Category: The Lodge

We have a Winner!

Posted on July 10, 2019 by admin

$100 Winner!

Ron found his Membership number in the Antlers!

Congratulations Ron Benish and thank you for taking the time to read our outstanding monthly newsletter! The $100 pot is a big thank you for reading the newsletter, finding your membership number hidden within and coming to the next lodge meeting after the newsletter comes out to claim your prize money. The prize pot starts over in August with $25 in the pot!

The Newsletter Number Game

The Membership Committee created a membership game incorporated into our monthly Antlers Newsletter. Members who read the monthly lodge newsletter might find their membership number hidden somewhere inside. When the member finds their number, the member comes to the next Lodge meeting to collect $25 in person, in cash. The pot builds if it’s not claimed each month to a maximum of $300 in one year!

- Only can be claimed at the next Lodge meeting after a newsletter is printed. Generally the second Tuesday of the month after a newsletter comes out unless there is only one meeting in the next month, (July, August & December)
- You must be present at the meeting to win.

How it works: a member number will be chosen at the second Tuesday of the month Lodge meeting by our Esquire. ((28311)) It will be recorded and then sent to the newsletter editing team to be hidden somewhere in the text of any article in the Antlers newsletter for the month after the number was drawn. If you see your number in the newsletter bring it and yourself to the next lodge meeting after the newsletter was printed to claim your prize – and don’t forget your membership card! You need to be a member in good standing to attend the meeting and therefore to claim the prize.

We’ve hidden a membership number in this text as an example. Did you find it?

The goal is to encourage members to receive the lodge newsletter, read the Newsletter and attend a meeting (even if it’s the only meeting of the year they attend to claim their prize!). Our lodge sends out over 1500 emails with the newsletter linked to inside and generally it is opened to be read by about 300 members that received it. Conversely know that the newsletter is also printed and mailed out to almost 500 members each month at an average cost of $1.20/member. Affording to mail it everyone is a tremendous cost to the lodge so we appreciate those that receive it by email and are hoping to find an exciting way to get you all to read our lodge newsletter – the primary form of communication between the lodge and the member.

Elk of the Month!

Posted on July 1, 2019 by admin

This month the Past Exalted Ruler Association and our Ballard Elks Lodge would like to recognize the selfless and hugely needed work by our amazing member Sue Gregor. You’ve all seen Sue regularly down at the lodge serving you food in our social quarters while volunteering as a food runner. Take a moment to say hello and thank Sue for bringing your food order from the kitchen to the social quarters and she will quickly respond with a huge smile.

It seems like every time we turn around Sue is doing something, helping out with some event without ever being asked. Sue’s having fun volunteering at our lodge and that fun, that energy of her’s is contagious and spreading quickly to those around her.

Sue Gregor – Thank you! Your efforts are helping build the fun in Ballard and is encouraging those around you to have fun and volunteer to help out around the lodge. Well done and thank you from the Past Exalted Ruler Association and your fellow lodge members.

Monthly Elk of the Month Award recipients not only get this article in the Antlers Newsletter & Online, they receive a $12 gift certificate to our social quarters, an Elk of the Month certificate to pin on their wall and are in the running for Elk of the Year, awarded at the Officer Installation Dinner each year. You can find the nomination form on our website (ballardelks.org), fill it out as best you can and get it to our Past Exalted Ruler Association before the 19^th of each month – 827per@ballardelks.org

Elk of the Month!

Posted on May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 by admin

This month the Past Exalted Ruler Association and our Ballard Elks Lodge would like to recognize the selfless and mostly behind the scenes work by our amazing long-time member Ken Bartlett. You’ve all seen Ken regularly down at the lodge serving you food in our social quarters while volunteering as a food runner. Take a moment to say hello and thank Ken for bringing your food order from the kitchen to the social quarters and he will quickly respond – no thanks needed, this is fun! I get to meet so many new people.

