August 2003

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Vol. XV, No. V
Donald Schwartz, E.R.

Miami Elks Lodge 948

EXALTED RULERS MESSAGE
My fellow members, as your Exalted Ruler, it is my responsibility to report to you the results of the annual Grand Lodge convention. The following is my report:
The One Hundred Thirty-Ninth Grand Lodge Session was held in St. Louis, Missouri, July 6-10, 2003. There were 8,093 people in attendance at the convention. The session opened on Sunday evening with the presentation of the flags. This was a very impressive ceremony with each state presenting its flag to the convention. Our own State President-Mike Phillips-presented the Florida flag. On Monday we had the report by the Grand Exalted Ruler, Mr. Roger True. He was most pleased with the continuing charitable work of our organization and expressed concern about our loss of membership throughout the country. We also elected Grand Lodge officers for this year. Floridas Ben Brown was elected as the Grand Leading Knight.
Amos A. McCallum of Biddiford-Saco, Maine, was nominated to serve as the Grand Exalted Ruler for this year. In his remarks to the delegates he thanked us for the opportunity to serve. He reminded us that decreasing membership does affect our budgets thus diminishing our charitable programs. He urged us to decrease lapsation and increase our number of reinstatements. He asked for a renewed commitment to the Elks National Foundation with a goal of $3.75 per capita contribution. He wanted us to remember that Elks Care Elks Share.
On Tuesday we received preliminary reports from the Grand Lodge committees and were asked to study and be prepared to vote on the amendments to our Constitution on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, we voted to increase by $1.00 per member, our contribution to the Grand Lodge. This does affect our lodge because we will have to either increase our dues to cover this cost or reduce the amount of income to our lodge from our dues. We were also asked to vote on 18 amendments to our constitution. The following are the ones that I felt had a direct affect on our lodge:
1. The authorization to organize and maintain a youth organization to be known as the Antlers of the B.P.O.E. This was approved.
2. To preclude an accuser who fails to appear at mediation without good cause, from bringing the same charges at a later date. This was approved.
3. To permit a degree team to perform the Initiatory Ritual. THIS WAS NOT APPROVED.
4. To allow a non-suspended unaffiliated spouse to visit the lodge as a guest with a member in good standing. THIS WAS NOT APPROVED.
5. To allow the lounge or social parlor to remain open during meetings. THIS WAS NOT APPROVED.
6. To permit a non-member spouse or significant other to attend the initiatory ritual of a candidate. THIS WAS NOT APPROVED.
On Thursday, July 03rd, Mr. Anthony Principe, Secretary in the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, and Mr. Michael F. Manning, a Director in the Grand Lodge presented to Miami Lodge No. 948 a firstplace plaque for the Elks National Veterans Service Commission for the Veterans Remembrance report contest. It was the only award received by a Florida lodge.
I would suggest and highly recommend that you begin to plan to attend future conventions at the following locations.
Year 2004 Minneapolis, Minnesota
Year 2005 Reno, Nevada
Year 2006 Orlando, Florida
Year 2007 Charleston, South Carolina
Finally, I want to thank you for allowing me to attend this session as your representative.
Fraternally yours,
Don Schwartz, Exalted Ruler

LODGE ACTIVITIES REPORT
July and August are considered vacation months and our activities have had poor attendance, but those attending have enjoyed them.
The July 4th picnic was a success. Thanks to the same volunteers working from early morning until the end.
The Childrens Pool Party was well attended. Grace Harden celebrated her 2nd Birthday with cake for everyone. The next Pool Party for the children will be Sunday, August 24th.
August activities include a Cruise to Nowhere, Sunday, August 10th; Italian Night Dance, Saturday, August 16th and our Bowling Tournament for Charity, Sunday, August 17th. See Page 8 for details. Dont forget to mark your calendar for the Swing City Dance Band, Saturday, September 13th.
The Earthshines did their usual terrific job, although the attendance was disappointing, those present enjoyed them very much and the majority stayed until the end.
Ella Mae Shroyer
Activities Committee Chairperson


State Presidents Visit (August 22nd and 23rd)
Our lodge is honored to host our State Presidents Visit to the South District on August 22nd and 23rd of this year.
The North Miami Lodge will entertain the Presidential Party on Friday evening with a casual dinner at the lodge. You can call Nancy Mays at (305) 681-5151 for details.
The Presidents Party will visit Parrot Jungle Island on Saturday morning, August 23rd. All Elks and families are welcome to join the group. Please call me at (305) 270-8816 for tickets at a group rate.
Our Miami Lodge No. 948 will sponsor a dinner dance on Saturday night, August 23rd. Details are available below. Reserve your tickets early. Please plan to attend so that we can impress our President with the warmth and hospitality of our district. I hope to see you there!
Al Reker, South District Vice President


MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION REPS COMING TO LODGE 948
By: Marie Grime

Elkettes 3rd Wednesday program, August 20th, may be of interest to you even if you arent an Elkette. The program will feature a speaker from Miami Dade Public Transportation.
For your convenience, the speakers will come armed with photo ID equipment. In recent months, many changes have occurred in the countys transportation service. Their appearance at our lodge will afford what is for most of us a rare chance to communicate one-on-one with Transportation officials, and not only about aid of senior and handicapped riders. You can bring them other questions and comments as well.
If youre an Elkette, or if youre a family member or a friend of an Elk, please come to our program night which begins promptly at 8:00 p.m. If youre an Elk, join us after your meeting, downstairs in the Elkettes Room to talk with these people and learn what you need to know.
If youre over 65, bring photo ID. Youre eligible for the Golden Passport, credentials that enable you to ride public transportation free of charge, and you may initiate that process that night.
This is birthday night, too, so please join us for cake and coffee.


