Letters

Dear Mr. Cindrich:

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to fellow Croatians in Houston, TX area for their part in recently hosting an awards ceremony in my behalf at the Ukrainian Catholic Church in north Houston.

During the evening, I was honored with the Croatian "Pleter" medal conferred on behalf of the late President Franjo Tudjman. The Croatian Government's honor was presented to me by Croatia's Ambassador to Washington Dr. Miomir Zuzul, and Croatia's Consul Dr. Miso Munivrana of Los Angeles, CA, during an awards ceremony in conjunction with the Slavic Heritage Festival.

My thanks goes to both Dr. Zuzul and Dr. Munivrana for being at the ceremony. I am also grateful to Dr. Martin Hrgovcic, founder and board member of the Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge 1836, in Houston, who introduced me and my wife Helen, to the Slavic crowd gathered that evening at the Ukrainian Church Social Hall.

I am deeply honored with this award. This honor is not really mine alone, but belongs to all those who labored for so many years, for a free and independent Croatia: my wife, Helen, included.

I shall never forget the spring 1992 picnic of the Lone Star Croatian Club on Dr. Hrgovcic's ranch near Houston, when we prayed and anxiously awaited word of recognition of Croatia by the Bush administration. It was a rainy day, and we had a tough time getting out of the ranch that evening because of the heavy rain. The recognition came within days of the picnic once Mr. Bush and his associates realized there was no other option, but to recognize a country that was yearning to be free for years.

I have been rewarded dearly by being honored by the nation of my ancestry.

I am grateful for Croatian community leaders in Houston like Ralph Subotich, founder of the Lone Star Croatian Club; Dr. Martin Hrgovcic, founder and first president of the CFU Bluebonnet Lodge 1836; current CFU Lodge 1836 President Damir Skerl, and the current Lone Star Club's president Ratko Segvich, and many others in our Croatian community in Houston, who annually place a tremendous effort in making the Slavic Heritage Festival a success.

I am extremely proud of my Croatian honor. Just as I am proud to be an American and a Texan, I am equally proud of Croatian heritage.

Eck Spahich Lodge 1836

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