CITIZEN OF THE YEAR FOR
2012 - 2013

Each year Gateway Elks Lodge is proud to award someone from the community the title of Citizen of the Year. This honor goes out to a member of the community who is not a member of the Gateway Elks Lodge, but still demonstrates the principles of our Lodge: Brotherly Love, Justice, Charity and Fidelity. This year we did not have far to look as that special someone seemed to be right before our very eyes. This year Gateway Elks Lodge is proud to award this honor to Mary Gast.

Mary was born in New Jersey and is the seventh of nine children with four brothers and four sisters. Mary lived the first twenty-six years of her life in New Jersey until finally she decided to relocate to Oregon in 1976. Mary is married to Jim Gast, an active member of our Lodge. Mary and Jim were married on May 5, 1995 although they had met ten years prior through their respective spouses at the time. Both Mary and Jim's spouses passed away, but the friendship continued and blossomed into something more. Mary has a son from a previous marriage. Mary and Jim also have two beautiful granddaughters. Mary has always felt that her mission is to give back to the community and it seems that she has found her niche.

After Mary retired she went from craft to craft, never really settling on any particular thing. There's a long list of her activities in "crafting": rubber stamping, card making, sewing, beading etc. Then Mary found knitting and after taking hours and hours of classes and tackling multiple knitting projects she felt that her skills were good enough to start volunteer teaching at Russellville Retirement Center. Within a few years she volunteered to work with the Memory Care Unit as well. While she still takes classes herself she also decided to lend her skills and started knitting with a church group, and as a way to give back to the community, they started making helmet liners for the troops, hats for the homeless and lap robes for the nuns. Her volunteer time was at a premium so Mary opted to go to Cherrywood Retirement, which had a larger cliental and even more opportunity for teaching and learning.

Mary wanted to expand her volunteer resume so she formed a home knitting group and when her living room quickly filled up with enthusiastic knitters and crocheters, she approached Gateway Elks Lodge about moving the knitting group from her living room to the lodge. The group grew much faster than anticipated and so did Mary's excitement for giving back. At this point the knitting group at both Cherrywood and Gateway Elks had already donated 513 hats (knitted, crocheted and machine sewn from cloth fleece scraps) to the Dornbecher Children's Hospital cancer ward through the Betty Hise Cancer Research Trust Fund Committee last October. As recently as last month, Mary announced to the knitting social group that a goal of 750 hats this year is a realistic number. Although her real goal for the Gateway Elks Knitting Social Group along with the Cherrywood group is to have 1000 hats by October 2012.

With the Cherrywood Group, Gateway Elks Group, and Betty Hise Committee Mary thought she had reached just about the maximum volunteer level she had to give, or so she thought. Mary also joined the Gateway Elks Elkettes and volunteers for any tasks where she is needed.

Mary can be found helping on the Decorating Committee; Chicks take over the Grill and many other fundraisers within the lodge. Mary can now look at her calendar which she must keep close at hand so she knows what she needs to do each day.

Mary's new mantra is now: "So much yarn, so little time".

Maybe less time consuming, but equally as important are the donations of arts and crafts supplies, including $1500.00 worth of rubber stamps to a local K-6 elementary school art class.

Mary shows no signs of stopping anytime soon and continues to make a significant difference in our community making it a little better place. Her passion and enthusiasm for helping the community is unsurpassed by her good heart and grace. It is for these reasons that we proudly name Mary Gast our Citizen of the Year for 2011-12.

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CITIZEN OF THE YEAR FOR
2011 - 2012

Gateway’s Citizen of the Year is intended to honor a local citizen, not a member of our Order, who has shown to have made a significant contribution to the community in which we are located.  This year’s Citizen of the Year is a rather unique individual.  As part of a very specialized team, she is the team member who always has her nose to the ground…so to speak.  She is the youngest, and shortest, member of Portland Fire & Rescue and her name is Lila.

Lila recently joined Portland Fire and Rescue and works within the arson investigation unit as an Accelerant Detection Canine or, in common terminology, an arson dog.  She is teamed with her partner and handler, Lt Fabian Jackson and is trained to detect the presence of petroleum-based fuels which can assist investigators in determining the cause of a fire and to alert Lt Jackson to their location.  In addition to providing service to Portland Fire and Rescue, she also provides assistance to other Bureaus statewide. 

She was born in New York on February 18, 2007 to the Breeders of Guiding Dog Foundation. From there she was sent to a family in Texas to be raised and trained as a guide dog.  It was soon discovered that Lila had a strong desire to lead and would stop and sniff everything that came her way.  Most dogs have, by nature, a tendency to stop and sniff but, as a guide dog, these characteristics may prevent a blind person from getting around in a timely manner.  As a result Lila was excused from the guide dog training program.  But that just opened the door to her true calling and it was those very characteristics that recommended her as an Accelerant Canine trainee.

