Elks Lodge First VP Derek Randles (Laguna Hills), RTOC Board Member Sue Vranich (Tustin), Treesa Spencer (home owner), Elks Lodge Third VP Dave McLeod (Mission Viejo) and Jason Reber (Aliso Viejo)
Volunteers of Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge (“Elks Lodge”) repaired a home in Lake Forest with an Elks National Foundation (“ENF”) $2,000 Gratitude Grant.
Treesa Spencer of Lake Forest left her job to care for her 51 year old daughter, Roxanne, who is undergoing cancer treatments. A few months ago, Roxanne fell on an inside stairwell and broke her arm.
In addition to the stair’s railing, the home needed other repairs – a leak in the roof, replacement of a small patio wood deck and partial replacement of a patio cover. Treesa had a limited amount of funds to make these needed repairs to her home.
When the Elks Lodge was made aware of this situation, Derek Randles, Elks Lodge First Vice President, took action. He led the effort to secure the $2,000 Gratitude Grant from the ENF. When the grant was awarded to the Elks Lodge, he enlisted the assistance of third Vice President David McLeod. Derek, David and several other Elks Lodge volunteers immediately went to work and repaired the stair’s railing.
Repaired Patio Wood Deck
Next, the small patio deck was replaced. The roof required a professional roofer, so the Elks Lodge hired Jose Perez for that repair. Lastly, the patio cover was repaired with a combination of professional work from Cy Baumann, Rebuilding Together Orange County (“RTOC”) and the Elks Lodge volunteers.
Derek Randles said, “In the past ten years, I have been involved in home repairs for senior citizens through the RTOC charity organization. This first effort home repair project by the Elks Lodge was very rewarding. Our communities need to ensure that seniors can keep and enjoy the homes they have labored to buy over their working lives.”
Dave McLeod Working on Patio Cover
The Elks National Foundation is the national tax deductible non-profit of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks that helps local Elks Lodges build stronger communities. The ENF invests in communities where Elk members live and work. It provides tomorrow’s leaders, our youth, with lifelong skills; honor the Elks’ pledge to never forget our veterans; helps the state Elks associations accomplish their charitable objectives; and fund projects that improve the quality of life in local Elks communities.
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
Photos by Hal Mattson
