According to “History of SNPJ,” SNPJ stands for Slovenska Narodna Podporna Jednota, which translates into Slovene National Benefit Society. It is a fraternal organization that emerged in the early twentieth century to provide insurance for Slovenian immigrants who, as many immigrants before and since, came to the United States in search of a better life.The first SNPJ organization in the southeastern U.S., Samsula Lodge 603 was organized in 1926. A permanent meeting place–the lodge hall–was constructed in 1940, but was destroyed by a tornado on December 25. A new building (the current structure) was completed and dedicated on July 4, 1941, after a fund-raising campaign.

Farmers farm, but they also have families and social lives, and the SNPJ Lodge has been at the center of social life for Samsula since its inception. For many years, the “Hall” has served as not only a meeting place for Lodge business, but as a social hub of the community. Weddings, wakes, and holiday celebrations bring people together, as do fundraisers for community members in need and meetings to discuss significant items of community interest. The Hall helps people stay connected with each other and with the community’s historic ethnic traditions.

Anyone for kielbasi and sauerkraut?