MISSISSIPPI

MISSISSIPPI - Gracious Southern Hospitality, November 30-December 2

We arrived in Jackson, Mississippi in the late afternoon and were greeted at the airport by PGER and State Sponsor Mike and Sandra Smith, Special Deputy Mike and Bonnie Gordon, Past Special Deputy Dub and Tiny Hicks, Past State President Arnie Blackmon and Toni and current State President Tasos Alekos.  As we left the airport, four Mississippi Elks on their motorcycles took the lead and proceded to escort us to the hotel.  We were honored and arrived with big smiles on our faces.  That evening we went out to dinner at Tico's Steak House.  A local restaurant, it is owned and run by a prior chef for the national chain, Ruth's Chris.   Tom enjoyed a 24-ounce bone-in ribeye.  What a steak!  We enjoyed our meal, the service and the company.

Friday morning, Tom had breakfast with the men followed by a half hour interview on a 50,000 watt radio station with statewide talk show host, JT.  During the interview, Tom had a chance to educate the entire state of Mississippi about who the Elks are and what we do.  Meanwhile, the ladies headed north for a tour of the Canton Elks Lodge #458.  Located on the main square of Canton, Mississippi, this historic lodge was founded in 1898 and was the filming site for the movie "A Time to Kill" based on the novel by John Grisham.  It is a beautiful lodge and we enjoyed hearing about its history and seeing all of the memorabilia that their members have preserved.  After leaving the Lodge, we walked around the town square enjoying all of the Christmas decorations and stopping in and out of the various shops.

Lunch found the men at Mama Hamil's, an all-you-can-eat southern style BBQ buffet which lived up to its name.  The ladies stopped at Primo's, a southern diner-style restaurant featuring catfish, sweet potato fries and gumbo.  After lunch, we all rendezvoused in downtown Jackson for a guided tour of the Capitol building.  Completed in 1903 at a price of $1,093,641, this beautiful building is a prime example of the Beaux Arts architecture, characterized by grandiose composition and an abundance of classical detail.  As is the case with most capitol buildings, is a beautiful structure and speaks of Mississippi heritage and pride.  After our Capitol tour, we had a chance to meet the Governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant.  We spent some time with him sharing information about the Elks and the work they do in the State of Mississippi.

After a casual dinner at the hotel Friday evening, we spent some time visiting with the Mississippi Elks in several of their hospitality suites.  True to the tradition of "southern hospitality", there was wonderful food (gumbo, bisque, southern tamales) and generous drinks.

Saturday morning began with the business session for the State Association.  Venita attended a luncheon for the ladies, followed by a shopping trip to some unique gift shops in the town of Madison.  That afternoon, we went to Mass followed by the State Banquet.  The Mississippi State Association presented us with a beautiful engraved silver tray with four cocktail glasses bearing a hand crafted pewter elk head on each glass.  They were truly works of art and will be put to good use in our home.

Sunday morning Tom headed for Michigan to do some work for his law firm while Mike, Bonnie, Arnie and Toni took Venita out to lunch at Jerry's Catfish House for some of the best southern fried catfish and hush puppies she's ever had.  Deciding the "all you can eat" was truly more than she could eat, she still managed not to go home hungry!

As Tom said, you can't possibly understand Southern Hospitality until you experience it.  Congratulations to the Mississippi Elks and all of our escorts and hosts. You did it perfectly!

NEVADA

NEVADA – The Silver State, November 15-17

 
The Nevada visitation offered us the rare luxury of being able to drive instead of fly to the Convention since our destination was just south of Reno in Minden, Nevada.  We arrived on Thursday afternoon and were greeted by State President Bill Cooke and First Lady Sydney and our escorts Max and Rhonda Shen.  That evening we met up with State Sponsor PGER Jim Grillo and Lucia for a casual taco dinner at the Tahoe-Douglas Elks Lodge #2670, the host lodge for the Convention weekend.

