NEWS

News from the Maine Elks Association

December’s Winning Calendars

DecTicket #AmountNameLodge
1837$25.00Gary Raindon188
2943$25.00Gretel Anderson1008
31566$25.00Amanda Lema1470
4650$25.00Reece Ivey835
5377$25.00Kyle Charette1597
61432$50.00Tyke McKay244
71461$50.00Brook Green244
81633$25.00Rosalie Barker244
91452$25.00Adrian Labrecque244
1091$25.00Lynda Sperry2743
111014$25.00Marie Laplante1470
12996$25.00Janice Bachelder1470
13333$50.00Gloria D'Amico1597
1422$50.00Jeff Buzzell2743
15348$25.00Denise D'Entremont1597
16219$25.00Cindy Marsters244
17324$25.00Jennifer Campbell934
18249$25.00Pam Spofford244
19262$25.00Sara Turner244
20644$50.00Roger Graham835
21248$500.00Ray Bendure244
2280$25.00Elizabeth Gordon2743
2329$25.00Rhonda Boynton2743
241157$25.00Lana Ryan905
251421$25.00Jackie Jones244
2673$25.00Lewis Gordon2743
27584$50.00Wendy Barnies1293
28497$50.00Muriel Neil2430
29130$25.00Dave Anderson964
301454$25.00Emilien Bouchard244
311405$25.00Adam Freeman244

Rose Parade Recognition for BPOE

DRUM ROLL, ELKDOM! Isabella Coleman Award Winner!
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks – Elks USA 2026 Tournament of Roses float has won the Isabella Coleman Award for the most outstanding presentation of color and color harmony through floral design!
This prestigious honor celebrates excellence in floral artistry, and our award-winning float, Elks Care – Elks Share, dazzled the nation with its beauty, craftsmanship, and meaning during the Tournament of Roses Parade.
In 2026, we proudly mark 100 years of the Elks National Memorial, and this float told that story in full color; honoring a century of service while reminding viewers everywhere that Elks make a difference in their communities every single day.
This award belongs to every Elk Volunteer. From local Lodges to national programs, this recognition reflects the heart of Elkdom: Community, Friendship, and Charity; brought to life through extraordinary design and purpose.
Feel proud. Share the news. Celebrate the impact.
And if you are inspired by what you saw, we invite you to be part of it:
Join us or learn more at: join.elks.org
Float footage courtesy of KTLA 5 News

F-B Video

Elks Bring Thanksgiving to Their Neighbors

Since 2020, Farmington Elks Lodge #2430, with financial support from the Masons, has provided Thanksgiving dinner to Franklin County seniors and low-income households free of charge.  This year more than 460 meals were prepared and delivered!

Residents sign up through their housing coordinators, local signup sheets, or referrals from social workers and medical professionals.

The Farmington lodge partners with the Augusta Valley of Scottish Rite Masons, who had previously provided this annual meal at the Mount Blue High School cafeteria until its closure during the COVID pandemic in 2020.

Holiday Message from President Corey

Members of the Maine Elks Association
Hello my fellow Maine Elks, as we are in the midst of our holiday season,
Joleen and I want to wish our fondest best wishes to you all. We have been busy
traveling the great state and meeting with fellow Elks. It has certainly been a pleasure
seeing old friends and making new ones. We would also like to thank you for all the
charitable work your lodges have been doing during this holiday season. It certainly is
humbling to see what Maine Elks do for those in need around our state.
I would also like to remind you that this can be a trying time for some of our
family, friends, and others in our communities. Please reach out to others and check in
on them or a simple call and say hi. Let them know you are thinking of them. We all
know mental health can be difficult on some during the holidays and a simple “hello,
how are you doing” could make a big difference in someone’s life. As Dr. Seuss
famously wrote in the story of the Grinch, “Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little
bit more.”
Finally, continue to do all your great charitable through the year and be sure to
spread the word of your charitable efforts and work to increase our membership.
Again, Joleen and I wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a happy and
healthy holiday season and New Year.
Fraternally,
Corey DeWitt, PDDGER, PER,
MEA State President

Lodge 188 Supports Foster Kids

Portland Lodge #188 used their $2,000 Spotlight Grant to support Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine buy filling 100 backpacks for children entering the foster care system.  Known nationwide as Comfort Cases, these backpacks are filled with essentials, based on age, as to what a child may need to provide them some comfort, dignity, and pride in having their belongings in a new backpack and not a trash bag when they are taken from their home and placed in the foster care system.

FRONT L-R: Patty Amico, Jeanette Conley, Gale Murphy
BACK: L-R: Colleen Hilton, Margaret Poulin, Beth Gilboy from Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine, Susan Smythe, ER Joe Winschel, Kim Toppi

The 100 backpacks were filled with ALL NEW pajamas, personal care items, a blanket, stuffed animal, socks, journals, and a book. We were able to fill each backpack with all of these supplies thanks to the generosity of our members who stepped up and made this project possible.

A representative from the agency was at the Portland Lodge on December 12 to accept the backpacks.

