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About our DDGER

Sandy was born on Father’s Day, June 21, 1959 in San Francisco. She is the oldest of two girls, as she was born 16 minutes ahead of her twin sister, Linda. The twins grew up in Palo Alto, California where their Mom still resides in the home they were raised in starting with their junior high school years. After graduating high school, Sandy went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science in 1980, a week shy of her 21st birthday.After college, she went to work in retail at Emporium-Capwell where she entered the field of Human Resources. In 1987, she started working at Basic American Foods, a privately-held food manufacturing company. Sandy’s career progressed and she became professionally certified as a Benefits Professional in 1996 and a Senior Human Resources Professional in 1998. After almost 25 years, she retired as the Director of Human Resources in 2012.

It was at Basic American Foods where she met her husband Dan. They worked together for several years and became close while serving as training coordinators for the company’s quality program. Sandy and Dan married in July 1996 and live in Fairfield, California. They enjoy their neighborhood as it is filled with numerous dog lovers and have met many dogs (and their humans) while on their countless dog walks on the area’s walking paths with their now dog angels, Bailey, Sundance, and Bear. Dan has two grown sons both married to wonderful young women. Cory and Alice live in Oakland, and Andy and Rachel live in Los Angeles with their two sons, Milo and Felix.

Sandy was initiated in the Vacaville Elks Lodge #2638 in 2006. She most recently served as Lodge Secretary 2015-2018, but has also served as Treasurer, Inner Guard, Chaplain, Tiler, Loyal Knight, Leading Knight, Exalted Ruler, and Lecturing Knight. Sandy’s predecessor and successor as Secretary is her husband Dan who she is proud to say was CHEA Secretary of Year 2004-2005. Sandy has also served on many committees throughout the years, was the Newsletter Publisher for three years, and is currently the Lodge’s Grant Coordinator. Sandy caught the Ritual bug when she was the Candidate in the 2008. Since then, she has competed in 6 District Ritual contests, and was fortunate to compete with her team at CHEA Convention during her ER year. She was Elk of the Year in her Lodge for the 2006- 2007 Lodge Year, and Officer of the Year for the 2015-2016 Lodge Year. Sandy has served her District as Lodge Activities Chair 2014 – 2015, Auditor to the District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler 2014-2015, Grant Coordinator 2015-present, and as one of the Trustees for the Defunct Vallejo Lodge. She counts her year as Association Vice President 2016-2017 representing the Northwest District as one of her best years in Elkdom. As an enthusiast of our great Rituals, she is delighted to be a Ritual Floor Judge for the last two years. Sandy is proud to be a member of the John F. Malley Society and Permanent Benefactor of the Elks National Foundation, and a Century Club member and regular donor to the CHEA Major Project. In her spare time, Sandy enjoys rooting for the San Francisco Giants, wine tasting, golf, crossword puzzles, and of course, dogs!

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Vets, Elks and Classic Cars

Eureka Elks Lodge No. 652 held a classic car show on June 28th with the local Veterans group. The cars help build a relationship with the local Veterans and Elks. Fifty two cars and motorcycles participated in the show. The Elks hosted a dinner that evening serving over 200 veterans and family. Scout Troop No. 27 and Kohl’s Cares Program help serve. Eureka VA Clinic Staff and Commander B. Hilleary, U.S. Coast Guard, had a special presentation for local World War II Vets. Pictured from left to right: Elks Exalted Ruler, Dennis Hunter; Veteran, Dan Woods and Elks Veterans Committee, Kelly and Casey Stephens.

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4th of July Fireworks — Volunteers Needed!

Plan to buy your fireworks at the Lodge this year. Please let your friends know to buy their fireworks at the Elks Lodge!
All proceeds from the fireworks booth go to support our Children’s Charity account. We use this account to fund
child related activities and donation requests throughout the year. This is by far the biggest fundraiser of the year for this cause. Let’s buy lots of fireworks and help a lot of kids!

We need volunteers during shifts: 12-4 or 4-8 June 28-July 5. This is a fun way to get started as a volunteer. We offer job training. Two people are required per shift so sign up with a friend. Please call the lodge to see what shifts are available.

