Elks Lodge Receives Recognition At City Council Meeting

During a recent meeting in council chambers, the Mission Viejo City Council recognized Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge No. 2444 (“Elks Lodge”) for its donation of $14,000 to purchase and train a K-9 dog for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Conan (see attached photo) is the fifth fully trained K-9 dog donated by the Elks Lodge over the past thirty (30) plus years.

During her presentation at the standing room only meeting, Mission Viejo Mayor Rhonda Reardon also recognized the Elks Lodge for its service to the Saddleback Valley Community and Country through contributions to Americanism, Scouting, Scholarships, Veterans, Police & Firefighters, Drug Awareness Education, Mentally & Physically Handicapped Children & Adults, and Soccer and Hoop Shoots. As leaders of the Elks Lodge Bingo operation which is the major source of its charitable funds, Past Exalted Rulers (“PER”) Harvey Boelts and Newt Seal accepted the recognition on behalf of all Elks Lodge members. In acknowledging the recognition, Harvey Boelts also mentioned the Elks Lodge’s significant dictionary program which distributes approximately 4,400 dictionaries to Saddleback and Capistrano Valley School District third graders.

Representatives of the sheriff’s department acknowledged the increased safety and crime fighting capabilities delivered by the K-9 dogs. Mission Viejo, year after year, is designated as one of the safest cities in the United States.

The Mission Viejo / Saddleback Elks Lodge No. 2444, celebrating forty-three (43) years of service to the Saddleback Valley communities, is one of ten lodges in the Orange Coast District of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) whose headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois. The BPOE is a charitable organization with a 145 year history of giving, “Elks Care, Elks Share.”

Hal Mattson, Lodge Publicity

Mission Viejo / Saddleback Valley Elks Lodge No. 2444