Maine Elks Association

Public Relations Committee Newsbriefs -06/14/07

Maine Elks Association Newsbriefs

Government Relations Update
From Robert Drisko, MEA Government Relations

LD 892 - was passed and is now Public Law - PL205. The law will go into effect 90 day after the current Legislative session ends. This law will allow tournament poker as detailed in the summary below.

SUMMARY

This bill authorizes the Chief of the State Police to issue a tournament game license to organizations that are eligible to conduct beano games and games of chance and that have received municipal approval. Seventy-five percent of the proceeds after the payment of prizes would be required to go to a charity designated in the license application submitted to the Chief of the State Police. An organization would be limited to one license per month.

The maximum entry fee would be $100 and the maximum number of players would be 100. The license fee would be $5 per person. The bill provides that the Chief of the State Police may only retain revenue from license fees in an amount to cover administration of tournament games. License fees collected in excess of those used to defray administrative costs are divided between the River Valley Technology Center, the Fractionation Development Center and the General Fund.

With the maximum limit of players set at 100 and with a $100.00 entry fee the, if 100 players entered the tournament, the total income for the tournament would be $10,000.00.

The $10,000 must be allocated as follows:

    (a) 75% to the participants = $7,500.00
    (b) The remaining 25% ($2,500.00) divide as follows:
            1.)   75% to the charity named on the application = $1,875 and
            2.)   25% to the non-profit organization = $625.00

The non-profit organization may also sell sealed tickets and conduct 50/50 or other raffles during the tournament and charge for a meal of food if so offered.

The license fee is $5.00 per participant (for 100 players this would be $500.00). The license fee can be added to the $100.00 entry fee as well as a meal cost if so offered.

It is interested to note that former poker or casino license were $15.00 per table which for 100 players would have been less than $200.00 to license 13 tables (8 or less per table) - good deal for the State. Also approval must be received from the local governing authority(city or town) in which the tournament is held prior to obtaining a silence from the State. The local governing authority(city or town) may also charge a fee in issuing a permit to conduct a tournament.

For a tournament of 100 players, it would be my guess that a Lodge could net around $1000.00 or more (not counting the bar revenues).  This would include the $625.00 allowed profit plus sealed ticket, 50/50, and food income.

See the final wording of Public Law 205 for further detailed information.

Current-Year Lodge Per-Capita Donations
Lodge year through: 05/27/2007
(Per-capita based on 4/1/2006 membership totals.)

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Corporate Giving Doubles Donations to ENF

Chicago, III. - Recently, the Elks National Foundation is seeing resurgence in their corporate giving program. This program works with donors and their employers to make giving easier and more effective. Corporate giving allows employees to contribute to the ENF through payroll deductions or to double their gift if their company sponsors a Matching Gift Program.

Payroll deductions are an effortless way to donate. Employees enroll by setting up a pre-determined amount to be deducted from their paycheck each month designated for the ENF. After initial enrollment, employers are responsible for sending a check to the ENF with the information specified by the employee, such as name, home address and Lodge number if possible. Employees should contact their company's human resources office to see if they are eligible.

Another valuable way to donate to the ENF is through a company's matching gift program. Some employers will match gifts to non-profit organizations by employees and their spouses, even through their retirement. Matching gifts are a great way to double the impact of your gift. If a company participates, employees must request a matching gift form from their employer, and send it completed and signed with their gift. The ENF will take care of the rest.

Not all companies participate in corporate giving. Employees should contact their human resources department for verification and rules for the corporate giving program.

For more information on the Corporate Giving, including company's that participate and the Matching Gift Honor Roll,

visit www.elks.org/enf/MatchingGifts, or contact Jennifer Leech at jennifer/@e/ks.org or 773/755-4956.

Waterville Elks Active in the Community
From Randy Gerry, Waterville Elks ER



Waterville Elks Lodge 905 supported the Boy Scout pack #580 of Belgrade, Me. With them having a spaghetti supper on May 8th. They raised $194.00 to purchase 2 fireplaces for the pavilion area of our property for future use during campouts. We also had the same boy scouts on May 12th for our annual outside grounds cleanup. We had approximately 26 adults and kids involved and a good job was done by all. We also Had a cookout after the work was done for them which was hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and soda. They were so excited about helping we have invited them to be on the float on the 4th of July which we have 4 entries in this year.



Waterville lodge 905 on May 24th at the local cemetery's put out our memorial flags for the deceased members of our Lodge. We placed 590 flags on those graves. The people involved were from left to right Jim York PER, Tom Corey, Jim Robertson, Sandy Anderson, Barbara Gerry and Randy Gerry ER. Many people were also placing flags, flowers and sprucing up the grave sites. I was very surprised on some of the comments from the other people on how nice that it was that the Elks remembered their members and provided a flag for them. To stop and talk to some of the elderly people was short of time for us but meant so much to them and just made their day.



Waterville Elks Lodge #905 participated in the Veterans Memorial ceremony on May 20th at the St. Francis Catholic Cemetery. Other organizations attending were VFW, American Legion, State Police, Waterville Police and many more. A light lunch was provided at the Waterville American Legion after the ceremony. This is a very solemn and emotional ceremony. We were proud to be a part of this ceremony as we have in the past and plan to in the future. The Lodge Officers and Ladies Auxiliary proudly represented our Lodge.

If you have news or information of interest to the members of the Maine Elks Association, please send your articles to Public Relations Director Wayne Cotterly at meapr@fairpoint.net for inclusion in the MEA Calendar, Newsbriefs, and/or Website. Also, if you would like to be removed from this mailing list, please send an e-mail to Public Relations Director Wayne Cotterly at meapr@fairpoint.net. In addition, if you know of someone who would like to be added to this list, please have them forward their e-mail address to the same address. All information provided has been read and approved by the MEA State President