Mission Viejo Elks Host Annual Auction

by Tenisha Campanile

The Mission Viejo-Saddleback Valley Lodge # 2444 recently hosted the 2022 Leading Knight Stud Auction! What an AMAZING evening full of camaraderie and friendly bidding competition. The room was packed with Elks from all the Lodges within the District. The auction had 31 wonderful items to be auctioned off and Scott Stephens (PDDGER) was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

The Lodge was honored to have Orange Coast District Leaders, Past State President Art Echternacht & Shirley, and CHEA Government Relations Chairman Tom Lemm and Valarie enjoying in festivities and participating in the bidding.

Big thanks go to all the winners who helped raise over $21,000 in support of your OC District Leading Knights as ERs next year.

Thank you to all the Volunteers who helped to make this night a successful event. Joe Connell and his Kitchen Crew, and Greg Morgan (PER), thank you for an outstanding dinner of Flat Iron Steak, Pork Chops with Apple Chutney, baked potatoes, and asparagus. Orange Lodge #1475 assisted by serving our guests. Thank you to Linda Cimmarusti (Leading Knight First Lady), Barbara King (Lodge First Lady), Victoria Stokes, Lynette Holmes (Lodge Tiler), and Debbie Spicer for your support and management of the auction items throughout the evening. Thank you to Rick Moscoso (ER) for your great photos and Jerry Flores for assisting with setup and take down. Thank you also to Elks Ladies, Lodge Trustees, Veterans Committee, and Lodge Officers for your baskets that were donated – this truly was a fun-filled event and raised much-needed funds for next year.

The Mission Viejo-Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge #2444 is celebrating over 50 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 152-year history of giving. “Elks Care Elks Share”. For information regarding Elks programs or Elks membership, call 949 830-3557.