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!