The Annapolis Elks Lodge News.....
Lodge Hours : 4-9 PM Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
5-9 PM Tuesdays, 4-10 PM Fridays, Sat/Sun see Calendar
Dinner served nightly 5-8 PM-Lodge Meetings 1st and 3rd Wednesday
5-9 PM Tuesdays, 4-10 PM Fridays, Sat/Sun see Calendar
Dinner served nightly 5-8 PM-Lodge Meetings 1st and 3rd Wednesday
Key Links.....
|
|
|
|
As the Elk year comes to an end, it is a time of reflection. This will be my last message as Exalted Ruler. I want to thank each one of you for the kind words of support, the many questions answered and the countless hours of time donated to our lodge. It has been a privilege to serve you.
As I reflect on the contributions of the Ladies of the Elks, I am saddened that our chapter has announced that they will cease to operate at the close of the Elk year in March. The LOE is an ancillary organization of the lodge whose roots are from a time when women were not admitted to full membership in the Elks. That did not prevent them from making significant contributions to our lodge and our community. Our chapter was started in 1950. The LOE supported ENF, children’s programming, and food baskets at the holiday season. They fundraised for supplies for the lodge and for scholarships for local students. For many years, they served the birthday dinners and decorated the lodge for the holiday season. They sponsored dinner dances and trips. More recently the LOE provided opportunities for fellowship among women of the lodge hosting bi-annual luncheons, which also served as fundraisers for their scholarship fund. I thank the Ladies of the Elks for their many years of heard work. Please know that you are appreciated and will be missed. I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize three individuals for their hard work this past year. I would like to recognize Lou Schmeltzer as “Elk of the Year.” Lou’s support and wisdom this past year was irreplaceable to myself personally and the lodge as a whole. Lou was an invaluable source of information as I attempted to familiarize myself with the Elks website and Elk statutes. He always pointed me in the right direction and never complained once. When we had a vacancy in the Secretary’s position, Lou stepped in guiding me until a replacement was found and then spending hours of his own time training the new Secretary. He is always available to both Denise and myself and if he doesn’t know an answer, he knows where to find it. If it were not for Lou, I cannot imagine how difficult these past several months could have been for our lodge. Next I would like to recognize Dana Forney as Officer of the Year. I relied on Dana’s opinions and ideas and appreciated his unwavering support. Beyond his duties as Leading Knight, Dana contributed to the lodge in many other ways: painting, working on our air conditioning system, and providing general expertise in building maintenance. He proved himself a master salesman selling candy bars and raffle tickets. He’s always willing to pitch in, be it serving in the dining room or leading a lodge work day. You simply couldn’t ask for a better Elk. Finally, I would recognize Lisa Daneman Lutz as Citizen of the Year. Lisa has not only provided extraordinary service to our lodge, establishing and maintaining the lodge’s landscaping and preparing our successful grant applications, she selflessly has served our broader community. Lisa founded and operates “Just One (Sweater)”, dedicated to providing warm clothing to those in need. Since 2019, they collected and distributed over 65,000 warm articles of clothing to those in need. They have recently expanded to provide immediate needs in the local community including school supplies and laundry detergent. She partnered with students from Southern High School to sort articles for donation to 5 local Annapolis area pantries. Lisa also supports the Eastport United Methodist Church Food Pantry. Lisa is an invaluable asset to our lodge and our community. I am proud to recognize her efforts |
Joannie Coleman-Casey, E. R.
What's on your mind? Send me an email....
|