Lila was sent to Virginia to begin her training as an Accelerant Detection Canine at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  An arson dog can be conditioned to detect and alert its handler to hydrocarbons found in petroleum-based fuel in exchange for a reward of food.  Being a food-motivated canine, it didn’t take Lila long to catch on!   Experienced canines are capable of detecting accelerants such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, paint thinner and charcoal fluid and can alert as well on over 20 different hydrocarbons.
Months after Lila began her training, Portland Fire and Rescue was offered a six-week training spot with Lila that included a five-year commitment with the Accelerant Detection Canine program.  Portland Fire and Rescue’s Lieutenant Fabian Jackson worked with Lila every day at the ATF location during the training.  After training was complete, Lila was certified by a chemist as being able to tell the difference between varieties of hydrocarbon scents, necessary to start a fire, in small quantities. This certification is crucial when evidence is uncovered by canines and their handlers, as they become a key point in criminal and civil trials.

Lieutenant Fabian Jackson, of Portland Fire and Rescue's Investigation Unit, is Lila’s partner and handler and has committed to a five-year working relationship with her.  This bond is maintained by living together and training everyday and together they form one of 80 national response teams.  Lieutenant Jackson has been with Portland Fire and Rescue for almost 23 years and has served in Portland Fire and Rescue's Investigations Unit since 2004.  He is a Certified Fire Investigator, a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and a Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The partnership of Lila and Jackson is very active.  Positive alerts from Lila have been collected as evidence by Lieutenant Jackson and were sent to the Oregon State Forensics Lab for confirmation.  Lila has had an extremely high percentage of alerts coming back as confirmed positives.  They have responded to scenes where destructive devices including Molotov cocktails were used with accelerants and initiators to ignite fires on residences and motor vehicles and have also preformed vehicle and people searches.

The expertise, dedication and commitment of Lila and Lt Jackson, as well as all of the members of Portland Fire and Rescue, contribute to the safety and well being of our entire community.  They are true heroes and their efforts and devotion, along with those of our local law enforcement and emergency medical units, contribute to our community’s safety and well being.  The members of Gateway Elks Lodge salute Lila and Lt Jackson in particular, and all those attached to Portland Fire and Rescue, for their exceptional contribution to our community’s continued peace and security.

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CITIZEN OF THE YEAR FOR
2010 - 2011

Gateway Elks Lodge #2411 is pleased to present the Elks Distinguished Citizen Award for 2010 - 2011 to Captain Doug Stanley.  With this award he is recognized by the Lodge as Gateway Elks’ “Citizen of the Year”.

Captain Doug Stanley was born at Ft Eustis, Virginia on May 27 1965 and is currently a member of the Military Intelligence branch of the United States National Guard in command of HHC STB (Special Troops Battalion).  Previously he was with the 234th ENG Company from Camp Rilea, OR as the Executive Officer in Balad, Iraq where his unit did convoy security in and around Baghdad.  After returning home for a year his unit was gearing up for deployment back to Iraq while he stayed behind to command the Rear Detachment unit.  He is married and has a 14 yr old daughter Samantha and a 12 yr old son Hunter.

In August of this past year Captain Stanley started working on the HHC/ C Company Christmas Dinner.  The original intent was to have the spouses and kids of the deployed unit to join the families of the rear detachment for a dinner that would honor the forward unit serving overseas and their spouses for waiting for them.  He was also working to have the entire meal paid for.

Once the planning was started and all the activities in order, word got back to Battalion Commander, LTC Perez who decided that the focus should turn from the two units to the entire Battalion.  With the scope now expanded from 100 people to approximately 400, Captain Stanley turned to the Gateway Elks for help.  With the ease of an accomplished event planner he managed to get the Yellow Ribbon organization to pay for the room rental and the food costs in exchange for providing resources to the families.  The result was a tremendous party for all concerned.

As a member of our military who has seen action abroad and as a patriotic American, Captain Doug Stanley has proven himself to be counted amongst the few who have earned the title “Citizen of the Year”.

The members of Gateway Lodge ask that the community to join them in congratulating Captain Doug Stanley as the Elks “Citizen of the Year” for 2010/ 2011.

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ELK OF THE YEAR FOR
2012 - 2013
ED PARMER

To demonstrate daily the highest virtues of Elkdom; Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity. To live the higher calling of Thought, Word, and Deed. To provide the inspiration from which other may build a higher resolve. This is what it means to be Elk of the Year. This year Gateway is proud to bestow this honor upon Brother Ed Parmer.

