CARRABASSETT VALLEY — The Maine Elks Association held its 83rd annual State Convention at the Sugarloaf Ski Resort on May 4-6. The convention was attended by more than 200 members and guests, who honored lodges and individual members at their awards banquets. Opening the convention this year was State President Wayne Cotterly of the Lewiston Elks Lodge 371.

Awards were presented by several of the State Committee Directors to lodges for their work on a variety of programs. The first awards were presented for work in the area of drug awareness by State Director J. Andrew Bolz of the Sanford Elks Lodge. Receiving the Drug Awareness Chairman of the Year Award was Sherry Cookson of the Waterville Elks Lodge. The Best Drug Awareness Program Awards for their membership divisions were presented to the York, Presque Isle, Biddeford-Saco and Waterville lodges.

The Elks National Foundation Awards, presented to lodges for their fundraising on behalf of the charitable arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks were presented by State Director Al Ingraham of the Wells Elks Lodge. The lodges with the highest per-capita donations by lodge membership were presented a plaque. The winners were Ellsworth, under 300 members; Brunswick, 301-500 members, and Sanford, 701-1100 members. The Ellsworth lodge had the highest per-member donations in the state, and Sanford received the Walter Morrison “Give Me a Dollar” Award for the most amount of money raised for the foundation during the year.

The All-American Lodge Award is presented to the best all-around lodges that demonstrated outstanding achievement in all of the Elk programs. Lodge Activities Director David Anderson of the Waterville Lodge presented these awards to Lewiston, under 300 members, Brunswick, 301-500; Millinocket, 501-700, and Sanford, 701-1100.

Anderson also presented the Community Service and Image Contest Awards and the Best Memorial Service Contest Awards to the Waterville and Lewiston lodges. First pPlace in the Best Lodge Newsletter was presented to Waterville.

Cotterly presented the Best Public Relations Program Award to the Millinocket Elks Lodge.

The Ritual Coach of the Year Award was presented by State Ritualistic Director Philip O’Brion of the Farmington Elks Lodge to Frank Ricker of the Sanford Elks Lodge 1470 for his commitment and dedication toward promoting excellence in the Elks ritual.

Awards were also presented to recognize work performed during the past year for the Maine Children’s Cancer Program, one of the state association’s two major projects. The Most Improved Lodge for donations went to the Waterville Elks Lodge 905, and the most consistent contributor was the Biddeford-Saco Elks Lodge 1597. The Tall Elk Awards, which are given to individuals for their support of the MCCP program, were presented to Elizabeth Butler of the York Elks Lodge and David Fitzpatrick of the Rumford Elks Lodge.

MCCP Committee Director, Donald Richard also presented the Sanford lodge with the MCCP Outstanding Contributor Award. This award recognized the lodge raising the highest amount of money for MCCP. The MCCP committee for this lodge had raised more than $119,000 for the program, and consistently raises in excess of $90,000 each year for MCCP.

The Elliot the Elk & Friends awards were presented to the top three lodges in fundraising through this program: Skowhegan-Madison, third place; Lewiston, second; and Biddeford-Saco, first.

Exalted Ruler (Lodge President) of the Year Awards were presented by the association vice-presidents for their respective districts. The Coastal District Exalted Ruler of the Year was presented to Gary Brown of the Sanford lodge by Dwayne Guy, The Northern District award was presented to Scott Butters of the Ellsworth Isle lodge by President-Elect John Nicholson, and the Central District award was given to Carlette Place of the Waterville lodge by Tom Callahan.

Several special awards were also presented at the convention. The Maroon Nemer Outstanding Chairman Award was presented to Robert Drisko of the Augusta Elks for his work on the government relations and accident prevention committees. The Justin Ingersoll Officer of the Year Award was presented to Dwayne Guy of the Rockland lodge for his work on the association’s diabetes-hypertension screening program. The Elizabeth J. Sicard Spouse of the Year Award was presented to Richard Welch of Rumford Elks for his support of the MCCP.

The Rowland “Duke” Morgan Elk of the Year Award for the state was presented to Kathleen Cotterly of the Lewiston Elks for her outstanding service and dedication to the association. Cotterly is currently serving as the exalted ruler (president) of the Lewiston lodge, and was presented with the award for her work in support of youth through the support of our state’s youth, veterans, the MCCP, as well as other association committees.