January 2017 T A R P O N S P R I N G S E L K S L O D G E # 1 7 1 9 Issue 531 Lodge Officers Exalted Ruler: Blake Ferrell, PER Leading Knight: Bob Gorby, PER Loyal Knight: George Zervos Lecturing Knight: Irene Sarris Wilken Secretary: Sandy Jones Treasurer: Shawna Kelly Esquire: Jesse Hyjek, PER Chaplain: Nancy Gorby Tiler: TBD Inner Guard: Sam Sarris 1 yr Trustee: Ali Raveling 2 yr Trustee: Tony Fratello 3 yr Trustee: George Vincent 4 yr Trustee: Frank DiDonato 5 yr Trustee: Brad Case Lodge Information B.P.O.E. Elks Lodge # 1719 PO BOX 447 Lounge Hours Tarpon Springs FL 34688 Monday Thursday Telephone: (727) 934-7514 3:00PM 11:00PM Friday 3:00OM 12:00AM Secretary s Office Saturday (727) 934-7514 office (727) 560-3262 2:00PM 12:00AM jonezz4@aol.com Sunday 3:00PM 8:00PM Newsletter Editor Jessica Burnett tarponelksnewsletter@gmail.com (727) 657-4667 1
Exalted Ruler s Message 2
Auxiliary News Board of Directors Bill Fisher Frank DiDonato Ali Raveling Brad Case Bob Gorby, PER George Zervos Irene Sarris Wilkin Blake Ferrell, PER Sandy Jones Shawna Kelly House Committee Steve Kitka George Zervos Bob Gorby, PER Jerry Walters Stacy Tsongranis Mike Theodore Auxiliary Officers President Susan Slattery Vice President Nancy Gorby Secretary Carol Janisz Treasurer Eileen Fisher Chaplain Dolores Hyjek Historian Victoria Watson The Ladies Auxiliary would like to thank all who participated in the Lotto Christmas tree and gift basket drawings and the 50/50 at the egg nog party. We were able to raise close to $500.00!! Because of all of your generous donations this year, the Ladies were able to adopt classes, hand out scholarships and do some major renovations to the lodge. We are planning our 2 nd annual Food around the World event for February. If you would like to participate, you supply the food from the country of your choice and decorate your table. The Ladies will supply the tasting plate for each sample purchased which will cost $1.00. We will also be handing out prizes for 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd place. A signup sheet will be behind the bar or you can contact any of the ladies. Will Ray be our first place winner again?? We would like to wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year! Fraternally, Susan Slattery Lady President 3
Lodge and Mandatory Committee Chairmen Fraternally, Bob Gorby, PER, LK P.S. Those of you who helped at the tree lot, Nancy and I thank you so much! Accident Prevention Rick Butcher PER Americanism Kathy Conrad Auditing TBA Auxiliary Susan Slattery Community Activities Victoria Watson Drug Awareness Blake Ferrell PER Elks National Foundation Bill Fisher Flag Day Bob Gorby PER Fraternal Committee Blake Ferrell PER Government Relations Susan Slattery Harry Anna Trust Jesse Hyjek PER Hoop shoot Jesse Hyjek, PER Indoctrination Tony Fratello, PER InterLodge Visitation Sandy Jones Investigation Mike Kouskoutis Law & Order Bill Fisher Lodge Activities Steve Kikta Memorial Day Bob Gorby, PER Officer's Attendance Sandy Jones Membership Sandy Jones PER Association Jesse Hyjek, PER Public Relations Nancy Gorby Scholarships Sandy Jones Veterans Services Bob Gorby, PER Youth Activities Roger Howard, PER 4
I would like to share this poem with you. It has a great message for those who have served or are serving in our military. I hope and pray that this hits The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, my daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, so slumbered I, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn t loud, and it wasn t too near. But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn t quite know. Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave me a tremble, I struggled to hear, and I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, perhaps a trooper, huddle here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. What are you doing? I asked without fear. Come in this moment. It s freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve. You should be home on a cold Christmas Eve! For barely a moment, I saw his eyes shift, away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts. To the window that danced with a warm fire s light, then he sighed and he said, It s really alright, I m out here by choice, I m here every night. It s my duty to stand at the front of the line, that separates you from the darkest of times. No one had to ask or beg or implore me. I m proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died in Europe on a day in December, then he said, That s a Christmas Gram always remembers. I ve not seen my own son in more than awhile. But my wife send me pictures. He s sure got her smile. The he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, the red white and blue American Flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone. Away from my family, my house and my home. I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet. I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister or brother, Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall. So go back inside, he said, harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I ll be all right. But isn t there something I can do, at the least, Give you money, I asked, or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you ve done. For being away from your wife and your son. Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we re gone. To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled., is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us. home in some small way. Happy New Year! Ms. Happy Helen, Your Senior Sex Therapist 5
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Join us every Wednesday for Spaghetti Dinner and Bingo!! Dinner is $7 and starts at 5:00pm. Bingo at 7:30. Fridays at the Lodge 10
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01 Mark Galindo 16 Kevin Healey 01 William Hooper Jr. 16 Luis Noriega 01 Thomas jones 17 Karl Eddy Jr. 01 Shawna Kelly 17 Steven Kitka 01 James Runyon 17 Louis Perry 01 Christopher Sumner 20 George Vouvalis 05 Ronald Baker 22 William Lang, PER 05 Nancy Gorby 23 Paul Kempter 05 Richard Miccio 25 Blake Ferrell, PER 05 Francis Schmidt, PER 27 Nancy McCullough 10 Douglas Gemmell 27 Richard Shafer 12 John Fontaine 28 Mark Besch 12 Timothy Freundel 28 Al Ondira 13 Bill McLaughlin 31 Carl Paulk, PER 14 Minas Sarris 13
JOIN OUR THURSDAY GOLF GROUP! Join us EVERY Thursday evening at the Tarpon Springs Golf Course. We tee off at 5:30 pm for an entertaining round of golf. Cost to play is $15.00. After golfing, we head back to the Lodge to enjoy a libation and some vittles! Stop by the Lodge for a cocktail and play our Queen of Hearts game. $1.00 per ticket. Drawing is every Saturday night at 7:15. Winner drawn New BLUE cards are required to play! Bob Gorby Be a Booster Club Contributor! $10.00 is all it takes for the year. Thank you so much for everything that you do. You are truly appreciated. Your contribution goes a long way to help with Lodge expenses. Thank you! 14
Support Local Businesses that Support Our Lodge! 620 US 19 Alternate 15
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