|
|
|
|
| Brother Fred Weber - Elks President |
Thanks to the Moose Jaw Lodge Conference Committee for their work and effort in pulling off a great Conference - our 81st.
Some 42-43 years ago, Moose Jaw Elks Lodge was very supportive of a young fledgling Lodge called Bengough 517. I found it very appropriate that at this Conference I was elected the 81st President of your Association (Bengough's first). My tenure with Bengough began 40 years ago when I moved to Bengough to teach. I joined the Elks and have been there ever since.
This year's theme is E.C.H.O.E.S. Echoes are a repetition of sound by a reflection of sound waves. Echoes gives us initials for six excellent qualities when we use them as an acronym:
E Elks having fun
C Children, Community and Charity
H Helping
O Others
E Equality
S Service and Seniors
If we put effort and education to work in our communities… perhaps our endeavors, like an echo will be reflected back on us. As I visit Lodges in this province I will attempt to share my vision of applying this acronym.
We can be proud of the many areas of service which we are involved in - Fund for Children; Sask. Pediatric Auditory Centre; Senior's Homes in Hanley, Moose Jaw, Moosomin, Nipawin, PA, Rosetown, Esterhazy, and plans for Davidson.
Satisfaction comes in accomplishing something to be proud of. This doesn't mean there will not be challenges ahead. In fact, we have a challenge facing us already this year. The S.E.A. Executive is challenging every District in the province to elect a District Deputy. We are making one last concerted effort to maintain our Districts . Training sessions are being revamped and monies will be found to keep our grass roots viable. "Where there is a will, there is a way. We have to think and speak positive." If this attempt fails, then the province's Lodges will be revamped into zones and will be visited by members of the Executive. I feel we will lose our two-way communication - instead of from the bottom up… it will be from the top down. Where will our new officers come from? I know that you don't have to have been a D.D. to run for an office, but I do think that pretty well all of our officers were once District Deputies. Enough of this - I must think positive.
Becoming an Elk member provides men and women with an opportunity for fellowship within our communities and across the province . Enduring friendships develop through social and sporting events and our charities.
Like an ECHO our endeavors will be reflected back to us and hopefully the experiences will be rewarding. Have a great year and I do look forward to meeting many of you during my term of office.
| Lady Lena Wizniak - Royal Purple President |
It is a great privilege to be representing this great order and to be representing the province of Saskatchewan is yet a bigger thrill. I would like to extend a warm welcome to those who have attended the 2010 Conference - there are some who have traveled great distances to be here and we do appreciate OHE effort.
Thank you to the Moose Jaw Elks for hosting the Conference - you did a great job!!! Thank you also to the Moose Jaw Royal Purple for their assistance - it was most appreciated.
My theme for this year is " Helping Others & Each Other Go Hand in Hand". I wouldlike to see lodge members work more closely together in their lodge and in communities where there is an Elks and a Royal Purple Lodge that ifthey are not already having Joint functions such as Joint Church Parade, Joint Installation, Barbecues and Joint Memorials that they try doing so.
I would like to see District Lodges work more closely together as well and have open discussions as to where their lodge is at and to try to help each other. When my home lodge Hudson Bay held a Joint Membership Drive in 2007 we should have invited the other lodges within our District as they would have realized how much fun it was and in turn if and when they were ready to have a membership awareness campaign we would have been ready to assist them - " Helping Others & Each Other Go Hand in Hand".
If any lodge should require assistance either from the Provincial or National executives I know they would be more than willing to do so. Our obligation states we should be promoting the interests of the order a we need to show the public that we have a charitable spirit, not only for the needy but for our own members as well.
We cannot give up we are not working on a project that will be completed in 3 yrs, 5 yrs or 10 there will always be a needy child or needy individuals, children's activities and community projects that we will be asked to donate to. Our work will NEVER be done.
I look forward to visiting lodges and encouraging them to try new methods and ideas to keep their lodges going and to increase their membership. I hope that each one of you extend your caring spirit as well tobring some new members in - remember we are all ambassadors and we represent this great order and whether it is successful or not is all up to us. Always remember "Helping Others & Each Other Go Hand in Hand".
|
|
|
|
