See you at the DAP convention booth . . . . . . 2Elks National Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Contest I results announced . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Points for Lodge Officers to practice . . . . . . . 3Focus on community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Elks, Re-Creation team unbeatable . . . . . . . . 4

Elks carry forth our nation’s patriotic tradition

Online membershipapp is valuable tool

Grand LodGe Government reLations Committee

inside

“ Care — Share.”

Please see INFORMED, Page 2

Please see GER, Page 4

http://www.elks.org Care — Share July 2013 Volume 48 • No. 12

Message from the GrandExalted RulerTHOMAS S . BRAZIER

GRAND SECRETARYBryan R . Klatt

Important to ER’s: Keep informed

God bless America! How often we say this and what meaning is conveyed in those three words. “God” – the Supreme Being in whom a belief is required to be a Member of our great Order; “Bless” – to bestow good of any kind upon, to protect or guard from evil; and “America” – our country, our homeland. And this July we celebrate the 237th birthday of our great nation.

What did our forefathers think as they looked down on this young nation that they so carefully tended in its early days? There must have been many things that brought a smile to their hearts and let them know their sacrifices were not made in vain. As Elks, we carry forth that patriotic tradition of our founders to ensure the safety of our nation and its people. We are passionate about our way of life and our families,

and we cannot envision living any place else on this earth. Next time you say those three words – “God Bless America” – stop to remember all of the people who have contributed to the formation of our country and its image as a “Beacon of Hope” in the world. Be proud of this heritage. Happy birthday, America!

As we begin our Grand Lodge Session in Reno, I want to welcome each new Officer and thank you for your dedication

to our Order. We have a lot of work to do to continue the excellent traditions of our organization, and I know all of you will be up to the task. Remember to think creatively, implement decisively and ask for help where needed. Together, we will continue to grow and prosper in this great Order.

Venita and I thank all of you for your support and hospitality through this past year as we traveled through this great nation. We can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate all of the hard work that you do for your Local Lodges, major projects and our wonderful Order in general. You are all truly “Beacons of Hope” in our lives and in the lives of those whom you touch. It was a privilege to serve as your Grand Exalted Ruler and First Lady. Thank you all and God bless.

by CHARLES L. HENDRICKSCommittee Chairman

With our new Lodge fraternal year, it is very important for the new Lodge Exalted Rulers to keep informed at all times. Whether you are new or experienced at the job, keeping up to date with local, state and federal regulations is imperative. Something can impact your Lodge at a moment’s notice. Some examples are:n Internal revenue laws and regulations

pertaining to unrelated business income tax. Your Lodge is susceptible to an audit and fines if you are not complying with the IRS guidelines.n If you have employees at your

Lodge. Guidelines on sexual harassment, the affordable health care laws and other employee-related regulations should be followed.n Property/sales tax rules for your city

and state as they pertain to charities and local businesses. (Remember your Lodge is a business).n Local and state alcohol rules.n State lottery rules and guidelines.n If you have a kitchen, the local

health department rules. These are but a few of the things

you must keep yourself informed of at all times. Now you ask, where can you find help or information about these

As of this writing, our Annual Membership Report filing period has closed, and final totals are being reviewed. Preliminary figures have our Order losing 23,000 Members or 2.6 percent. Each of us must take a vested interest in lowering the number of Members who are dropped

annually for non-payment. This year, the total was nearly 60,000. They joined for a reason; what

happened? The online Membership application has

been activated for a year. This has proven to be valuable for Members in sending membership invitations to friends and family via elks.org. Invitees can complete the application, then “click through” to apply online. Lodge Secretaries will be notified of these applications via the “Alerts” screen of CLMS2Web, and can import the data directly into their database with the simple click of a button.

Page 2 Grand LodGe newsLetter • July 2013

Grand LodGe FraternaL Committee

See you at our convention booth!