Friday morning, Tom headed out to breakfast at the Lodge with Jim and Max, followed by meetings of the Advisory Council and the State Trustees.  Venita had breakfast at the hotel with Lucia, and then the ladies (and three gentlemen) all met at the hotel for the spouses’ luncheon.  After lunch, they were treated to the comedy genius of Kat Simmons, a professional comedienne who is local to the Gardnerville area.  She explained the pros and cons of aging, raising children, being married and traveling as a professional entertainer.  By the time she finished her final skit demonstrating the difference between the television commercials showing how to put on panty hose and the actual reality of struggling into these nylon nightmares, everyone in the room was laughing hysterically and had tears rolling down their cheeks.  That evening was the State President’s Dinner sporting a patriotic theme.  Tom had the privilege of handing out Grand Lodge awards for web site design to both the Henderson-Green Valley Lodge#2802 and to the Nevada State Elks Association.  He also presented the Golden Mike Award for Public Relations to Sabina Bye, Carson City Lodge #2177.

Saturday we went to the luncheon for the Nevada Elks Major Project, Safe Haven, a program that provides emergency care for battered and abused children.  The Association had solicited gift baskets from throughout the state to be raffled off as well as numerous silent auction items.  We were very impressed by the generosity of the Lodges and individuals and the number of items donated.  All together, they raised $3,000 in support of their Project. 

The final evening was the GER Dinner at the Lodge.   As had been our experience for every meal we enjoyed at the Lodge, the dinner was excellent.  After dinner, Tom shared his vision for Elkdom with the attendees.  Several people took the time to let him know they appreciated his comments and that they thought his suggestions were right on target.  We finished the evening signing cards and handing out pins before heading back to our hotel.

We want to thank the Nevada State Elks for their gracious hospitality during our visit.  As we told them all, we truly felt comfortable and at home in this, our sister state in Area 7.  Special thanks to Jim, Lucia, Bill, Sydney, Max and Rhonda for their companionship during our time with them.  We look forward to seeing all of you again soon!

MAINE

MAINE - Lobster and Snow, November 4-8

We arrived in Bangor, Maine to cold temperatures and warm hugs.  We were greeted at the airport by PGER and State Sponsor Amos and Barbara McCallum, State President John and Tina May Nicholson, Past Grand Inner Guard Andy Constantine, Past Aide to the GER Ralph Sicard and Marcia Bouchard and Past State President Mike and Freddie Powers.  After settling into our hotel, the group went to dinner at the Lucerne Inn, a beautiful historic inn just outside of Bangor.

After breakfast on Monday morning, we headed out for a tour of Acadia National Park and a breathtaking trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain.  Even though the weather was a little overcast, the views from the top of this 1,530 foot peak (the second highest in Maine) were beautiful.  After a couple of photos and a quick movie clip, we hustled back to the cars to get out of the wind and 32 degree temperature.  Our lunch stop was at the Ellsworth Elks Lodge #2743.  These gracious Elks hosted us to seafood "chowdah" and lobster rolls.  Many of those in attendance had come from work to spend their lunch hour with us.  While we were there we were told that they will be celebrating both their 25th anniversary next year as well as a mortgage burning ceremony.  We congratulated them on this significant achievement.

After lunch, we returned to the hotel for some rest and relaxation.  Much to Venita's delight, it began to snow in the late afternoon, but the storm did not amount to much.  Only enough for one good snowball.  Dinner that evening was at a wonderful riverside restaurant called Schooners.  Once Tom saw that the menu featured a one and a half pound lobster, his choice was made.  We also could not resist the steamer clams and the seafood experience was complete.  We returned to the hotel after dinner, barely able to keep our eyes open.  What a wonderful first day in Maine!

Tuesday morning we were taken to the Challenger Learning Center of Maine.  One of 48 centers around the United States serving 400,000 students annually, these hands-on facilities were started by the families of the Challenger Space Shuttle crew that were lost when their shuttle exploded after takeoff.  The Center features both a Mission Control and a Space Station mock-up, allowing students to experience real applications for science, technology, engineering and math and to promote awareness of potential careers choices that might not have occurred to students previously.  This was a fascinating experience and one we very much enjoyed.

