Branch Information

Slovenian Union of America national branches offer meetings, events and fellowship in many U.S. cities and towns. For more information about a branch listed below contact him/her directly or contact the national home office by e-mail sua@slovenianunion.org or call 815.727.1926.

No branch near you? If you would like to organize a branch in your area contact,  Bonnie Prokup, National President at wprokup@aol.com. Help is here!

Branch 1, SHEBOYGAN, WI
Mary Ann Schellinger, President, rhmas@yahoo.com;   Denise Schueffner, Vice President, denschueffner@yahoo.com ;  Marilyn Hendricks, Treasurer, marilyn9818@att.net.  We meet every other month. If the meeting is on a Sunday, it is after the 9 a.m. Mass at SS. Cyril and Methodius Church. Special events such as member-of-year celebration and Christmas get together are held at a local restaurant. (Meetings aren’t normally scheduled during the summer months.)   Contact: Betty J Repenshek, Secretary at tbrepenshek@charter.net .   We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting!

Branch 2, CHICAGO, IL
Frances Morrison, President, 708-485-7306.  Vice President, Joseph Worth, 814-465-0173. Terrance Morrison, Secretary/Treasurer, 708-485-7306. Deborah Morris, Recording Secrretary, bearideb@gmail.com . Daisy Zeleznikar, Zarja Reporter, nkyz121@aol.com      Meetings are held on the third Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. in the lower hall of St. Stephen’s Church located on the corner of 22nd Place and Damen Avenue in Chicago.

Branch 3, PUEBLO, CO
Maragaret Cullen, President, 719-564-6137;  Secretary/Treasurer, Elieen Kaplan, 719-564-4716. Bernice (Hiza) Krasovec, Zarja Reporter,  bkrasovec8@aol.com;   Under the direction of Eileen Kaplan and Margaret Cullen we meet at 12:30 pm on the first Tuesday of each month May through October at St. Mary’s Parish Hall, 307 E Mesa Avenue, Pueblo, CO. See you then!

Branch 5, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Phyliss Fon, President,  pyhlisswu5@aol.com ; Karen Zarich, Treaurer, potica@aol.com ; Mary Dragn, Secretary, mary_drgn@yahoo.com.  Branch 5 meets on Saturdays 6+ times a year after 4:30 Mass at Holy Trinity Church. Pitch-in dinner follows; bring your favorite Slovenian dish – your recipe or Grandma’s!! Meeting dates are published in the Holy Trinity bulletin, TRINITARIAN and by mail. Family and friends are always welcome!

Branch 10, Cleveland, OH

Stephanie Segulin, President and Zarja Reporter 216-451-1876;  Ann Stefanic, Vice President; Theresa Dagg, Secretary/Treasurer, 216-451-1876.

Branch 13, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Doreen Sustarich, President, 415-468-5039; Anges Leach, Vice President, 415-285-3776; Moreen Spencer, Secretary spencermj1@aol.com; Barbara Chicdo, Zarja Reporter  bchiodo@comcast.net  Meetings (except July and August) are held on the first Thursday of each month at 12 noon at the Slovenian Hall, corner of Vermont and Mariposa Sts., San Francisco. Lunch and meeting. We have a Pot-Luck lunch in June and a Christmas party in December. Our Mother’s Day luncheon is held in June at a restaurant to be determined.

Branch 16, SOUTH CHICAGO, IL
Marjorie Mitchell, President, marge.mitchell@gmail.com; Mary Jane Strus, Vice President/Treasurer, 773-768-5127;  Therese Rossi, Recording/Coressponding Secretary, terrirossi@comcast.net;  Dolores Franko , Zarja Reporter, dolores60617@yahoo.com. We meet January through May and September through December on the second Saturday of the month at 1:00 p.m. at St. George’s Hall, 95th & Ewing Ave., Chicago.  The December meeting will be a Christmas luncheon held on the 2nd Saturday but at 2 p.m., instead of 1:00 p.m, at a local restaurant.

