By Andy Costello
The Mission Viejo, Saddleback Valley Elks conducted their monthly new member initiation welcoming eleven local residents to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. New Elks from Mission Viejo are Christopher Bigelow, Sandra McEwan, and Carl Anders. Lake Forest residents are Monica Marcal, Delores Roberts, and Marlene Tingley. New Elks from Rancho Santa Margarita are Kirk Wyrick, and Victoria Ross. Audrey Grider of Laguna Niguel, Jamie Pollitt of Trabuco Canyon, and Terry Waer of Fountain Valley also joined the local Lodge.
Exalted Ruler (Lodge President) Mike Klinger invited the new members to their first social event on Monday when the Elks hold their annual Memorial Day picnic and service. The Elks will pay tribute to our veterans, our fallen military heroes, and active service men and women. “We are so privileged to have many members who are veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars as well as members who are presently serving abroad. We are especially proud of our World War II veterans who are still active members of our Lodge. Many of these men and women will attend our Memorial Day service and picnic and will pose for our annual Veterans Day photograph. The event is also a fun outing for members and their guests with food, music, and dancing. You won’t want to miss it.”
In other Elks news, Exalted Ruler Klinger and his officers recently returned from the California, Hawaii Elks Association Convention in San Diego where they attended conferences and seminars on Elks charities and Lodge management responsibilities. The highlight of the Association was the introduction of the Elks Theme Child for the 2018 Elks year.
This year’s Theme Child John, was born with a rare chromosome anomaly called partial Trisomy 16p. Early-on one of the more significant issues John had to deal with was hypotonia. This means low muscle tone which affected the strength throughout his body. John began receiving physical therapy through the Elks Major Project in his home when he was just 10 months old. Today the two-year-old is attending preschool two days a week; He is pulling to stand by himself and walking with assistance.
Through the love and generous support of the Elks, children like John are getting much-needed physical Therapy so they can play, explore and be as independent as possible in their lives. The Elks Major Project raises funds to staff twenty-seven (27) Therapists in California and Hawaii who made 18,794 in-home visits treating over 351 special needs children this past year. The Therapists also conducted 43.968 preschool vision screenings and drove a total of 376,530 miles in their work. The final day of the annual convention features a walk by the Exalted Rulers of each of the 170 Association Lodges. Each Exalted Ruler presents the total of the funds raised by his or her Lodge for the year for the Major Project. Exalted Ruler Klinger was proud to announce the Mission Viejo, Saddleback Valley Lodge’s record donation of $78,000. This year’s Association donations totaled $3,500,000, a new record for the California and Hawaii Lodges.
Lodge #2444 is celebrating 49 years of service to Saddleback Valley Communities. It is one of 8 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.
Andy Costello
Elks Grand Lodge Area 7
Marketing & Membership Committeeman
