Alzheimer’s Foundation

Charleston was recognized for giving $14,000 this past year to the state’s main charity. This was accomplished through their car raffle, where a member donated a sports car, which was refurbished and raffled off during last years convention. Fred Figurski’s team of volunteers has steadily contributed thousands in years past through the roadside collection at Route 1 and Route 34 intersection. The Elk license plate program also is a way to contribute to this cause.

Convention Attendance

Attendance was down from previous years, for a total of 402 attendees for this year. For many of the meetings, only four exalted rulers were present—one of them being our lodge’s.

Chicago Lodge Membership System

The national web-based Chicago Lodge Membership System is projected to go live, as scheduled, on April 1st, 2008. The user manual for the program was handed out during the convention. The program is currently being tested in three states with great success. This program will eliminate several reports done by the lodge secretaries, since the data will be already be available to the Grand Lodge. Our secretary Vickie Schermbeck will be tasked in updating our membership into the new program.

Deer-Hide Program

The state Deer-hide program collected 150 hides this year, with Charleston and Rock Hill Lodges raising the most. The Elks are the only program that supplies deer-hides for the production of gloves for wheel-chair bound veterans.

Drug Awareness

Since the DEA had closed it’s Columbia’s office, the Elks are the only providers of drug awareness to our youth. The most active lodge in the state was Walterboro, who passed out 40,000 pamphlets during 2007.

Elks Teaming Up With the Vietnam Veterans

A new partnership between the Elks and the charitable affiliate of the Vietnam Veterans of America will raise funds to assist soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as all veterans of the nation's wars. The affiliate, the Vietnam Veterans Assistance Fund, is renaming its Coin Can Donation Program, "The Michael Manning National Veterans Program," as a tribute to the long-time director of the Elks National Veterans Service Department who died July 22, 2007. Mike had worked with the organization in setting up the program, which will feature coin cans in every Elks lodge and in other locations.

Our lodge will receive 15 cans, which will be distributed throughout our community. Money raised in this effort will aid veterans as they deal with health issues, homeless services, and transitioning programs. Calling Mike "truly a great leader in the veterans' community," John Rowan, national president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, said: "It was with Michael's great enthusiasm for veterans that this program will exist as a partnership between the Elks and the VVA."

Elk National Foundation

South Carolina is currently 7th in the nation for average per member contribution. You still have time to contribute—see Sharon Greene.

Leadership Training

This years Elk Training is scheduled for March 16th, at the Orangeburg Lodge. This training is for lodge in-coming officers, secretaries, youth committee and trustees. Please mark you calendars.

Lodge’s By-Laws Update

This year, our lodge will be updating it’s By-Laws/House Rules, as required every 5-years.

Patriotism Week

The third week in February has been designated "National Patriotism Week" by the BPOE of America. In conjunction with this, our lodge is having a dinner for the Americanism Essay contest prior to the Business Meeting on February 12th, at 6:30pm. Come show your support for these young students.

PER Convention

The location for the next PER convention is Gaffney in April.

SC Elk Summer Convention

The summer convention will be at the Greenville Marriott, starting August 8th. Registration is $35. More information will follow.

Scholarships

Our state gave out $30,000 in scholarships. There were three South Carolina students that received national scholarship, amounting to $12,000 per year fro four years.

Soccer Shoot

The next state location for the finals for the soccer shoot will be Charleston, during October. More information will follow.

Veterans

A discussion was raised on why the Elks do not allow veterans one-year free membership. It is not in the statues that permit free memberships; however, vets can be invited to visit, and the three visit rule can be waived to extend the period.