Emblem Club
The Emblem Club decided to adopt a family for Christmas. On Saturday, November 9 several of us went to Sheepfold for training to also help with wrapping Christmas gifts.
The Sheepfold provides abused or homeless mothers with children shelter, refuge and hope for their future. Their program focuses on each family’s individual needs and provides a safe and healing environment. They also help mothers establish a means of support for themselves and their children, develop and adhere to a budget, learn parenting skills, locate affordable housing and save for future living expenses.
There were six of us who went to the Sheepfold: Ida Wade the chairman of the project and her daughter, Aubrey Wade, Sharon Casares, Maria Paulin, Linda Fernandez and our First Lady, Sheila Rodriguez.
When you come into the lodge, check out the pretty pink tree in the lobby. It is for our adopted family. The way it works is you take a tag off the tree (each tag lists a requested gift) and then bring that unwrapped gift to the lodge by December 5 (please do not write on the gift). We have a box by the tree for your donations.
If purchasing something that is size specific, please attach the receipt to the gift so it may be exchanged if it doesn’t fit. For monitary donations call Maria Paulin at 714-804-7993 and she will do the shopping for you. If you have any questions, call or text Ida Wade at 714-269-4515.
I was looking around at the pictures on the wall of mothers and their children and I asked one of the directors if they would be needing backpacks next year. She told me that the donor who had promised her backpacks this year fell through. Luckily, we had two boxes left and we were able to give them to her. Normally we don’t have any left so I was thankful we had these.
Thank you all again, for all you did for the backpack project. You are truly BPOE, Best people on earth.
The Emblem Club Story
A small group of Elks ladies began meeting together in 1917 to wrap bandages for World War I. They enjoyed the sociability, and at the same time felt the joy of accomplishment. The combination of assisting others and enjoying good fellowship appealed to other women, and a community group came together.
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Fifteen members of a group of ladies in Providence, Rhode Island, related to members of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, who were active under the name of “Emblem Club”, developed the idea of a national organization of such groups. The organization was chartered in the state of Rhode Island as the Supreme Emblem Club of the United States of America by Esther A. Sweeney, Mary T. Duffy, Alice Farrell, Mary L. Clark and Charlotte O’Connor of the “original fifteen”, on April 27, 1926.
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During the first year, nine Clubs were formed in four of the six New England States. Today, Emblem clubs are in all six of the New England states. Growth has been steady on the east coast, and on the west coast since 1932, when the first club in the west was organized.
Today, Emblem Clubs are located in every section of our country, and the organization is continuously progressing in the charitable works whereby it was organized. Emblem Club members are of many diverse talents, abilities, and ages, all of whom combine to make Emblem a very special national organization.
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Emblem Club members are recognized for the charity work they do in their communities, scholarships they provide, their dedication to patriotism, and their support of the Elks and our veterans.
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To join or for more information , click HERE.