CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA – Home Sweet Home, May 15-18

After taking a couple of days in Newport Harbor with our friends Bud and Mary Hall, we headed for Anaheim and the California/Hawaii Association convention.  We arrived on Tuesday afternoon and were met at the hotel by State President Art and Shirley Echternacht, PGER and State Sponsor Ken Moore and Convention Coordinators Tom and Valerie Lamm.  Everyone was tickled to see Mom and made her feel very welcome.  When we arrived at our suite, we found wonderful snacks and two special gifts from Art and Shirley.  In honor of our motorcycle riding, they gave us a crystal motorcycle engraved with our names and our year.  Shirley also gave Venita a Brighton charm bracelet dedicated to the sites of California.  We very much appreciated their generosity.

That evening we went out to dinner at The White House in Anaheim with Art and Shirley, Ken and Rosemary and Jim and Lucia.  The passion of owner Bruno Serato, The White House is the only restaurant in the world that serves 300 meals a day to Homeless Motel Kids and has served a half million meals to date.  We had the privilege of meeting Bruno over dinner and thanked him for his dedication to such a special cause.  And, by the way, we had the most fabulous meal we’ve ever had in a restaurant.  Put this one on your list!

Wednesday morning Tom began his meetings with Ken and Jim while Lucia and Venita spent some time out shopping.  That evening, we joined the CHEA and CHEMPI Boards for dinner prior to the Opening Ceremony.   The evening concluded with the annual Memorial Service in memory of our deceased members.  Of special significance for us was the eulogy for Past State President Elmer Lanini of the Salinas Lodge.  He had been a good friend and mentor to us in the West Central District and is missed by all.  We were very pleased that his wife Rene was in attendance.

 

Thursday started the business sessions of the Association.  Tom attended the District Deputy Luncheon as well as the Exalted Ruler Luncheon.  Venita attended coffee in the President’s Suite, followed by the Ladies Luncheon.  The Association presented Venita with a beautiful quilt block for California done by Nancy Yeffa, our Administrative Aide’s wife.  Nancy had also done a block for Mardi Gras and The Rose Parade, the two other events they had shared with us.  Later in the afternoon, the Hawaii Elks hosted their annual Mai Tai party in the late afternoon and a great time was had by all.  That evening we went to the CHEA President’s dinner and Tom spoke to the attendees about our Order and its future.  The Association presented us with a beautiful Waterford Crystal Hurricane on a wooden base.  The Orange Coast District gave Tom a framed pin set with all of the CHEA Vice Presidents’ pins, Art and Shirley’s pins and several of the pins that have had meaning for Tom through his years as an Elk.  They had even found the pin for the Pioneers, Tom’s ER group from 1993-1994!

Friday the business sessions continued and Lucia and Venita spent some time shopping and visiting.  That afternoon we attended a reception for the new State President, Dick and Claudette McDonald.  That evening was the President’s Appreciation Dinner which had a 50’s-60’s theme.  It was a wonderful evening with great friends.  Josh Hachadourian, Vice President from the Bay District even got Mom up to dance.  She had a great time.  We did have a moment's pause when Bonnie Rucker tried to teach Jim Grillo to hula hoop.  Jim decided to keep his day job.  We were also tickled to see Ken Moore up doing the Electric Slide.

 

Saturday morning, the Convention concluded with the presentation of the Major Project Theme Child and the Exalted Ruler’s March.  Before the fundraising was complete, the generous California-Hawaii Elks had raised a total of $3,000,000 for our therapy programs.  Well done, ladies and gentlemen!  We couldn’t be prouder.

After lunch with Jim, Lucia and Wayne, we turned our car toward home.  It had been a wonderful road trip and a wonderful convention.  We could not have had a better time.  Thank you, California-Hawaii Elks for taking such good care of us.  Aloha!

