BPOElks

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.

Kenai Elks lodge gets a makeover By Joseph Robertia | Peninsula Clarion Driving around Kenai it is quite common to see a moose, while seeing a bear is a little more rare, but motorists driving down Barnacle Way have been taking in an even more unusual spectacle: an 8-foot tall, 700-pound bull elk. "This past weekend we had people stopping and taking pictures of it," said Joel Macrander, exalted ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 2425.

he Longmont Elks last month distributed about $8,000 in scholarships to local graduating students. It was the latest of the lodge's contributions to the community, which follow from the four virtues the Elks embrace: charity, justice, fidelity and brotherly love.

The Somerville Elks Lodge Scholarship Committee supports the students of local high schools by providing financial scholarships to outstanding kids, based on their academic achievements and moral character. The administration of each school is charged with selecting the students to receive our awards.

After a year off, a longtime Santa Maria Elks Rodeo tradition - the queen contest - rides back into town for 2009, when a first-time event from 2008 also will return. The 66th annual rodeo begins Friday, June 5, and ends Sunday, June 7, at the Santa Maria Elks/Unocal Event Center, east of Highway 101 at Santa Maria Way.

The 66th annual Santa Maria Elks rodeo is in full swing. But, so far not as many people seem to be swinging by this year. So far, through two nights at the rodeo, everything has been pretty typical with one exception. The attendance is definitely down this year.