Army Vietnam Veteran Larry Regalado with Elk Kathy Andrews (Lake Forest)
at Long Beach Hospital
Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge No. 2444 (“Elks Lodge”) recognized military veterans at two separate events.
Elks Lodge volunteers brought gifts and duffle bags of appreciation to military veterans at the Long Beach VA Hospital. The gifts included bags of clothing, 60 shaving kits, 40 lap robes, bingo prizes and other items.
Total estimated value of the items brought to the vets exceeded $4,000. In the hospital recreation room, the Elks volunteers served refreshments to approximately 50 veterans that were playing the Elks administered bingo games. The Elks volunteers promised the vets they would return during the Christmas holidays.
David Schnicke and Gwen Williams
The second event was a military veteran’s recognition program. Elks Lodge President, Jason Spence (Rancho Santa Margarita), welcomed military veterans and honored guests to the Lodge. Boy Scout Troop 603 posted the American Flag and led the pledge of allegiance. Then the troop posted the flags of five branches of the military (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard) and the black MIA flag. Hymns of the five military branches were played by Elks Lodge organist, Andy Costello. Taps was played by Bugles across America District Director (Orange County to the California-Mexican Border), Michael Timson. The military veteran’s recognition program was created by Master of Ceremonies and Elks Lodge past president, Jim Humphrey and Veterans Committee Chairman, Dennis Lumley.
Mission Viejo Mayor Rhonda Reardon and Elks Lodge Past President Jim Humphrey
Guest speaker was Frank Sellers currently serving as Elks Vice Chairman for the Army of Hope and Orange Coast District (“OCD”) Veterans Service Officer at the Long Beach VA Hospital. Dignitaries recognized during the event were Mission Viejo Mayor, Rhonda Reardon, Laguna Woods American Legion Post 257 Commander Mike Thayer and Vice Commander John Draper.
Gwen Williams, (Lake Forest), Elks Lodge Veterans Committee and OCD National Veterans Service Member presented a certificate of appreciation to long time Elks Lodge Veterans Committee member, David Schnicke (Mission Viejo), who also accepted certificates on behalf of retailers All Star Pizza and Santora’s Pizza, Sub and Wings Inc. for their several hundred dollar donations to the Elks Lodge military veterans program. Gwen also announced that the Elks Lodge had adopted active Marine Staff Sergeant and wounded warrior Evan Ehlin (not present at the event) who has served five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among other gifts, the Elks Lodge will be providing Sergeant Ahlin and his family with holiday gift baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Mission Viejo / Saddleback Elks Lodge No. 2444, celebrating forty-three (43) 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 145 year history of giving, “Elks Care, Elks Share.”
Hal Mattson, Lodge Publicity
Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge No. 2444
