The Valdosta Elks Lodge held its annual Christmas Basket Program on December 19, 2009. According to Chairman Rick Squires, “This is one of the best Christmas Basket Programs I have seen since becoming chairman in the last 7 years.” This year the Elks took on 55 needy families to assist in the local community. The festivities started with the families arriving at the Elks Lodge and visiting a clothes closet to find clothes for all in the family. The families were then treated to a traditional Christmas dinner cooked by the Elks Lodge. After dinner was served Santa Claus (Walt McGhin) arrived in a fire truck with all of the children standing outside patiently awaiting his arrival. Santa then listened to each child’s Christmas wish and provided them with a present and candy bag. Each family was then sent home with a basket (3 boxes) of food to last for at least a week and enjoy for the holidays. For those who had no transportation, the Elks provided transportation. For those families unable to attend the dinner, the Elks made home deliveries.

This could not have happened without the support of Valdosta and its surrounding communities. Food, money, toys, and other items were provided by local businesses. Elks Lodge members and Aidmore Auxiliary members helped to make this event a success. There were members who collected food and donations, shopped, wrapped gifts, served food and drinks, and were on hand to help with even the smallest details. Exalted Ruler, Kristi Jones, said “It was amazing the way everyone came together to make Christmas special for these needy families”. In a time when the economy is so tough it was very heartwarming to see everyone still had a little bit to give to needy families”.

Everyone at the Valdosta Elks Lodge would like to say THANK YOU to all who helped to make this event a success. The generous donors are too numerous to name but they can feel very proud that they brightened a families Christmas. If you would like any information on the Valdosta Elks Lodge and its programs, please call 229-242-3012.

Everyone waiting to eat	Santa listening to a child's wishes for Christmas
Elks workers packing the boxes	Chairman Rick Squires welcoming Santa (Walt McGhin)

It was a pleasure to have Anne Talley, 2006 ENF scholarship winner (sponsored by the Richmond, Virginia Lodge) as a speaker at the Atlanta-Northlake Elks Lodge #78 on November 5, 2009. Anne is a senior at Georgia Tech (in downtown Atlanta) on the Biotechnology track and will graduate in 2010 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Lodge Scholarship Chairman Charles Gardner and ER David Fitzgerald arranged a great dinner and assembled quite a large group of lodge and auxiliary members for the event. Special guests included GA Elks State President Larry Capes, GA Auxiliary State President Annette Perritt and a group from the Marietta Elks Lodge. When Anne Talley addressed the group she said "The purpose of my visit is to say thank you to the Elks...and please keep giving out the scholarships!" Anne went on to tell everyone exactly how much the Elks scholarship had meant to her, enabling her to attend an excellent school and enjoy her time at the university. Anne said she had been able to work in research, attend classes abroad at Georgia Tech Lorraine, and had several internships, all of which enhanced her education and would not have been possible without the Elks scholarship. At GA Tech Anne is Vice President of Alpha Chi Sigma Professional Chemistry Fraternity and a member of AIChE. She is planning on attending graduate school after her graduation in August. All the Elks and ladies at the event enjoyed meeting Anne Talley and all agree that she has a bright future ahead of her.

L-R: Charles Gardner- Lodge Scholarship Committee Chair; Fran Ingram-Auxiliary President, Anne Talley-Speaker, Annette Perritt-GA Elks State Auxiliary President, Larry Capes- GA Elks State President, and David Fitzgerald- Exalted Ruler

L-R: Charles Gardner- Lodge Scholarship Committee Chair; Fran Ingram-Auxiliary President, Walt Ingram-Lodge Secretary, Anne Talley-Speaker, Larry Capes- GA Elks State President, David Fitzgerald- Exalted Ruler and Dr. Henry Ayers, GA Elks NW District Scholarship Chairman

L-R: Larry Capes-GA Elks State President, Anne Talley-Speaker, Annette Perrit-GA Elks State Auxiliary President

L-R: Charles Gardner- Lodge 78 Scholarship Committee Chair; Larry Capes-GA Elks State President, Anne Talley-Elks Scholarship Winner, and Dr. Henry Ayers- GA Elks NW District Scholarship Chairman

The Covington Elks and Elkadettes applied to Snapping Shoals REA for a grant for $5000 three years ago. Using the funds, they prepared a puppet show for elementary school age children on drug awareness. The first school that saw the productions was East Newton Elementary in the Spring of 2007.

This year they will touch the lives of over 6000 elementary children in grades kindergarden through second with their drug awareness puppet show. At the end of the show the kids may ask the puppets a few questions.

Larry Capes, the Georgia Elks President has been a puppet for a show and has attended several of the shows and spoken with the students. The stage was made by Bobby and Peggy Lassiter, and Jeanette and Donald Routh. The curtains were made by Retha Garner.

The show coincides with Red Ribbon week, which strives to help keep children drug free.