Contest I results are announced

Make government relationsa high priority in your Lodge

eLks nationaL Foundation

druG awareness

ProGram

Dedicated to our endearing symbol of freedom

Drug awareness is an important The Elks National Home

in Bedford, Virginia

Quality Retirement Livingwith a New Affordable Price Structure

Rooms, Suites and Apartments are Available

Call or E-Mail for More InformationAsk for Nellie, Robin, or Deanna

540-586-8232 ● 1-800-552-4140enhome@elkshome.org

The Elks National Homein Bedford, Virginia

Quality Retirement Livingwith a New Affordable Price Structure

Rooms, Suites and Apartments are Available

Call or E-Mail for More InformationAsk for Nellie, Robin, or Deanna

540-586-8232 ● 1-800-552-4140enhome@elkshome.org

www.elkshome.org

things? Appoint a local Government Relations Committee. Let it know what you expect and its duties. This committee can keep informed of local and state changes, which can affect your Lodge. Secondly, your State has a Government Relations Committee. Contact the committee chairman with questions. And, of course, your Grand Lodge Area Committee person is an excellent source of information and is available anytime. Being Exalted Ruler is a very serious job with many responsibilities, but you have help. Just ask and we are there for you.

Lastly, your Grand Lodge Government Relations Committee is there if anyone has a problem or question. The committee is working hard with little resources monetarily, but we are there for you. Just call!

Informed From Page 1

Results of the Grand Lodge State Bulletin Contest I for 2012-13 have been announced.

Elks State Associations winning Five Star Awards for their publications were Michigan, New York and Kansas.

Four Star winners were Wyoming and Illinois. Three Star winners were Louisiana and Kentucky, along with the Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia Elks Association.

– Robert E. Morwick, Fraternal Committeeman

ENF Community Investments Program Grants for your Lodge – Start building a stronger community. Starting July 1, Lodges can apply online for the following Community Investments Program grants.n Beacon Grants. $2,000 grants

available to every Lodge. These grants offer Lodges an opportunity to develop an ongoing, charitable, Elks-driven community project.n Gratitude Grants. $2,000 grants

available to Lodges that meet the National President’s per-member goal for giving to the ENF. These grants can be used to serve a variety of community needs.n Promise Grants. $2,000 grants

available to the first 500 Lodges that apply to hold an eligible youth event.n Impact Grants. Applications for

these grants of up to $10,000 have been available online since June 17. Impact Grants are designed to help Lodges make a visible, significant and ongoing difference in their communities.

Start planning how your Lodge will use these grants to serve the community while inspiring your neighbors to join. Visit www.elks.org/enf/community for applications and more information.

By FRANK SCARPINOSpecial Contributor, Drug Awareness Program

Be sure to visit the Drug Awareness booth at the Grand Lodge Convention in Reno, NV, in July.

All DAP videos and programs are now available on a flash drive, which will be distributed at the convention. No more carrying around manuals and stacks of paper. Also, all of Milton Creagh’s video

presentations, public service announcements, music video, Life Lessons and parenting program will be available. The

flash drive provides the ability to download or print the materials.

Thanks to our friend Bob Harris, the Life Lessons and the Ur Choice, Ur Voice music video will be on I-Tunes and available for viewing as a pod cast by convention time. Our goal is to get as much video on I-Tunes as possible. We have some presentations of Milton with kids that if we get a good master they will be on as well. Any way to get the message out – the DAP will get it done!

Elks Kid Zone at http://www.elkskidszone.org is up and running and very close to being complete. Tell your kids and grandkids about the Web site and remind them it is just for kids. It is

very cool!In addition, the newly revised DAP

125, the required G/L manual, will be on a flash drive as well. This flash drive for each Lodge will be distributed to each ER at the August DD Clinic.

On the same flash drive will be an outstanding argument against the legalization of marijuana. WE MUST be more proactive against the legalization of marijuana and that time is NOW! Please fax your members of Congress IMMEDIATELY to ask them to oppose legislation that would legalize marijuana for “medicinal” or recreational purposes.

Using the CapWiz system of the Celebrating 20 Years Building Drug-Free Communitites organization, fax the sample letter to your members of Congress. YOUR FAX IS CRITICAL. The more letters your congressional delegation receives on this issue, the more likely they are to oppose marijuana legislation. CADCA’s fax system allows you to automatically fax CADCA’s sample letter on this issue to your legislators from CADCA’s Web site. To fax your legislators, go to http://capwiz.com/cadca/home/.

