NEWS
News from the Maine Elks AssociationPortland Elk caught for a Random Act of Kindness
In early December, a mystery woman in a white coat bought a little girl a stuffed animal. The Minnie Mouse was out of her mother’s price range — that’s when Kimberly McDonough stepped in.
For more on the story go to WMTW
Planning Underway for the Weekend at The Forks
1st MCCP/FORKS first Steering Committee Meeting will be Sunday, January 29 at 1:00 p.m. at the Waterville Lodge.
All Lodges are encouraged to have a representative or two on the Steering Committee, and a Zoom Link will also be available: for the link E-Mail Jennifer Young at jenniferandjake711@gmail.com
For more information contact: Lina – #485-4710 or Shu – #441-2838
Maine Elks 3rd Annual Mariners Hockey Game to Support MCCP
The 3rd annual Mariners Hockey for a Cause fundraising partnership between the Maine Elks Association, Maine Children’s Cancer Program and the Maine Mariners will be held on Saturday March 11th at the Cross Arena in Portland, Maine. With the tremendous success of our last event, we are very excited to bring Elks together from across the state in support of our major project – MCCP!
Tickets can be purchased via the following link (https://www.fevo.com/edp/Maine-Elks-0rJnTiXa) at a cost of $18.00 per ticket (plus $2 online purchase fee) for a total of $20 per person. At the game, the Elks along with the Maine Children’s Cancer Program will be recognized as the Stick Taps Program Non-Profit of the Night. The Mariners Stick Taps Program is designed to give exposure and promotion to the chosen program for the evening.
The Stick Taps Program includes:
• Table on the concourse that will be set up with information on MCCP and the Elks
• 1 on-screen interview during an intermission with Mariner’s emcee
• PA mention in game directing fans to our table
• Only 1 Stick Taps non-profit per game so we will be the only ones mentioned
• An autographed stick from the Mariners that will be raffled off at the game
• To cap the night off, the Mariners will provide the opportunity for all members of the group to take a photo on the ice after the game with the team mascot.
The Holiday Inn by the Bay is directly across the street from the arena. Please call the hotel at 207.775.2311 for reservations.
A Facebook event has been created for this fundraiser to keep everyone updated. Please like the “Maine Elks Association” page for the most current information on this fundraiser
With your support, we hope this will be the restart of a long and impactful relationship between the Elks, MCCP, and the Maine Mariners. Any questions you have regarding this project can be directed to:
Melinda Voisine (Event Chair)
(207) 453-6936 or Melinda.voisine@gmail.com
Thank you for your support and we hope to see you there!
Bath Lodge Makes Impact on their Community
Prior to opening the December 8th lodge meeting Bath ER Craig Johnson and the lodge officers took the opportunity to distribute some of the funds they’d been raising since April, into their local community.
ER Johnson procured a grant from the Elks National Foundation to assist students and teachers after fire destroyed Bath’s Dike Newell elementary school. Katie Roulliard Walker, school Secretary at Dike Newell, received the $2,500 check from ER Craig and Leading Knight Mark Westrum. Katie has a long history with our Lodge. As a young child she served as one of the elves at our Children’s Christmas parties and her father, Jimmy Roulliard, was a great Elk member who left us too soon.
Through the fundraising efforts of Chairman Ronald Nygaard and his Youth Activities team, the lodge was able to present the Kennebec Sturgeons young mens baseball team, of the Pine Tree Baseball League, a $1,300 donation to Team Manager Tyler Rose for a fence at Varnum Field. The baseball diamond has been without a fence since that area was upgraded several years ago. It is a very important field for the children in the area, also benefitting our Little League and Babe Ruth League as well as the Sturgeons.
Youth Activities funds were also available to put the American Legion over the top in their fundraising effort to replace the scoreboard at Legion Field, directly across the street from the American Legion Post. The Bath Elks logo will be prominently displayed. Past Sons of the American Legion Commander Donald Allisot was on board to accept our $2,000 donation.
It was a heartwarming to precede a lodge meeting by giving back to our community, and it was one of the best meetings that we’ve had in years. Thanks to you ALL our members for your continued hard work and helping our lodge be as generous and giving as we are!
Presque Isle Lodge Serves Christmas Dinner to Hundreds
On Christmas Day, the Presque Isle Elks, Lodge #1954 hosted its annual Elks Family Christmas Dinner for anyone who would otherwise be celebrating Christmas alone.
Dinner began with the Northeastland Hotel’s renowned tomato bisque soup. A choice of country baked ham or roast turkey and gravy was offered along with Aroostook mashed potatoes, baked squash and a vegetable medley. The Governor’s wonderful dinner rolls were served. Dessert was a choice from a wide selection of pies, including Governor’s popular chocolate, coconut, and banana cream pies, as well as chocolate peanut butter and Boston cream pies, in addition to traditional apple, pumpkin, and assorted berry pies.
Everyone attending the sit-down dinner at the Elks Lodge was entertained by the “Soggybottom Boyz“, comprised of Wendell Hudson, Dale Hudson, James “Sheldon” Wright, Leland Clark,, and Agis Clark. Prior to departing, all received a Christmas stocking stuffed with assorted goodies.
In addition to serving dinner to those at the Elks Lodge, the Presque Isle Elks delivered over two hundred meals to individuals requesting delivered meals, Presque Isle Public Safety workers, residents of the Aroostook Homeless Shelter, and residents at Mapletree Estates, who had been without electrical power for nearly two days.
Over thirty volunteers gave up several hours of their Christmas day in order to cook, serve, and cleanup after the noontime meal, as well as to transport guests and to deliver meals outside the Lodge. Ten members of the family of the late Cassidy Charette again volunteered at the Elks Family Christmas Dinner as part of the work of the Shine on Cass Foundation, in memory of Cassidy Charette, who died at the age of 17 in a tragic hayride accident. Shown above at the Presque Isle Elks Lodge on Christmas Day, from left to right, Mark Wilcox, Sharon Parent, Alley Wilcox, Karson Wilcox, David Bernier, Ryan Bernier, Angela Bernier, and Randy Charette, Monica Charette and Colby Charette, parents and brother of Cassidy.
The family of Cassidy and the Shine on Cass Foundation, through their example, seek to inspire others and promote the importance of volunteerism in tribute to Cassidy, whose passion was volunteering.
Dana Dickinson, chairman of the Elks’ annual Family Christmas Dinner stated, “It was truly a Christmas blessing to have been able to help so many people in a meaningful way this Christmas. Elks care and Elks Share.”