SOUTH FLORIDA ELKS TRAVEL BOWLING LEAGUE
Throughout the season from September to the month of May the following spring, Elks bowlers gather for one or two Sundays each month and bowl 13 sessions in bowling establishments throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties. This past season, we had from 65 to 70 bowlers: a combination of both the Mens League and the Ladies League. These bowlers represent the different lodges throughout these two counties. We have fun in so doing and the real winner is our Elks Charity Fund at the end of the season.
We had our end of the season banquet on June 28th, thanks to the North Miami Elks Lodge No. 1835, who did a fantastic job with food, music, entertainment, and hospitality.
Teams from our Miami Elks Lodge No. 948 won top awards in both the mens and ladies divisions and brought back the trophies to be kept at our lodge during the coming year. (See photos at centerfold).
The top honor is that in both leagues, we donated a combined amount from both the Mens and Ladies divisions to our Elks favorite charities: The Elks National Foundation; The Harry Anna Trust Fund; The Florida Childrens Therapy Services and the Florida Youth Camp a total of $3,100.00. (Usually, in regular leagues, there is a prize fund that comes back to the bowlers; however, we, as Elks, elect to donate this fund to charity). Proud? You bet we are!
Please come and join us in the fall. Our Organizational Meeting will be held at North Miami Lodge on August 10th. We need bowlers!
George B. Uffenorde


BLOOD DRIVE
ITS THAT TIME AGAIN

Every other month, we contact you in the form of brotherly love to come and donate blood to this worthy cause. Its on August 19th in our south Ball Room. Throughout the history of our Lodge 948, the Blood Drives have been top priority.
You are received and treated warmly by experts. It is painless and most assuredly helps save lives of your fellowman.
Please come! All donors receive a free spaghetti dinner. Thank you and please make a note of Tuesday, August 19th from 4:00 pm to 9:00.
Mary Anne Weinstein or Glenna Carroll


CLEANUP CREW MEMBERS NEEDED
Our timing has been good. Just as the summer heat cranks into high gear, the major projects we have left is indoors, in air conditioning. Some wonderful, hard-working people brought us this far:
·Four appreciative and dedicated Boy Scout leaders who brought eight polite, hard-working young men with them, then made sure they were supervised until all of the days assignments were done.
·Glen and Mary Rust, Dottie Schaffer helped us in past cleanups, when their travel plans permitted it.
·Danny Barsimantov was at this one for the second time. Danny, in an earlier time, could have been the inspiration for those white tornado commercials.
·Neva Webster and her granddaughter were both back for a repeat performance. As a team, these two have worked wonders on these months of accumulated dirt and grime. Which reminds me:
Do you have an older child or grandchild that could use community service hours for scouting or school credits? If you and your child or grandchild are willing to work together with us, we could use the two of you (or 3 of you, if you have a willing spouse) as a team, and if needed we will issue a letter acknowledging the childs efforts.
Our offspring of all ages love to clean house, and theyre good at it, too, especially when Mom, Dad, or the grands join in the fun.
Next clean up day is Saturday, August 9th. Join us at 8:30 for breakfast, well work until about 12:30, then well feed you lunch.
And we would really welcome your help.
Joyce Collins, Cleanup Committee Chairman


Theres A Lady in our Midst
Theres a member who walks among us: She arranges for and schedules the Officers of the Day for the forthcoming month. She sells tickets to most events when asked. She rarely says no to any task when asked. She attends all functions here at the Lodge. She serves as Officer of the Day herself. She belongs to the Activities Committee in our Lodge; serves on the Charity Ball Committee.
But what she does in silence is bring into the Lodge cartons of fruit: bananas, apples, even tomatoes, and most recently delicious mangoes by the box full for each of us to take home what we want.
Someone like Helen Everett doesnt come along in the lives of every one. Thank you Helen!
When you walk past her, just say, thank you, Helen. Im sure she will understand!


CHARITY BALL NEWS
The Charity Ball committee held its first meeting on July 15th in the Lodge; it was well attended and the place was humming with brainpower, plans and productive ideas. The Ball will be on November 1st and promises to be a sell out, as usual. There will be good food, good music, fancy dancing and a raffle with prizes of $500.00, $300.00, $200.00, as well as a number of other gifts and bottles of adult cheer.
Watch your mail. You will soon be receiving an envelope with a letter about the Charity Ball, two books of raffle tickets and an application for an ad in the Ball Program. This affair is the primary source of funds for our Charity account and provides us with the means to continue the tradition of this lodge in giving and sharing. We must have your continued support to make it a success.
Next meeting will be on August 5th at 7:30 pm. If you would like to help, please come out. Thank you!
Mary Rust, Chairman


NEWS FROM THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
The House Committee wishes to thank the many Elks and Elkettes who volunteered to make the Fourth of July Picnic a success. The Boy Scouts Flag Burning Ceremony was very moving and informative.
Outside the dining room, on a small table is a box for comments. Please let us know your positive and negative experiences in the dining room and lounge. You dont need to sign them unless you want to do so.
The House Committee meets the first and third Tuesdays of the month in the Trustees Room at 4:00 pm. All members are invited to attend.