exalted ruler's MESSAGE
Kim McIlonie
Happy Summer, Everyone!
Happy Summer, Everyone! I hope you’re all doing your best to stay cool and hydrated. This heat is definitely for the birds… though maybe not the Snowbirds—just the rest of us!! Thank you all for making June such a fantastic month. We had a successful blood drive and a wonderful Flag Day ceremony, along with our friends from American Legion Post #132 for the Flag Retirement ceremony. I hope everyone enjoyed the Iron Elk competition featuring Provolone cheese, congratulations to Jan Trudeau for her Philly Cheesesteak – next ingredient is Banana Pudding!! And of course, the Father’s Day Cornhole Tournament won by Larry and Doug and Chili Cookoff won by Doug. We always make sure to celebrate our moms on Mother’s Day, so it was nice to see the dads finally getting their turn in the spotlight! The Mimosa Brunch originally scheduled in June was postponed due to the passing of our dear member, Larry Henley. Thank you all for your understanding as we took time to honor his memory. The Mimosa Brunch has been rescheduled for July 11th, and it promises to be a fun event for a great cause, I hope to see you there! We’ll also be celebrating Christmas in July on the 25th. Join us for a festive potluck, secret gift exchange, ugly sweater (or t-shirt) contest, and Christmas karaoke. Yes, that means you can start practicing your “Jingle Bell Rock” now no judgment… well, maybe just a little! August is shaping up to be another busy month. On August 1st, we’ll host the PVA (Paralyzed Veterans) Luncheon—one of my personal favorite events. These athletes are truly inspiring. Then on August 8th, we’ll have the always-popular Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner. Trust me, come hungry! I’m still collecting recipes for our Elks Cookbook. We’re already over one-third of the way there with more than 50 recipes submitted—great job! Keep them coming, especially if you’ve participated in Iron Elk. Don’t keep those winning dishes a secret, we need them! I hope you all enjoy a wonderful Fourth of July as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary. This year, I’ll be in Chicago attending the National Elks Convention—my first visit there! I’m excited about the experience and learning even more about the incredible work we do as Elks. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. Just keep in mind I work full-time and may not always respond during working hours.
You can reach me at (714) 853-9934 or
I look forward to seeing you around the Lodge!
Fraternally,
Kim McIlonie
LEADING Knight Message
Lisa Hensley
Hello everyone,
June was a great month at Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge! Thank you to everyone who came out to donate blood at our recent Blood Drive. Your generosity helps save lives and makes a real difference in our community. A special thank you to Doug Harpold for organizing another successful event. Flag Day was also a wonderful ceremony and a meaningful reminder of the pride and respect we have for our nation’s flag. Thank you again to Doug Harpold for organizing the event and hosting it at Vistoso Funeral Home. We also appreciate everyone who participated in the ceremony and those who attended in support. Father’s Day was another great success, featuring a fun cornhole tournament and our annual Chili Cook-Off. Congratulations to Doug Harpold for taking home top honors in the chili competition! Looking ahead, we have several exciting events coming up. On the Fourth of July, flags will be raised at 7:00 a.m. and retired at 5:00 p.m. Following the tremendous success of our Memorial Day celebration, we will once again be serving burgers and brats with a side beginning at noon for just $10. A special thank you to Jim Wall and John Cirelli for always stepping up to man the grill and keep everyone well fed. Don’t forget about our annual Mimosa Brunch, one of our favorite events and a fantastic fundraiser for AEMP. Please note that the brunch has been moved to July 27th. We hope to see everyone there for great food, fun, and fellowship. Looking ahead to August, one of our most inspiring events is the annual PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America) Luncheon. These athletes are truly amazing, and it is always a privilege to hear their stories of perseverance, determination, and triumph over adversity. Their accomplishments remind us of the strength of the human spirit and the sacrifices made by our veterans. Saturday, August 8th is our annual Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner, another wonderful fundraiser for AEMP. Thank you to Lisa Chavez for always organizing these outstanding events and helping make them such a success year after year. As always, thank you for everything you do to support our Lodge, our members, and our community. Your participation, generosity, and volunteer spirit are what make Catalina Mountain Elks such a special place. Have a wonderful summer, stay safe, and try to stay cool!