“Welcome Home” from the Augusta Elks

During the month of November, the Augusta Elks Lodge #964 Veterans Committee organized a Home Kit Supply Drive to honor November Veterans Remembrance Month.

The initiative aimed to gather essential supplies to support homeless veterans as they transition into new housing.  Thanks to the remarkable generosity of our lodge members the drive was a great success!

Approximately 275 items were collected throughout the month, demonstrating the commitment of our Elk community to supporting veterans in need.  The collected items will be used to put together Welcome Home kits for recently housed veterans, giving them much-needed essentials for use in their new homes.

ROCKY’s Travels Continue

The Maine Elks Association Roaming Elk Committee is pleased to report that on December 6, 2025, ten Brunswick Elks joined the Bath Elks lodge in enjoying Bath’s annual Jingle Jam event to deliver Christmas cheer to less fortunate neighbor families, as well as to help welcome MEA President Corey Dewitt and First Lady Joleen for their official visit to Bath.  In the process the Brunswick members re-captured Rocky – once again.  The Coastal District Trophy can now be captured from the Brunswick Elks Lodge #2043 at a future meeting or event.

As Brotherly Love is one of the four great principles of the Order, the Roaming Elk program was instituted in 2011 as a way for members to have fun traveling to another Lodge in their district to attend events or Lodge Meetings. For a Lodge to capture the trophy in their district, they must have five members of that Lodge travel to a Lodge that holds the Roaming Elk Trophy and attend an event at which they must participate or attend a Lodge meeting. They must remain at the Lodge for at least one hour to capture the trophy. If more than one Lodge attempts to capture the trophy at the same time, the Lodge that has the most members in attendance will take the trophy home. If the number of members is tied, then the Lodge that traveled the furthest will claim the trophy. For more information on the Roaming Elk Program, including the full set of rules, visit https://maineelks.org/roaming-elk/

(L -R) Reggie LeClair, Debbie Brooks, Dottie Contreras, Debbie Brooker, Craig Johnson (Bath), Rae Duval, MEA Prez Corey Dewitt, Dan Daigle, Alisha Barter, Emily Rollock, Mindy Wright, Pamela Wright

 

Lodge Supports Vets at Christmas

The Augusta Elks Lodge #964 Veterans Committee participated once again in the Adopt-A-Veteran Program for the Maine Veterans Home in Augusta. It was such an honor to fulfill the gift requests for these amazing Veterans!

Pictured at right are Kenneth Gotreau, Exalted Ruler of the Augusta Elks Lodge #964 presenting the Christmas gifts to Mona Boucher, Director of Life Enrichment & Volunteer Services at the Maine Veterans Home in Augusta along with FIrst Lady Jean.

November Calendars

Nov 2025 Calendar Winners

NovTicket #AmountNameLodge
1605$50.00Thelma Cusiak1293
21266$50.00Jenny Brown2743
3783$25.00Frenchy Beauheu1287
4114$25.00Emily Lathrop964
51498$25.00Kent Stanley2743
6572$25.00Danny Gray1293
7732$25.00Phyllis Goddine1521
8386$50.00Sherry Covbeil1597
9540$50.00Courtney Leeman2430
1020$25.00Michael Marino2743
11357$100.00Floyd Howes1597
121387$25.00Sue C. Bassi244
13970$25.00Tom Wenchus1008
1442$25.00Christa Scott2743
1515$50.00John Owen 2743
16547$50.00Alison Laverdier2430
171178$25.00Carlette Eaton905
181447$25.00Joshua Devlin244
19891$25.00Joe Winschel188
201254$25.00John H Rossmeisl Sr.2788
211296$25.00Scott Dorval905
22711$50.00Margaret White1521
23502$50.00Vicky LaBree2430
241408$25.00Eric Baxter244
25585$25.00Roberta Whitney1293
26338$25.00Gary Henderson1597
27290$25.00Shannon Richardson244
281175$25.00Donald Dorr905
29120$50.00Linda Walter964
301632$50.00Karen Bloom244

Augusta Elks Earn Community Award

May be an image of ‎text that says '‎KENNEBEC JOURNAL 華 مة 2025 Readers' 定冷 CHOICE TOP WINNER Best BestCivic/Fraternal Civic/ Fraternal rganization AUGUSTA ELKSLODGE EL ELKS LODGE‎'‎On November 12, 2025, the Kennebec Journal held its annual “Readers’ Choice” awards ceremony at the Augusta Elks Lodge #964. The Lodge was one of three finalists in the Civic/Fraternal Organization category, and the readers of the newspaper chose the Augusta Elks Lodge as the #1 Civic/Fraternal organization in the Augusta area. Other nominees included the Calumet Club and the Augusta Rotary.

This award is part of the Kennebec Journal Readers’ Choice, an annual community contest that recognizes the best local businesses and organizations in Kennebec County. Readers nominate and vote for their favorites, and the winners are celebrated at a live awards ceremony and featured in a special edition of Central Maine Sunday.

The award ceremony was held on November 12th in our newly renovated banquet room. Pictured below are House Committee Member Cheryl Herson (Right) and Lodge Manager Allyssa Marson (Left) who accepted the award on behalf of the Lodge!
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