It seems like every time we turn around Ken is saying How can I help and saying it with a huge smile on his face. Ken’s having fun volunteering at our lodge and that fun, that energy of his is contagious and spreading quickly to those around him.

Ken Bartlett – Thank you! Your efforts you are helping build the fun in Ballard and is encouraging those around you to have fun and volunteer to help out around the lodge. Well done and thank you from the Past Exalted Ruler Association and your fellow lodge members.

Elk of the Month!

Posted on March 29, 2019 by admin

Elk of the Month – We’ve had some great nominations this year for Elk of the Month from our members but this month we have a nomination that goes beyond the one Elk one Award philosophy and opens the door to nominate a group of Elks that exemplify the reason we are here as members of the Elks. To have fun with each other and pool our energy’s together to make something bigger than ourselves. Something we couldn’t have done on our own.

I was still an officer when these Elks came to us with an idea for a fun event at our lodge. My initial reaction to their idea was along the lines of “this will never work,” and I don’t think I was alone in that reaction – But – and there is always a but, we had a group of enthusiastic Elks members that wanted to do something together to make some fun happen at our lodge and hopefully raise some funds for charity. How could we say no?

Friday Night Bingo checks all the boxes of Elkdom. Yeah, other than the bingo part it’s a far cry from conventional but our little hamlet of Ballard hasn’t ever been known for that attribute for as long as I can remember. This group of Elks organizes an event each and every month that brings Elks together, inside our lodge, to have fun. And I gotta tell ya, if you’ve not been to one of these events you’re missin’ out. Over a hundred people will be in attendance and enjoying the themed evenings and capitalizing on the ability to share a little of the fun we have as Elks with their friends as they drag them along as guests. I’ve heard many a conversation along the lines of “this is what you do as Elks?” Followed by “Yes, and the thousands we raised tonight goes to charity!”

And I mean thousands. Since beginning this event in October of 2017 these Elks have not only created some amazing fun for hundreds of Elks and their guests they have raised over $29,000 for charities like Tall Elks Children’s Therapy Program, Mary’s Place, The Paradise Elks Lodge disaster relief, our Lodge Building Fund and more. In just 15 nights they have raised over $29,000 – Wow!

Catherine Rundell, Wendy Sedlacek, Dee Ann Evans, April Schoen, Lisa Merlin, Jennifer Morris, Roy Ridgeway, Nicole Mathews, Allison Krieger, Jill Yerkovich – Thank you! As a group you have created a microcosm of what it means to be an Elk and through your efforts are helping build the fun in Ballard and giving meaning to both your membership and the membership of every other member of our lodge by using that fun to build our charitable giving to our community. Well done and thank you.

Cub Scout Pack 827 First Responder Night & Recruitment

Posted on November 6, 2018November 6, 2018 by admin

Download the pdf flyer here

2018 Christmas Basket Program

Posted on November 5, 2018November 6, 2018 by Brad Hole

Our 2018 Christmas Baskets for the Needy Program kicks off the day after Thanksgiving. We’ll be collecting donations for the baskets at the Lodge November 23 through December 13th. (See shopping list below. Cash donations are also appreciated to purchase perishable items).

(Photo above of all our volunteers getting ready to head out for delivery in 2017)

***VOLUNTEER OPPS FOR CHRISTMAS BASKET ASSEMBLY & DELIVERY**

DECEMBER 14TH Noonish – SORT DONATIONS

DECEMBER 15TH – 7:30 A.M. – LET THE FUN BEGIN!!

Assemble all baskets first. When they are complete, deliver baskets.

Deliver: drivers needed to deliver the baskets. Drivers need to partner with someone, no one goes solo. We will find you someone day of if you don’t have a partner.

Clean up: starts as soon as all baskets have left the lodge hall.

Those interested & available please come to the lodge on the dates/times listed above. Thank you. Johnny Muzevic/Chairman.

****************************WISH LIST***************************

(All donations welcomed and appreciated!)

