Introducing "Passport"

Do you like to visit other Florida Elks Lodges? Now you can get a Florida Elks Passport and have it stamped every time you visit another Lodge. Click here for all the details on the state website: Passport Program.

What will YOU be this year?

FSEA President Como's Visit to the South District

We were honored to welcome FSEA President, Vincent Como, his wife Lisa, VPAL James Hurst, his wife Julia and the entire Presidential Entourage last Friday. Since the Saturday morning activity was a visit to Jungle Island, we had a Welcome to the Jungle banquet Friday night. The event, I'm sorry to say, was not without issues. The worst thing that happened was that people did not wait until the dignitaries were allowed to go first before getting in line for food. I will take responsibility for this unfortunate gaffe because I did not anticipate having to tell the servers to hold off until the Presidential party went first. I really thought that since the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance are always done first at Elk functions, it would be a given that no one would line up for food until after that. We also had problems with the amount of food and several people complained about the set up.

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Please know this - any event I am involved in planning in the future will be a seated dinner. It is just too problematic to have the serving stations and it was very unfortunate timing that our experiment with a new format happened at the President's Visitation. That said, the Presidential Party was extremely gracious about the whole thing. Both Vince and Lisa sloughed off my apology and told me they didn't care a bit about standing in line. (Although I felt terrible - and still do.) All we can do is make sure it runs more smoothly next time.

On a happier note, I want to thank everyone who came to help transform the Crystal Room into a jungle: Jane Walker, Jack & Lina Lopez, Jeff Muehlfeld, Glenn Tekerman and Scott Albert. Everyone worked really hard to make it happen and I appreciate their efforts.

And now, for your entertainment, here are the State President Trivia Questions that appeared in the program, along with the answers.

1. Vince was born in Manhattan. How many of the boroughs did he work in?

Answer: All five

2. Lisa’s first name is actually what?

Answer: Liselda

3. In high school, which two sports did Vince letter in?

Answer: Baseball and Basketball

4. Name the city where Lisa was born. (Hint: it’s not in the USA.)

Answer: Mexico City

5. What language (besides English) does Vince speak fluently?

Answer: Italian (preferably Sicilian)

6. Vince has completed coursework for a Doctorate in EducationalLeadership and holds a Masters degree in what?

Answer: Criminal Justice Administration

7. Vince and Lisa have three children. Can you name them?

Answer: Andria, Vincent & Michael

8. What Lodge did Vince belong to right before the Comos moved to Florida in 1994?

Answer: New York #1

See you at the lodge!

- Janis

Every Monday with Carolyn Babbitt

We're all looking forward to the President's visit

Welcome to the Jungle Dinner Menu

State President's Visitation Dinner - Friday, August 28. Tickets are $15 per person.

6:00 pm - Cash Bar featuring our house and premium selection of whiskey, rum, scotch, vodka, gin, beer, wine and soda.
Special Jungle Drinks -
Swamp Water: cool blend of exotic rums and fruit juices
Banana-Rama: Jamaican rum, Parrot Bay coconut rum, banana liquor, grenadine, pineapple and orange juice.

7:00 pm - Dinner
Tribal Feast: assorted field greens with garbanzo beans, carrots, cucumbers, beans, pasta salad, beets, onions and tomatoes. Served with assorted dressings.

Big Mouth Mashed Potato Station: selection of regular and purple mashed potatoes with chicken, sausage, onions, capers, ham, cheese, marshmallows, bacon, mushrooms and spinach. Served in a martini glass.

Carnivore's Grill Carving Station: Top Round of Beef with Jungle Sauce and Wild Turkey with Chef's Special Safari Sauce.

Zoo Station: make your own sundae. Assorted ice cream flavors with chocolate chip cookies, coconut, M&Ms, nuts, pineapple, whipped cream, maraschino cherries and strawberry, caramel and chocolate sauce.

Attire: Tropical Casual.

Special thanks to our amazing Club Manager, Raul Berrocal, for coordinating this event.

It's the Roaring Twenties at North Miami

Nancy Mays, South District Vice President, of North Miami Lodge 1835 cordially invites you to join us for the State President's Visitation on Saturday, August 29. The theme for the evening is The Roaring Twenties so feel free to dress for the decade and be sure you have the password to get into the speakeasy. (Regular attire will be business suits and cocktail dresses.)

6:00 PM - Hors d'oeuvres and cash bar.

