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November

Brothers and Sisters,
Two items to cover in November; The first item is Veterans Day pn the 11th. Thank you to our veterans for your service and God Bless the U.S.A! the Second is Thanksgiving day. May you all have a great time with family and friends as we take time to break bread and give thanks.
"Two important days to give thanks!"
Activities at the lodge are picking up speed; we had a beautiful day for the Rib Cook-off and the halloween Dance was a great time. Both were a huge success. Looking ahead the spaghetti dinner is November 5th, Turkey Bowling November 19th, and Comedy night with a buffet dinner December 3rd. Reserve your tables bu signing up in the social quarters.
I recieved a letter from scott Hart (Mooseheart Executive Director) thanking our lodge for school supplies, with a special thank you to Jackie Epstein for organizing and being the point of contact between our lodge and the Child City: Great job to all those involved from donations to delivery. He also invited all Lodge members to the Annual Christmas tree lighting on Friday November 25th. A great idea was brought up, no it wasn't precious, although she is the brain trust in our family, and she has a way to let me believe that some of the ideas are my own. That is what i love about her like the "honeymooners episodes" where Ralph Kramden has all the crazy ideas and his wife Alice gently reels him in, all the while letting him think it was his decision. Thats my precious. now where was i? oh yeah, the great idea! Instead of the Governor or Senior Regent or other higher up making the deliveries let some of the Real Members; the ones in the trenches who really are the lodge make the delivery of collections to Moosheart. If you haven't been there even more reasons to go. Currently a collection of blankets and sheets is under way, which will be followed by the collection of Christmas presents off the gift tree in social quarters. When delivered you can have lunch in the cafeteria, check out the facilities, and actually see what your money is supporting. it is only a few hours out of your day, couple hour drive to and from with a few hours spent at Mooseheart. see myself or Jackie Epstein if you are interested to find out what the dates and times are or you can attend one of our open meetings for up to date info.

October
Brothers and Sisters,

Wow what a state convention. The lodge was nominated for 5 shining start awards: Lodge of the year and both the men and women for Community Service. Great Job people! but bringing home the bacon were Jack Jordan, who was awarded the "Illinois Moose of the Year", and Dave McCleary, who received the "Administrator of the Year" honors. Congratulations!

The State Convention's official visitor for the men was the Jr. Past President Moose Legion Bruce Berger who spoke about what it means to be a proud moose. "Dean Academy of Friendship Board" Mary Froning was the official visitor for the women and briefly spoke to the men on what it means to "Play nice in the Sandbox". Both were dynamic speakers. Many, many reports were read, strategies on membership and retention of members were discussed with Creating some Interest: "CSI" being the spotlight. One idea that stood out from the weekend convention was hosting and "Open House" for members and guest. Our membership committee has already done this; back in June when we welcomed Waukegan members to our lodge and in July with the new member orientation. The next orientation is scheduled for October 22nd, so please invite a prospective member and let them see our lodge from the inside. The membership committee put together a great program and what better way to create some interest.

before i close, Thursday Oct. 20th @ 11am will be the first meeting for the Senior Members with homemade soup and bread being servied, brain storming to start at 11:30. these meeting s will be held the 3rd Thursday of each month. Did i miss anything precious? The Corn Roast, yes. Let me thank Scott Ruckebeil, Mike Albers, and all those that helped make it a great time. Brother Rex Tulley donated his time to entertain so if you have an event coming up for the holidays, contact Rex or Google his website to see where he will be appearing next. Thanks Brother.... .

September
Brothers and Sisters,

Well, i'm in a tough spot. the deadline is today (8/9) for this article, and 2 of the items i was to write about are occurring in the last 2 weeks of august; the corn roast, & state convention. so, enjoy my ramblings.
Still need a name for our senior Members group, and a chairman to volunteer. I would like to start this in October, so if anyone is interested please let me know. Watch for the datein Octobers newsletter. For those that attended last months Corn roast, I hope you noticed that Mens & Womens bathrooms. Both were spruced up with new paint and ceiling tilles courtesy of the Moose Legion (Jim atkinson, Ed Bartnicki sr., Jeremiah Gilmore, and Greg Geoff) Thanks Brothers! When ya see em, tell em thanks!
Illinois day at mooseheart is Saturday Sept. 10th, and is a chance for all members to visit this awesome and inspiring place. There you will meet the children, see their homes, school, and jump into their world for a breif moment. Children will not fake happiness and to see how they interact with one another, how considerate they are of one another is pure magic: smiles, lots of smiles. There are vans that will drive you n a tour of the grounds or you can walk. there will also be an ice cream social in the gym to finish off the day. you will never feel more proud of how your donations are spent. Remember it is Saturday, Sept 10th, so mark your calendar now. If you have never been there, make the time. Your membership is more than Social Quarters and Friday Fish fry's.
ok, two more things:
1) Congratulations to past Governor Brandon Martin for earning the "Governor award of excellence". Great job Brother and Great job to to his board of officers for the achievment! Only 4 lodges received this in the state of Illinois
2) I will be in Oregon for a 7 day bicycle tour in September. This year it is in the southwest area of the state with a portion of the route running along the Pacific coast. Registration was back in February, and sold out in 8 days, limited to 2000 riders. All money generated is awarded back to the community in the form of grants and is considered one, if not the best, organized rides in the United States. for more info: http://www.cycleoregon.com So when you hear the words "Where is the goven-ator" rest assured, "i'll be ba-ack"

