By: Stewart G Israel, Elks National Veterans Service Commission Adopt-A-Veteran Programm Chairman
I had the sad occasion to go to a fellow lodge member's funeral. He had served in the U.S. Navy and had a team of sailors to take part in the ceremony. After Taps, they meticulously folded the flag and, going down to one knee, the sailor presented it to the widow with the words: "On behalf of a grateful nation" I mused to myself:How many Americans are truly grateful? How many take this Great Country and its freedoms for granted? We, as Elks, can never be complacent in our gratitude to America's Veterans. We must show the Veterans, first and foremost, that they are not forgotten, and will never be forgotten as long as there are Elks. All Elks have taken a pledge never to forget them.
Keep true to our word.
What better way to show your gratitude than by implementing the Adopt-A-Veteran Program? These Veterans are adopted from hospitals, nursing homes and senior living facillities. They are even lonely home-bound Veterans in your own lodge and community.
Some lodges visit the adopted Veterans and send cards. Some have a visiting committee that goes periodically to the hospital or nursing home. How many of your members or spouses go to a nursing home on a regular basis anyway to see a family member or even work at a facility? Ask them to pop in and say hi to the adopted Veteran.
Have church outreach committees adopt Veterans. Encourage school teachers to adopt Veterans as a community service for the students. English teachers could do a letter-writing unit to adopted Veterans. History teachers could assign oral history gatherings. Loadies' auziliaries could have their own adopting or Veterans committee to send cards and visit nursing homes and hospitals, or sponsor tours, boat rides, Christmas gifts and homeless Veteran collections. These Veterans can visit the lodge for dinners, lunches, picnics and special parties. Gifts should be comfort items. VA hospitals don't want glass, alcohol or sharp items. Check with the hospital chairperson. Say thank you to the adopted Veterans for guaranteeing our freedom and way of life. Show them you care about them and the sacrifice they made. We do not take them for granted. We are truly grateful. This should be a labor of love - love of God, love of country, love of Elks and most importantly, love of Veterans.
November for Remembrance
By: C. Valentine Bates, PGER - Commission Member
In November, we honor our nation's verterans for their sacrifices that resulted in the freedoms we enjoy today. Grand Exalter Ruler F. Louis Sulsberger has underscored the Elks recognition of those sacrifices by proclaiming November as Veteran's Remembrance Month.