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July 2018 – Exalted Ruler’s Column

Summer is here, our days are longer and our Fireworks Booth is up and running. As of this writing, Terry Long and his dedicated crew including Gil, Bob Gish and Nelson Gomes were busy setting up the Booth. Ernie Nunes and I even got to use a hammer with no injuries. This got me thinking about all our volunteers and the hours they put in to run a successful lodge like Eureka Elks Lodge #652. Most are unseen but their enthusiasm and dedication deserve a huge thanks from us all. There are a lot of volunteer opportunities available in this lodge. To find out how you can help, please contact any of our lodge officers. We’re the ones wearing the badges.

You asked, and we listened! Sunday breakfasts on a monthly basis begin on Sunday, July 29 featuring Sausage Strata, home-made biscuits and gravy, hash browns and more. Breakfast will be between 8:30 am and 11:30 am. Sunday breakfasts are also scheduled for August 26th and September 30th so bring your family and enjoy the Lodge.

Thanks to your donations to the Elks National Foundation, we reached our per capita goal of $4.75 per member which means we were eligible for grants. The Freedom Grant helped defray expenses for our recent Veterans Car Show; the Gratitude Grant will help Families Against Autism Now (FANN) helping children with autism and their families; the Beacon Grant helps the Eureka VA clinic; and our Anniversary Grant provides training classes to aid veterans with PTSD to train their dogs to the level of Companion Animal. Thanks again for your generosity that make these grants possible.

Together – We’re Elks!
Dennis Hunter, Exalted Ruler

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July 2018 – Message from the Trustees

Hello Members,

Summer is in full swing, Lodge improvements are ongoing and help is always appreciated. Volunteerism is what makes our lodge-Your Lodge- stand out above all. So if you find yourself with a little extra time on your schedule, please come volunteer: kitchen prep, dining room, lawns and flower beds are only a few of the many opportunities.

School is out, children are at play, vacations and summer activities are planned. Allow extra time in travel and be safe.

Thank you Anne Poole, Nina Strang, Donna Jordan, and Terry Long for your work on the lawns and RV lot. Another Lodge “Work Day” will be scheduled in Sept./ Oct. Date to be assigned later.

Soon you will see some new child High Chairs in the dining room for your families to use.

Your Trustee Board meets the Tuesday prior to the 1st and 3rd Lodge Meetings of each month at 6:00 pm unless otherwise noted. They are open to all members to attend. Please have an enjoyable and great Summer.

Kevin Christie, Board of Trustee Chairman

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July 2018 – Redwood Roamers

May 31-June 3 Lewiston
12 RVs with 21 Roamers attended. Hor d’oeuvres were enjoyed Thursday evening with Tri-Tip BBQ and baked potatoes. Saturday evening dinner was steak at the Moose Lodge. We played washers and cribbage, with Bob Holt winning washers and Bud Slagle winning cribbage. We saw the fish hatchery at Lewiston Reservoir and view point at Trinity Dam while having lots of relaxation with marshmallows and smores in the evening.

June 14-17 Reedsport, Oregon
Once upon a time, there were seven Roamers living in the forests of Humboldt County. One day last week, they set out on an adventure to the Oregon coast. At first they expected to race up the coast reaching their destination rapidly. Unfortunately for their aspirations, Caltrans had a different idea. Winding along the country roads in the company of throngs of visitors, the intrepid adventurers crawled up the coast from flagger ahead to flagger ahead. At last, they reached Brookings just in time for a late, very late, lunch.

On the road again, the next destination was viewed with much anticipation for there were visions of jams and jellies dancing in their heads. Misty Meadows was the next stop and the first of the many shopping adventures began. At long last, the Roamers reached their desired port of call, Winchester Bay. Anchoring for the night, they gathered in a campfire
circle to tell tall tales of previous adventures.

