MEA Youthfest Held in Waterville 

The Maine Elks Association held its 9th Annual Youthfest program at the Waterville Elks Lodge on August 22, 2009. The program offered children of Central Maine an opportunity to have some fun.

The attendance was lower than average, as many believed that it would rain that day, but the rains held off for the entire event, and the children who attended had a great time.

The program offered the children an opportunity to win prizes at one of five different games, many coming away with stuffed animals, coloring books and more. There were two bounce houses, an ambulance, fire truck, the MEA Diabetes-Hypertension Van, and the Drug Awareness trailer.

The MEA Americanism Committee was also on hand, passing out information and Americanism related items to the children and their families.

Members of the Waterville Elks Lodge ran the event, with a few members representing other Lodges including Gardiner, Biddeford-Saco, Rumford, and Bangor.

At the conclusion of the event, fifteen children were treated to a magic show by "The Steelgraves," and two bicycles were given away, donated by the Maine State Association of Emblem Clubs.

Pictured above are MEA State President Michael Powers and First Lady Freddy with Elroy the Elk, Cameron C. and Hayley R.
 

Look it Up! 
By Earl Cavanagh, GL PR Committee 

Let's go back to our grade school days for a moment. We all remember asking our parents or teachers how to spell a word or the definition of a word only to be told "...use your dictionary and look it up". Isn't it ironic that when our children or grandchildren ask us that same question, we reply by using the same phrase?

Unfortunately there are children today who do not have access to a dictionary unless they are in their classrooms. Most school systems, because of financial woes, just can not afford to provide a dictionary to each student. You can imagine how exasperating it must be to a grade school student not able to get his/her question answered because there are not enough dictionaries in the classroom. The Dictionary Project is the answer and it is easy to start.

The Dictionary Project is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. The goal of this project is to assist all students to complete the school year as good writers, active readers and creative thinkers by providing the students with their own personal dictionaries. The dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and home for years to come.

The Dictionary Project was founded in 1995 by Mrs. Mary French of Charleston, SC. The sole mission of this nonprofit organization - which we, as Elks share - is to distribute dictionaries to as many third graders as possible in the 50 United States and our environs. This project will continue to increase distribution in the years to follow simply because it is such a wonderful project for our youth.

  Where can you go for help to get started on this project? You can contact your State Youth Activities Chairman for the project - he/she can get the necessary information and forms to you. You can also e-mail the Dictionary Project directly at www.dictionaryproject.org. This is the project's Web site, and here you may review the different dictionaries available. You can order sample kits by calling area 843-856-2706 or e-mail me for information and an order form at earlc@svcable.net.

How to begin this project is detailed in the Grand Lodge Youth Activity Manual Code 512100 which each Lodge Secretary has in their office. The Dictionary Project is a wonderful community project. Consider these motivations for your Lodge to become involved; It is:

• A wonderful literacy project;
• An opportunity to be involved in a hands-on project that does not require a great deal of time;
• VERY inexpensive;
• A door-opener into the schools of your community, paving the way for other youth projects - scholarships, essay contests, sponsoring of Scouting, an Antlers Program, etc.
• Lends itself to media coverage, to let the community know of the good works you do, of your concern for our Nation's young people

This is only one of the many programs the Grand Lodge makes available for our nation's youth. Contact your State or Lodge Chairperson for more information on what your lodge can do to provide activities for the youth in your community. If you have any questions regarding any program contact the Grand Lodge Youth Activities Committee Member for your area. You will find their names and addresses listed in the Grand Lodge Directory located in the Lodge Secretary's office.
 

ENF Scholarships Make College Possible 

The cost of college is formidable, preventing many deserving students from attending at all and leaving many others to graduate with an overwhelming amount of debt. Last year, the average tuition at a private four-year institution rose 5.9 percent, reaching $25,143, and the average cost of attending a public four-year university increased 6.4 percent*. The Elks National Foundation's Most Valuable Student Scholarship contest, which launches on September 1, 2009, aims to alleviate this financial burden for 500 ambitious students. 
 
This year, through the MVS Scholarship, the Elks National Foundation will award $2.296 million, giving students a chance to earn a college education without incurring insurmountable loans. The Foundation awards 18 top winners scholarships ranging from $8,000 to $60,000 over four years. The remaining 482 runners-up receive $4,000 scholarships over four years.
 
This scholarship is available to all high school seniors who are United States citizens. Applicants do not need to be related to a member of the Elks. Males and females compete separately, and are judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need. Completed applications must be turned in to the applicant's nearest Elks Lodge, no later than November 2, 2009. National finalists will be required to submit a secondary application. The 500 national winners will be announced by April 1, 2010.
 
Applications for the 2010 contest are available at Elks Lodges, local high schools, and for download at www.elks.org/enf/scholars.
 
For complete Most Valuable Student scholarship contest details, visit www.elks.org/enf/scholars 

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, the MEA Website, or future issues of this newsletter.

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