Branch 20, JOLIET, IL
Charlene Kobe, President, char.kobe@gmail.com ; Jeanne Warsaw, Vice President, warsaw7@gmail.com; Diane Hohenwater, Recording Secretary, moviefan99@comcast.net; Robyn Coyne, Corresponding Secretary, rjcoyne@sbcglobal.net; Jean Herbst, Treasurer, bobbijeancat@gmail.com;  Patricia Shager, Zarja Reporter, patricia.shager@att.net. Branch 20 meets every third Tuesday of the month (except June, July and August) at St. Joseph Park Hall (Raynor and Theodore Streets) at 7:00 p.m. with a guest speaker. The last Sunday of the month in September we hold our annual “Grape Festival ” at St. Joseph Park Hall from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. The December meeting is a Christmas party and held on the third Sunday of the month.

Branch 23, ELY, MN
Geraldine Petrich, President, gpetrich@citlink.net; Bonnie Nissen, Vice President; 218-365-4572; Mary Jo Pouchnik, Secretary, jpouchnik@hotmail.com . We meet on the first Monday of each month (except January, June, and July) at 6:00 p.m. at St Anthony’s Catholic Church Hall, 231 E Camp Street, Ely. We have a one-hour meeting followed by refreshments.

Branch 24, LASALLE, IL
Mary Ann Brunner, President, 815-538-7651; Linda Struna, Vice President, 3m2lj72@comcast.net;  Sharon Brady, Secretary, sharonbrady@aol.com ; Mary Pryde, Treasurer pryde1@comcast.com ; Donny Baldwin, Zarja Reporter, doomsports@aol/com. We meet in the Eureka Bldg on the third Thursday of March, April, September, October and November. In May we host a Spring Luncheon; in June, our annual picnic; and in December a Christmas party. There are no meetings in January, February, July and August. Join us if you can! 

Branch 26, PITTSBURG, PA   President Margaret Rosenberger; Janet Rosenberger, Secretary – rjose5@verizon.net

Branch 30 – consists of members, like myself, who do not live in a reasonable proximity to an existing Branch.  We are spread out across the country and lack the closeness of participating and sharing our heritage, as well as the opportunity to make new friendships. We can do something to change this situation!  Jan King, neighbor2slovenia@yahoo.com

Branch 33, DULUTH, MN
Mary White, President and Zarja Reporter, mary.white@usbank.com; Shirley May Hoppenyan, Vice President, 218-626-1288; Ann Marie Menart, Secretary, 218-626-1305; Jacqueline Rukavina, Treasurer, 218-626-2923.  We meet the first Thursday of each month at St. Elizabeth’s Church social hall, 610-99th Avenue West. No meeting in January, June and July. Occasionally we have a guest speaker. The October meeting is a dinner meeting held at a local restaurant in celebration of our founding.

Branch 35, AURORA, MN
John Stark, President- johnks6@yahoo.com; Marlys Rabb, Vice President/Zarja Reporter, 218-229-3110; Vida Lanari, Secretary, vmlfjl@mchsi.com ; Bernice Ceglar, Sec/Treasurer - bceglar@frontier.com;  Gabriella Goritchan, Recording Secretary/Zarja Reporter, 218-229-3472
Calendar
January – No meeting
Febuary 6th (dime auction)
March 6th
April 3rd
May 15th (12:00 noon, Member of the Year celebration)
June 16th-19th (National Convention)
July No meeting
August 14th
September ? (State Convention, Ely MN.)
October 2nd
November 6th
December 4th (12:00 noon- Advent Party)
Meetings are held at the Aurora Community Center on Main Sreet at 1:30 pm. New members and guests are welcome!

Branch 40, LORAIN, OH
Agnes Serazin, President, 440-324-3393,  Zarja Reporter, Stephanie (Turk) Polutnik – step@alltel.net  Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month in the Sts. Cyril and Methodius church hall. The meetings are brief and are followed by dessert and coffee. We have a wonderful group of faithful members and urge everyone to join our club.

Branch 42, MAPLE HEIGHTS, OH
Marge Church(Yemec) Church, President, yemec1@windstream.net; Jeanette Offutt, Vice President/Secretary, 216-662-4935; Lillian Sadowski, Recording Secretary/ Zarja Reporter, lrshadow@aol.com; Jacqueline Albers, Treasurer, jackiewalkin@sbcglobal.net .  We meet on the second Saturday in February, May, August and November at 11:00 a.m. at the Maple Heights Public Library in Maple Heights, Ohio. Christmas plans are in the making. Please join us.

