On The Road With State President Lynn Rohlf
April/May, 2013
Hibbing Lodge #1022 Greetings Fellow Minnesota Elks! When I left you last, I had just finished up my visit at Hopkins Lodge #2221 on St. Patrick's Day. I mentioned that I would be taking a couple of weeks off before my visit to Hibbing Lodge #1022. Well, I may not have had any "official" visits as State President, but I did keep busy with the Elks. I had the opportunity to install the 2013-2014 Lodge Officers at Duluth Lodge #133 on March 23, 2013, and to install the 2013-2014 Lodge Officers at Eveleth Lodge #1161 on April 6, 2013. Eveleth Lodge #1161 was also having their awards banquet on that evening. The highlight of my evening was getting to visit with their oldest member, John Postudensek. John received his 70 year member pin and is 100 years old. He will be 101 on July 4, 2013. John recently filled the chair of Esquire at their PER, Life Member, Old Timer night. It's Saturday, April 13, 2013, and I am making my official visit to Hibbing Lodge #1022 this evening. Before heading over to Hibbing, I will be stopping at Eveleth Lodge #1161 for the North District Spring Conference and District Deputy Clinic. The District Meeting is over and I'm on my way to Hibbing. I quickly get checked into my room and head back to the lobby as ER Charlie Radika is picking me up at 5:30 p.m. On tap for the evening is their annual raffle to raise money for their community projects. This is always a well-attended and fun event and I've been visiting for this event for the last couple of years. The Hibbing Elks give you many opportunities to spend money on the various fun raffles they have that evening. I did win one of the side raffles, but let them draw again as one of the prizes was to send a girl to the Minnesota Elks Youth Camp. However, no luck for me on the big money raffle :o( I was able to visit with some old friends and make some new ones. It was nice going back to Hibbing, as you will recall that is where I was installed as State President. Hibbing has found a nice "home" in their new location. Charlie has stepped up again to lead the charge and I am happy to report that the lodge has a slate of officers behind him that will be moving up the ranks over the next few years. I'm sure that Hibbing would be willing to share their information about this successful raffle that they have been having for the last few years. They give away $11,000 in prizes and keep $9,000 for their projects. Not bad!! Each ticket is placed in an envelope and put in the raffle barrel. The envelopes are then drawn and hung on the raffle board. Each ticket is opened and read until the winning ticket is opened. This process helps to keep a captive audience for the evening. The evening has come to a close and I have finished up my 25th visit for the year. It really is hard to believe that I only have 1 visit left. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that we don't have a snowstorm on May 17, 2013, when I travel to Fergus Falls for my last visit. And, that there isn't any snow when I leave Hibbing tomorrow morning. There are only a couple of months left in my term so don't forget to: "Rock The Boat!" Fraternally, Lynn Rohlf Minnesota Elks Association State President |
Youth Camp Opener
Greetings Fellow Minnesota Elks!
It's Thursday, May 9, 2013, and I'm packed and ready to head to Youth Camp Opener. This time last year, I was looking ahead to a full year of Elk visits. But, today, I only have one visit left and one convention. The time has really flown by . . . After a few stops, we are finally on the road and headed to our first stop: lunch at Mark's Bar in McGregor. My chauffeur today is Dean Holm and we have two traveling companions: Duluth Lodge #133 ER Lyle Nygren and Duluth Lodge #133 PER Dan Holm. It should be a fun and interesting trip and we are hoping profitable. We have arrived at camp and, unfortunately, our pockets are quite a bit lighter than when we left Duluth. We get unpacked and wait for the rest of the Duluth crew to arrive. It's off to the Half Moon for dinner and some Wild Hockey.
Friday arrives and the work begins. There is a lot going on at camp this weekend and crews are working on many different projects. The temperatures are a bit chilly and the ice is still on Pelican Lake. It's already 5 p.m. and time for President-Elect George Lehn's cocktail party up at the cabana. George reveals his motto and pin design: "Minnesota Elks - Making Memories." Lots of Elks come out to help George celebrate the beginning of his year and partake in the annual Steak Fry. Saturday arrives and it is snowing as I make my way up the hill to attend my last Budget Meeting with the Trustees and the District Presidents. The meeting moves along quite nicely as we have a good amount of money from ENF to allot to the various committees. The budget is complete and ready to present to the delegation in June for approval. As I leave George and his District Presidents at the table to finish up the directory, it brings a smile to my face as the directory is never a very pleasant task. As Saturday winds down, the number of Elks still at camp has reduced dramatically. The Duluth crew has finished all of our projects and we head into town to have a bite to eat and watch a little more hockey at the Commander. When we return to camp, it's too cold for a bonfire, so we stay indoors. Sunday morning arrives and it's already time to head back to Duluth. We are on the road early and pull out of camp at around 8:00 a.m.
Another great Youth Camp Opener. Thanks to all of the Elks volunteers who showed up to work and get the camp ready for another camping season.
My time is getting short, but I hope that you still continue to "Rock The Boat."
Fraternally,
Lynn Rohlf
Minnesota Elks Association State President
Greetings Fellow Minnesota Elks!
It's Thursday, May 9, 2013, and I'm packed and ready to head to Youth Camp Opener. This time last year, I was looking ahead to a full year of Elk visits. But, today, I only have one visit left and one convention. The time has really flown by . . . After a few stops, we are finally on the road and headed to our first stop: lunch at Mark's Bar in McGregor. My chauffeur today is Dean Holm and we have two traveling companions: Duluth Lodge #133 ER Lyle Nygren and Duluth Lodge #133 PER Dan Holm. It should be a fun and interesting trip and we are hoping profitable. We have arrived at camp and, unfortunately, our pockets are quite a bit lighter than when we left Duluth. We get unpacked and wait for the rest of the Duluth crew to arrive. It's off to the Half Moon for dinner and some Wild Hockey.
