BPOElks

HARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A West Virginia fraternal club is fighting back in the wake of a raid that seized its 144 video raffle machines. Clarksburg's Elks Lodge 482 asked a judge Thursday to block ongoing attempts to take away its alcohol, charitable gambling and video lottery licenses. Kanawha Circuit Judge Paul Zakaib accepted the petition and set a July 16 hearing.

Hundreds of people in Santa Maria were enjoying some sunshine on the final days of the Elks Rodeo. For the third and final performance the crowd enjoyed some team roping and bronc riding action at the Unocal Event Center.

Ranting and rambling on the Elks Rodeo By Brad Memberto / Sports Writer / bmemberto@santamariatimes.com "Are you Kidding Me?" "How come?" "Really?" "There's no way - How long have you lived here?" "Come on - why not?" Those were the comments of the first five people who I knew that I ran into Friday night at my first visit to the Elks Rodeo. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it was my first rodeo.

Wal-Mart recently offered to buy the Tacoma Elks' property at S. 23rd Streets and Union, but the organization turned down the retail giant's bid. "Wal-Mart was one of the bidders -- but I won't take that one," Gary Gaimbrone said Wednesday. Gaimbrone is the Tacoma Elks' special representative and is in charge of the lodge, including the property's sale. Gaimbrone said Wal-Mart's bid was close in price to the one he plans on presenting to the membership. "The problem with Wal-Mart is that they have too long of a contingency period," Gaimbrone said, adding that he was concerned the company would come back with a lower bid during that time period.

etaluma Elks Lodge The Petaluma Elks Lodge No. 901 is a 1,170-member fellowship that is part of the national Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks. Like the Moose and the Masons, the Elks are a social group that finds ways to serve others. According to club president Bobbi Galbraith, the Elks are second only to the federal government in the amount of scholarship money it gives to students. The Elks also support programs that help the families of children with disabilities and provide eyesight screening tests in schools to detect problems and get the children the help they need early on.

The Blairsville Elks will hold its annual Flag Day service at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Blairsville Cemetery, where Elks' officers will conduct a ceremony honoring the history of the country's flag. Also, the Marine Corps League Rolling Rock Detachment No. 738 will assist with the proper retirement of flags. Snacks will be provided and refreshments will be available at the Elks Lodge at North Stewart and Campbell streets. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held at the Elks Lodge.

BENNINGTON - The Bennington Elks Club will honor the town's resident senior track master, Bob Matteson, with a special ceremony at its Washington Avenue lodge on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The event will begin with a Flag Day ceremony, after which Matteson will be honored and presented with a resolution adopted by the Vermont State Legislature that "congratulates (Matteson) on his extraordinary accomplishments as a masters runner." Vermont governor James Douglas is scheduled to speak at the ceremony, as is Speaker of the House and longtime Matteson family friend Shap Smith.

I guess if we have to take people in as members who will not affirm their faith in God then what's the point?

Re: "Belt tightening hits Tacoma Elks Club" (TNT, 6-10). My husband and I had dinner at the Elks Club during an open invitation to the public last year. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, and the food and service were very good. We were considering joining the club and asked for an application. One of the questions on the application was, "Do you believe in God?" We consider our personal beliefs to be a private matter. Truly, personal faith is no one else's business.

Honoring the flag Exalted Ruler Rick Gowan addresses the crowd at Howard Elmer Park during a Flag Day celebration. BY BRIAN BISHOP STAFF WRITER Published: Monday, June 15, 2009 6:08 AM EDT SAYRE - The American flag was honored in a ceremony at Sayre's Howard Elmer Park on Sunday. The Sayre Elks Lodge 1148 hosted the event, in which members of the Valley Color Guard presented many of the former designs of the American flag as a history of the flag's many changes over the years was read by Elks Trustee Al Engelbert.