Following the Challenger Learning Center, we took a driving tour of Bangor.  Andy Constantine, a Bangor native, took us by the home of author Stephen King, to the Thomas Hill Standpipe and through the Hope Cemetery, the final resting place for Abraham Lincoln's first Vice President, Hannibal Hamlin.  We also visited the monument to Chamberlain, a noted abolitionist during the civil war whose home was a documented site of the Underground Railroad.  After completing our tour, we made our way to the Sea Dog Brewery for lunch.

After lunch, the group toured the Cole Land Transportation Museum.  While we have toured numerous auto and motorcycle museums, we have never seen a collection with this much variety in our tours.  The museum features snow plows, buggies, wagons, tractors, cement trucks, cars, trains, motorcycles, bicycles, military vehicles and most of the freight trucks used in their family's company, Cole's Express.  We also had the chance to meet and talk with Galan Cole, a WW II Purple Heart recipient and the owner of the museum.

Tuesday evening, we attended a reception and dinner at the Bangor Elks Lodge #244.  It was a wonderful evening, made even more special by the many Maine Elks who made the effort to attend on what was a work night for most of them.  At the end of the evening, the Exalted Rulers from each Lodge presented us with a gift from their Lodge.  Many of them made generous donations to the Elks National Foundation in our name.  We also received a handmade lobster trap coffee table from the Biddeford-Saco Lodge and a wonderful gift basket from John and Tina May with assorted Maine items as well as a Maine quilt block for Venita's quilt.  We were stunned by the generosity of these gracious Elks.

Wednesday morning, Andy Constantine treated to a tour of the press facilities at the local newspaper, the Bangor Daily News.  Andy works for the paper and was able to give us insider information on how all those advertising inserts get into our hometown papers.  It was a fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes workings of the paper.

Our final afternoon, we headed for "deer camp."  Our hosts, Arnold and Ann Byers welcomed the eleven of us to their one-room cabin at the back of their property.The rest of the afternoon was all about kicking back, relaxing, eating and drinking.

The afternoon started with drinks and appetizers, followed shortly by ten pounds of steamed clams.  Meanwhile, the kettles were coming to a boil in preparation for the twenty-two (yes . . . count them . . . 22!) live lobsters that they had brought for dinner.  As a special honor for Tom, his main course would be the GER of lobsters - a three pound champion!  It was quite an adventure to see these guys coming in on the plates.  While we can't believe we are going to say this, we actually had our fill of lobster.  At least for one sitting!  Thinking we had survived, we leaned back from the table only to find that Ann had baked three pies for dessert.  We rolled home late that evening marveling at the hospitality of these generous folks.

Thursday morning, we awoke to three inches of fresh snow on the ground.  Fortunately (or unfortunately?), the airport was equipped to handle the flurry and our plane was on time.  While we were supposed to be heading for New Jersey, Hurricane Sandy had changed those plans and we turned our faces homeward a little early . . . with wonderful memories of Maine, its Elks and a vow to return again.

IOWA

IOWA - Food Capital of the World, October 31 - November 4

We came into Iowa a day early and were greeted at the airport by State Sponsor PGER Ted and Betsy Callicott,  SDGER Ralph and Barbara Buster and Chief Justice Mark Huegel.  Upon arriving at our hotel, we were greeted by Mark's wife, Kim Birch and Grand Trustee Pete Nelson and Sue.  After checking in, , we had a bite to eat and then retired for the night.

Wednesday, the gentlemen headed out to tour the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum.  Located on Camp Dodge, an active National Guard post, the museum features displays of Iowans serving in all branches of the military and the Iowa State Patrol.  Included in the exhibits were uniforms, artifacts, equipment, aircraft, equipment and ordnance.  After their tour, they stopped by the local Harley Davidson shop.

