“Each year we look forward to reading the essays of the students. The patriotism reflected in the essays is very inspiring” – Elks Volunteers Screened Over 100 Essays!

Clint McDonald, Elizabeth Hazell and Irene Romero

Elks Lodge Local Americanism Essays Screened for District Competition

Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge No. 2444 (“Elks Lodge”) volunteers screened over 100 Americanism essays submitted by Division I (5^th, 6^th) and Division II (7^th and 8^th) students from the Saddleback Valley and Capistrano Unified School Districts. This year’s competition required students to submit an essay of 250 words or less on this year’s essay theme, “What Does the National Anthem Mean to Me?”

Only three entries from each Division will be sent to the Elks Orange Coast District (“OCD”) for further competition. Finalists from the OCD will be sent to the California-Hawaii Elks Association (“CHEA”) competition. The CHEA winner will be announced in May.”

Richard and Lynette Holmes and Irene Romero

Elks Lodge Essay Chairperson and Past Exalted Ruler Irene Romero said, “Each year we look forward to reading the essays of the students. The patriotism reflected in the essays is very inspiring.”

Elks Lodge volunteers reviewing the essays were:

Lake Forest: Irene Romero

Laguna Hills: Jan Newberry

Mission Viejo: Shirley Bauchiero, Elizabeth Hazell, Richard and Lynette Holmes, Clint McDonald and Hal Mattson.

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