Maine Elks Association

Public Relations Committee Newsbriefs -11/01/07

Maine Elks Association Newsbriefs

New Lodge Development Meeting Reminder

This is just a reminder of the public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Penquis Higher Education Center in Dover-Foxcroft to see if there is enough interest in forming an Elks Lodge in the region. Since the Sebasticook Valley Lodge will be the host organization, we would like to see as many members attend as possible, especially past officers and other active members. We will show the indoctrination and Elks National Foundation videos and then invite everyone to make a short presentation. Since this is our first opportunity to host such a meeting, we're sort of flying on a "wing and a prayer." So any suggestions are encouraged. The session shouldn't last more than 90 minutes.

Directions to the Penquis Higher Education Center in Dover-Foxcroft

As you approach Dover-Foxcroft from the south (Route 7), look for A.E. Robinson Oil Co. and the Southern Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce Building (log cabin) on your left. Slow down.

Take the next right (High Street). This is a very narrow, residential street.

Take the first right (Mayo Street). The street sign may be hidden behind a tree, but you'll see the intersection. Follow the street across the first intersection and you'll see the education center straight ahead. We will meet in the gymnasium.

From Bangor, you'll be coming in our Union Street (Route 15). Your best bet is to take a left on School Street, go across the Pleasant Street intersection and watch for the PHEC signs.

If anyone has problems finding us, we'll have our cell phones on.

Mike Lange: 592-5941 or John Ring: 341-1087

No Flag Folding Recitations at National Cemeteries

In what could be considered another slap in the face to America’s Veterans, the National Cemetery Administration, a division of the Department of Veterans Affairs has banned Flag Folding Recitations during a memorial or funeral service held at a National Cemetery. The ban was the result of a single complaint submitted to the administration that revolved around the 11th fold, which celebrates Jewish war veterans and “glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” after the complainant witnessed the service at the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

Each year, thousands of families of deceased veterans have had the opportunity to request the ceremony, which is performed by a memorial detail, which describes the meaning of each fold while an American Flag was being folded. The sudden ban of this ceremony has outraged veteran groups across the country, many of which intend to continue providing the ceremony regardless of the ban.

According to one World War II Navy, Bobby Castillo, 85, this decision is "a slap in the face to every veteran." "That the actions of one disgruntled, whining, narcissistic and intolerant individual is preventing veterans from getting the honors they deserve is truly an outrage," said Rees Lloyd, 59, a Vietnam-era veteran and Memorial Honor Detail volunteer. "This is another attempt by secularist fanatics to cleanse any reference to God."

According to a memorandum issued on September 27, 2007, the administration set the new policy in an effort to “create uniform services throughout the military graveyard system.” According to the administration’s spokesman, the recitation is not part of the flag code, and is not government approved.

The recitation that is banned is as follows:

These meanings, not part of the U.S. Flag Code, have been ascribed to the 13 folds of American flags at veterans burial services:

1. Symbol of life.

2. Symbol of our belief in the eternal life.

3. In honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world.

4. Represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance.

5. A tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.”

6. Represents where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

7. A tribute to our armed forces.

8. A tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.

9. A tribute to womanhood.

10. A tribute to father.

11. In the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

12. In the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.

13. When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”

Please remember to submit Veterans Remembrance Report
By Amos A. McCallum, PGER Commission member

Since 1946, our promise to all our veterans and their families has been and continues to be “So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.” We have kept this promise and continue to do so.

However, there is an area of our work where we can do a better job and that is keeping a record of our efforts to help our veterans in every lodge and state association across this great country. We must record our efforts on a monthly basis so that each lodge can file a complete and accurate "Veterans Remembrance Report" by January 15, 2008, and then your state NVSC chairman will be able to file his report proudly and hopefully be able to say that his state has 100 percent participation. We know you do the work, so please take the time to record your efforts and get credit for helping those who have so gallantly protected our freedoms for so long.

Last year’s report showed we had 166,807 Elks and non-Elks who participated, helping 1,066,654 veterans over 896,174 hours with 3,080,581 miles traveled for a total by government standards of $27,168,178 donated.

These are wonderful statistics, but they do not tell the whole story because not all lodges filed their reports and not all state associations filed theirs. In recent years, we have had 46 and 44 states reporting, but only 29 states with 100 percent. I believe we can improve these numbers with everyone’s help.

Let’s try to make this a better year for our veterans and for all Elks. I ask each and every exalted ruler to make sure his or her lodge chairman files this report as well as every state president, making sure the state NVSC chairman files the state association report. Let’s all continue to work together helping our veterans and filing our reports so this coming year we can say we have 50 states with 100 percent participation in the “Veterans Remembrance Report,” again showing that “Care – Share!” Thank you for your help and cooperation in this most important matter.

Waterville Elks Donate Bench for Veterans Memorial



Waterville Elks recently purchased a bench for the Veterans Memorial in Winslow. On October 7th, the Lodge dedicated the bench with the following members, back row left to right Steve Couture PER, Ron Lane Chairman, Fred Lane, John Dennet, Ken Morgan, front row Ed Noel PER, PSP, Randy Gerry ER.

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