B. Obenour Carolyn Kotvasz Ladislav Meze Current Officers – Junior Cultural Federation
President Joan Kutz 1ST Vice-President Michael Vucinic 2ND Vice-President Goldie Malone Secretary Virginia Michtich Treasurer Mary Ann Mikula Trustees Patricia Wiegand Theodore Sebetich, Jr Emil Riccio Bernadette Luketich-Sikaras Janet Craig Board of Advisors Donald Weakley Ron Sabolcik Carol Sees Ex Officio Bernard M. Luketich Lodges – United States
ARIZONA 978 – Phoenix 1002 – Tucson CALIFORNIA 121 – Oakland 177 – Los Angeles 352 – Watsonville 434 – Sacramento 581 – Fresno 588 – San Pedro 612 – San Jose 619 – Roseville 641 – San Diego 677 – Los Angeles 730 – Dinuba 900 – San Francisco 929 – Mountain View 959 – Fontana 1007 – San Francisco 1983 – Sunnyvale 1987 – San Pedro 1989 – Sunnyvale 1991 – San Mateo 1993 – Los Angeles COLORADO 12 – Denver 402 – Pueblo CONNECTICUT 616 – Stamford DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 1976 – Washington 1984 – Washington FLORIDA 982 – Miami GEORGIA 1014 – Atlanta IDAHO 693 – Boise ILLINOIS 9 – Chicago 18 – Joliet 32 – Chicago 75 – Waukegan 175 – Joliet 201 – Dunfermline 202 – Chicago 217 – Benld 222 – Madison 228 – Lyons 229 – Chicago 367 – Canton 440 – Chicago 848 – Chicago 948 – Chicago INDIANA 57 – Whiting 154 – Chicago 170 – Merrillville 805 – Whiting IOWA 64 – Des Moines KANSAS 35 – Kansas City MARYLAND 684 – Baltimore MICHIGAN 69 – Caspian 259 – Hermansville 270 – Ahmeek 335 – Escanaba 351 – Detroit 533 – Battle Creek 561 – Flint 656 – Kipling 717 – Detroit 1015 – Grand Rapids MINNESOTA 94 – Eveleth 238 – Gilbert 316 – St. Paul 355 – Ely 513 – Keewatin 550 – New Duluth 635 – Virginia 664 – Nebish MISSOURI 50 – St. Louis 167 – St. Louis MONTANA 84 – Anaconda 987 – Lewistown NEBRASKA 101 – Omaha NEVADA 428 – McGill 1985 – Las Vegas NEW JERSEY 362 – Hoboken 760 – Camden NEW MEXICO 60 – Gallup NEW YORK 243 – Cementon 326 – Astoria 557 – Buffalo 789 – New York City 1981 – Astoria 1990 – New York City OHIO 47 – Cleveland 66 – Youngstown 136 – Lorain 182 – Warren 185 – Campbell 235 – Cleveland 310 – Columbus 337 – Euclid 403 – Cleveland 472 – Akron 514 – Canton 563 – Dayton 570 – Brewster 598 – McDonald 600 – Massillon 614 – Newton Falls 699 – Akron 859 – Cleveland 995 – Cleveland OREGON 130 – Portland PENNSYLVANIA 1 – Pittsburgh 3 – McKeesport 4 – Etna 5 – Johnstown 6 – Rankin 10 – Export 13 – Steelton 19 – Pittsburgh 34 – Pittsburgh 72 – Uniontown 79 – Dysart 80 – Smoke Run 85 – Rochester 126 – Farrell 141 – Pittsburgh 146 – Versailles 194 – Monessen 234 – Pittsburgh 248 – Clairton 274 – Homer City 279 – Whitney 304 – Ambridge 307 – W. Brownsville 309 – Bessemer 314 – Steelton 320 – Duquesne 327 – Donora 345 – Greensburg 354 – Cokeburg 423 – Aliquippa 432 – Yukon 508 – Greenville 522 – West Pittsburg 528 – Republic 535 – Midland 540 – Conway 541 – Trafford 567 – Canonsburg 576 – Bethlehem 592 – Simpson 602 – Verona 669 – Coraopolis 716 – Tire Hill 718 – Rankin 720 – Aliquippa 740 – Rices Landing 776 – Monaca 992 – Fairless Hills TEXAS 1836 – Houston UTAH 282 – Helper WASHINGTON 56 – Roslyn 246 – Tacoma 271 – Aberdeen 439 – Seattle 488 – Spokane 695 – Gig Harbor 867 – ESL Tacoma 1012 – Anacortes WEST VIRGINIA 2 – Benwood 523 – Warwood 595 – Weirton 606 – Bluefield WISCONSIN 392 – West Allis 599 – Sanborn 639 – Eagle River 680 – Ashland 692 – Kenosha 993 – Mukwonago 1959 – Milwaukee 1994 – Milwaukee 1995 – Sheboygan WYOMING 306 – Rock Springs 374 – Rock Springs Lodges – Canada
ALBERTA 503 – Calgary 520 – Edmonton 949 – Alberta BRITISH COLUMBIA 268 – Nanaimo 787 – Vancouver NOVA SCOTIA 786 – Stellarton 796 – Glace Bay ONTARIO 500 – Cambridge 501 – Ottawa 512 – Mississauga 515 – Toronto 525 – Mississauga 530 – St. Thomas 531 – Simcoe 545 – Etobicoke 617 – Welland 638 – Windsor 644 – Hamilton 648 – Kirkland Lake 650 – Toronto 679 – Thunder Bay 793 – Sudbury 874 – Huntsville 919 – Sault Ste Marie 930 – Schumacher 936 – Bothwell 954 – Hamilton 961 – West Toronto 975 – Toronto 977 – Toronto QUEBEC 739 – Montreal 814 – Val D'Or 866 – Montreal 990 – Montreal SASKATCHEWAN 521 – Saskatoon Lodges – Croatia
CROATIA 2000 – Zagreb 2001 – Ogulin 2004 – Koprivnica 2005 – Rijeka 2006 – Split 2007 – Županja Notable presidents
Anton Gazdić, first president of the Executive Committee for the Yugoslav Classroom at the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning.
See also
References
External links
Categories:- Croatian diaspora
- Organizations established in 1894
- Organizations based in the United States
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