Jesse Boyd(Drug Awareness Chairman) and Sgt. Jim Griffin(Lowndes County Sheriff Dept)

Jesse Boyd(Drug Awareness Chairman), Bill Holt(LODAC Counselor), and Kristi Jones (Exalted Ruler)

October is Drug Awareness Month and as part of their effort to help educate, build awareness, and support prevention of substance abuse in our youth, the Valdosta Elks Lodge #728 and the Elks Auxiliary have distributed over 14,800 red ribbons to city, county, private and Christian elementary and middle schools in Lowndes County.

Each year the Elks’ Drug Awareness Program distributes over 7 million pieces of anti-drug material across our nation. As part of their commitment to drug awareness, the Valdosta Lodge presented printed material to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s D.A.R.E. Program, Valdosta Police D.A.R.E. Program, and to the Lowndes Drug Action Council (L.O.D.A.C.) for distribution to the youth and young adults in our schools and community.

In conjunction with Drug Awareness Month, Valdosta Elks Lodge Drug Awareness Program Chairman Jesse Boyd and Exalted Ruler Kristi Jones presented a contribution in the amount of $250.00 to L.O.D.A.C. Counselor Bill Holt on October 14th for supplies needed for the Lowndes Middle School Chess Club.

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is dedicated to the community, youth and our veterans. We all are Elks because we know that the Elks are a positive influence in our communities and play a significant part in the good of our society. For that noble effort to thrive requires that each one of us become involved in some way. This may be as an active member of one or more Lodge Committees, or being active in local affairs as an individual. What route taken to achieve these goals is for the individual to decide. Remember, no effort will succeed without your involvement in your local lodge.

The slow dog days of summer is an ideal time for us to make an assessment of our contributions to our lodge and community. While there are few distractions other than the Georgia heat, we have the quiet time to reflect on what we would like to accomplish. Then go to your lodge officers or committee chairman and give them your commitment to be involved. From experience, I can attest to the fact that every day you will feel better for your actions to improve our society.

There are so many worthy programs in the Elks that sometime it is difficult to decide where we would prefer to devote our energies. Some of these programs are described in the following paragraphs.

In each of the 172 VA Medical Centers there is an Elk committee at work. Literally, thousands of Elks and their families give generously of their time, energy and resources so that the lives of our ill and aging veterans will be enhanced. Hundreds of thousands of hours and like numbers of dollars are devoted to programs that are designed to keep us true to our pledge: "So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them."

Our Drug Awareness Programs are recognized as one of the best in the United States. Every lodge has an active Drug Awareness Program and are continually seeking more workers. This is a very rewarding and worthwhile cause for all that are concerned for our future leaders.

There is The Dictionary Project which was founded in 1995 by Mrs. Mary French of Charleston, SC. The sole mission of this non-profit organization - which we as Elks, share - is to distribute dictionaries to as many 3rd graders as possible in the 50 United States and our environs. Seven million children have received a dictionary as a result of this project.

The Elks "Hoop Shoot® is a competitive basketball free-throw contest involving more than three million boys and girls ages 8-13 every year. The program passed the 100 million-participant milestone and is recognized at center court of the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

This is only a sampling of the programs you can become involved in as an Elk. To see all the good works Elks do, you can go to elks.org for more information.

Get Involved!!

The 2008-2009 Elk of the Year Award was presented by GEA President John Yost to Perry Scott (Covington) for his extensive work this past year teaching lodge secretaries about the Grand Lodge CLMS computer program. Perry Scott traveled to lodges all over the state and has been available to assist secretaries with the new GL software. Perry also created the award winning Georgia Elks website and continues to maintain, improve and update this site, promoting Elkdom in Georgia. Thanks to Perry on the website there is a "CLMS Resource Page for the Lodge Secretary" , all GEA officers and committees, the latest edition of the GA Elks News, State Auxiliary officers and news, Aidmore news, an up-to-date calendar, a photo gallery and coming soon the Drug Awareness Trailers will be scheduled thru the website. Perry has a long history with the Georgia Elks having served two times as the Decatur-Stone Mountain Lodge 1602 Exalted Ruler, many years as Lodge 1602 Trustee and Trustee Chairman, Grayson-Loganville Lodge Building Committee Chairman, as NE Vice President, as Northeast District DDGER and most recently as the GEA webmaster.

The 2008- 2009 Georgia Elks Woman of the Year Award (the Mary Gibbs Award) given annually to an outstanding Auxiliary member by Jim Gibbs PSP, was awarded posthumously to Loretta Fitzgerald Rhodes. Loretta was the wife of Vance Rhodes PSP and a very hard worker for the Elks for the past 10 years, both at the local and state levels. In 2000 after she married Vance, she joined the Decatur-Stone Mountain Auxiliary where she served on all committees including Hoop Shoot, Drug Awareness, and Aidmore. Loretta supported Vance in his successful run for GEA President 2005-2006 and continued to work for Elkdom. She served as President of the Grayson-Loganville Auxiliary in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and helped close Lodge 1602. In 2008 she joined the Atlanta Northlake Auxiliary and continued to work on Drug Awareness, Hoop Shoot, the 2009 GEA Spring Meeting Committee and the Dictionary Program. For the state auxiliary, Loretta always supported Aidmore and served as Chairman of the Aidmore Kitchen Committee and Chairman, 2009 Auxiliary Cookbook Committee.