We hope you had a wonderful time in Chicago at the Elks National Convention! For those who couldn’t make it and those who want to relive the fun, here are a few of the presentations and events we held.
We spent Saturday at the Convention Hall, celebrating the 4th of July, reconnecting with Elks members, and spreading the word about our programs to members. We sold hundreds of pairs of gloves to promote the Veterans Leather Program. Our Veteran and Volunteer board filled up quickly with all our visitors! One of our first signers was Lady Liberty herself!
Meanwhile, the Elks Memorial Building was hosting the 100th Anniversary Ceremony. Click here to watch a short video about the ceremony.
On Sunday, we hosted the annual State Veterans Chair Training, to help our outstanding Chairs learn about our programs, and share their expertise with each other. We finished off the training with a presentation by Elk member Dr. Ryan Rogers, who spoke about PTSD in veterans. His presentation reviewed the ways trauma impacts individuals, and helped our Chairs learn practical tools to serve veterans dealing with PTSD in our communities. You can read about Dr. Ryan Rogers here and order a book to learn more.
As always, we made sure to celebrate our volunteers! On Monday, we awarded the National Veteran Service Volunteer of the Year award to Larry Nelson of Lakewood-Bellflower, Calif., Lodge No. 888!
Click here to read about how this Vietnam Veteran and Elks Voluntary Service Representative has been serving veterans for more than 40 years! From mentoring veterans with PTSD to hosting Bingo and celebrating holidays with veterans at the VA, Larry's Nelson's commitment to veterans is a lesson in true dedication.
We hosted a seminar about the Elks Voluntary Service program. The seminar featured a panel discussion from a few outstanding program volunteers. Atilano Rivera, Darla Morley, and Robert Pagnani shared what they have learned about organizing activities and how to meet the needs of veterans. You can find your local Representatives and Deputy Representatives by looking here.
We featured our State Veteran Volunteer of the Year Winners at the booth, and caught up with Michigan winner Joanne Baillargeon, at left.
We also featured a presentation about the Veterans Leather Program, hosted by Vice-Chair Curtis Blystone and Chair Chuck Mudge. You can learn more about how to get started with this program by viewing the presentation slides, which include instructional videos. Then, visit the program webpage and reach out to our volunteers to learn how to get started in your state.
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