Derby Day Horses at Their Gates.
A Derby Race Winner Congratulated by Gloria LeCouvre.
Derby Day Hat Winners.
The Women and Their Derby Day Hats (Gloria LeCouvre at extreme left).
Elks Lodge Holds Derby Day to Raise $1,500 for Handicapped Children
While the thoroughbreds were competing for the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge No. 2444 (“Elks Lodge”) thoroughbred members held their own “Derby Day” to raise money for its State Major Project, the “Purple Pig”. All California/ Hawaii Elks (“CHEA”) Lodges give their members piggy banks the color of purple to collect coins for its State Major Project. Other events; such as this Derby Day event, also raise money for the “Purple Pig.” The funds are used to provide therapy to children with major physical problems: occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language therapy. CHEA employs its own medical personnel to deliver this therapy. It also provides vision screening for children throughout California and Hawaii. Derby Day was organized by Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Gloria LeCouvre.
After viewing the real running of the Kentucky Derby on wide screen TVs with Mint Julep Toasts, the Elks Lodge Derby Day races commenced within the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home”. The lady guests all wore beautiful hats as one would at the real Kentucky Derby. Six jockeys were selected and mounted their broom stick horses at one of six racing lanes. Each horse was designated with a name such as; Smarty Jones, Uncle Mo, etc. A throw of a large die determined the advancement of the horses through six race posts. The first to pass post six was the winner. After winning the race, the jockey was photographed under a flower arch with a dozen roses and a trophy. Derby Day included seven races.
In addition to prizes for the races, there was a raffle for the best ladies hats. Prizes were donated by thirty-two (32) businesses from Aliso Viejo, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo, Ranch Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Temecula and Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada (attached Exhibit A).
Derby Days raised over $1,500 form the States Major Project which provides help to handicapped children.
Elks Lodge Honors Local Youths for State and National Awards — Scholars Receive $12,000
(L)Brianna Colavita; Irene Romero (Americanism Essay Chairperson).
(L) Sydney Harvard; Irene Romero (Americanism Essay Chairperson); Allyson Fost; Megan Cunningham; Deion Pagaduan; Gloria LeCouvre (Exalted Ruler); Allison Zundel.
(L) Hal Mattson (Citizen of the Year); Jill, Holly and Clint Nagasugi; Gloria LeCouvre (Exalted Ruler); Sarah, Morris and Roz Maissy; Donna and Larson Ishii.
(L) Julia Brozek; Gloria LeCouvre (Exalted Ruler).
(L) Lauren Kyriakidis; Gloria LeCouvre (Exalted Ruler); Deniz Ozbek; Samantha Madsen; Sarah George not present.
(L) Connor, Greg and Carson Haskell. Bekim Djorkovic not present.
(L) Front row: Gloria LeCouvre (Exalted Ruler); Dennis Lumley (Scouting Chairperson); Troop Leader Jeff Smith; Back Row: Members of Boy Scout Troop 603.
(L)Gloria LeCouvre (Exalted Ruler); Mayor Dave Leckness.
(L) Santa Ana Lodge Front Row: David Perry (Scholarship Committee), Chyi Dean Shu, Aishvarya Gupta, Aaron Harris; Back Row: Jean Miller (Scholarship Chair), Rachael Matson, Esmeralda Ruiz, Phoebe Ann, Marietta Parkinson (Scholarship Committee), Jessica Liu, Dick Reger (Scholarship Committee), Julia Frances Ostman, Constance Moorhead, Megan Bailey.
At Youth Appreciation Night, Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge No. 2444 (“Elks Lodge”) honored Saddleback area youths for winning local, state and national awards.
The evening’s program began with the posting of the colors by Boy Scout Troop 603 and the Pledge of Allegiance to our nation’s flag. Boy Scout Troop leader is Jeff Smith.
The Elks Lodge received proclamations from the cities of Laguna Hills, Mayor L. Allen Songstad, Jr., Laguna Niguel, Mayor Gary Capata, and Mission Viejo, Mayor Dave Leckness. The Mission Viejo proclamation was read to the audience by Mayor Leckness who praised the youth of the community and also said, “The Elks’ contributions to Mission Viejo and other surrounding Saddleback Valley communities are immeasurable.”
Elks Hoop Shoot Awards were given to: 1. Carson Haskell: 8-9 year old boys local champion; 2. Connor Haskell (Ladera Ranch Middle School): 10-11 year old boys local, district, state and area 7 champion and 5th out of 12 entrants at the nationals. 12-13 year old local boys: Bekim Djorkovic (not attending).
Americanism Essay Contest Winners at the District level were: 5th/6th grade: Brianna Colavita (de Portola Elementary), Allyson Fost (Rancho Canada Elementary), Sydney Harvard (Lake Forest Elementary); 7th/8th grade (All from La Paz Intermediate): Deion Pagaduan, Allison Zundel and Megan Cunningham. Each received a $100 US Savings Bond from the Elks Lodge. Allyson, Sydney, Deion, Allison and Megan have also advanced to the state competition.
The following Girl Scouts received the Girls Scouts Silver Award: Troop 1195: Julia Brozek; Troop 1267: Samantha Madsen, Deniz Ozbek and Lauren Kyriakidis (Sarah George not present). Troop leader for the Girl Scouts is Leeora Beck.
All youths that won a $4,000 scholarship had GPAs much higher than 4.0: Sarah Maissy (Trabuco Hills High School) will attend UCLA this fall, Holly Nagasugi (Tesoro High School) will attend Seattle Pacific University this fall and Larson Ishii (Capistrano Valley High School) will attend Harvard this fall.
In a separate program at their Lodge, Santa Ana Lodge No. 794 recognized ten (10) youth winners (see attached photo).
The Mission Viejo / Saddleback Elks Lodge No. 2444, celebrating forty-one (41) years of service to the Saddleback Valley communities, is one of ten 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 143 year history of giving, “Elks Care, Elks Share.”