 

ARIZONA

ARIZONA - Heat and Hats, May 8-11

Early on we had decided to drive to the Arizona and California visitations, which made it possible to bring our 98-year-young mother, Laura Helgeson with us.  Little did we realize that we would only be home for 36 hours after returning from the Kansas visitation Sunday night!  Leaving Tuesday morning, we arrived in Phoenix Wednesday afternoon and were greeted at the hotel by PGER and State Sponsor Ken Moore, State President Tom and Gail Shelby, Past State President Lee and Sunday Schwein, our escorts Lee and Betty Cook, and Special Deputy Charlie and Betty Servanti.


Thursday morning Tom joined Ken and Tom for the start of the state meetings. Venita, Betty and Mom went to do a little shopping and then out to lunch. We then spent some time with the Arizona Elks in the Hospitality Suite that afternoon.  Dinner that evening was at the hotel and was a casual, fun evening.  We were both drafted into their version of the Wizard of Oz with Tom playing the Cowardly Lion and Venita as Glinda, the Good Witch. It was a very creative production and we had an absolutely fabulous time.  We're not sure who laughed more - the audience or the cast.  We're not in Kansas anymore!

 

 





 



Friday morning the ladies went to breakfast while the men headed for their meetings. The Ladies Luncheon featured a "Mad Hatter's Tea Party" theme with all of the ladies sporting their pretties, oldest or funniest hat.  Venita assisted in judging the hats with awards going to the winners in each category.  The winner of the funniest hat category was a lovely "Bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken" hat.  When the men stopped in to say hello, Tom made special note of that hat and commented that they would need to talk later.  Lunch was followed by musical entertainment from the Upscale Singers, a group of Phoenix residents and "snow birds" whose ages range from 19 to 82.  The performed the music of Gershwin, Sondheim, Rogers and the Beatles. They were very enthusiastic in their performance and we enjoyed listening to them very much.  The Arizona State Association then presented Venita with a quilt square for her quilt and a Harley T-shirt from a Tucson Harley-Davidson shop, home for Tom and Gail.  After lunch, the ladies went to see the raffle baskets for the Social Welfare Project.  Ever hopeful, Venita put her tickets in several baskets but, unfortunately didn't win one.

Friday evening was the final banquet where Tom spoke with to the group about his vision and hope for the Order.  The Arizona Elks Association gave him a beautiful bronze elk sculpture which will have a place of prominence in his office. They gave Venita a gold charm bracelet with pins from some of the past First Ladies of the Order made into charms as well as Gail's First Lady charm. Venita had planned to have the bracelet made after the year was complete, but Gail had heard about the project and so Arizona made it happen for her.  It is a beautiful and thoughtful gift and will be treasured for years to come.

Saturday morning, Tom finished the meetings for the Association and then we packed the car and headed out for California.  We have always enjoyed our visits with the Arizona Elks and this trip was no exception.  A special thanks to all involved for the gracious hospitality you extended to Mom while we were with you.  She had an absolutely great time.  Great job, Arizona!

KANSAS

KANSAS - Warm Sunflowers and Cold Temps, May 1-5

After a few days of quiet time at our house in Long Beach, Washington we arrived in Wichita, Kansas on Wednesday afternoon to unseasonably cold weather and snow.  What a May Day welcome!  Unfortunately, we had both met the same person somewhere along the highways and byways of Elkdom and had contracted colds as well.   We were greeted at the airport by PGER and State Sponsor Jim McQuillan and Karen, Kansas State President Ken Schaffer and Glenda, Grand Trustee Walter Linthacum and Special Deputy Chuck Buechman and Karlene.  After getting settled in our room, we joined the same group for a relaxing dinner at the hotel.

Thursday morning we all went for a tour of the Kansas Elks Major Project, KETCH (Kansas Elks Training Center for the Handicapped).  Director Ron Pasmore greeted us warmly and gave us an overview of their facility and services.  He then took us on a great tour of the various areas and showed us both their binder and their air filter manufacturing operations. Tom had chance to try gluing one of the air filter frames and all agreed that he would starve to death if he was paid by the piece.  We had a wonderful lunch with Ron and he showed us a promotional video they had made about their facility and services.  We congratulated them on the wonderful work they were doing for their community.

