Pictured left to right:  Alan Presley, Prelate - John Benham, Junior Governor - Dan Biertzer, Administrator,

Carson Manuel, Trustee - Ronnie Moore, Trustee - Mike Harden, Trustee - Dennis McMillan, Treasurer,

Richard Irvin, Past Governor - Ray Richardson, Governor

     In years past, the Wythe Arts Council has honored a person or persons for their contribution to the Chautauqua Festival by naming them the parade grand marshal. This twenty-sixth year of the festival will be no exception. However, instead of the honor going to an individual, an organization is being recognized for their contributions. The Wytheville Moose Lodge #394 has generously given their support to the festival for many years. In one way or another, this group has touched the lives of most of the citizens in Wytheville and Wythe County. Most people in our area are not aware of the organization’s generous use of their time and funds.
    

     For the Wythe Arts Council, the Wytheville Moose Lodge has been a faithful Oscar sponsor. They have organized and conducted several bingo games as fundraisers and volunteered the use of their facilities for various other festival fundraisers. Indeed, they have been influential in the success of the festival.

     At the same time, their generosity has been felt in both the national and local levels. The members of the Moose help to support a retirement facility for their members as well as a home for children of Moose members that have lost their parents. These children are cared for and educated by donations from the various Moose organizations. Not only do the Moose care for the children affiliated with their organization but substantial donations are made each year to the Shriner’s Childrens Hospital.

     On the local level, each year a sizable monetary donation is given to each rescue squad in Wythe County and to all the fire departments in both Wytheville and Wythe County. The group has provided funds to help build playgrounds for our youth, sponsored coloring contests in the elementary schools, helped in supporting after prom parties for area high schools, and offered the use of their building to schools, churches, and Relay for Life fundraising activities. The Wytheville Moose Lodge is also a major donator to United Way and Mount Rogers camps and activities. Each Christmas the Moose help the Department of Social Services with the Santa Workshop program. Heavenly Angels, one of our newest organizations, has also received help from the local Moose. The most recent activity for the Wytheville Moose Lodge was purchasing and preparing a steak dinner for the 450 plus riders in Run for the Wall.

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Colonial Beach Moose Family Center celebrated their 41st anniversary with a great picnic

Saturday June 19th. Their favorite band the Mendez brothers entertained for 5 hours.

Weather cooperated for a change. Jim Mclanahan received a certificate as Rookie Moose

of the Year and Ralph "Zip " Cook was named Moose of the Year. Tommy Gore made

world class brisket and North Caroline BBQ and lots of food was donated to round out

the menu. Raffle tickets were sold and are still available for a Golf Cart

valued at over $3000.  It was a day of fun and friendship at CB Moose.

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Jack is the Governor of Warwick Lodge 1711 in Newport News.  He has done a

lot of Community Service over the years personally as well as with the Moose. 

Attached you will find a letter from the Congress of the United States House of Representatives informing him that he was named a gold honoree in the 2010 MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards and his Bio of Community Service.

     May is an exciting time for the Wytheville Moose Lodge as the Run for the Wall caravan rolls into town. For 10 years now the Lodge has been one of the privileged stops on their journey from California to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC in which they have had an organized ride for the last 22 years. The Southern Route continues to grow in number as they ride across the country for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world.
 
     The Moose Lodge was approached by the Run for the Wall organization in 2001 and asked to provide a meal for the bikers that year on their Southern Route. Somewhat apprehensive to the new event, the Lodge managed to feed the 75 bikers a nice spaghetti dinner as they made their way quickly through Wythe County. The number of riders has grown to over 400 bikers participating in this event. Regardless of the number, the Moose Lodge is now more than ready for the challenge of feeding and honoring the riders. It is now tradition for the Run for the Wall participants to take part in the festivities and meal that the Moose Lodge continues to offer annually. The event takes 50 plus volunteers of both the Men and Women of the Moose to work for two days preparing and serving a full rib eye steak & chicken meal with a baked potato and salad to all the riders. After the presentations and food have been served, many of the bikers linger and visit with the familiar faces they see at the Lodge from year to year. One of our favorite comments is to hear the riders say “The Moose steak dinner is the best meal on the Route” and they can’t wait to arrive in Wytheville and eat at the Moose.
 
     This year the Lodge fed 472 bikers and as a special celebration to commemorate the 10th Anniversary, the Moose Lodge had a great looking Run for the Wall shirt made with Wytheville, A & 10th Anniversary down the sleeves & a POW/MIA design on the back.
 
     The next morning they all gather at the park in Wytheville and meet and greet with the Spiller Elementary kids. They also make a monetary donation to the school.
They then head out of town to Montvale School were they meet with those kids and also make a monetary donation.
 
     The day is not done until they ride to the D-Day Memorial and then to the VA Hospital in Salem. The then get a good nights rest and head up to DC for the annual Rolling Thunder Parade.
 
