NEWS
News from the Maine Elks AssociationPresident Al Ingraham’s Farewell
What a fantastic year! Have you seen page 6 of the April Elks magazine. Nice picture of Stephanie and I, with Bruce and Helen Hidley and Wayne and Kathline Cotterly. I am so proud of the Maine lodges all of which exceeded the GER’s ENF goal. The ENF goal I set at $120,000 was to be a new record. You folks smashed that by raising $141,894.47 We got back $1.467 for each dollar given. That’s $208,120 for our programs. I asked that each lodge take advantage of all the CIP Grants that they could get to help in their communities. Maine got over $166,500 for our communities, with all lodges participating.
Thank you! Congratulations to Wells Lodge 2738 for being number one in the Nation in ENF raising $27017.00 $482.45 per member.
We were able to visit all 20 lodges. The experiences were wonderful. I thank the lodges for the thoughtfulness and effort shown us. We could tell that you spent time making sure our visit was memorable, and they certainly were. We wish Sandy and Dave all the best in their upcoming year.
President Sandi’s Installation Remarks
I am so very humbled to become your MEA State President! Seems like it was yesterday that I was Second Vice President, but now it seems pretty quick! My Motto for this year is “Strengthen our Lodges and Save the Children”. When you see my pin there is a Dragonfly on it, and that signifies Strength, and the rest is for the MCCP kids.
It is hard getting people to run for office or to get members to volunteer for committees, which is needed to provide a strong support system for your Lodge. We need to have a strong Membership Committee to recruit and mentor our new members. Cathy Macarthy has volunteered to be the new Membership Chairperson this year, so welcome her to our team.
There are a few more new people on my Committees this year, It is nice to see new people getting involved!
I have always said “All you have to do is ask”! You never know when a person wants to join but does not know how or just needs that small nudge of asking to join. A few lodges are now doing a Membership drive and that seems to really help bring in a nice group of people. You do need to also have that written in your By-Laws and that is easy to do with an amendment to the By-Laws.
We need to be diligent to bring back our unaffiliated members. Do a reinstatement drive; At Waterville in October and November we do a $1 to reinstate plus prorated dues, but that also must be in your By Laws.
My goals for this year:
1. Help keep all Lodges up and growing strong.
2. Raise $120,000.00 for ENF (But I think we will do better than that!
3. Raise as much as we can for MCCP with a goal of at least $300,000
You all know my heart is with Maine Children’s Cancer so I am hoping for some strong support in fundraising for our kids.
Already, Tom Welch who owns Mainley Hand Rails has started building the MCCP pot by donating a fire pit for our Sportsmen’s Night and donating the proceeds to MCCP and then did a surprise auction of a bag of money with the proceeds to the kids. I am sure he is thinking of other things to make money for MCCP.
We have the event at the Forks coming up this summer and preparing to beat last year’s donation.
I have almost half of my State Presidents meetings scheduled and the only month I cannot do any visits is July as it is National Convention and we are traveling to see our kids, grandkids, and great grands that we have not met yet. So let me know if you have a date and we will be looking forward to a visit at your Lodge.
I would like to thank a few people:
My Husband Dave for standing by me and giving me encouragement all along the way and toasting me yesterday.
Jim Ferland for being my mentor, friend and for doing the ceremony today!
Bob and Myra Drisko who are good friends always being there for me and also for
mentoring me.
Ken Eaton who has been my spokesman from day one of my running. Every time there was a vote he was there to stand up and say nice things about me! Also, for doing my toast for me and now being my Sgt. At Arms.
Carlette Eaton who has helped me in so many ways. She made my invitations and labels to match, ordering them and picking them up when I had to work a week and a half while an employee, I work with was on vacation and I was stressing to get everything done in a time to get the invitations out! No matter what she always seemed to be there when I needed anything and now, she is my Chaplain.
Karen Grenier who ran a raffle to earn money to help me with expenses and offering to help in any way she could along with all those who helped sell tickets.
Nikole and Darrel Neadeau who made the beautiful planter and raffled it off also to help defer my costs for the toast and other costs.
Thanks to all the members at Waterville 905 who have stood behind me and helped.
Thank you Vassie for all your hard work and for helping me with all the things I needed to do and for the support you have given me.
Michael Zellen, thank you so much for coming to my Installation. I know you and Donna had another convention to go to in Massachussets, but you got someone else to do that and that means a lot to me! I thank you both for your support and I can call Donna for help if I have a question, I also appreciate you being my Gambling partner! Thank you again!
If I have missed anyone, I apologize as I know there is someone I have probably forgot.
I know it has been a long weekend and everyone is ready to go home so have a safe trip home and thank you for attending the Convention this weekend.
News from the Fratenal Committee
I would like to thank all ERs and Lodges for participating in the programs of the grand lodge this year (22-23). I want to especially congratulate Wells, Presque Isle, Houlton, and Bangor on winning the All-American Lodge contests for their divisions this year.
Just a quick reminder to new ERs flag day is fast approaching. It’s a required program and a great way to start getting ready for the flag presentation contest.
Fraternally, Mike Hanigan
Sanford Elks Honor Youth at Annual Awards Banquet
Much of the evening focused on local students. The top 50 ranked students at the Sanford High School attended and were recognized, with the top students receiving the Elks Student of the Year Award. The Lodge also presented the Elks Junior Student of the Year Award to Junior High School students. Top students were also recognized from the Sanford Regional Technical Center. The event serves as an example of what Elk Lodges do in their communities to support our nation’s youth. Below is a video of the event.
Maine Elks to Hold Annual Convention in Auburn
On May 5-7, 2023, the Maine Elks Association will be holding its State Convention at the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn, Maine. The annual event is the culmination of the association’s year and will provide members from across the state an opportunity to share in fellowship, attend meetings, banquets, and receive awards for the work they did during the past year. is anticipated that over 200 Elk Members from the state’s 20 Elk Lodges will be in attendance. Registration packets will be available starting at 12 Noon on Friday, May 5, 2023.
On Friday, the convention will kick off with a banquet at which several awards will be presented. Lodges will be presented awards for their work in raising money for the Elks National Foundation, the Drug Awareness Program, Public Relations, Lodge Activities, All-American Lodge Contest, Veterans, and fundraising for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. In addition, individual members will be recognized including the Outstanding Exalted Ruler’s in each district, the Officer of the Year, Spouse of the Year, and the Elk of the Year awards will be presented.
On Saturday, the Maine Elks Past Exalted Ruler’s Association will hold its annual meeting, followed by the State Trustees meeting, and State Association’s annual meeting. At the annual meeting, the election of officers will take place. In the afternoon, there will be a pre-national convention meeting for those attending the Elks National Convention which will be held in Minneapolis, MN from July 2-5, 2023. In the evening, the youth awards banquet will be held, recognizing youth in several of the Elk’s programs and contests including the Americanism Essay Contest, Elks Drug Awareness Coloring, Poster, Essay, and Video contest, Youth Activities, and six scholarship finalists for the Elks National Foundation’s Most Valuable Student Scholarships will be presented. Capping off the evening will be the association’s check presentation to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program. Last year, the association raised $298,312 to help children and their families fight cancer. The association has raised $5,589,614 as of last year, and it is anticipated that the Maine Elks may even surpass the Six Million Dollar mark within the next two years.
On Sunday, the association will hold its Memorial Service to remember departed members from each Elk Lodge in the State. Following the Memorial Service, the newly elected officers will be installed, and the event will end around noon. Information on the MEA State Convention can be found on this website here; STATE CONVENTION | Maine Elks Association