On Jan. 23, 2006, U.S. Army Sgt. Matthew Hunter laid down his life attempting to preserve the lives of others. And on the 203rd birthday of the most enduring symbol of American freedom, the U.S. flag, Matthew's father, Fred, received a symbol of his son's courage when he was presented with a Medal of Valor by the Wheeling Elks Lodge 28 during their annual Flag Day ceremony at Heritage Port on Sunday. A Valley Grove native, Hunter served in Iraq as a senior combat field medic with the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. He was killed in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol.

Lafayette resident Bill Bray served as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force for five years. Advertisement After being stationed in Panama City, Fla., and Germany, he returned to Lafayette finding it difficult to meet other veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Bray didn't have to try hard to find fellow veterans Sunday night at the Elks Lodge 143 just outside of West Lafayette. The Elks hosted a Veterans Recognition Dinner that honored veterans who have served in the military since Sept. 11 or families of veterans who've died since the

NEWARK -- World War II veteran Robert Kemp, 90, of Newark proudly presented his pre-1959 -- with 48 stars -- during the annual Flag Day program on Sunday at the Courthouse Square gazebo. Advertisement "I just happen to love it," the U.S. Army veteran said of the United States' flag. "I wear one all the time."

Great interview Debbie. Thanks!

Question: How long have you been an Elk and how did you begin to rise through the ranks of Elkdom? Answer: This is my 11th year. As an Elk, if you are married, your spouse can go in (the club) all the time with you. But I did not have a male who was a member, so I had to join as a female as a member of the lodge. I had a friend of mine propose me, and that's how I became an Elk. I joined Dec. 21 of '98 ... and there was a change of officers (that year). We had no chaplain that year. And I had a dream in the shower that I'm going to be the next chaplain. Dave Myers was the exalted ruler at that time. It was a couple of weeks later, I was sitting at the club, and he (tapped me on the shoulder), and I turned around and said, ``Yeah, I'll do it.'' He said, ``What?'' I said, ``I'll be chaplain.'' He said, ``How did you know.'' I said, ``I dreamed I was going to be your next chaplain.'' I was chaplain for six years. I was appointed by six different exalted rulers.

MARTINS FERRY - Perhaps it's the fact that James L. Nichelson is the oldest of 10 children. Or maybe it is his education, military or law experience that make him what he is today. Whatever the cause, this Martins Ferry resident's unique abilities will soon be realized by a national audience. On July 9 in Portland, Ore., Nichelson, 61, will be installed as the Grand Exalted Ruler - national president - for the Protective Order of the Elks. He is the first Ohio resident to be named to the post in 38 years.

mike jones's List: Elks Americanism

The families of two fallen soldiers were the guests of honor Monday at a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Elks Lodge 859 of Bryan. Mark Kay Edwards received the Elks Medal of Valor for her son Billy, who died in Iraq in 2007. He spent two years at Texas A&M before joining the army. "For them to remember us and give us something special for Billy, it just makes it all the more special," she said. "He was a great kid for us. But knowing that everybody else remembers him and honors him, you know that just makes us feel good."

SUMMIT -- The local Elks Club is enjoying a resurgence in membership, and Exalted Ruler Mike Williams is fairly sure he knows why. "It's the charitable works we do," he said, "and the comradeship we have here, both social and charitable." Members of the lodge, headquartered on the second floor of a downtown Maple Street building, abide by four principals: justice, charity, brotherhood and fidelity.

Cleaning out the attic never yielded such treasures. When Suzanne Ernst, Adele Nielson and Brett and Lori Rundquist decided to see what was up in the attic of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 507, they had no idea what they might find. Durango auto dealer custom residential construction Click image to enlarge Photo by NICK MANNING/Herald Jean Gaiovnik, left, and her husband, Leonard Gaiovnik, look at lodge pins from Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks lodges from around the country dating back as far as the early 1900s during a reception held May 17 in the newly reopened museum at Lodge No. 507 on East Second Avenue. Old gaming materials, items used for club rituals in years gone by and some things whose purpose remains a mystery turned up.

The Elks club picked eight high school seniors to pair up with local leaders for the annual Elks' Youth Leadership Day. Six of the students were from Bayonne High School, one was from Holy Family Academy, and one from St. Peter's Prep.