聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The Moose Mountain 鈥� Kisbey #483 Sask Elks Lodge welcomed the Grand Exalted Ruler of the Elks, Deborah Sallenback from Aldergrove, BC, to the community on Thursday, Feb. 8.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 my first time here,鈥� Sallenback said. 鈥淚鈥檓 seeing a lot of countryside in this position that I never would have seen otherwise because I鈥檓 driving across the country.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The local Elks hosted a supper in her honour and welcomed the community to attend. Members of the Moosomin Elks Lodge also travelled to Kisbey for the event.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Claudia Mullis, Provincial President of the Rebekah Assembly of Saskatchewan, said a few words about the community Sallenback was visiting: 鈥淲e always help each other on different projects鈥� we鈥檝e been doing that for many years. I think one thing we have in common [the Rebekah鈥檚 and the Elks] is that we like to help our community. One of the projects that the Rebekah鈥檚 works with is vision and the Elks have one focused on hearing; so we鈥檙e helping people in different ways...鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sallenback then spoke explaining how the Elks are changing and adapting to show younger generations what their intentions are and how they can help.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ver the last 10 years, we鈥檝e lost a number of members; but, over the past year or two there has been a change of attitudes and there are younger lodges out there that are revitalizing what we鈥檙e doing. We鈥檙e working together to celebrate the future.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Elks have been in Canada since 1912 鈥� there are over 250 Lodges across Canada and approximately 11,000 members according to the Elks of Canada website.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he strengths of our Order involve the hard work of our membership in building and strengthening our communities they live in while providing assistance to children and families in need,鈥� Sallenback states on the Elks Canada website. 鈥淥ur greatest achievements recognized by our peers is our work in Speech and Hearing in many provinces鈥� across Canada. We have campaigned hard in recent years to have all Provinces adopt programs, which result in mandatory testing of new borns for hearing loss at birth.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hrough our National Charity, the Elks and Royal Purple Fund for Children we have been able to raise funds to support children under the age of nineteen as well as provide assistance to families whose home was destroyed by fire as well as many other personnel assistance imitated by Lodges.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 She also said in her speech on Feb. 11, that the Lodge held a Food Drive and was able to gather 80,000 lbs last year. They鈥檙e hoping to do it again this year and reach 100,000 lbs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Finally she thanked the hosting lodge for its hospitality and delicious roast beef meal.
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