Branch 43, MILWAUKEE, WI
President, Janice Gehm, twogames@wi.rr.com;  Betty Ann Kolesari, Vice President, kolesari1@wi.rr.com;  Mici Bregant, Recording Secretary/Zarja Reporter, edmar532@aol.com ; Tillie Skusek, Corresponding Secretary, jjstas@att.net; Helen Frohna, Treasurer, hfrohna@wi.rr.com. Meetings  are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 12 noon in the Constitution Room of the West Allis Public Library, 7421 West National Avenue, West Allis, WI. No meeting in July, August and December. Note:  The June meeting is in the evening; the January meeting is on a Saturday (our apres Christmas party); the February meeting is usually a Sunday brunch; and the May meeting is the Member of the Year luncheon where the honoree determines the date.

Branch 47, GARFLIED HEIGHTS, OH
Deborah Duris, President/Secretary dcduris@gmail.com; Diane Lee Fornaro, Vice President,runt10@aol.com;  Treasurer, Olga A. Dorchak oadorchak@aldelphia.net ;   Katherine Wallace,  Auditor, webbleakatt@hotmail.com; Kathleen J. Ferrante, Zarja Reporter, kjferrante@gmail.com . We meet on the second Sunday in March, September, and November at the Maple Heights Public Library. In May and December we meet on the first Saturda of the month. Call or email for exact location.

Branch 50, EUCLID, OH
Rosemary Toth, President - rosemarytoth@msn.com;  Cookie Maxim, Vice President, cookie45@sbcglobal.net; Josephine Wutchiett, Secretary, 440-944-5182; Maureen Podlogar, Treasurer, 440-946-1833; Rick Tomsick, Zarja Reporter, ricktomsick@gmail.com.  We meet every third Wednesday of the month except January, February, July and August at the Euclid Public Library on East 222nd St. at 1:00 p.m. We welcome new members, members whose branch does not have regularly scheduled monthly meetings and guests. We always have refreshments.

Branch 54, WARREN, OH
Louise Vett, President, 330-757-2577;  Elsie Shine, Vice President, 330-544-2104; Joanne Ponikvar, Secretary/Zarja Reporter,  harryeponikvar@embarqmail.com.  Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of February through April and September, and November. In May and December we meet at a local restaurant.

Branch 55, GIRARD, OH
Maria Selak, President, mselak@hotmail.com ; Joan Twaddle, Vice President, 330-759-1377; Anka Krakora, Secretary, 330-539-1032; Monica Selak, Zarja Reporter, mselak3@gmail.com.  We meet on the first Sunday of the month; February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December at 7 p.m. at 1575 Norwood Ave., Girard, Ohio.

Branch 71, STRABANE, PA   Beverly Rosselle, President, 724-873-0914; Helen Hervol, Vice President, 724-745-4676; Adelia Verakis, Secretary, adelia6@verizon.net ; Agnes Bostjancic, Treasurer, 724-746-1099

Branch 89, OGLESBY, IL
Barbara Bruch, President, barbarabruch@yahoo.com; Francis Morrison, Vice President, famorrison@gmail.com;  Rose Bell, Secretary, rosellen74@yahoo.com ; Terry Kamnikar, Tresurer, springstn92@yahoo.com ; James Ebner, Zarja Reporter, deadendbluff@yahoo.com . Our delegate and contact person is Barbara Bruch. We meet on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Dickinson House, 440 Dale Ave. Oglesby, Illinois in March, April, September, October, and November. Date and place for May, June, and December meetings are to be determined. No meeting in January, February, July, and August.

Branch 93, NEW YORK CITY, NY
Tanja Makovec Petrik, President, tanjamakovec@yahoo.com; Tanya Vajk, Vice President, vajkusa@aol.com ; Erika Bruno, Secretary/Treasurer;  Elizabeth Gross, Zarja Reporter, lgross@tstnyc.org.   SWUA Branch #93 NYC unites Slovenian-Americans and native Slovenians living in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Branch 93 (originally the Brooklyn branch), was reorganized in January of 2002 to encompass the entire NYC area. We hold regular meetings to provide resources, communication, and foster friendships in honor of our cultural heritage. We meet 5-6 times a year (usually a Saturday or Sunday, various locations) and communicate regularly via our yahoo user group. Men are welcome to join and participate too! Visit http://www.swuanyc.org and request to join our user group  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWUABranch93NYC