TOYS and GAMES and TOYS! UNWRAPPED – ages newborn to 18
Canned fruit/veggies
Peanut & Nut Butters
Tea/hot choc
Kid type snacks
Canned meats
Jams/Jelly

************************************************************************

CHRISTMAS BASKETS provide through your generous donations, items to prepare a traditional ham or turkey dinner and toys for 50-70 families.

Collection boxes for non-perishable items will be in place Thanksgiving weekend outside the social quarters. Monetary donations check can be made at any time. Make checks payable to Ballard Elks, and note: Christmas Baskets on the check. Leave checks and cash with the bartender on duty or mail/deliver to the office.

Residual items from this program will be donated to the Ballard Food Bank on December 15th after all baskets have been confirmed delivered. THANK YOU!!!

Landscaping Clean-Up Day at the Ballard Elks

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Brad Hole

Volunteer Opportunity: Please join our Landscape Committee for a FALL CLEAN UP at the Ballard Elks on Sunday, September 30th, 9-Noon.

We’ll be weeding the parking lot area and pruning some of the rhododendrons. We’ll also be working on removing the half palm tree on the beach side, and laying down barrier for wood chips.

Please bring your own tools (clippers, racks, buckets, chain saws, gloves, ect). Please let me know if you can volunteer. Any amount of time will help!

Please RSVP to Kim Carroll – kimcarroll3@gmail.com
Thank you!

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Posted on July 20, 2018July 25, 2018 by Brad Hole

Want to get to know other lodge members and have some fun? Read about upcoming volunteer opportunities and email volunteer@ballardelks.org for more info.

Summer Craft & Flea Market: August 5th

Set-up, help sell raffle calendars, work an Elks info table, clean-up and overall event management help.
2 to help with set-up: 10am-12pm
4 to help Elks info table/raffle calendar sales: 2 shifts 12pm-3pm and 3pm-6pm
2 for clean-up: 5:30pm-6:30pm

Membership Social: August 15th

Set-up, 3:00-5:00, need 2 volunteers
Clean up, 9:00-10:00, need 4 volunteers
Food and Libation servers
Front door greeters and membership card checks
Raffle tickets and bead sales

Fun way to meet other members while helping to host our membership social downstairs on the patio! Please email mlbogey@comcast.net or jill_yerkovich@yahoo.com if you can help out, even for only one hour.

Special Initiation Dinner: August 21st

Set-up, serving and clean-up
4-6 volunteers. See description of duties in Monthly Initiation Dinner.
High School Volunteers welcome!

Car Show: September 3rd

6 a.m. set-up, 4 volunteers
2 p.m. breakdown, 4 volunteers
1 (or 2) volunteers for a couple of hours to remind attendees to vote. Tally the votes at 1:30.
Call Mae at 206.284.7384 if you would like to volunteer. High School Volunteers welcome!

Also at the Car Show, we need some people to help sell WA State Elks Raffle Calendars. 8 am – 2pm: 2-4 volunteers needed, can be shifts. Email Susan at books@ballardelks.org to help with this.

Frock Swap

This is one of our biggest and most successful annual events, and takes a lot of volunteers to make it so awesome. From planning all the event details, to sorting the clothing being dropped off, to event set-up, to working the day of the event, to team leadership – there are MANY ways to get involved. Training is provided and leadership is encouraged. Come join the fun! Opportunities start now, with the planning committee, and go through October 7th, event day!
If you are interested in getting involved, email volunteer@elksfrockswap.com. We will also have an online schedule and sign-up available soon!

Calendar Raffle Ticket Sales

Each year our Lodge is responsible for selling a certain number of WA State Elks Calendar Raffle tickets. We are looking for a few people who can commit to one or two upcoming events, and a few who are willing to do the sports nights/weekends on a more regular basis just bringing out the tickets, mingling and selling.

Susan also usually sets up outside of Bingo, Initiation dinners and other events. These would be a great opportunities to help her out, train and do a quick 30-60 minute stint to get comfy with it.