Fraternally,
Lisa Hensley, Leading Knight
SECRETARY’S CORNER
Mimi Wittenborn - Secretary
Welcome to the Secretary’s corner.:
I want to thank Jack Baillargeon PDDGER for filling in for me while we were on vacation. We had a great time with family and friends. Thank you Jack!! I hope everyone is keeping cool. You know it’s always cool here at the Lodge and there’s always something cool to drink. Come on down. Don’t forget to check your calendars for all the fun events we have coming up. Happy 4 th of July!!! Now for my usual “NAG”. We still have quite a few that still owe their dues for this year. Please, please get those in ASAP.
LODGE STATS YEAR-TO-DATE
Membership to Date .... 608
Candidates: ...................... 19
Delinquents ...................... 67
Life Members ................... 46
Average Age ..................... 70
Past Exalted Ruler Association
Past Exalted Ruler Association - Paul Slater, PERA President
Howdy!
Welcome to SUMMER and the heat! It took a while but summer and the Monsoons have arrived. It has been exciting to see the progress on our mortgage burn-down chart in the lodge room! I am always impressed by the generosity of our members. Keep an eye out for more info regarding a celebration for the Burn Down event. The PER association is working closely with Ann and the House Committee to plan a fantastic event to celebrate this historic event! A friendly reminder that you must have a valid membership card (paid your dues) and PLEASE make sure that your name is legible, and there is a phone number on each ticket. I did notice that my first time selling, there were a few tickets with just a name. If a ticket without a number is picked, it will be discarded, and another “properly filled out” ticket will be selected. Ticket without a number is picked, it will be discarded, and another “properly filled-out” ticket will be selected.
For the last decade, donations to Friends of Pima Animal Care Center have fueled innovative animal lifesaving programs, providing care and hope for countless animals and pet-loving families. This local nonprofit organization has helped more than 75,000 families with veterinary care, behavioral support, supplies, and pet-friendly guidance. The Pima Animal shelter is located at 400 N. Silverbell in Tucson and needs our help. With money from generous Elks, we can ensure that the pets in the shelter are well taken care of. All donations go directly to the care of animals and not to the salaries of employees of the center. The House Committee’s goal is to buy items for the shelter from their wish lists (Amazon and Chewy) and then present an itemized list of what we were able to buy. Please see our “Doggie Bank” located in the bar to donate. Thank you in advance. YTD Donations: $1138.00
ENF Report - Ron Starjnski, PER
Hello everyone,
The Elks National Convention is right around the corner, and the Elks National Foundation hopes to see you there! Convention is a jam-packed event, and while it’s impossible to see everything, you won’t want to miss all the ENF will have to offer. While you’re at the ENF booth in the Convention Hall, pick up a special ENF ribbon for your badge and ask any ENF-related questions you have! You may be able to finally put a face to the name of an ENF staff member you’ve communicated with, and the staff is always eager to do the same with Elks. You will also have the chance to interact with all your favorite ENF programs, including the 2026 Elks Hoop Shoot Getty Powell Award winners and members of the Scholar Advisory Board, who want to show their appreciation to the people who have made their awards possible. Convention isn’t just about spending time with fellow Elks—it’s also a time to learn! Of course, the ENF will be hosting several seminars to equip you to continue building stronger communities. The Community Investments Program session on Sunday is all about grants and the best practices for using them (including the $500 increase to the Spotlight Grant); the Elks Hoop Shoot team is hosting a session on Monday about the upcoming season and how the program unleash-es gritty kids; and the Development team will teach you how to implement broad-based fundraising techniques to help your Lodge exceed the per-member-giving goal on Monday. The ENF can’t wait to see you in Windy City, you’ll be blown away! A 501(c)(3) public charity, the Elks National Foundation helps Elks build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. For more information on the ENF, visit elks.org/enf
Thank you all and if you have any questions my email address is rstarjn-ski@gmail.com
I will see you at the lodge.
Ron Starjnski PER, ENF chair