7:00 PM - Dinner, featuring roast pork loin, mashed sweet potatoes, vegetables, salad, dessert and rolls.

USO Dance this Saturday

ATTENNNNNNNNN-HUT!

This Saturday, August 1st, the Lodge is hosting an old-fashioned USO Dinner/Dance in the ballroom! Tickets are only $25 each. Come swap war stories, enjoy the Color Guard, an all-American Saturday night meatloaf dinner with a very special dessert, big band and swing music from Frank Hubbell and the Moonlighters, raffles and giveaways!

For every new deck of poker playing cards you bring to the event and donate, you’ll be entered into a special raffle for a WWII era poster! It doesn’t get any more All-American than this!

Please RSVP with Ella Mae Shroyer in person or by calling 305.279.2868 before July 29th.

Cash bar opens at 6:15pm, Color Guard at 7:00pm, dinner at 7:15pm, music and dancing from 8pm – midnight!

Attire for the evening is casual, but period attire from the 40’s and 50’s, especially military style uniforms, is highly encouraged.

All proceeds benefit the Miami Elks Lodge Veterans Charity Fund. General McArthur will be proud to see you there supporting the veterans. See you at the Lodge!

AT EASE!

Christmas in July Menu

Join us on July 25 for a festive holiday meal... just $16 per person.

Appetizer or salad (choose one)
Mini crabcakes with dill sauce
Smoked salmon with dill sauce and greens
Chicken caesar salad

Main Course
Traditional roasted turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce
Sweet honey ham
Dolphin piccata

Sides
Mashed potatoes
Sweet candied yams
Fresh green bean casserole
Assorted rolls and butter

Dessert:
Homemade pumpkin pie or apple pie

HOPE - Helping Others Promotes Elkdom

Florida State Elks Association President Vincent Como has a three-part pin this year. You start with the van. Add the canoe topper by donating $50 to the Harry Anna Fund and get the trailer by sponsoring five or more new members.
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Vince and his wife, Lisa will be visiting our District on August 28. Plan now to attend the festivities on Friday and Saturday, the 28th and 29th. It's going to be a lot of fun.

International flavor with no traveling required

Mother's Day Slideshow

We're celebrating the 4th

Happy music in the lounge

Florida Keys Lodge Sunset Picnic - 5/9/09

Click here to view the Web Album.

Father knows best... don't skip breakfast.

2 for 1 drinks tonight in the Lounge

Looking for something to do on Saturday night? Head over to the lodge where there's always something going on!

Arlington: Field of Honor (video)

The Arlington video is a full length movie that provides an inside look at Arlington, those who serve there and those who sacrificed their all for this country.

Rain or shine - join us on Memorial Day

Brush up your disco moves and come on down

Extra, extra! See Bill Henderson's Inaugural Ball pics right here!

Marathon Lodge #2139 Officer Installation

Back in April, several of us made that looong drive to the Marathon Lodge for their installation of officers. They made it worth our while by serving up fresh lobster hors d'oeuvres and fried chicken with all the fixin's for dinner.

Upcoming events at the lodge

Break out your cowboy boots and GET READY TO DANCE

The First Elks Lodge

Elks Lodge #1 opens in 1911 - click here for the story.

Join us on Easter - and note the extended serving hours!

Congratulations, South Miami Team!

Dolores Leach and her team of officers were installed at South Miami last night. There was a very good turnout from our District to support our sister lodge. As the new ER, Dolores will be working closely with us to encourage interlodge events and we wish her and her team all the best as they embark on this new year. Watch this space for pictures - coming soon!

North Miami Officer Installation - 4/7/09

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Our neighbors to the north are installing new officers on Tuesday, April 7. Hope to see you there!

Florida Keys Officer Installation - Sunday, March 15

Last Sunday several 948 members attended the Florida Keys Lodge installation where Chip DeClue was installed as Exalted Ruler. You may remember him from the recent State President's visitation at the North Miami Lodge... he's the one sang When the Squirrel Went Beserk at karaoke night.

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After the ceremony we stuck around for a very filling dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, rolls, salad and chocolate fudge. (No, we did not count calories.)

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Note: the 948 Installation pictures will be up as soon as I get them from Glenn, our volunteer photographer.

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See you at the lodge,

Janis

An invitation from Marie Grime

Wear something green and come on over!