For other Drug Awareness information, go to http://www.elks.org/dap.

Grand LodGe newsLetter • July 2013 Page 3

Grand LodGe aCtivities Committee

Leadership: Points for all Lodge Officers to practice

Focus on community to boost membership

Grand LodGe aCtivities Committee

by R. DOUGLAS LARSENCommittee Member

For many years the Order of Elks has suffered from declining membership. One reason for that decline is that most people do not understand our great Order and the wonderful things we do. For us to reverse that decline, we must inform and educate the public about who we are and what we do for our local communities and nationwide. One way we can do that is through a community project that illustrates our values and purposes.

The Community Project aspect of the Activities Committee is relatively new as a Statutory Program. Before 2012 it existed only on a voluntary basis and was little known even throughout our Order. However, since it is so important to our future to educate the public, it was included as a part of the Activities Committee when it was created by Grand Lodge Resolution.

The Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant is designed to provide funding for ongoing, charitable projects that serve the community. Beacon Grant projects should be charitable first and foremost, focusing on serving people in need. Successful charitable projects can raise the Lodge’s profile in the community and attract the attention of new Members. The Beacon Grant is not dependent on a Lodge meeting

the Grand Exalted Ruler’s per capita goal. All Lodges are eligible to apply. The increase in the amount to $2,000 that the Lodges can get from a Beacon Grant should be an additional incentive for them to pursue a viable activity. Every Lodge should not only apply for such a grant but actively put it to work.

Another way to improve our public image is by sponsoring Youth Activities in our communities, such as track meets, basketball or baseball tournaments, speech contests, Scout troops, essay contests and many others.

Also important is to reach out to the parents of the youth who participate in the program. When we talk with the parents as the children participate in either the activity or perhaps at an Awards Ceremony, we can make friends for our Order. It is truly amazing to talk with a grateful parent of a child who has received an award or even a certificate.

In addition, we need to pursue friendly publicity for these projects by making friends with the local news media. They can help us promote our Order by informing citizens that we are doing these great things.

By combining Community Projects with good Youth Activities and getting proper publicity for these programs, we can do a great deal to improve our public image...and to mitigate our membership problem.

By CHARLES E. DEVINECommittee Member

Stop for just a minute and think about your Lodge. Can you remember some Exalted Rulers or Officers who performed their office really well? What about the ones who struggled and did not complete everything as they should have. Do you remember why they were ineffective? Chances are they did not embrace one or more of the following points of leadership that many Elks wish their Lodge Officers knew:n Recognize

others: We all enjoy being recognized. It does not have to be expensive or elaborate. Print a Member’s name in the Lodge Bulletin for all to see. Give him or her a certificate for helping with a project. The appreciation shown to the ones you’ve recognized will make them want to be the first to volunteer on the next project and possibly to work even harder.n Plan, plan, plan: The more

planning done before becoming an Officer means more success during your term. The confidence gained going through the various Lodge offices, climbing the ranks of leadership and learning from your predecessor, will show as you lead the Lodge through your year. No one else can claim the victory or the agony of defeat. The buck stops with you. It is also a year of tremendous personal growth. Enjoy the ride. n Never take sides: Listen to all

sides of a controversy. Remain open-minded on all subjects, even if you do not

Needy Elks Members can qualify for up to $1,000 in an emergency 50-50 matching grant from the Order under Section 5.070 of the Grand Lodge Statutes.

The assistance would be available to “worthy and needy Members of the Order who are suffering from diseases of an incurable character or from total disability, and who are without funds or property or relatives able or willing to care for them,” the Statute states.

The Statute also provides that the Lodge of the assisted Member “shall contribute toward the relief of the Member

an amount not less than one-half of the sum that is contributed by the Order.”

The assistance program is administered by the Board of Grand Trustees, which is authorized to appropriate up to $10,000 annually for the program. The board by resolution may give the Grand Exalted Ruler up to $1,000 so that authorized payments may be made regularly by him.