After leaving KETCH, the ladies took Venita by the Harley-Davidson store for a t-shirt., after which they went to a local spa for a facial.  Some of the other ladies indulged in manicures and pedicures and all agreed that it was a wonderful way to spend an hour.  After leaving the spa, the ladies made one last stop at a local quilt shop where they browsed through the fabrics and patterns, enjoying the colors and styles of the items on display.

Dinner Thursday evening was a casual affair done at the hotel.  The menu included member-prepared pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw and cookies for dessert. We had a relaxing time visiting with everyone before heading up to our room for the night.

Friday morning Tom went to the KETCH Board Meetings while Venita joined the ladies for coffee.  Lunch was the KETCH Awards Luncheon at which time the Elks presented various achievement awards to both their clients and a local supporting company. It was a truly moving experience to witness the excitement on the part of these winners.  Stephen Schoch received the award for "Achievement in the workplace, Debbie Martinez received the award for "Outstanding Personal Growth", and Mayer Specialty Services, Inc. received the award for "Employer of the Year."  Mayer hired a young man named Matt to clean out and wash their trucks.  When they hired Matt, a position did not actually exist.  They literally created the position just for him.  We were very impressed with this major project of the Kansas Elks.

That afternoon the ladies did some sightseeing in downtown Wichita.  Stops included the recently renovated St. Mary's Cathedral, the Historic Courthouse, and a beautiful metal sculpture on the Arkansas River titled "Keeper of the Plains."

Friday evening's dinner was with State and Grand Lodge officers.  The menu included one of Tom's and my favorites, chicken fried steak.  After dinner, there was a fun evening with a golf theme in honor of Ken and Glenda.  In keeping with that theme, we all went up and put on our golf clothes - or whatever we had that passed for golf clothes. There were games and prizes to be had and Tom even got up and tried his hand at putting.  As the evening wound down, Tom delivered the old Jolly Corks Eleven O'clock Toast which everyone enjoyed.

Saturday morning Tom attended business session while Venita joined the ladies at the Spring Brunch.  Glenda presented Venita with a "guardian bell" for her motorcycle to keep the evil road spirits away.  The Association also presented her with a beautiful silver bracelet to commemorate her trip. After brunch, the ladies went out shopping, including a stop at a local deli for a bite of lunch. Jim then took us to early Mass at St. Joseph's Parish. We returned to the hotel for the formal awards banquet followed by the installation of their officers for 2013-2014.  Also present at the banquet was the first young lady to win back-to-back national championships in the same age group for the Elks National Hoop Shoot.  We very much enjoyed meeting her and listening to her experiences with the Elks Hoop Shoot.

The Sunday morning meeting featured the Kansas scholarship winners and we had the opportunity to hear them speak. It is always inspiring to meet these young people and to hear about their dreams and ambitions.  The awards were followed by the Association Memorial Service, with beautiful tributes

to two of their Past State Presidents.  Since our flight was later in the afternoon, we had a chance to have lunch with Walter, Chuck and Karlene before we left the hotel. We then collected our luggage and headed for the airport with gratitude for a wonderful stay with the Kansas Elks.  We truly look forward to coming back to their state in the future to explore their highways and byways.

OREGON

OREGON - Cascades and the Coast, April 24-27

We arrived in Portland on Wednesday morning and were met at the airport by PGER and State Sponsor Jim Damon and D.J. as well as First Vice President Carl Lino.  Jim then took us to see the Elks Children's Eye Clinic at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.  The Clinic is supported by the Elks Visual Committee Elks Youth Eye Services (E.Y.E.S) Foundation to the tune of $2 million per year along with 7,500 volunteer hours.  Started in 1949, the clinic combines patient care, education and research and was the first of its kind in the nation.  We were treated to a video about the history of the clinic, a wonderful lunch and then a tour of the facility.  It was very inspiring to see all the wonderful research and breakthroughs being made as a result of the hard work of the Elks of Oregon.  After leaving the clinic, we made the two-hour drive across the coastal range to the site of the spring convention, Seaside.  That evening, Jim, D.J. and the two of us we were joined for dinner by Del and Donna Miley, Special Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for Idaho.

