HAPPY NEW YEAR ELKS
Springtime and the Mission Viejo Saddleback Valley Elks are about to begin their new year. April is the start of the Elks year with a new corps of Lodge officers on hand and a full calendar of charity events scheduled. Thirteen (13) new members joined the local Lodge at a recent initiation meeting. From the City of Mission Viejo were: Rodney Bradley, Donna Brown, Patricia Reiger, Robert Ruesch, Yvonne Styhr, and Charles Washburn became members. San Juan Capistrano residents were: Richard Fentiman, Douglas Watt, and Claude Weatherwax. Laguna Niguel residents were: Thomas Basom and Franklin Gambino. Also becoming members were: Gary Beadle of Las Flores and Ronald Peterson of Rancho Santa Margarita.
New Elks seated L to R: Donna Brown, Yvonne Styhr, ER Mike Klinger, Patricia Reiger, Charles Washburn, and Claude Weatherwax.
Standing L to R: Robert Ruesch, Thomas Basom, Richard Fentiman, Franklin Gambino, Gary Beadle, Ronald Anderson, Rodney Bradley, and Douglas Watt
Newly installed Exalted Ruler (ER) Mike Klinger and his corps of officers conducted the impressive initiation ceremony. Following the program, ER Klinger said, “It’s wonderful to hear our new members talk about their reasons for becoming Elks. So often they say they had been looking for a way to give back to the community, but with limited hours or resources, they found it hard to find a reasonable way to do that. I love it when they say they finally decided that joining the Elks was the best way to accomplish that and have fun at the same time.” Longtime member and past ER Charlie Hart agreed saying, “Where else can you go to a Chili Cook-Off or a holiday BBQ and have a ball, while at the same time you know all the proceeds of the event are going to some needy charity? How can you beat that?”
The Mission Viejo/Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge #2444 is celebrating 49 years of service to Saddleback Valley Communities. It is one of 10 lodges in the Orange Coast District of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) whose headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois. The BPOE is a charitable organization with a 150-year history of giving. “Elks Care Elks Share” For information regarding Elks programs or membership, call 949 830-3557.
By Andy Costello
Photo credit: Mission Viejo/Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge #2444