Invigorated to begin the schedule of thrills, the intrepid adventurers gathered in a magical forest in Reedsport where they discovered eagles, alligators, cranes and bears. At first this forest was just logs, but they slowly came to life as if carved from wood. The buzzing of saws and the scent of the forest filled the air. From there, a light over yonder was discovered illuminating the ocean at night and offering tours during the day. Some of the Roamers toured the light and some shopped for the second time. To round off the day, we feasted on victuals in the beauty of the forest surrounding the lake. As the sun set, several Roamers trekked back up hill to view the rainbow wonderland of the night light as it reached the beacon 21 miles out to sea.

The next day, the adventurous crew boarded the royal mounted sand runner heading to the sandhills and tree islands. Breathtaking views, mouths full of sand and mosquitos, did not daunt the rugged Roamers, but whetted their appetite for a massive Chinese cuisine feast. Replete, the Roamers retired for another evening to share monumental myths and famous fairy tales.

The Roamers returned to the magical forests of Reedsport and were amazed to find the forest had morphed into marvelous creatures up to eight feet high. These creations were auctioned off and some of the intrepid adventurers went shopping yet again. Then, we saw rock. Lots of rocks. We bought rocks too!

The next morning, the tired but satisfied adventurers made their way back down the lonesome highway, this time with no flaggers ahead. Adventure over, but well-remembered.

The Roamers next meeting will be Tuesday, July 10th at 4:30 pm.

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Elks #652 Hosts VP of Great Northwest District

Eureka Elks Lodge No. 652 had its annual visit from Randall Logan, California-Hawaii Elks Association Vice President for the “Great Northwest.” The district covers nine lodges from Vacaville to Crescent City. He praised the lodge for its membership of over 1400. The service the lodge provides in the community includes its veterans programs, peace officers appreciation night, Coast Guard dinner, youth programs and the many charities they support throughout the year. Pictured from left to right: Elks Exalted Ruler, Dennis Hunter; his lady, Karen Hunter; Vice Presidents lady, Jackie Logan and Vice President, Randy Logan.

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Donating to a Future Eagle Scout

Eureka Elks Lodge No. 652 donated $500.00 to Scout, Colton Johnston. Colton is working for his Eagle Scout on improving the corner of Campton Road and Walnut Drive. The donation is for rocks, plants and other materials. This project has been a long time in the making and will improve the area. If you wish to help Colton or just say thank you, give him a call at 499-5064, he would love to hear from you. Pictured are Elks Exalted Ruler, Dennis Hunter and Scout, Colton Johnston.

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Flag Day Observance 2018

The Eureka Elks Lodge No. 652, with Emblem Club No. 298, held its annual Flag Day Observance on June 10th. The program gives the history of the early revolution flags of ” Don’t Tread On Me” and the “Pine Tree” flag to today’s 50 stars and thirteen strips. This program was started in the early 1900’s by the Elks Grand Lodge and is observed by all Elk Lodges throughout the
United States.

From left:  LeAnne Morini; Dora Kaliamos; Nelia Goodwin; Stephanie Carlson; Emblem President, Nina Strang; Eureka Exulted Ruler, Dennis Hunter; Joanne Mell; Suzie Piazza; Fran Argo and James Barry.

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Elks Raise Funds to Help Youngsters with Disabilities

Eureka – More than $3,000,000 has been contributed this year by members of Elks Lodges throughout California and Hawaii to be used in treating children with disabilities.

Dennis Hunter, Exalted Ruler of Eureka Elks Lodge #652, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, contributed $20,237 which was raised by members of the Lodge.

“We are pleased and proud that members of our local Eureka Elks Lodge were so generous with their dollars and time in this important undertaking,” Hunter said.

Since 1950, the 84,000 members from throughout California and Hawaii have turned over more than $117,000,000 to the California-Hawaii Elks Major Project, Inc., which administers the non-profit charitable corporation.

All of the funds are devoted solely to providing vision screening and therapy treatment to children with a broad range of disabilities.  Without the Elks supported donations, many of these children would not receive such treatment.

The year-long fund raising campaign is capped by an impressive ceremony at the annual Elks Convention when representatives of lodges from throughout California and Hawaii present their donations to Major Project and Elks Association leaders. Eureka’s donations kicked the grand total over the $3,000,000 mark!

The raising of funds to aid children with disabilities is just one of the many philanthropic and patriotic projects which mark the Elks’ contribution to our community.