EXALTED RULER’S MESSAGE

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I would like to remind all of you the Night Under the Stars event will be on Saturday, October 27th. Our music will be provided by the Greg Spivey Band. We will again have a raffle which will provide for $500, $300 and $200 prize money. Tickets have been included in your Bugle this month for your convenience. You will also be able to purchase more tickets at the lodge during the event.  

I have received a number of requests for our lodges help. Because “ELKS CARE AND ELKS SHARE” I will try to give you some understanding about each request. 

During each of our two state conventions all lodges collect new and used children books for the Steele Children’s Research Center. We attempt to give each child a book while they are being treated. Your donation can be dropped off in the green barrel in our lounge by Wednesday, October 17th. 

Our Arizona State Elks Association’s First Lady, Debi Murphy has requested $20 Walmart gift cards for our veterans. Your donation can be dropped off in the green barrel in our lounge by Wednesday, October 17th. 

Our contact for the Homeless veterans has asked us for bags of disposable razors and white crew socks. Your donations can be dropped off in the green barrel in the lounge area. Before our next count, on Wednesday, October 10th, I will gather up what we have and make a special trip to deliver our contributions to our homeless veterans. 

Our Arizona Major Projects Raffle will end on October 20th during the convention. As you know, all money raised goes to the Steele Children’s Research Center and our mountain camp for kids. Tickets are $5.00 apiece or 3 for $10.00. There are tickets behind the bar and I also have some for sale. The prize this year is a John Deere 4 Seater Gator with a 14 foot trailer. You need not be present to win but you must be 21+ years old. 

As you read in my September article, after 52 weeks, our Queen of Hearts was uncovered on Friday, August 17th. My best guess is that we will have over $5,000 in our pot by the time you receive this publication. 

I want to take a moment and wish all of our travelers, heading back to our beautiful state, a safe and fun trip! I look forward to seeing you back at the lodge!  

Can you believe it is already half way through our Lodge year? What amazing charitable paths our Lodge has taken since April 1st. We are on our way into the time of the year where Charity comes to the forefront of the saying “Elks Care, Elks Share”. With the Holidays approaching, please take time to be a part of the wonderful events our Lodge participates in that impact so many lives in our communities. 

Sometimes when we get so busy in life, we feel we don’t have time to volunteer anymore. After awhile, you may lose sight of what donating your time or money means to others as well as to yourself. I think my favorite part of giving is the knowledge that I am helping others and it really makes me feel happier, more fulfilled and accomplished. Having the ability to improve the lives of others, even by doing to smallest thing, is a very powerful feeling. When you are feeling anxious about life’s struggles, you will be amazed how doing good for others can take you to a whole other part of life that will be calming in a unique way. 

Leading up to and during the coming Holiday season, try sharing your donating experience to Lodge charities with your children or grand children. It shows them from a young age that they can make positive changes in the world. We have several young kids at our Lodge that have been donating their time for years and you see the kindness that has develop in them over that time. Children naturally love to help others, so by teaching them to look out for others gives them a greater appreciation of what they have. These amazing kids are the future of our Lodge and Country. It is also amazing to see how having one child doing good for others can rub off on their peers and their families which can create a flood of good deeds occurring everywhere.  

Unfortunately, nowadays, many people are concerned that their monetary donations to charity may not even go to the people or causes they really want to help. That is why your donations to our Elks activities is so gratifying. You don’t have to question what is being done because you can see and experience it. Many members are not capable of getting out and physically helping with the Soccer or Hoop Shoot or go shopping with a child at Christmas. If we all had the time and ability to do everything ourselves there would be no need for charities at all. That is why your help can be donated in other ways to support those in need. 

Again, I would like to thank all our Members who donate their money, time and energy to all the great events we will be having in October. 

“Dedicated hearts like yours are not so easy to find. It takes a special person to be so generous and kind.”  

Wow! What a Queen of Hearts game!. I was hoping it would make it through July and was surprised it made it half way through August to just three cards left. Congratulations to our winner Jeffrey Osborn who picked the Queen for an over $25K win! Let’s hope the new game lasts that long… 

The PERA continues to dole out the proceeds from the Queen games. We have identified several charitable recipients as well as some improvements and needed items in our Lodge. Another $200 was approved for sports equipment at the Youth Camp. We provided $500 for the turkeys for the Patriot Day firefighter meals. More than $1500. was donated to Impact of Southern Arizona for the food bank there. Desert Woodcrafters needed some money for equipment to make toys for needy kids and we gave them $500. Whatever expenses involved with our Soccer Shoot and Hoop Shoot will come from the Queen of Hearts fund. We also provided over $360. to purchase new game tables for our popular Texas Holdum sessions. 

We are still looking for a WWII veteran to send on Honor Flight. It is also open to Korean vets, so if you’re interested, let us know.  

 It is hard to believe we are a little over half way into this Lodge year, wow how the time flies. Hopefully with the fall months upon us we will get a breather from all the hot weather. Membership: It is very disappointing that this time of the Lodge year, our delinquency rate is still so high. 42 members have yet to pay their dues. If you are a member (and still receiving this newsletter) please consider paying your dues and stay within the folds of the Lodge and restore your Lodge privileges. We, as members have so much more good work to do for so many people. "it takes a village". The Lodge needs you all, the more members the better to get our job accomplished. If a member knows of someone who has not paid those membership dues, encourage them to do so. The following members are eligible for Life Membership as of 4/1/2018: Richard Ashwood, Michael Burk, Donald Denman, Joseph Frank, William Griffin and Lanny Larson. Note: If any of you on this list are already a life member (from a different Lodge and it did not transfer over) please contact me so I can up date my records and your membership card. The requirement for life membership is: To be 65+ years of age and have been an elk for 30 + years.  NOTE: Granting of a life membership to a member who is qualified to apply therefor under (Grand Lodge Statues 14.260 Opinion 01) 14.260 is not automatic. The application (a letter of request) must be formally presented to the Lodge and a favorable vote gained, thereafter. Change of address reminder As, you snow birds start coming back to town for the winter, don't forget about me. Please contact me to change your address, so your newsletters are not going off to where you were for the summer. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Lodge States Membership 526 Initiated 17 Affiliated 7 Absolute Demits 1 

Deaths 4 

Delinquents 42 

Lapsation rate 8.28 % 

Average age 70.60 

In progress to become members 10 

Deaths Glen Hampton Charter Member Initiated : 6/1/1966 Affiliated: 10/4/2000 Passed: 7/14/2018