On Line Lodge Bulletin

         The month of August is now upon us. We are still on the summer schedule. There will be one meeting on the third Wednesday of August. The dress for the meeting will be casual pants and shirt.
         The week of July 5th through July 11th I attended the National Elks Convention in St. Louis, Missouri. I am proud to say that New York gave a fine showing at the meetings. There were 18 resolutions presented to the whole body this year. Most of them were minimal changes to our order and the way things are done. There were a couple of big issues presented. However, they were defeated. More information will be coming at a later date.
         The two National Scholarship winners were in attendance at one of the meetings. They are fine young people who have worked hard tb achieve their goals. They are very deserving of these scholarships. They will both be attending Harvard in the Fall. Also attending, were the two Hoop Shoot finalists. Both of them are 10 years old and both shot 24 out of 25 baskets to win this year's award. It makes me proud that we as Elks support the youth. The youth is our future. Let's continue to support them in our Youth Activities Programs.
         Well that's it for this month. Take care and be safe.

Fraternally,
Wayne Hubbell, ER, PER, PSVP
wchubbell@ yahoo. com

KLANG ROBERT 3
SCOTT GARY C 4
Shelton Perry W 4
HALL HOWARD C 5
CUTTING LOREN M 8
STILL RICHARD W 9
Puerile Christopher D 10
PIERSON ROBERT R 12
NORTON JEFFERY 13
PELOSO MARTIN F 14
SCHUNK THOMAS M 15
BURR D. CRAIG 16
GARDNER RANDY 19
MCCORMICK PAUL J 22
GLENN CHARLES J 23
Mann, Sr. David A 24
DE FRANCISCO MICHAEL W 25
Dodge Robert 26
KRUM PAUL 26
SEJERSEN JOHN L 26

YANSON CARLTON L 26
Christensen Dorthea J 27
FELSKE ROBERT W 27
HERMAN EUGENE 28
KELLY EDWARD J 28
LATUS WILLIAM G 28
MCCUMBER STANLEY F 28
NIMSGER DONALD 28
BENSON DORSON 30
Morley Brian S 30

LADIES AUXILIARY

Harris, Amy 7
Peterson, Ramona 12
Puffer, Joan 13
Dann, Carla 14
Sejersen, Laura 19
Feltman, Francine 26

Wednesday Night Dinner
August 20th. 7:00 PM
Steak $8.75

         As we start through life, and with few problems, and continue through life until we have completely devastated ourselves with so many complicated situations, we become immune to what is out there and what is available to or for us.
         Do we involve ourselves with daily problems by over grouping? Joining whatever organizations, clubs, church groups, social groups - and the list goes on, to hide from stress or uneasiness that we really can't admit exists at home, at work or other places?
         Or maybe we dedicate ourselves to just one organization. "I can only serve one God at a time"! And we are so important, that they can't do it without us...
         I'm probably guilty of all of these! No, I know I've been guilty of all of these! And I'm not saying it's a bad thing. For some, the Escape is necessary and well advised.
         Being a lone wolf, or the black sheep of our family, I find it easy to view others that are very family oriented. I'm jealous. I haven't had that during my last 26 years of employment. In fact, I had trouble considering my work family as family. They would praise me one day and turned their back the next.
         But I enjoyed many of my fellow workers. They were super. Some people having abilities that I could never posses.
         Simplicity becomes perplexity. Life's story goes on! I don't like it, but who am I?
         My past 7 years as an Elk member has been most rewarding and educational. Not only did I have to "study" again, which I hadn't done in years, but also, I was obligated to memorize some most beautiful Ritual. If the Ritual weren't so interesting, I don't think I could have done it.
         Responsibility! That's a big one. I was responsIble for taking care of things I was asked to do or volunteered to be in charge of. As Exalted Ruler, it covered a large scope of
things from the Newsletter to all the Committees and Activities that took place in and out of the Lodge.
         I said this before and I'll say it one more time for those who have not heard it. The greatest thing that happened to me these past 7 years Is "Maturity" within the Lodge Organization and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks..
         The Order of Elks has taught me to be a better person and it is my obligation to live up to that outside the Lodge as well as in the Lodge In the coming years.

Tom Adams, PER

With a continuing loss in our Order's membership since 1981, the Laws of the BPOE Elks were amended to permit Lodges to offer incentives to members who recruit new or reinstated members. Even though every Elk should see the obvious need for their Lodge to maintain membership to continue to exist for their own enjoyment, and there should be no hesitancy or embarrassment when inviting a friend or neighbor to join America's finest fraternal organization, the numbers still fall. Your Grand Lodge Membership Committee, to provide even further inducement for every Elk and Lodge to take the matter of membership seriously, introduced additional incentives and provided posters to be displayed in every Lodge. The latest figures do show that together we are beginning to turn our membership toward the "plus" side, but have not yet reached that magical goal.
We must impress every member with the importance of that precious right which holding an Elk Membership Card grants: to decide which of our fellow citizens out of possible millions - are worthy of being admitted into our fraternal family. To be know as an Elk has been a cherished honor across America for well over a century, and our devout adherence to Patriotism has certainly brought both added respect and interested candidates to our Lodge doors following September 11th. By all logic, our Lodges should have candidates on waiting lists because our buildings cannot fit any more members in, yet that's not the case. Why? If it were announced that a national telemarketing firm had been contracted to make EVERYONE in your community members of your Lodge, in complete disregard of your feelings about their individual conduct or character, ruin would result. Whatever membership increase this might bring, the gains would be meaningless with the destruction of a carefully nurtured fraternal atmosphere. Your Lodge would have all the camaraderie of a bus stop. Only by the invitation of an Elk can a non-Elk ever aspire to a valued place among us. if we don't ask, many of our community's worthy citizens pass the years without enriching both their own lives or contributing to the success of your Lodge. Each present member has the power to shape Elkdom's future positively or negatively, not only by those chosen to join us, but by choosing not to select anyone. Our Motto says ELKS CARE - ELKS SHARE. if we don't, we aren't true Elks. Think about it, and act NOW!

Sincerely & Fraternally,

Lowell D. Stephens, Chairman
Grand Lodge Membership Committee

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