Thursday morning, the men went off to breakfast followed by various meetings of the Association Committees and Boards.  D.J., Donna and Venita went to the Pig 'n' Pancake in downtown Seaside for a wonderful late breakfast.  After our pancakes, we wandered through the various shops up and down Broadway, thoroughly enjoying the ambiance of this oceanside town.  In the afternoon, we went over to a local outlet mall to see if there was anything we couldn't live without.  After joining up with the men again, Jim drove us up to see the beautiful beachfront home he has up for sale.  After touring all 6,500 square feet, we were trying to figure out if we could put together a consortium to buy it!

Thursday evening, Tom's sister Mary Beth and Ed Van Horn drove down from Washington to join us for the formal banquet at the Seaside Convention Center.  Tom spoke to the assembled Elks and reviewed his thoughts on growing membership and changing the perception of our Order.  After dinner, we spent some time signing cards and handing out pins, raising over $300 for the Elks Disaster Relief Fund through the generous donations of the Oregon Elks.

Friday morning, the Seaside Elks Lodge hosted breakfast for all, after which the men went to their various meetings.  The ladies stayed at the Lodge and the convention chairman spoke to them about the hotel arrangements for the upcoming Grand Lodge in Reno.  The Oregon Elks then presented Venita with three beautiful pieces made out of Oregon myrtlewood.  The first was a lovely lighthouse and she told Oregon that it was the first lighthouse they had received all year.  They also gave her a myrtlewood sea lion and a rolling pin.  She thanked everyone for all three, making special note that the rolling pin might come in handy.

After breakfast, the ladies made their way to the Convention Center for the Betty Hise Luncheon.  Betty Hise was a First Lady from Oregon who died of cancer.  In her memory, the Oregon ladies started the Betty Hise Foundation which helps support cancer research.  During the luncheon, we were treated to a presentation by two scientists from the University Hospital in Portland who were doing research into and clinical trials for ovarian cancer.  We also spent some time looking at and bidding on some of the items in the Silent Auction which is one of the fundraisers for the Foundation.

After the luncheon, D.J. headed for the legislative session to cast her vote in the elections for state officers.  Jayne and Venita did a little shopping and then drove the ten miles down to Cannon Beach for a glass of wine and some sightseeing.  Friday evening, we all attended the Past State Presidents'

Dinner at the Convention Center.  We were entertained by the Baker Drum and Bugle Corps and they presented Tom with a Corps Cap which had been autographed by all of the band members.

Saturday morning was the installation of officers followed by the memorial service and awards.  It was heartwarming to see the attendance in support of Carl Lino from the Idaho, Washington and Montana Present and Past State Presidents and Elks.  There was a great cheer when he stepped up to the podium to accept his gavel.

After the convention was completed, we drove up to our beach house in Seaview, Washington house to drop off our suitcases for our planned R&R for the next three days.  We then drove back to Gearhart, Oregon to Jim and D.J.'s condo for dinner where we were joined by Del, Donna, Lee, Jayne and Jim Kyle.  After a few drinks and conversation, Jim started cooking.  The result of his efforts were the best fresh salmon steaks that we've ever had, expertly prepared by Jim and happily consumed by all of us.  As always, the good company made the evening special.  As the evening wound down, we bid farewell to our wonderful Oregon friends and made our way up the coast for some quiet time before our next trip.  Thank you, Oregon Elks.  You made our time with all of you great fun.  It was a memorable trip and we enjoyed ourselves very much.