Email Susan at books@ballardelks.org if you would like to help with this.

Monthly Initiation Dinners

Did you know that these monthly dinners are run entirely by lodge volunteers? Join the team who makes this classic lodge event happen!

Be the Cook – make it your own or let us show you how
The current member volunteer is moving on and we need members who can cook the steaks, potatoes, etc. Ideally, we’d have a team of cooks to rotate through each month. Experienced and non-experienced welcome – we can show you the ropes! Must be available at 3:30pm. Food Handlers Permit preferred.

Kitchen Help
4:30pm-6:30pm Prep salads and condiments. Food Handlers Permit.

Serving & Clean Up
5:00pm – 8pm Set-up and serving. The crew then gets everything back in order and cleans the kitchen.

Food Runners

During these summer months, our bar and kitchen staff gets REALLY busy. We need people to volunteer to help deliver food from the kitchen to our hungry members and guests. Shifts are from 6-9pm, Monday – Saturday. You can sign up to do it on a regular basis, OR get on Eric’s list of people to reach out to when we need someone. Email manager@ballardelks.org if you would like to help out. (This is a great way to get some steps in – if you track them. 🙂 )

Our Lodge Made a Difference

Posted on February 15, 2018 by admin

Traci Williams
Veteran’s Committee Chair, Ballard Lodge #827

Deputy Daniel McCartney was shot and killed by what was thought to be burglary suspects in Pierce County early January of this year. Deputy McCartney was a proud Navy Veteran of six years serving in Everett on the air craft carrier Abraham Lincoln as an Electronics Technician.

As the Veteran’s Chairman, I attended our January lodge meeting, just after the shooting, and asked our lodge members if we could donate to the McCartney family, utilizing our Veteran’s Committee funds that we’ve worked to establish. My motion was immediately amended by a fellow member to donate 5 times what I was asking for and unanimously approved by the lodge floor!

I then contacted the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office about presenting this check from the lodge and a date was set to meet with them. Two days after the Lodge meeting, I went to my Veterans of Foreign Wars meeting in Renton and told them that I collected a $500 donation from the Ballard Elks and my Post said, “They’re not even a Veterans organization; why are they donating?” This, of course, gave me the perfect opportunity to talk about what the Elk members do and what our mission is as the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America. To not be outdone, the Veterans of Foreign Wars quickly voted to also match our Elks donation of $500, so I now have $1,000 to bring to the Peirce County Sherriff!

That following week, I went to a VFW meeting in Everett; told them the story as part of a report I was giving as a State Officer, and to not be outdone by “An ELKS lodge?!?!” and the Renton VFW, they too voted to match our donation and they handed me a check right then for $500. Now, that’s $1,500!!

The following week, I went to our VFW State Convention that focused on Youth Essay winners. At the awards dinner, one of the Everett members came up to me with someone else and said, “She’s the one taking donations.” This biker (full leathers and all) said, “Don’t tell them where you got this” and handed me $100 cash! That’s $1,600 to the McCartney family that they otherwise wouldn’t have had if we, as a lodge, didn’t recognize the worth of our public servants, our first responders and their help for our community!!

finally I had my meeting with the Deputy Chief of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and took the time to talk with him and share our story, specifically asking where the money would be best put to work. With tears in his eyes it was decided to donate to the fund that “paid the bills” associated with the funeral itself. Unbeknownst to me, the family has to pay for a majority of all costs associated with the full funeral. The Deputy Chief teared up when I handed him the money, saying the family so appreciates the outpouring of support from organizations like ours. It was obvious how much Deputy McCartney will be missed by his family; family in blue; and community at large. I’m sure our token of appreciation went to great use!!

Thank you for not hesitating to help when asked and thank you for letting me be your Ballard Elks Lodge #827 Veterans Committee Chairman.

Meetings are Cool!