Friday arrives and the work begins. There is a lot going on at camp this weekend and crews are working on many different projects. The temperatures are a bit chilly and the ice is still on Pelican Lake. It's already 5 p.m. and time for President-Elect George Lehn's cocktail party up at the cabana. George reveals his motto and pin design: "Minnesota Elks - Making Memories." Lots of Elks come out to help George celebrate the beginning of his year and partake in the annual Steak Fry. Saturday arrives and it is snowing as I make my way up the hill to attend my last Budget Meeting with the Trustees and the District Presidents. The meeting moves along quite nicely as we have a good amount of money from ENF to allot to the various committees. The budget is complete and ready to present to the delegation in June for approval. As I leave George and his District Presidents at the table to finish up the directory, it brings a smile to my face as the directory is never a very pleasant task. As Saturday winds down, the number of Elks still at camp has reduced dramatically. The Duluth crew has finished all of our projects and we head into town to have a bite to eat and watch a little more hockey at the Commander. When we return to camp, it's too cold for a bonfire, so we stay indoors. Sunday morning arrives and it's already time to head back to Duluth. We are on the road early and pull out of camp at around 8:00 a.m.
Another great Youth Camp Opener. Thanks to all of the Elks volunteers who showed up to work and get the camp ready for another camping season.
My time is getting short, but I hope that you still continue to "Rock The Boat."
Fraternally,
Lynn Rohlf
Minnesota Elks Association State President
Youth Camp Opener
Greetings Fellow Minnesota Elks!
It's Friday, May 17, 2013, and I'm off to make my visit to Fergus Falls Lodge #1093. I will point out that this is my LAST VISIT - woohoooooo! It's always nice to figure out that the light you see at the end of the tunnel is daylight and not a train . . . Gas prices have hit the highest I have seen them since taking over last June. The pump says $4.299 per gallon as I leave Duluth. I'm happy that I am at the end of my term and not at the beginning. The $2,700 stipend wasn't enough to cover the 14,000 plus miles I put on at .30 cents a mile. Good Luck George! As I said, I'm off to Fergus Falls Lodge #1093. As I look back, I have not been to Fergus since they hosted the State Convention in June of 1999 and I was Exalted Ruler at Duluth Lodge #133. So, it will be nice to get back out to the Point. On tap for the evening is their opening night Steak Fry and a Mortgage Burning Ceremony.
After a long drive, it was surely nice to see a couple of cold Budweisers in the cooler in my room. The visit has gotten off to a good start. Most recent PER Tim and Carol Melby arrive to drive me out to the Point. I catch up with what has been going on with the Lodge as we make our way to the Point. There have been a lot of changes to the building since my last visit. It's all closed in and they have installed new windows. A new project upcoming is a handicap accessible bathroom upstairs. I'm treated to a fabulous steak dinner and spend some time visiting with the members. Following dinner, the Officers hold a Mortgage Burning Ceremony to burn their mortgage. This is a happy and joyous celebration for the lodge, as well as a great accomplishment. The evening has come to an end. Upon returning to my room, it is starting to sink in that this was my last visit and I am now DONE. Well, almost, I still do have the convention in Worthington at the end of June.
Until then, I will be making plans on how I can continue to "Rock The Boat" a bit before I hand the wheel over to George . . .
Fraternally,
Lynn Rohlf
Minnesota Elks Association State President
Greetings Fellow Minnesota Elks!
It's Friday, May 17, 2013, and I'm off to make my visit to Fergus Falls Lodge #1093. I will point out that this is my LAST VISIT - woohoooooo! It's always nice to figure out that the light you see at the end of the tunnel is daylight and not a train . . . Gas prices have hit the highest I have seen them since taking over last June. The pump says $4.299 per gallon as I leave Duluth. I'm happy that I am at the end of my term and not at the beginning. The $2,700 stipend wasn't enough to cover the 14,000 plus miles I put on at .30 cents a mile. Good Luck George! As I said, I'm off to Fergus Falls Lodge #1093. As I look back, I have not been to Fergus since they hosted the State Convention in June of 1999 and I was Exalted Ruler at Duluth Lodge #133. So, it will be nice to get back out to the Point. On tap for the evening is their opening night Steak Fry and a Mortgage Burning Ceremony.
After a long drive, it was surely nice to see a couple of cold Budweisers in the cooler in my room. The visit has gotten off to a good start. Most recent PER Tim and Carol Melby arrive to drive me out to the Point. I catch up with what has been going on with the Lodge as we make our way to the Point. There have been a lot of changes to the building since my last visit. It's all closed in and they have installed new windows. A new project upcoming is a handicap accessible bathroom upstairs. I'm treated to a fabulous steak dinner and spend some time visiting with the members. Following dinner, the Officers hold a Mortgage Burning Ceremony to burn their mortgage. This is a happy and joyous celebration for the lodge, as well as a great accomplishment. The evening has come to an end. Upon returning to my room, it is starting to sink in that this was my last visit and I am now DONE. Well, almost, I still do have the convention in Worthington at the end of June.
Until then, I will be making plans on how I can continue to "Rock The Boat" a bit before I hand the wheel over to George . . .
Fraternally,
Lynn Rohlf
Minnesota Elks Association State President
