Greetings and Aloha to all California-Hawaii Elks Members. First Lady Ginger and I are hoping you had a pleasant holiday season and New Year’s celebration to close out 2017 and open 2018.

Our travels to the Districts and Lodges, as we carried the message of our Elks programs, have been busy and exciting. Many of the Association Vice Presidents have accompanied us on our journeys throughout the various CHEA Districts. We also visited Lodges in Arizona and Nevada. So far, we have visited 14 Association Districts and 54 Lodges. Each Lodge we visited showed that the spirit of Elkdom is strong and vibrant. Our California-Hawaii Elks Lodges are following my slogan as they Reach Out and Share the Experience of the Elks in their Lodges and local communities. Many communities are benefiting from the Elks presence in their communities. The Lodges we visited are fully involved and committed to supporting the youth, veterans, our CHEMPI Piggy Bank and numerous local charitable programs in bringing the Elks message forward. 

The holidays are over, and we are in the last quarter of the Elks fraternal year. Now is the time to turn our attention to getting qualified members who will fill the Lodge officer positions. Each Lodge should reach out to experienced members who can fill important officer slots and provide leadership for the coming year. Our membership program continues to show gains which will provide another year of positive membership growth. I earnestly charge all lodges to concentrate on those members who are still on the lapsation lists. I encourage each Lodge to make one last effort to get those members to pay their dues and return to the active members list. Also, look at your candidates waiting to become members. Records show that many lodges have candidates who are close to becoming members. All that is necessary is to finish the Orientation and schedule their initiation. Your Membership Management Team should help get these members initiated.

As we look forward to the coming months, plans are in place for the President’s Homecoming on February 23-24, 2018 and the CHEA Convention that will be held in San Diego on May 16-19, 2018.  Mark your calendars and try to attend these events.

In closing, let me remind all Lodge officers and members that it is easy for each to Reach Out and Share the Experience. A little effort on our part with a smile and outreached hand is all it takes.

Fraternally,
Chuck Nolan, President
California-Hawaii Elks Association