Springfield Elks Lodge held their Annual Awards night during February’s Valentines dinner/dance held on Feb. 15th.
Exalted Ruler Jim Morse started out by giving out (4) Most Valuable Elks Awards to, Kathi Williams, Ed Knoras, Ed “Jigger” Barton and Thomas Snide. He remarked “that without these four members”, doing their thing for our Lodge he doesn’t know where 1560 would be. Next was “Chairperson of the Year” awarded to Victor Baskevich who is chairman of the youth activities of Hoop and Soccer Shoots.
During the year each month there is an Elk of the Month award and on this night he awarded an accumulative monthly Elk of the Year award to PSP Andy Cook. Next award went to Heidi LaCerte as the “Pot Stirrer Award” as she gets things done and sometimes stirs up ideas to make the Lodge a better place. Next was two Grand Exalted Rulers Awards to two members deserving of this award. Carolee Murchie and Karen Whitney. Maureen Blais was awarded the Elks “Citizen of the Year:, which is a person that not only helped our Lodge but in some way touched the community.
Selecting an “Officer of the Year” is the hardest award for an Exalted Ruler to choose as all of ER Morses officers helped him out continually. This year Jim chose PER Vicki Siliski who filled in for the late Michael Luurtsema as Esquire and also did a fantastic job as the Lodges Veterans chairperson for this Elk year. Mr. Morse also felt, she not only dedicated herself to helping our Veteran’s, she dedicated herself to helping our Lodge now but he believed she will continue to help Veteran’s in the future.
Last award of the of the night was Exalted Ruler Jim Morse’ selection of Gloria Gunn as “Elk of the Year”. Mrs. Gunn according to Mr. Morse helped with all of the day to day operations of the Lodge from helping with weekly cash up, helping with the weekly drawings, helping with purchasing items, helping with event after event, to taking linens home each week to be laundered, and was Elks National Foundation chairperson.
At the recent awards night Springfield Elks Lodge 1560 Exalted Ruler Jim Morse is shown presenting Gloria Gunn with the Lodges’ “Elk of the Year” plaque.
Springfield Elks Lodge 1560’s Exalted Ruler Jim Morse is shown presenting PER Vicki Siliski with her “Officer of the Year”. award.
News items submitted by Michael Gunn