ELKS FINALLY GET THEIR NAME OFFICIALLY CHANGED
A long overdue presentation of an event from 1983 took place at the Past Exalted Ruler’s sponsored 38th Anniversary Elks Lodge Barbeque on September 21, 2008 At the 1983 Grand Lodge Convention, the Mission Viejo Elks Lodge proposed name change was approved in the presence of then Exalted Ruler Al Wakinekona. In 2007, then Exalted Ruler Hal Mattson requested a document from the Grand Lodge reflecting the name change. At the 38th Anniversary Barbeque, twenty-five (25) years after the fact and on behalf of all Lodge Past Exalted Rulers (PERs), Hal Mattson presented the Lodge with the certificate designating the name change of the Lodge to Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Lodge #2444. This name change importantly signified the Lodge’s expanded community outreach from just Mission Viejo to the entire Saddleback Valley. Over the past several years, the various Saddleback Valley newspapers have generously publicized this outreach to their communities, especially the distribution of dictionaries to every third grader in the valley, handicapped children’s charities and annual scholarships awarded to local high school seniors. Past Exalted Rulers attending the Anniversary Barbeque were Charles Hart, Richard Williams, Hal Mattson, Irene Romero (PER Association President), Bob Rusie, Norm Jones, Jim Humphrey, Jim Girton, Bill James, Dennis Keffer and and Newt Seal.
Andy