Ed was born in Medford, OR on July 13. He moved to Portland with his family in the 60's and went to work full time at the tender age of fourteen to assist his single mother with the financial needs of the family. To ensure his education he attended high school at night where he earned his GED. Once he turned seventeen he decided to join the Navy where he received his training as a Boiler Technician. In 1974 he met his future bride Teresa and in 1978 they were married. Ed and his wife have three children, two boys and a girl and are now the proud grandparents of eight adorable grandchildren. Ed is the owner of Tri-County Furnace where he spends much time helping families get all warmed up. As a way of giving back to the community Ed lends his mechanical talent by helping families that are unable financially to heat their homes. In his spare time he enjoys playing golf, in which he occasionally allows the ER to beat him, and he spends time with his grandchildren.

Affectionately known to many as the "Sixth Trustee" Ed's service to Gateway Lodge and its members cannot truly be quantified through the works he does. A constant fixture of Gateway, Ed can often be seen assisting with the care and maintenance of the Lodge as well as ensuring that the property and grounds are well taken care of. Ed is an active member of the Veterans Committee and currently serves as Treasurer. Ed is also active in Gateway's Scholarship Trust, Golf Committee and created Monday night HVAC Spaghetti in which he hopes to raise enough funds to replace the Lodge's ailing heating and cooling systems. In addition to his committee activities Ed frequently volunteers for banquets, helps pack and deliver Christmas baskets for those in need, keeps track of members who are sick or in distress and lends a reassuring hand whenever possible, and helps with many other committees and activities. Ed is always the first to jump in and help whenever the need arises. Most recently in 2010, Ed joined the State Association and will be serving as State Chaplin this year.

One might say that Ed Parmer exemplifies what it means to be an Elk. His constant support and dedication to Gateway and its members is a true testament of the passion he has for this great organization. It is for these reasons that we proudly bestow the honored title of Gateway's Elk of the Year for 2011-12.

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ELK OF THE YEAR FOR
2011 - 2012
JIM HANSON

Gateway’s Elk of the Year is one of the highest honors this Lodge bestows.  It is intended to honor an individual member who exemplifies the very cornerstones of Elkdom; Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity and who has substantially contributed to the betterment of our Lodge and its members.  This year our honoree greatly exceeds the requirements for this honor.  
Over the years his charitable contributions have been generous and his sense of justice, driven by his high level of integrity and strong sense of compassion, is always very keen and extremely fair.  When it comes to his brothers and sisters in the Order he is the first to offer assistance when needed and as for fidelity, which is the quality of being faithful and loyal, you couldn’t ask for a better example.   We are honored to present our Elk of the Year for 2011-2012, Brother Jim Hanson.

Born into a Britton, South Dakota family of 3 brothers and 5 sisters, Jim made his debut into this world on August 19, 1942.  Shortly afterwards in 1947, when he was 5, the family moved to Portland.

Jim attended David Douglas High School and at age 17 was enlisted into the Army.  While he was stationed in Massachusetts, he met the love of his life, his wife Adele.  They were married on November 10, 1962, moved to Portland, and welcomed their first daughter who was born in 1966.  While in Portland, Jim worked at the Freightliner truck manufacturing plant.

Back on the road in 1967 the family moved again to Massachusetts where it grew by 2 sons and another daughter.  Then back again to Portland in 1972 where Jim returned to work for Freightliner.  The family became complete with the birth of their last daughter in 1983.  Jim continued to work for Freightliner for 30 years until his retirement in June of 2002.  He now has a family that includes 4 grandsons, 2 grand daughters and 1 great-grand daughter.

As a member of our Lodge, Jim is very dynamic and constantly devoting his time to various projects and functions.  He is a very active member of the Veterans Committee and does his bit to visit the Veterans Hospitals, raise money to help our nation’s veterans and spends his time working with and coming up with ways to entertain those that have been hospitalized.  Recently, he has taken on the responsibility of the care, feeding and maintaining of our Lodge grounds.  If you’re around the Lodge during the day, he can be seen pruning, weeding, trimming and mowing throughout most of the year.  When the weather shuts those activities down for the winter, there are always other projects around the Lodge towards which he will devote his time and energy.  Jim is one of the silent “doers” in our Lodge.  Never one to toot his own horn, he just sees a need, gets in and takes care of it and then goes on to the next thing.

In his spare time away from the Lodge, Jim is passionate about fixing up old cars and spending time with his family. 

We are proud to present Jim Hanson as our Elk of the Year 2011-2012.  The honor is well deserved.

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ELK OF THE YEAR FOR
2010 - 2011
JIM SCHUERMYER

Gateway Elks Lodge is pleased to present our “Elk of the Year” award to Jim Schuermyer.  Although Jim is a Past Exalted Ruler, he continues to carry a heavy load in our lodge, always volunteering and being there when needed.  Jim is a member that everyone can rely on to get the job done!

