On Line Lodge Bulletin

The History of Flag Day

         The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have originated in 1885, BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of official adoption of The Stars and Strips) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as "Flag Birthday", or "Flag Day".
         On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14,1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadellphia held a Flad Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.
         Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvanian Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the may of Philadelphia and all other in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter that day be known as 'Flag Day', and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.
         Two weeks later on May 8th, the Board of Managers of Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution unanimously endorsed the action of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames. As a result of the resolution, Dr. Edward Books, then Superintendent of Public Schools of Philadelphia, directed that Flag Day exercises be held June 14, 1893 in Independence Square. School children were assembled, each carrying a small Flag, and patriotic songs were sung and addresses delivered.
         In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises, On June 14th, 1894 under the auspices of the association, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more then 300,000 children participating.
         Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K.Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning:" I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself."
         Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
         Please join us, on Sunday June 13th, for our " Flag day" Celebration!

Fraternally,
Sue Fletcher, ER
fletcher@mkl.com

Ladies Auxiliary News

         Our May meeting was very well attended with 23 members present and one guest.
The Auxiliary presented past President Pins to Jean Selleck, Patricia Greene, and Ruth Campbell and thanked them for all that they have done for the Sidney Elks Lodge Auxiliary. Congratulations and Thank You for a job well done!!
         Tom Adams, Chairman of the Elks Lodge 2175 Annual Goif Tournament, spoke to the Auxiliary at our meeting on May 10th and thanked " everyone" who participated in the tournament on Saturday, May 8th. (This year's Greenies were Margaret Jester, Sherri Pell, Mary Ann Hoskins, Martha Gardner, Doris Dean, and Fred MacDonald.) He also thanked Jean Selleck for her help after the Tournament. A Big THANK YOU to all of you who helped this year and I think we all agree we had a wonderful time.
         Our winners for the Auxiliary Raffle Tickets are:
1st Prize-Patti Earl
2nd Prize - Sharon Harris
3rd Prize - Teresa Knapp

         Our Auxiliary Alumni Weekend Breakfast is'scheduled for Saturday, July 17, 2004 from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. We have a sing-up list for volunteers. Please see Brenda Philpott if you can offer at least one hour of your time for this function. We are again asking both Elks members and Auxiliary members if you can help us. The following members have volunteered to be on the Alumni Breakfast Committee this year: Brenda Philpott, Francine Feltman, Sylvia Roberts. Our plans are still moving along very well and our menu will be similar to last year. The price will be $5.00 per person (children under 5 free).

BINGO KITCHEN
         I am still working on the 2004 Bingo Kitchen schedule. I have been calling and will still be calling many other Auxiliary members to see if you can work *one* Thursday throughout the YEAR to help us. We have had great response so far from many members who have not worked the Bingo kitchen for some time and hope more of our Auxiliary members can volunteer too. The Bingo Kitchen is very important to the Sidney Elks Lodge and every Auxiliary member that can help us would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you can volunteer for even one Thursday a year. If anyone can volunteer to bake for Thursday night Bingo please let me know and I will add your name to the list that we have started. (563-3008)
         Our next meeting will be June 10th at 6:00 PM. We will be having a "dish to pass" dinner before our meeting. Bring your husband or significant other for a great dinner. Hope to see more of you at our meeting

Sincerely,
Brenda Philpott
President

DALTON I I JAMES W 2
HOLOWACZ, JR PHILLIP A 2
Heath William V 2
SMITH HARRISON K 2
MAZZARELLA LOUIS R 3
CUMMINGS LAWRENCE H 5
FRAWLEY THOMAS D 5
Mazzone Bruce A 5
STAFF CARL R 6
Basile Robert J 7
BARNHART JAMES A 8
Kerr Robert 8
BAUMES PHILIP 14
KRAMER GERALD 14
ZAHN WAYNE 14
FALISKIE ANTHONY J 15
WOOD EDWIN A 17
SIMMONS THOMAS C 18
HOWLAND EDWIN R 19
KELLY ALAN C 20
ROBILLARD RICHARD G 20
GREENE PAUL 21
ZIENO ANTHONY J 22

Sowersby Afton T 23
BRYDEN LAUREN S 24
HARRISON GEORGE A 25
NORDBERG STANLEY L 25
VANVORIS ROBERT K 25
CLEAVER DAVID R 26
HAYWARD RAYMOND 26
MCGOWAN JAMES F 26
EATON, JR PAUL F 27
FENLON WILLIAM 28
GREENE ALLEN 28
MIRABITO JOHN J 28
MC KOWN JOHN C 30