Posted on February 14, 2018February 14, 2018 by admin

Ballard, WA: Past Exalted Ruler night was amazing at the Ballard Elks Lodge #827 last night, February 13th. Grims Gislason, Past Exalted Ruler, sat in as Exalted Ruler, Anthony Gibbs, Past Exalted Ruler, sat in as Esteemed Leading Knight, Joe Tiffany, Past Exalted Ruler, sat in as Esteemed Loyal Knight and our recently departed Bill Chandler, Past Exalted Ruler, sat in memory in the position of Esteemed Lecturing Knight and was part of his lodge of sorrow as read by the Past Exalted Ruler Grims Gislason.

Ballard rained money over the newly refinished lodge hardwood floor raising funds for the Washington State Tall Elks Therapy Program for Children in that way only Ballard knows how. Coins jingled and jangled across the floor throughout the meeting, raining down at the alter and over the podiums at times while people attempted to speak…:)

With the 70 or more members in attendance our Past Exalted Ruler worked his way through the massive agenda that included everything from recognizing our departed member Bill Chandler, Past Exalted Ruler, to our Boy Scout troop and Cub Scout pack presenting our charters (as we, the Ballard Elks, are their charter organization) to lodge repairs being approved, 3 new events being approved, a revised lodge By-Laws being presented, 6 Grand Lodge Membership Award Pins and 1 Grand Lodge Watch were presented

, 47 Elks National Foundation recurring donor award pins presented, 3 Grand Lodge Grants were approved, exciting committee reports were made and the evening culminated with a member winning the Jackpot of $827! And not just any member, this member had just been initiated in January and was at her first meeting! It pays to come to the meetings – it really does.

In the middle of the meeting it was our Past Exalted Rulers time to accept nominations for our 2018/2019 officer positions. Although many members respectfully declined being nominated to chaired and trustee positions, deferring to personal constraints, the lodge was able to get people nominated for all positions but one. Please consider stepping up to help your lodge by being an officer. Your background, views and opinions are needed to help this small group keep our massive organization moving forward. Come help with a committee if you don’t have the time to dedicate to be an officer. Every little thing you can do will help your fellow member and your lodge.

So, nominations are;

Exalted Ruler – Nestor Tamayao
Esteemed Leading Knight – Erik Howes
Esteemed Loyal Knight – Sean Reddy
Esteemed Lecturing Knight – Cindy Olsby
Secretary – Lois Morgensen
Treasurer – Tammy Walker
5 Year Trustee – Vacant
4 Year Trustee – Tasha McMullin
3 Year Trustee – Joe Tiffany, Past Exalted Ruler
2 Year Trustee – Arni Thomson
1 Year Trustee – Katie Logan

Nominations for positions without anyone nominated for them can happen at the February 27^th meeting (GLS 3.080)
- Nominations need not be seconded and a motion to close nominations is unnecessary. (Opinion 1)
- Nominees are not required to openly accept a nomination, and need not be present. (Opinion 10)
- Nominations may be made on election night (February 27^th, 2018) only if no nomination for that office has been made or if all candidates for that office have declined or withdrawn. (Opinion 12)

Know that there is a Grand Lodge citation that our lodge can apply for if, and only if, we don’t have a Past Exalted Ruler in an elected or appointed position – and we would love to apply for that citation. Our Past Exalted Rulers will jump to fill a position left vacant because they each know that without a full governing board the task of running this lodge multiply’s and can become unmanageable. These members have already put in their time and heart for our lodge, let them step back, guide and help the lodge officers through an active Past Exalted Rulers Association. Your lodge needs you.

So to recap – The lodge meetings are cool, people have fun, great things happen and you, our members direct our lodge for the future – and could walk away with $827 real American Dollars! See you on February 27th to help welcome a possible 80 new candidates into our order – yes we have 80 people that should be eligible for initiation on February 27th.

Ben Braden
Exalted Ruler 2017/2018
exaltedruler@ballardelks.org