Meanwhile, the ladies took Venita to a historic shopping area of Des Moines called Valley Junction where their stops included a store featuring nothing but things made in Iowa.  They also stopped in a quilt shop down the street.  After lunch, they drove by Terrace Hill, the Governor's mansion and then did a loop through downtown to see the capitol building and the sculpture garden.

Wednesday evening, we drove over to Grinnell, Iowa to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Grinnell Lodge #1266.  Grinnell is the home lodge of current State President Larry and Sandy Manning.  We were given a warm welcome by everyone and after an excellent dinner, Tom presented the Exalted Ruler with the 100th Anniversary plaque.

Thursday morning, Tom was interviewed on the Van and Bonnie Show at WHO Radio, clear channel 50,000 watts.  He spoke about the charitable work we do and the strength of our organization.  Those who heard the interview said it was excellent and they were proud of being Elks.  That morning, the ladies went shopping for the day and came away with some great bargains, thus saving their husbands lots of money!  Thursday evening we went to Johnny's, a local steakhouse with an Italian flair.  Dinner was excellent and the company matched the meal.

Friday morning we were greeted with a Convention Newsletter under our hotel door, compliments of Carl and Sue Jacob.  We almost felt like we were at Grand Lodge! Tom headed out to attend the Advisory business sessions of the Association while Venita went with the ladies to tour the Iowa State Historic Museum.  After a terrific lunch at the museum, the ladies returned to the hotel for some relaxation and socializing prior to dinner.  Friday's dinner was at the hotel in the company of the Iowa Past State Presidents and their spouses.  That evening, we went down to the courtyard area of the hotel to socialize with the Iowa Elks, share our pins and dance to their great DJ.  A wonderful time was had by all.

Saturday morning was the opening session of the Iowa State Association, followed by lunch and afternoon group meetings.  Venita went to the ladies brunch, where they were entertained by Jackie Schmillen, a local TV traffic personality.  With a heavy background in theater, Jackie had us all laughing in very short order.  She told us about her charity work and we noticed that she had an application to join the Elks with her when she left. That afternoon, Venita, Betsy and Barbara went to Betsy's favorite needlepoint store where we browsed through the canvases and supplies for a good hour prior to making our purchases.

Saturday evening was the closing banquet of the conference.  Tom spoke to the attendees, sharing his vision for Elkdom and offering concrete suggestions for how to grow their membership and reminding them to be sure to make application for the ENF grants that are available to their lodges.  After dinner, we were presented with a goodie basket, along with notification that at the end of our year of traveling, the Iowa Elks will be sending a box of beef to our home for us to enjoy.  We were so appreciative of this generous gift and thanked them from the bottom of our hearts.

We truly had a great time in Iowa.  Our thanks to Ted, Betsy, Mark, Kim, Larry, Sandy, Ralph, Barbara, Pete, Sue and all of the Iowa Elks for making our stay so memorable.  We'll look forward to seeing you again soon.

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH CAROLINA - Sneaking In Ahead of Hurricane Sandy, 10/24-28

Our trip to North Carolina started on Wednesday and involved a hop-scotch itinerary from San Jose to Minneapolis to Detroit to Asheville.  All went as scheduled, and we arrive in Asheville where we were met by PGER and State Sponsor Jack and Sharon Frost and Special Deputy John and Ann Boyd.  After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we went out for a casual dinner and spent the balance of the evening cheering for the San Francisco Giants in the first game of the World Series. (Go Giants!)
 

Thursday morning, we had a great country breakfast at the "Moose Cafe" before we checked out of the hotel.  It is a famous local restaurant with some of the best Southern Cooking going.  We then made the 45 minute drive to Swannanoa, North Carolina for the dedication of the new North Carolina State Veterans Home at Black Mountain.  Before the ceremony, we were given a private tour of the facility and were impressed by the noticeable effort that had been made to ensure that the areas felt like a home for the residents. The North Carolina Elks are very involved with all the veterans programs and have donated seven vans/busses to the North Carolina Veterans' Homes throughout the state.  During the ceremony, the Elks presented the Black Mountain Home with the newest of the busses outfitted with a wheelchair lift.  We were also privileged to meet the Governor of North Carolina, Beverly Purdue and received her heartfelt thanks for all the Elks do for the North Carolina Veterans.  Jack Frost actually got a kiss from her for all the wokr the association had done!

