On Sunday, December 14, 2014, Santa took time out of his busy schedule to stop by our Lodge to visit the 44 Children and Grandchildren of our Elks members.
A good time was had by all!!
Thank you to all Santa’s helpers (Kim & Nicole Bourbeau, Sandy Bracey, Tina & Emma Mazuzan).
A very special Thank you to our “Secret” Santa for supplying our lodge with the wonderful toys the children received.
The Vermont Special Olympics held their annual Awards Banquet on November 8, 2014. Among the Awards presented was a special recognition to the St. Albans Elks Lodge #1566. In presenting the award, Chris Langevin, the Sports Manager for Special Olympics of Vermont, said the following:
“The Saint Albans Elks Lodge is one of the most generous organizations we know. Every year, they donate, cook, and serve lunches for hundreds of the School Unified Bocce and Track event at Collins Perley in St. Albans. Without their support our athletes would go hungry. We couldn’t be happier to have them as part of our community.”
Accepting the Award for the St. Albans Elks Lodge was the Event Chairman and PER Joe Montcalm.
Pictures l-r: Michelle Gates, Vice President of Development for Special Olympics Vermont,Event Chairman and PER, Joe Montcalm, and Chris Langevin the Sports Manager for Special Olympics Vermont
Members of the thirteen Vermont Elks Lodges and the Vermont Elks Association gathered at Silver Towers Camp for Exceptional People in August to open the new ADA compliant playground.
Bennington Lodge #567 is responsible for maintaining the grounds of Silver Towers Camp. In 2010, they recognized that the current pressure treated wood structure would need to be replaced. Lori Pinsonneault, from Bennington Lodge was elected Vermont Elks Association President in 2012 (first female President!) and replacement of the wood structure became her major fundraising project. What started as a swing set project quickly became a playground project.
Lori and her suite of officers visited all thirteen Lodges in Vermont and sold ducks (hundreds of them) at each visit. Ducks were also sold at the Vermont Elks Association Mid-year convention, State President Homecoming, the Vermont State convention and Elks National convention. Most winners returned their winnings back to the project.
Donations poured in from businesses as well; Bennington’s Catamount Rotary, CB Telethon Fund (in memory of Scott Moffitt, a camper at Silver Towers), Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation to name a few. Each Lodge donated back funds that were raised from yearbook sales for Vermont State convention. 2013-2014 VEA President Keith Palmer also donated a large sum of money raised from his visits to all of the Vermont Elks Lodges. Private donations, proceeds from t-shirt sales and other donations brought the fund to almost $39,000.
Of that money, $29,000 was spent on two high backed swings, four seat swings and a wheelchair accessible ramp swing. The remaining funds will be used to develop a path around the playground, purchase outdoor musical instruments and place climbing rocks near the playground.
The Silver Towers Camp for People with Disabilities is the chief charitable project of the Vermont Elks Association, which has owned and operated Silver Towers since 1958. It is among the first of its kind in the United States, and still remains one of the very few. An overnight retreat for those with mental and physical challenges, the camp demands more focused attention than others, and thus have a high ratio of counselors to campers to accommodate the special needs of the campers.
Respectfully Submitted by Kristin Calcagni
Photos by Kristin Calcagni
Camper Michael Colucci tries out the wheelchair accessible ramp swing with help from his counselor Andre Nobrega.
Ribbon Cutting
Past State President Lori Pinsonneault enjoys swinging with help from Vice President Fred Dusablon.