Here they are... the PER All Stars

They all did a fine job, as we expected. Back row: Mary Rust, Glen Rust, Sheila Dowd, Marilee Mills. Front row: Bob Gill, Jeff Muehlfeld, Tommy Palma, George Moro, Del Butcher, Al Reker.

State President Joe Ortiz - South District Visitation

Joe and Rita's Homecoming visit to the South District was a weekend extravaganza. Here are some pictures that Raleigh Whiteman, SWC District Chair of the Publicity & Public Relations Committee graciously provided.

Friday Night - dinner at North Miami Lodge 1835

State President Joe Ortiz, State Secretary Carl Seibert and Past State President David Lake

Joe and Rita Ortiz with Vice President Vince Como and his wife Lisa.

Joe and Rita with gifts presented by the North Miami Lodge.

North Miami Lodge ER Mario Catalano, Joe and Rita Ortiz, Nancy Frederick and Bob Rankin, South District Vice President and host of this event.

The Booze Brothers doing a fine job with karaoke. (We didn't get a picture of Keys Lodge ER Chip DeClue singing "The Squirrel Went Berserk" but it was another highlight.)

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Saturday Night- dinner at Miami Lodge 948

Nancy Mays, PER from Joe's home lodge, North Miami 1835, pins his flower on, carefully.

This crystal elk head was was a gift to Joe from VPAL Vince Como.

Joe displays the gift from Vince.

A gift to Joe from Miami Lodge #948.

Nancy Mays presented Joe with a Proclamation from the mayor proclaiming February 23 "Joe Ortiz Day" in honor of his service to Elkdom.

PER All Stars - right here at 948

Members all,

One of the most endearing events of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Break is the old timer’s game, where retired baseball greats have the opportunity to relive some of their past glory as standouts on the diamond in front of a crowd of cheering spectators.

The Lodge has the same sort of endearing event every year, only we call it PER night, where Past Exalted Rulers get the opportunity to run a meeting again. Like the old timers baseball team, we aren’t as polished as we used to be, but we’re every bit as enthusiastic about our performance on the field, better known as the Lodge room. And we’re all still proud to have been Exalted Rulers of Miami Lodge #948.

So come on out this Wednesday, March 4th, and see history in action as the PER’s of Miami Lodge #948 take the floor of the Lodge room once again to conduct what is sure to be a very interesting meeting.

Here’s the starting lineup:

Glen Rust – Pitcher (Exalted Ruler)
Mary Rust – Catcher (Esteemed Leading Knight)
Del Butcher – 3rd Base (Esteemed Loyal Knight)
Don Schwartz – 1st Base (Esteemed Lecturing Knight)
Al Reker – 2nd Base (Chaplain)
Jeff Muehlfeld – Shortstop (Esquire)
George Moro – Center Field (Inner Guard)
Marilee Mills – Left Field (Tiler)
Sheila Dowd – Right Field (Treasurer)

Bob Gill – Team Manager and Designated Hitter (dugout)
Tom Palma – Assistant Manager and Lodge Trustee (1st base line corporate box seat)
Nat Barone – GM and Lodge Sponsor (Owner’s luxury booth)

Other PER’s could not be here for the meeting but we hail them all and thank them for their service.

See you at the Lodge,
Jeffrey Muehlfeld, Proud PER of Miami Lodge #948

Ladies Luncheon at 948 - hats, make-up and vintage fashion

On Saturday, February 21, we entertained the ladies from the Presidential Party with a Ladies Luncheon at 948. We brought in the fabulous Frank Ricigliano to do make-up for Rita and Lisa (the First Lady and the Vice President's wife) and raffled off a third session with the proceeds going to the Harry Anna fund. Rose Lanza won that. All three ladies left looking glamorous and ready for the evening event.

After Frank made-up Rita and demonstrated his technique, lunch was served while he worked on Lisa. We had a salad trio of chicken, crab and tuna. As soon as lunch was over it was time for the vintage fashion show. Our young volunteers modeled six vintage outfits as Dolores Leach read a narrative that recreated what MIGHT have happened back in the late 60's when Rita and Joe met at Miami-Dade college, fell in love and made plans to get married. (We did include a disclaimer that our story did not in any way reflect actual events or the views of the Presidential Party - wink, wink.)

Frank finished up with Rose Lanza, our raffle winner and the ladies went home to rest a bit before the Carribean Flair dinner. Here are some pictures from the day.