LADIES AUXILIARY

Anderson, Kimberly 2
Phillips, Bette 2
Dean, Doris 4
Marchese, Mary Beth 6
Jester, Elizabeth 7
Doherty, Irene (Cordes) 22
Rude, Janet 28

TENTATIVE PROGRAM AGENDA
METS GAME/FLAG DAY
JUNE 18. 2004

• OPENING CEREMONY
• FLAG CEREMONY
• VIETNAM/P.O.W. HONOR GUARD (possible 21-gun salute)
• NATIONAL ANTHEM PREFORMED
• PARTICIPATION GROUPS

a) 204th ENGINEERS BATTALION

b) SOUTHERN TIER ANTIQUE MILITARY VEHICLE CLUB
c) VIETNAM/P.O.W. HONOR GUARD
d) SINGER OF NATIONAL ANTHEM (not yet determined)
e) IRAQ/AFGHAN RETURNING VET - FIRST PITCH
f) BALL GAME
g) FIREWORKS

Please let it be known that there is going to be a GRAND SURPRISE included in the ceremonies, but because it is surprise, we can't tell you. (In military terms;" If we told you, we'd have to kill you!!)

This is going to be GREAT program for you and your family and friends. If you miss it, you will be sorry.
Advanced tickets available at the bar for $ 4.00 each.

ELKS GOLF TOURNAMENT

Our many thanks goes out from the golf tournament committee to all those that made this years golf tournament a huge success.
Special thanks to those who were instrumental in inspiring all of us on the golf course to "just do it" and have fun.

Tom Adams, Barb Butler
Terri DeRoche, Sharon Harris
Brenda Philpott, Bobby V., Margaret Jester, Queen Greenie

Father's Day
All you can eat
pancake breakfast
Sunday, June 20th
8:00 A.M. -11:00 A.M.
Father's and children under 5
eat free all others pay $ 5.50

SIDNEY HIGH SCHOOL
BASKETBALL TEAMS
Roast Beef Dinner
Tuesday June 5th
Serving 4:30 - 7:30 P.M.
$ 7.50 Adults $ 5.50 Kids

Flag Day Ceremony
We will be holding our Flag Day Ceremony on
Sunday June 13th, starting at 2:00 P.M.
There will be a light buffet following the ceremony.
All are invited to attend.
Bar will be closed during the ceremony.

Bingo Committee Meeting

Monday June 14th, 2004 @ 6:30 P.M.. As newly appointed Bingo Chairman, I am looking forward to meeting with All of the people who currently volunteer their time to work Bingo on Thursday evenings. I also challenge old and young members who do not currently work Bingo, to come to the meeting and give us your ideas on how we can lighten the load on those who already volunteer their time. As every Elk is aware or not aware, Bingo plays a substantial part in the money that this Lodge donates to help support activities, groups and programs within the Community. The people who currently work are the same ones week after week. It's time to get some new faces in here and make it so, that a few people can have some time off. So, I hope to see old faces as well as new faces at the meeting.
If you can, please attend.
Thank You, Ralph Gschwind

The 15th Annual SCO Elks Regional Drug Quiz Show
Winner goes on to win the State Competition.

On May 10th Maine Endwell Middle School traveled to Syracuse to compete in the Eckerd Drug Quiz Show Finals. They showed their knowledge of the hazard of Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco use by winning the 2004 New York State Eckerd Drug Quiz show Championship Title. The Maine Endwell Team members are: Paul Gordon, Kyle Spellman, Nunzio Giambrone, Andrew Barbarino, Kevin Spellman and Advisor John Goodrich. Thank you to the Lodges of the Southern Central District for stepping in to rescue the Regional Competition that allowed these remarkable students to go on and win the New York State Title. We should all be very proud of our efforts.

Phil Holowacz, SCO Drug Awareness Chairman
Kathy Neiss, SCO Elks Drug Quiz Show Regional Coordinator

Thank You
to Robin Miner and his
crew, for the delicious
"Mother's Day"breakfast,
Wonderful job done by all.

Any Member or Lady submitting material for the Newsletter must have it in the Newsletter
envelope by the Lodge entrance, no later than the 2nd Thursday of the month.

Material not submitted by this date will not get printed in the following month's Newsletter.

Tales Of

Two One Seven Five

Sidney Elks Lodge