     Rolling Thunder is an annual motorcycle rally that is held in Washington, DC during the Memorial Day weekend to call for the government's recognition and protection of Prisoners of War (POWs) and those Missing in Action (MIAs). About 400,000 veterans will roar across Washington, DC on their motorcycles as a tribute to American war heroes.
  
     Discussions and planning for next year’s Run for the Wall event will begin immediately. It is an honor for the Women & Men of the Wytheville Moose Lodge to be able to contribute in some capacity to all those who are keeping the memory of our military personnel alive.
 
     To learn more about this check out the website at…… www.rftw.org
Click on the Southern Route 2010

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     Several people had a special impact on Run for the Wall this year.  Of the many FNG's that participated, you are now veterans of Run for the Wall and you are part of a new and extended family.  We would like to recognize one of our FNG's who hales from Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Mike Donahue, a seven year veteran of the U.S. Army, who was an 11B, Grunt, a 2P Airborne, and 95B, Military Police (M.P.). Mike served from 1973 to 1981 and his life was forever changed at 10:01 September 28th, 1980 when he was a victim of an accidental discharge by a fellow M.P.  Mike took a hit from a 45 semi-automatic that tore through his midsection to include a severe spinal injury.  Confined to a wheelchair, Mike said he brooded over his injury for about 30 days until he decided that he had to move on and live his life regardless.  He had a van converted to accommodate his wheelchair, which was his main means of transportation until he found a BMW R1200 conversion called Martin Conquest.  This spectacular 3-wheeled motorcycle complete with drop-down ramp allowed Mike to roll his wheelchair in and out and securely lock it into place.

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Click Here to view and print Letter of Appreciation from Wytheville Town Mayor, Trenton G. Crewe, Jr.

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 " The Amigo's "
   
Three Loom Members decided to have a fundraiser to raise money for the

Mooseheart Paving Fund.  Don Doss, Bobby Glass, and Jack Brooks, they are

("The Amigo's").  They went out and bought a 32" T.V. to raffle off

to raise money with and they held 2 Karaoke shows here at the Lodge. 

During the shows we had 50/50's that the winners donated the money

back to Mooseheart, raffled off several gift cards, and much more. 

The Amigo's and the members at 715 Moose Lodge were very dedicated to this fundraiser

for the Paving Fund at Mooseheart,  with-in this short period of time we raised $1,683.00

Fraternally Yours

Moose Lodge 715

The Lynchburg W.O.T.M. Chapter #1335 donated an additional $1,000.00 adding to

the $1,683.00 that "The Amigo's Show" raised bringing the Grand Total to $2,683.00.

Shown in the above photos are just some of the members

that participated in the Fund Raising Efforts. 

Nathan Trent, Jim Crawley, Larry Trent, Janet Brooks, Bobby Goodman, Betty White,

Lula Hill, J.J. Hill, Mike Farlow, Tony Tomlin, Ralph Hise, Sal Salioao, Phil Martin,

Evelyn Martin, Glinda Gilbert, Kenneth Peters, Chris Trent, and Cathy Hartman. 

It took about 6 weeks to raise all this money.  If we could get all the other Lodges

 to do this it would be done with the Pavement Fund really fast.

Fraternally Yours

Justin Sage

Governor 715 Moose

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An Endowment Fund Check in the amount of $500.00

is presented to the Supreme Governor in his name. 

Pictured are from L-R: Tommy Moose, MFC 2573 Butch Bryant,

SG Liguori Saladin, (back) DSG Don Ridenhour

Presentation of Tommy Moose to the Salem Police and Fire Departments

 Pictured from L-R: Salem Police Sgt Weeks, Salem Fire Capt Hite, Tommy Moose,

2573 Gov Butch Bryant, 2573 Community Service Chair Chris Thomas,

SG Liguori Saladin, DSG Don Ridenhour

PREFERRED MEMBER PARTY
 
On May 17th, the brothers from the South Norfolk Lodge 464 who sponsored

one or more new members were treated to a dinner at the Olive Garden.

Pictured are: Front row L-R: Bob Barbour, Don Bryant, Billy Meacom, Steve Crawford, Nelson Girardin; back row: Darrel Sawyer, Henry Kennedy, Jim Hofer, Jim Gridley.

Not present: John Bardall, Jim Beavers.

The ladies of these brothers also attended and received a beautiful plant.

On May 8th, 2010, King William Moose Lodge sponsored their Annual Catfish

Fishing Tournament.  Forty fishermen, young and old, male and female, came out.

The two winners were: First Place prize of $400.00 went to Michael Broache with a cat weighing 26 pounds.  Second Place prize of $200.00 went to Dennis Ratcliffe who caught a cat weighting in at 24 pounds.  (Pictured are -left to right- David Ratcliff, 2nd place; Carl Dobson, Treasurer, King William Moose; and Michael Broache, 1st place).

Verona W.O.T.M. Chapter #2225 Donate Tommy Moose

to the Augusta County Sheriff Department's Dare Program

Senior Regent Jane Whisnant, from the Verona Women of the Moose Chapter #2225

presented Katie with the Achievement of Honor for her participation in the Special Olympics