June
Brothers and Sisters, The calendar year for the membership campaign has ended and the 2011-12 year has begun. The Official theme will be announced at the international Convention in Anaheim California this month.
At our lodge level membership chairman Willie Balmes will continue the quarterly drawing for the "get next years dues free raffle" To qualify you must attend a general membership meeting (held the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month @7pm) there your name will be entered and at the end of 3 months a drawing will occur and the lucky Brother will be announced. So attend all meetings and increase your chances to get next years dues paid for.
At Illinois Moose Association Campaign Level, the theme is "8 for 80" in celebration of its 80th year anniversary and will award 8 life memberships this year to qualifying members. For each new member you sponsor you will be entered in the drawing for a chance at the life membership. There will be 4 life memberships announced at the Illinois moose Association Convention in August 2011 and 4 life memberships and the Mid-year Convention in February 2012.
At the international Level, sign up 2 members and get next years dues free along with this year's campaigntheme gifts. The more ynew members you sign up the betterthe gifts. These incentives are a small thank you for sponsoring new members and supporting the children at Mooseheart and the seniors at Moosehaven. Speaking of sponsoring new members - Congratulations to Brother Pat Clavey who sponsored his 100th member last month. Great job Brother... WOW!!
If you missed Mothers Day brunch you missed a lot: Fantastic job by the Board of Officers of both LOOM and WOTM. Dont forget Fathers Day brunch is June 19th; you cant get a better deal without having to do the dishes.
What Honey? "Yes, Dear" Well, Precious is calling for me, but before I go there is one more thing. There are quite a few volunteer that contribute not only their time, but even money in some instances. This month I would like to say Thank You to one of those volunteers, Don Leight. I want you to know your effort while mostly behind the scenes, does not go unnoticed. From the Sportsman Fishing Trip to food coming out of the kitchen on sunday afternoon, I want to say Thank You and Good Gam, minus the pat on the rump of course; as Willie Nelson once sand: "Cuz that just ain't right!"

May
Let me start by Thanking the past Governor, Brother Brandon Martin, for a great year of service, you achieved a lot to improve our lodge. Secondly I and the Board of officers would like to Welcome Waukegan Moose Lodge members to our lodge.

"Welcome Brothers!"

My Goal for the upcoming year as Governor is to continue to build on what has already been done by past Governors, Improve the lodge and have it in better shape than wen i received it. Take it up a notch in the areas of family activities, and improve getting the word out about "who we are, and what we do" in the community.

During a general meeting a member commented, "I joined the Loyal Order of Moose and was wondering where that warm fuzzy feeling is?" Brother, you hit the nail right on the head! Brother past Governor (2009) Willie Balmes has volunteered to chair "membership" and will restore that great feeling you got when you first joined the Loyal Order of Moose. I will speak more on this as Brother Balmes Committee takes on this irksome task. In the meantime, lets support them.

The Women of the Moose play an important part in our lodges success. Over the years and even at conventions the term "Working Together" is preached. Having been married to the same woman for 27 years, it really comes down to the words, "yes, Dear" followed by, "Dont worry its on the list", All kidding aside, we dont want to lead or follow, but instead, to work together, side by side.

April
My journey as Governor of Zion Benton Moose Lodge 667 is coming to an end. When i was a kid and growing up around the lodge, I always wondered if I would be governor one day. I did have my doubts sometimes, but i knew deep down inside I could accomplish this great task. Follwing in the footsteps of my father, grandfather, and both uncles, has always given me a purpose to make them and the rest of my family proud. Thank you to my whole family for being there for me this past year. Thank you to my board and all members that have helped out throught the year. We could not have done it without you. This organization takes many people to accomplish success. Please continue on making Zion Benton the best lodge in the state of Illinois and in the whole fraternity.

The last thing i want to say is that my work here is far from done. Although this was a good year, there are many more things I want to accomplish for our great lodge. I will still need everyone's help and continued support for our lodge to grown. So please continue your support be paying your dues, signing up those new members, and coming in the lodge for the many different activities and events that we have throughout the year.

As always, please let me know if there are any new ideas you have or just anything to improve our lodge. I'm always here and again, thank you for everything you do.

March
This Months article will focus on a familiar subject that is the driving force behind out great fraternity. Membership and Retention. it is nearing the end of our year and now is the time to push for signing up new members and making sure current members pay their dues.

Moose International just announced a great end of the campaign membership drive. Now until April 30, 2011, ther are no application fees for new members of the LOOM, WOTM, or Moose Legion. for example this means that new LOOM members only pay $60.00 to join the ZB Moose Lodge. the $20.00 application fee has been dropped. The set application fees for the WOTM and Moose Legion have been dropped also. This is a great way to get your Family and friends to sigh up at a cost efficient price for new membership!, What a deal!

