Elks News
EXALTED RULER
Troy Ceballos
Happy New Year to all our members and their families! Wow already a new year that was fast. I
would like to thank everyone who worked on the Christmas Basket program, it is an amazing project that brings a lot of members, families and
organization together helping a great cause. Words can’t express the magnitude of this project or the joy that it puts in everyone who helped with this project, thank you very much. The lodge will be having Super Bowl again this year we will have the game on both TV’s with the sound piped through the new audio system, everyone should be able to hear. We will also have a game time buffet, drink specials and prize giveaways, see the flyer for more details. There will be very little updates on the Orenco land purchase, we have to wait until the City partitions the land and then at that time we will see what is available to purchase, this process will take about 6 months, until then there is not much that can be done. In 6 months the MacDonald house should be conveyed back to the Hillsboro Elks Lodge at that time the property will be our property to do what we want with. I would like to make a couple of comments
on what you may have read in the Argus or the Oregonian about some comments made by St. Childs concerning their status in the MacDonald house. The Hillsboro Elks Lodge has leased the MacDonald house to St.Childs over the last 15 years for $1 dollar per year with the expectation that St. Childs organization would upkeep and maintain the property. The Hillsboro Elks lodge has also paid the utilities on the Macdonald house over the last 5 years. If we summed that all up in a normal lease it would exceed an amount over 1 million dollars. The lease on the property expired December 4th, 2011 the BOD did not feel that we should continue to be property managers or continue the lease with St. Childs, which we informed St. Childs organization of our intent way before the lease expired. The BOD entertained an offer on the property from St. Childs which was way below the fair market value so we declined there offer.
The BOD feels that the Hillsboro Elks has gone above and beyond in providing to St. Childs, and that any differences in opinion will not be done through any type of public media. The BOD feels good about what we have done for St. Childs over the last 15 years and it is time to move forward in a different direction. See you around the lodge……….
Fraternally
Troy Ceballos
Exalted Ruler
LEADING KNIGHT
Pam Fuentes
I want to thank everyone who helped with this year’s Christmas Basket program from the bottom of my heart. We provided food and toys to over 500 families this year. That is down from our goal of 700
but by partnering closer with the School District and not allowing faxed in requests, the process was much smoother. On Friday we had 13 students and 2 adults from Glencoe and 41 students and 1 adult from Hill High helping out. They were so energetic and fun—they were even singing Christmas carols while they worked. Tacy Parker
was our family coordinator again this year and she is a total Rock Star, in my eyes.
And so is Marisa Harris with her organizational skills with the toy room and toy purchases. Look for a full report next month. It was a lot of work but also it was a lot of fun, I would like to thank everyone who attended and participated in the Elks Memorial Service, which was held on Sunday, December 4th. Since ER Troy was on vacation, I had the privilege of performing his part for him. I would like to extend a special thank you to our Loyal Knight, Bob Cox, for pulling the program together and getting the Memorial Service handouts printed—they were very nice. We had good participation and the food afterward was wonderful—thanks Kitchen Staff. It was a heartwarming afternoon. Now it’s look out, here we come into 2012! I am looking forward to New Year’s
Eve with music by the Design Band. Love, love, love the variety and quality of their music. I hope everyone got their tickets because they have been going fast. Fraternally
Pam Fuentes
Esteemed Leading Knight
LOYAL KNIGHT
Bob Cox
Winter is here, good or bad. Mountain slopes are open
with plenty of snow for skiing& snowboarding or just plain sight seeing. Fish are in, in good numbers, some good clam tides. Stormy weather at the beach means great beach combing, maybe even some Japanese glass floats to be found. Last year certainly went by fast. A lot of improvements were done around the lodge, new siding, paving of our parking lot, landscaping and refurbishing of our RV spaces. Well, did you make some New Year's Resolutions? It is easy to make them but hard to keep them because it usually takes a lot of dedication, but it's always good to have goals set for ourselves. Beth & I had fun working on the Christmas Basket Program. Good feelings were had by all who helped, knowing 500 families would have a better
Christmas because of our lodge's efforts. The officers will start considering the lodge budget soon. If you have things you would like to have considered for funding, come to the BOD meetings to share you input. Look on the calendar for BOD dates. Hope you are able to come to the lodge on the 2nd to see the Ducks win the Rose Bowl in sunny Pasadena. See you there. Happy New Year!!!! Fraternally,
Bob Cox
Esteemed Loyal Knight
LECTURING KNIGHT
Cathy Swanson
Happy New Year to All! As the Kid’s Christmas Party will not have taken place in the timing of this article, I will report on that event next month. I would like to thank the following volunteers for their help on the Elks MVS scholarship judging contest: Arnie Swanson, Laurie Blackburn, Sean Morrison, Gary Tufto, Sandi Kucera, Sandy Warner, Jo Ann Piehl, Ken Feldhaus. You all did a great job and the first place winners are: Stephanie Chen
and Noah Sylwester, both attending Century High School. These two winners will further compete in our district contest to be held in mid January. Congratulations go out to these two students! The ENF Legacy Awards contest, which is open to the children and grandchildren of active Elks members, runs from September 1, 2011 through February 1, 2012. Visit www.elks.org/enf/scholars for complete details and deadlines. The annual kid’s Hoop Shoot will take place on Saturday, January 7th @ Raymond Brown Jr High School. I highly encourage all kids ranging from
ages 8-13 to attend. Please check with your schools too as they have received a full packet from me with important information. See further details in this bulletin. We are hoping for a good turnout this year! I will need volunteers to help with this event. Setup time is 8am. We are in the process of delivering dictionaries this year to elementary schools in the Hillsboro district. It has been well received and the kids are loving it. Congratulations go out to our December Elk of the Month, Arnie Swanson. “Thank you for all you do for our Lodge and the passion you display along with it!”Fraternally
Cathy Swanson
Esteemed Lecturing Knight