“The monies so appropriated shall be administered by the Grand Exalted Ruler with the consent of a majority of the Board of Grand Trustees,” the Statute states.

Assistance for worthy, needy Members

agree. One of your biggest assets should be your ability to work with people.n Find passion points: An

Officer who takes the time to find out an individual’s hobbies and passions often has a much better chance of success.

Every person has a hot spot that he or she desires to express or work toward. If you can determine what that is then you can channel that into your committees, and that Member is more likely to follow your lead and make sure that his or her projects and goals are successful. Be supportive and compassionate to the Members in their personal endeavors, and they will support you and the Lodge. Always remember that they are volunteers, too. n Lead by example: It’s easy to get

someone to follow you to a restaurant if you buy dinner. It’s not easy to get someone to give up a weekend to work at an Elks project. To inspire others to serve, Officers must lead by example. Members are watching how you conduct yourself and taking cues from you.

The word leadership means to make a commitment, understand your responsibilities and then do the job as best you can. Your Lodge has expressed its confidence and trust in you by electing you to the office that you now hold.

The more you plan before becoming an Officer means more success during your term

BRYAN R . KLATT, Grand SecretaryBenevolent and ProtectiveORDER OF ELKS

2750 N . Lakeview AvenueChicago, Illinois 60614-1889

July 2013NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. PostagePAID

CHICAGO, ILPermit No. 5244

Page 4 Grand LodGe newsLetter • July 2013

Elks, Re-Creation team unbeatable

ELKS NATIONAL VETERANSSERVICE COMMISSION

To: New Exalted RulerGER From Page 1

The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. They can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.

By ROBERT M. HENNINGSCommission Director

For the last 26 years, we have been most fortunate to have a talented group of young performers be part of our team. They enhance the level of comfort of our hospitalized Veterans and relieve the boredom that comes with being confined. A performance by Re-Creation is often the highlight of the year for hospital-bound Veterans. Although the

performers are all volunteers, the Broadway style musical review is very professional and impressive.

As the performers tour,

our Local Lodges and State Associations provide them with housing and meals as well as relaxation at the Lodge.

Last year, Re-Creation traveled 47,961 miles across 24 states, staging 113 performances at VA and State Veterans facilities. Most of this travel was accomplished in a van donated by the Florida State Elks Association during the 2010 Grand Lodge Convention in Orlando. A total of 5,700 Veterans and 3,400 guests and staff were entertained.

We would like to thank the performers of Re-Creation for the emotional and spiritual lift they provide our nation’s

heroes. We would also like to thank our Members for finding room in their hearts and budgets to help these entertainers relieve the strain of constant travel. The cost of gasoline, vehicle maintenance and staging is high, and they need our support to continue.

The content of a Re-Creation show changes every year. The itinerary of Re-Creation is updated monthly at: http://www.elks.org/vets/programs.cfm. To view a short video and find out more about Re-Creation, visit http://www.re-creationusa.com/. You can also purchase a DVD of their latest show, titled “Gold.”

The Elks and Re-Creation form an unbeatable team. We urge everyone to continue their support of this wonderful organization.

Elks Lodges in the market for specially made speeches and prayers tailor made for Elks events can get them with publications written by Past Grand Chaplain, the Rev. Father Kevin Cassidy.

A collection of speeches tailor made for those Elks events is available in “Father Cassidy’s Speech-O-Matic,” a 91-page booklet of speeches on topics ranging from acknowledgment of awards to welcoming visiting Elks.

For Elks on stand-by to say a prayer, Cassidy is also the author of a two-volume prayer book set, which includes his first (or classic) edition of Father Cassidy’s Elks Chaplain Prayers and More Elks Chaplain Prayers (or New and Improved Volume II).

For the Speech-O-Match, write a check for $8, made payable to Father Kevin Cassidy. The prayer books are $16 for the set or $8 individually. Costs include shipping.

October to June, mail checks to Cassidy at 10518 Bright Angel Circle, Sun City, AZ 85351. July-September his address is P.O. Box 391, Mauston, WI 53948.

Speeches andprayers tailoredfor Elks events

Have a

Happy

4th of

July,america!

Enjoy your

Convention!