NEVER PAY DUES AGAIN. Remember this program was introduced at the international convention this past summer, and is still going on. If you sign up 2 new members, your next years dues are free and this program will continue for every new campaign year, so you have the chance to NEVER PAY DUES AGAIN. Many of you have taken advantage of this great program but many more of you could be. If you have signed up one member so far, please make that push to get one more. I think not paying membership dues next year is well worth the effort.

There is still time at every LOOM open meeting (second and forth Mondays of the month @ 7pm) until April to get a chance at winning one of two paid memberships for your next years dues. When you attend an open meeting you will get a ticket put into a bucket, and I will pull two tickets at the last open meeting of this term, April 25, 2011. Please help boost out attendance at the open meetings, along with hearing more about upcoming events wile trying to win your next years dues for free.

A Last "food for thought" on membership/retention, Please remember if you have ever sponsored any new member that you make sure they continue to pay their dues every year. Also if the member you sponsored does not renew, please find out why and let one of the board of officers know. membership retention is a big concern for our organization currently and any feedback is helpful in solving this problem.

For the kids: Welcome Spring with Birdhouses

February
The concept of the Moose Fraternity is based on volunteerism. Our organization consists of people who volunteer their time and effort in making sure that Zion Benton Moose Lodge 667 is a great place to be a member of. We are always looking for more volunteers and ideas. Next time you are around, Come in the kitchen and lend a hand on a Friday night fish fry or come to an open meeting to listen to what the board of officers are discussing for future ideas. Even if you notice someone is handing out raffle tickets or changing a light bulb or putting up/taking down decorations, see if you can lend a hand. The more volunteers we have, the quicker we get things done. These are only examples of ways you as a member can help out lodge. Please help be a bigger part of the solution.

In addition to Moose International's membership program, "Never pay dues again", we are providing another way to have your next year's membership dues paid for. The opportunity is yours at every LOOM open meeting, which takes place every second and fourth Monday starting at 7pm, from Jan until April to get a chance at winning one of two paid membership dues the following year. When you attend a meeting, you will receive a ticket which will be placed into a bucket and we will pull two tickets at our last open meeting of this term on April 25,2011. Please help boost out attendance at the open meetings along with hearing more about upcoming events while trying to win your next years dues FREE.

If you ever have a loved one who is sick or has passed away, please contact Brandon Martin or Prelate Allen Larison for sickness and distress reporting at our meetings. You can also contact the lodge at 847-746-1443 and leave a message with administrative assistant DeAnn Oglesby for Allen or Brandon. We take a lot of pride in recognizing or helping any member of their family that has health related problems. Please make sure that we are notified so proper prayer and respects can be given.

Everyone stay warm and I will talk to you next month with spring around the corner.

Thank you for everything you do.

January
Starting out i hope everyone had a great Holiday season and a happy New Year to you all. The New Year starts alot of things over again and brings about new beginnings. At the Zion Benton Moose Lodge though, we are starting the stretch run for the end of my term as governor. I still have alot I want to accomplish for you and the lodge. As always it will take your continued support of our programs and i want to again thank you for everything you do.
The Past month of December was a great month for the lodge and really showed what the Moose fraternity is all about. The Women of the Moose made a Christmas tree with Christmas wish lists on it for some of the kids at Mooseheart. Our members created a very merry Christmas for alot of kids at Mooseheart. The lodge did a huge community service project in delivering food baskets for the needy. Then there was the great social gathering of our members for our annual Christmas Eve holiday drinks celebration. These and many other activities are what makes this lodge and this fraternity great!
We are only half way to our membership goals with only a couple moths left. Please continue to encourage those qualified relatives and friends to join our great fraternity. Look around the lodge and in the newsletter for exciting membership promotion campaigns coming soon.
The website is now up and running! Again please be patient with getting the bugs worked out but please bookmark Http:\\zion-bentonmoose667.org (press ctrl-d to bookmark)
This project was one of my biggest goals to accomplish for the year and is a great tool for our lodge. I would like to personally thank Andrew Nelson, Mark Reynolds, Robert Surano, and Julia Martin for all the long hours and hard work that was put into this project.
Everyone please be safe this winter, and I will talk to you next month.

To all Members of LOOM and WOTM: We are looking for volunteers for the following positions:
cooks, dishwashers,cashiers, waitresses
No experience Needed for any positions. we will show you what you need to know.
help is needed WED and FRI as well as special functions.
The greatest gift one can give is the gift of time.
Please contact Wil Balmes @ 847-878-2315 after 3pm

For Past Governor's Corner entries, Please see the archive

News & Events

December
Weekly

Taco Tuesday
6 to close
$1.50 a taco
2 for $5.00
MOOSE RACES
Saturday Nights
Starting POST RACE TIME: 6 pm
WINGNITE
EVERY MONDAY
8PM - 10PM
TAKE OUT AVAILABLE
POOL LEAGUE Wed 7pm
FRIDAY FISH FRY! 5-8pm