 

After the ceremony, we did a three and a half hour drive across the state to the Fall Convention site in Raleigh.  The weather was perfect and the drive gave us a chance to see the beautiful mountain region of western North Carolina.  Upon arriving at our hotel, we met State President Bob and Gloria Gower as well as many of the other Past State Presidents and First Ladies for dinner at the hotel.  After visiting with everyone in the Presidential Suite for a little while, we headed back to our room for the night.

Friday morning, Tom joined Jack, John and Bob for the Advisory Meetings while Venita joined Sharon, Ann and Gloria for breakfast prior to our outing. When it was discovered that Gloria was concerned about driving the van, Venita volunteered to drive since she had previously chauffeured the Grand Forum through the Napa Valley in a 15-passenger van during their visit to California.  With the driving issue settled, the 26 ladies piled into the van and two cars for a trip to the 100th Anniversary Titanic Artifact Exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.  This was an amazing display that told the story of the Titanic from its beginning design and construction through to the discovery and salvage operations that have taken place over the last 25 years.  After visiting the exhibit, we went to The Pit for lunch.  The Pit is a restaurant that carries on a 350-year tradition of North Carolina BBQ and the food was excellent.  BBQ is an art in North Carolina!  Bob Garner, the owner of the restaurant as well as a local TV celebrity stopped by the table to visit with us and gave Venita an autographed souvenir menu. After lunch, we checked out the chocolate factory across the street and then returned to the hotel.  

Friday evening, we joined Bob and Gloria for a social hour in their suite and then met all of the Past State Presidents for dinner.  Later that evening, we wandered through several of the district hospitality suites to visit with the convention attendees and talk to them about their lodges and association.

Saturday morning, Tom attended the business session of the convention with Jack, John and Bob.  Venita went to the ladies hospitality get together, followed by the Basket Party.  For the Basket Party, the North Carolina Lodges and some individuals had brought baskets to raffle as a fundraiser for Gloria's charity of choice.  The 50 ladies in attendance purchased almost $300 worth of tickets for the various baskets which was donated to the Veterans' Homes.  In order to liven things up, Carol used a "Family Feud" format to determine who would actually get to take the chosen basket home.  The group was very lively, and at one point one of the convention attendees from the adjoining room came to let us know we were having way too much fun!  The North Carolina ladies presented Venita with a beautiful basket of items manufactured in North Carolina, including the North Carolina Elks Cookbook which was something Venita had been coveting in one of the other baskets. They also presented her with a beautiful necklace and earring set which had been made by one of their members.

After the morning activities, we attended the Memorial Service and the final luncheon.  Tom delivered his speech, commending the North Carolina Elks on their outstanding Veterans Program and encouraging them to work on growing their membership. The State Association presented Tom with a John F. Kennedy Rocking Chair as well as leather motorcycle vests for both Tom and Venita with the Elks logo and Tom's lodge number on the back.  We were very appreciative of their generosity and thanked them profusely.

Saturday evening was casual and we had social time with Bob, Gloria, Jack, Sharon, John and Ann before dinner.  That evening, we visited two more of the district hospitality suites before heading back to our room to pack.  Sunday mornig was the PER Association breakfast with a big attendance and many enthusiastic PERs around.  That was really fun. 

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the North Carolina Elks for their gracious hospitality during our stay.  We truly appreciate all the special effort that went into making our visit one we will always remember.  