Branch 99, LEMONT, IL   Julie LaJoie, President,  jamp817@comcast.net; Paula Mavec, Vice President, pmavec@live.com ; Linda Schultz, Secretary, linda823@comcast.net; Monica Morrissette, Treasurer, mmmm13@msn.com ; Jana Hlade, Zarja Reporter, swuamembers@live.com.   We meet at various local restaurants or in the library of the Slovenian Catholic Center in Lemont, IL. Our schedule varies year to year. Please contact us for specifics. Yearly we host a Member and/or Mother of the year celebration and cooking and baking classes. On the last Sunday of October we hold our annual Bunco fundraiser from 1- 4 p.m. at the Slovenian Catholic Center. Our  cookie sale is held at the SCC.

Branch100, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Mary Lou Jensen, President,mljensen3@msn.com;  Linda Costell, Vice President, locstell@verizon.net; Jean Turnbull, Secretary, fjturnbull@verizon.net;  Joanna Farrage, Treasurer, larhus@gmail.com; Jean Koci,  Zarja Reporter, ajkoci@cox.net. Our meetings are held twice a year in the fall and the spring. We are so far apart (from the desert to the sea) and this is the best we can do. Meetings are held at a restaurant centered to make travel easier for most members. Our meeting this fall will be held Nov 11, 2007, 11:00 AM at the Slovene Hall, Fontana, CA. In the spring it will be held at Marie Callendar ‘s Restaurant in Corona, CA.

Branch 102, WILLARD, WI
Bonnie Brierton, President,  tombrierton@gmail.com; Agnes Debevec, Vice President, 715-267-6764;  Karen Spires,  Zarja Reporter,  kleespires@comcast.net.  We meet at Holy Family Parish Center in Willard, WI.  We meet in February, May, September and December on a day when the Parish Center is available. This is usually published in the Zarja under Branch 102 news. We always have a potluck lunch followed by our meeting. Give us a call!

Branch 103, WASHINGTON, DC
Mary Lou (Esposito) Terselic, President,  maryterselic@juno.com; Angela Percic, Vice President, 301-299-9244; Richard Terselic, Secretary, rat1@verizon.com ;  Mary Mejac, Treasurer, mmgram4445@rcn.com. We meet in the cafeteria after the 11 o ‘clock Slovenian Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. At the December meeting we will elect officers, who will then be installed after the Mass on the first Sunday of January. We are planning a Communion breakfast to follow The Mass sometime during the spring as determined by our members. If you visit the Nation’s Capitol, try to come to the Mass, meet the Slovenians gathered there, and then attend our meeting.

Branch 108, OLNEY, MD
Bernadette Kovacic Fitzsimmons, President & Zarja Reporter, bettekfitz@verizon.net; Lynn Koiner, Vice President, koiner@starpower.net ; May Kokal, Secretary, maykok@aol.com; John Klansek, Treasurer, jk8024@aol.com. We invite SWUA members, visitors and friends in the Washington, DC metro area to affiliate with our new Maryland branch. We meet on second Sundays in Feb., March, April, May, Sept., Oct. and Nov. for a 1:00 p.m. lunch meeting. Meetings are held in Olney, MD at Hunan Delight, The Olney Community Room, or other places that coincide with branch events. Guest speakers are featured regularly, and our members and juniors participate in parades, international book festivals and more in honor of our Slovenian heritage. Send an e-mail for details on upcoming meetings and events.

Branch 109, TWIN CITIES, MN 
John Zakelj, President, zakelj@cs.com; MaryAnn Setnicker, Treasurer, marykoroshec@comcast.net;  Norm Setnicker, Zarja Reporter, normas188@msn.com.  Meeting Place: Twin Cities Slovenians. website: www.twincitiesslovenians.org . We meet on the 3rd Saturday in the months of September-May. 9:30 a.m. at Little Venetian restaurant -2900 Rice Street, Little Canada, MN 55113. Major project: Festival of Nations Exhibit (1st week of May) St. Paul, MN.  ”Award of Excellence” for theme exhibit booth last 3 years running.

Branch 110, LAKE COUNTY IL  Mary Gornick Carmody, President,  mary.carmody@rockymountainpotica.com; Candi Pfeiffer, Vice President, candi.p@comcast.net; Nick Carmody, Secretary/ Treasurer, nick.carmody@rockymountainpotica.com