NEWS
News from the Maine Elks AssociationAnother Successful Weekend at The Forks
The Maine Elks Association MCCP/FORKS Steering Committee would like thank everyone that attended, donated or volunteered at our 3rd Annual Camping Weekend in the Forks, held from August 25th to the 27th at Three Rivers Whitewater in The Forks.
Incredible work by all Lodges on the Silent & Live Auctions! Collectively, we raised just over $24,000.00!!! The Augusta Elks took top honors with $3,462.00 fr their items. Second place was Waterville with $3,187.00 and with $3,076.00 Gardiner was third.
More than 250 Elks, representing 18 of our 20 Maine Lodges from across the state attended. It was an incredible weekend of fun and camaraderie, as we worked together towards the common goal of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for our major state project, the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.
The Steering Committee, including representatives from many of our lodges, worked year-round planning and organizing this large off-site event. Everyone who came worked well together to ensure that this event was a huge success. Without their commitment and dedication, an event of this magnitude would not be possible. Collectively, over the three-day weekend Maine Lodges raised $61,221.73 for MCCP.
Congratulations and Thank You for your support!
Mark your calendars and Save the Date, for next year’s event, Thursday, August 22nd to Sunday, August 25, 2024
Elks Care ~ Elks Share
Fraternally yours,Co-Chairs: Mike “Shu” Michaud PER and Lina Cloutier Michaud PER
September MEA Calendars
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Sanford Elks Celebrate 30 years of MCCP Affiliation
The Sanford Elks Lodge #1470 has achieved a 30-year milestone supporting the Maine Elks State Major Project, the Maine Children’s Cancer Program; . which helps provide specialized care, psychosocial services, and research to help find a cure for childhood cancer and blood disorders.
This year’s fundraising events included an Ice Fishing Derby, our 14th annual Arnie’s Ride, the 500 Wish Club, our first Ray’s Day, and our 30th annual Golf Tournament which together allowed us to raise over $113,000 this year bringing our cumulative 30-year total to just under $3 million dollars!
On September 8th, we hosted a 30th Year MCCP Celebration! Many volunteers and sponsors of many of our fundraising events, elks members and members of the Maine Children’s Cancer Program helped us to celebrate this achievement. A great meal was served and a DJ provided music, followed by a special champagne toast by lodge PERs Mark Caron & Rick Drouin, Sanford Lodge’s MCCP committee co-chairmen, highlighting the 30 years of dedication.
Sanford Elks host The Wall
The Sanford Elks Lodge #1470 along with community Veteran’s Service Organization’s sponsored the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall That Heals from September 6th to the 10th. Visitation was free to the public.
The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. “The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is pleased to bring The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit to Sanford, Maine, to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Hosting The Wall That Heals provides an opportunity to honor and remember all those who served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War and educate visitors on the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America.”
The Wall That Heals is transported from community to community in a 53-foot trailer. When parked, the trailer opens with exhibits built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile education center telling the story of the Vietnam War.
The three-quarter scale wall replica is 375 feet long and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in Washington D.C. Visitors can do name rubbings of individual service member names on The Wall.
The Wall that Heals spent four days on display across from Walmart on route 109 in South Sanford, Maine September 7th to 10th, 2023.
The mobile education center exhibit includes: digital photo displays of “Hometown Heroes” – service members whose names are on The Wall that list their home of record within the area of a visit; digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the local area honored through the VVMF’s In Memory program, which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died.
The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall, and the era surrounding the conflict, and is designed to put Ame
rican experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context. Video displays teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque that resides on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in Washington, D.C.; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War.
The 2023 national The Wall That Heals tour is sponsored by USAA. Through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association, the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon Truck Wash, the exhibit travels to sites across the country.
This was a project that Sanford Elks PER Dawna Legere worked on over the last few years. Her special project during her year as ER was to have a bus bring Maine Veterans to Washington to see The Wall, but the COVID outbreak prevented that but it continued to be a hope of hers after her year. The replica wall was open to visitors 24 hours a day, and during it’s time here The Wall drew a steady stream of visitors from the time it opened, and by the end of the four days we hosted over 5,000 visitors.
There are eight Sanford residents whose names are engraved into the wall. This viewing of the wall will be the only destin
ation in New England this year. Over 200 volunteers helped with erecting the wall, helped visitors locate names on the wall, take rubbings, direct parking and disassemble at the end of the 4 days. Some volunteers were there to just listen to the stories that visitors felt like sharing.
Bangor Elks #244 Hold 2nd Annual MCCP Car Show
On Sunday September 3rd the Bangor Lodge held its second annual Maine Childrens Cancer Program Car Show.
The weather could not have been better for a car show. Over 100 Cars, trucks and motorcycles from around the state had participated. Many trophies were provided to the winners for Best in Show, Kids Choice, People’s Choice and many more.
State President Sandi and First Man Dave were on hand to witness the event and congratulate the winners with their trophies. It was a great showing by the local community with over 350 spectators strolling through the gates to support the cause. In all over $8,000.00 dollars was raised from sponsor donations, raffles, meals and more.
Thanks to the 38 Lodge volunteers who stepped up and ensured the event was truly a great success. For more information see the item at https://www.wabi.tv/2023/09/