MICHIGAN

MICHIGAN - Herr and Frau for the Weekend, October 18-21

 

Our Thursday morning travel to Saginaw, Michigan was uneventful and we arrived to the smiling faces of the Michigan Elks.  We were pleased to see PGER and State Sponsor Jim Varenhorst again who had been unable to attend our installation in Austin.  We were also greeted by State President Ron Zimmerman and First Lady Jean.  Our long-time friends from the Committee on Judiciary, Jim and Tina Deamud were there beaming as were we.  Long time friends Grand Trustee Eric Mulholland and Barbara were there too.  We then turned to find a large welcome banner held by the rest of the Michigan Elks who had come to greet us, First Vice President George and Shelley Sermon, Second Vice President Chris and Loretta Ferguson and Public Relations Chairman Mary and Dean Reid.

After a short drive from the airport, we arrived at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  The town of Frankenmuth is a notable Michigan tourist destination boasting a German heritage and the Bavarian theme is prevalent throughout the area.  After checking into our room, we joined Ron and Jean for a social hour in their hospitality suite prior to heading for Sullivan's Steak House for dinner to finish the evening.

Friday morning, Tom attended the Advisory meetings followed by lunch.  In the afternoon, he attended the working session of the Michigan Elks Gold Key Charitable Grant Fund.  This fund is designed to provide post-secondary education scholarships for special needs students.  It started as two friends put $100 each into a fund and began soliciting private donations that lead tothe $300,000 program it is today.  Great work! Tom was very impressed with the program and congratulated the Michigan Elks on their significant work in this area.  Meanwhile, Venita attended a ladies coffee in the hospitality suite where she visited with the ladies and shared her pin.  Much to her delight, Venita was presented with a denim shirt embroidered with a picture of her 2007 Harley Sportster.  After coffee, several of the ladies took Venita to Bronner's, the world's largest Christmas store.  Started in 1945, their facility holds over 50,000 ornaments and is the size of one and a half football fields.  Needless to say, Venita was in seventh heaven and did support the local economy.

Friday evening, we attended a dinner with the Michigan Past State Presidents.  Judy Zehnder, one of the third generation owners of the Bavarian Inn, spoke to us before dinner about their family and the history of the Inn.  She was a funny and gracious hostess and we enjoyed her very much.  The buffet dinner included some of the best fried chicken we have ever had.  We came to find out that apparently it is their specialty.  After dinner, we visited the Michigan hospitality suite to meet and talk with the members who had arrived that day.

Saturday morning, Tom attended the opening business session for the State Association.  Venita went to the Ladies Brunch and thanked the attendees for all of their support of the Elks and encouraging them to join as members whenever possible.  One of the special guests at the brunch was a young lady named Brooke who was sponsored to camp through the Michigan Elks Major Project and then went on to receive a scholarship through the Gold Key Charitable Grant Fund mentioned above.

After brunch, several of the ladies took Venita to downtown Frankenmuth where they visited a local fudge shop, a cheese factory, the woolen mill and a local quilt shop.  After finishing their shopping, they took an afternoon break at a lovely local tea house, enjoying not only tea, cider and hot chocolate but delicious cookies and desserts.

Saturday evening was the closing banquet for the Fall Convention.  Judy Zehnder spoke to the group again and we had the privilege of meeting her mother, Dorothy, 91-years-young still working six days a week running the kitchen at the Inn.  The tradition of excellent food continued and everyone had a great time. The Association presented Tom with a denim shirt to match Venita's, only his was done with a replica of his BMW R1150RT. They also presented us with a beautiful Waterford crystal clock which will occupy a place of honor in Tom's office. After dinner, we stayed for photos, signed cards and gave out pins. All together, the Michigan Elks donated $1,100 to the Disaster Relief Fund throughout the weekend.

Sunday morning we met Jim, Tina, Cassie, George, Shelly, Chris and Loretta for breakfast. After checking out, we took a tour of the Michigan’s own Military and Space Museum.  This museum features more than 500 uniforms and related artifacts of Michigan men and women who served our nation in seven foreign wars, plus the largest collection of original Medals of Honor on display in the United States.  Each display tells the story of that soldier and their extraordinary experience of war.  It was a unique experience and we found it fascinating.  After lunch we headed home, with heartfelt thanks to all of the wonderful Michigan Elks for the wonderful time we had at their fall meeting.

