Category: Columns

Greetings, Members.

Our recent power outage hopefully did not catch too many members off guard. As North Coast residents, our winters are always full of flooding, power outages, and whatever Mother Nature throws at us. Hopefully, everyone fared well during this scheduled outage, and will be prepared for the winter months.

Your Lodge fared well, even though we were closed for a Wednesday night dinner. The Trustees are looking into some auxiliary power solutions for the Lodge. Holiday season is approaching, with the need for additional volunteers for kitchen, dining room and decorating. If you find yourself with some extra time and wish to join in the fun, please contact Nina in the office, or the new Event Coordinator, Jess Peters. Daylight Savings Time ends November 3rd. Remember to “fall back” an hour on your clocks.

I would personally like to thank those Members and US Coast Guard personnel who volunteered for the North Coast Veterans’ Stand Down event. It was a great success. Your Lodge Veterans’ Committee served dinner Thursday night and lunch Friday, for a estimated total of 520 meals.

Your Lodge Veterans’ Committee has united with your local Veterans Affairs office, and will be assisting the VA office with their Remembering Everyone Deployed (RED) Friday event to be held at the Elks Lodge on November 8th. Lunch will be served to all veterans. Refer to the Veterans’ Committee column in this Herd Talk for further information.

Fraternally and Respectfully,
Kevin Christie, Chairman, Board of Trustees

A somewhat unknown fact about Humboldt County is that there are a lot of good cooks, many of whom use recipes and skills passed down through their families from a variety of countries and traditions. Many of these folks volunteer at the Eureka Elks lodge and show off their skills throughout the year at Lodge dinners and events. These culinary delights include Oktoberfest dishes, such as schnitzel, sausage, and sauerkraut with bacon in the Bavarian tradition; the Sons of Italy’s polenta and chicken feed; International Day, with dishes ranging from Greek Baklava to Irish Stew; and the pièce de résistance, Game Night, where diners are introduced to dishes that were probably very familiar in Northern California in the 1850s, such as elk cutlets, venison meatloaf, bear stew, and roast duck and coot, all contributed and prepared by local hunters. Granted that some of these dishes may be unfamiliar to suburbanites, but true food lovers
appreciate the authenticity and love given to traditional exquisite dishes made at the Elks Lodge.

Elk members are privileged to have access to Lodge events and all the great food and camaraderie involved, but guests are always welcome. So, if you know an Elk, don’t be too shy. Ask them to invite you to one of our special events and expect that they will graciously welcome your interest. Perhaps they’ll even invite you to show off your own cooking ability at Cook Your Own Steak night, held three Fridays a month for only $20.

Eddie Morgan, Public Relations Coordinator

“NOVEMBER IS ELKS VETERANS REMEMBRANCE MONTH”

Chicago, IL, October 15 2019: An estimated twenty million Veterans live in our communities. Each with a different story, they all shared a common pledge: to support and defend this country. In an effort to honor and support these Veterans, Elks National President, Robert L. Duitsman has proclaimed November to be Veterans Remembrance Month.

This November, as well as every month of the year, Elks will serve thousands of Veterans across the country. Elks volunteer at more than 340 VA Medical Centers, State Veterans Homes, clinics, transitional shelters and Veterans facilities where they plan activities, buy needed supplies, host meals and offer friendship. Elks help Veterans rehabilitate and thrive by supporting adaptive sports events, and providing therapy kits and wheelchair gloves to recovering Veterans.

Most recently, Elks have pledged to help end Veteran homelessness by pledging millions of dollars to assist Veterans experiencing homelessness. Since we made this pledge just 5 years ago, we’ve helped thousands of Veterans exit or prevent homelessness. Our Elks Lodges are focal points for supporting local military members and Veterans and meeting their needs. Last year alone, the total value of Elks contributions to our nation’s Veterans was more than $50 million, and our members served hundreds of thousands Veterans.

This Veterans Remembrance Month, we urge you to join the Elks in recognition of and service to the Veterans in your community. Let us remember the words of Elk member and President John F. Kennedy who said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

There are nearly 1,900 Elks Lodges across the country with a total membership of around 800,000. Elks members must be American citizens who are at least 21 years of age and must believe in God. To learn more and to join us in service, visit www.elks.org