One footnote:  As of the posting of this write-up, the San Francisco Giants will be facing the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.  Rumor has it that ENF will benefit from a serious bet on this match up.  We know we're a little biased but . . . Go Giants!

PENNSYLVANIA

PENNSYLVANIA - A "Keystone" Visit, October 12-13

 

After leaving San Jose at 5:30 in the morning, we landed in Pittsburgh for our Pennsylvania visitation and were greeted at the airport by PGER and State Sponsor Carlin O’Malley, Grand Trustee Vic Cid, State President Kevin Brouse and First Lady Margie, and Vice President Terry Liersaph and Pat.  Upon arriving at the convention site in Cranberry, a suburb of Pittsburg we were greeted by Donna Cid as well as several of the Past State Presidents and First Ladies of the Pennsylvania Elks and SDGER/Convention Coordinator Paul Lafayette.

 
After settling into our beautiful suite, we joined everyone in the hotel restaurant for dinner.  The hotel was featuring a wonderful seafood buffet and we indulged ourselves in clam chowder, Atlantic salmon and wonderful desserts.  After dinner, we visited with everyone for a bit and then adjourned to our room for the night. 
 
The next morning, Tom joined Carlin and Kevin for breakfast and then attended the meetings of the Advisory Council for the Association.  Venita had a leisurely morning visiting with Margie and was then honored at a luncheon hosted by the Past State Presidents’ wives.  Venita was presented with a beautiful silver Brighton cuff bracelet, which she promptly put on and wore throughout the weekend.  After lunch, Margie took Venita to a quilt shop housed in an old historic farm house. 
 
Later that afternoon, we visited several of the District hospitality suites to talk with the Pennsylvania Elks.  One district had brought a “doo rag” for Tom to autograph and it was raffled off for their major project, Pennsylvania Elks Home Service.  Home Service is an program of nurses who provide in-home advocacy services for individuals with developmental disabilities.  A very solid program, they spent $1.2 million last year in home services and have a multi-million dollar legacy trust fund to support the program. During the weekend, the Committee also held a raffle for items donated from various district and individuals ranging from baskets to lottery ticket money trees to pots and pans!  A great time was had by all when the final drawing took place.  Throughout the weekend, these dedicated Elks raised over $2,600 for their major project. 
 

Saturday morning, Tom attended the opening business session for the Association.  Venita went out to lunch with the Past State Presidents’ wives followed by a trip to Volant and New Wilmington with First Lady Margie and Past First Lady Jean Kanouff.  These two towns are located in the Amish country of western Pennsylvania and Jean’s and her husband, Denny’s family had lived in this area for a number of years.  Volant was having its Pumpkin Festival and we enjoyed the beautiful fall weather as we wandered through several of the quaint shops.  On our way to New Wilmington, we stopped at Tena’s Quilt Shop located in one of the buildings of an Amish farm.  The work done by the ladies of the community was beautiful and we spent some time browsing through the quilts that were stacked on the bed.

 

Saturday evening we attended the final dinner where Tom talked with the group about the state of our Order and how we might grow our membership.  The Pennsylvania Elks presented us with a letter indicating they had made a donation to ENF in our name as well as a beautiful framed painting of a winter forest scene.  Margie presented Venita with a lovely pair of pearl earrings.
 
We spent the rest of the evening talking with the Pennsylvania Elks in their hospitality suites.  At eleven o’clock, Venita had the privilege of giving the Eleven O’clock Toast to close out our time with these wonderful people.  We had a very special weekend in Pennsylvania and we thank Carlin, Kevin, Margie, Vic, Donna, Terry, Pat, Walt and Paul for making our stay one we will treasure.  Our best wishes to the continuing success of this great State Association.