Jim was born Oct. 29.  He graduated from Benson Polytechnic here in Portland in 1978, where he studied printing.  He worked as a printer following his graduation.  Jim then moved from printing to owning his own deli and donut shop.  It was a favorite stop for the locals and Jim even had his recipe for Carmel Apple Nut Rolls published in the Oregonian, not once, but twice.  Then Jim “shifted gears” and entered the automotive field.  He worked as a manager of a Jiffy Lube and at Toyota, before his current position of Service Manager at Rey Reece Volkswagen, where he has worked for the past ten years.

After Jim’s initiation as an Elk, his heavy work load kept his involvement in the lodge limited to quick visits or bringing his daughters in for children’s activities.  Then, with a little “arm-twisting” from his dad, Past Exalted Ruler Chet Hicks, Jim started his six-year journey through the chairs.  He held the offices of Chaplain through Leading Knight before becoming Exalted Ruler for 2007-08.  He has also been honored with “Officer of the Year” (2005-06), “Elk of the Month” (Nov. 2009) and has distinguished himself and his lodge with several First Place honors at the yearly Ritual contests.  Jim has marked his time with Gateway with a “pioneering” attitude by starting the downstairs club, his all-black uniforms and showing off his “ruby-red slippers” in entertainment shows.

You can almost always find Jim helping out with the numerous committees he serves on, including PERS, Entertainment, Meadowood, Lodge of Sorrow, Scholarship, Cronies, Oktoberfest, Christmas Baskets and Stockings, Kids Shows, Youth Activities, Dictionaries for 3rd Graders and Hoop Shoots.  He has now branched out to become one of three District Ritual Chairmen.

Jim met his wife, Denice, while working with the Entertainment Committee at Gateway as their “sound guy.”  They were married at Gateway Lodge, during Jim’s year as Exalted Ruler, on the night before they flew to North Carolina for the Elks National Convention.  They honeymooned there with 8000 of their closest friends!  Together they are a powerful duo, always working to better Gateway Lodge.

When not working or watching the Blazers (Jim is a HUGE fan!), Jim spends time with his daughters, Jamie and Kasey, and keeps up with his niece and nephew’s sports activities.  Jim and Denice enjoy camping in their motor home and hanging out with their many friends from Elks.

The members of Gateway Lodge are proud to honor Jim Schuermyer as Elk of the Year for 2009-10.

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OFFICER OF THE YEAR FOR
2012 - 2013
DIANA MILLS

Gateway is proud to name as the 2011 - 2012 Officer of the Year our Lodge Tiler: Diana Mills.

Diana became a member of Gateway in October 2001. Since then she has been an active member involved in the Greeters, Veterans, Christmas Baskets, Kids and Adult Picnic, Easter Egg Hunt, Lunch with Santa, Christmas Stocking, and Poker Tournament committees. Using her creative talents she has helped out on the Lodge Decorating committee to spruce up the Lodge throughout the year for various holidays and especially on the Sweethearts, Charity and Inaugural Balls.

Diana joined the BINGO Committee in 2003 and has been a constant and reliable member. With her help this committee has been able to raise thousands of dollars which nearly every committee of the Lodge has benefited, the balance going to the Lodge's general fund to help cover some of the everyday expenses.

Diana is best known by our Lodge Members as the Quilt Queen. Over the years she has been a dynamic example of Elks Care - Elks Share by making nearly 4,000 quilts and lap blankets for the needy of our community. Just to name a few: Elks Children's Eye Clinic, Doernbecher's Children's Hospital, Veterans Hospital and Meadowood. She has even come to the aid of the voiceless of our community by donating comfort blankets for the abandoned and injured animals at the Oregon Humane Society and Dove Lewis Animal Hospital.

When Diana is not helping out at our Lodge she enjoys spending time with her two children, Mary and Richard. They have blessed her with three grandchildren: Tavin, Kristina and Kylie.

Diana became the Lodge Tiler in 2001 and served until 2007 when a personal matter required her to spend more time at home. She returned as Tiler in 2009 which she has held to this day.

Gateway is pleased to name Diana Mills our Officer of the Year.

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OFFICER OF THE YEAR FOR
2011 - 2012
BRUCE HURST

Our 2011-2012 Officer of the Year was born on June 23rd, 1953 to Paul and Martha in Chino, California. He has four brothers and four sisters. The family moved to Lacomb, Oregon when he was just six years old. Our Officer of the Year went to grade school and middle school in Lacomb and graduated from Lebanon High School in 1971. He entered the Air Force after high school and was honorably discharged in 1975 and returned home. He worked in the mills in Lebanon as well the Lebanon School District as a bus driver. In 1986 he graduated from Chamekata Community College with an Associates Degree in manufacturing engineering and went on to work for Boeing of Portland where he continues to work today.

On March 11th, 1989 he married his high school friend and although they have not been blessed with children of their own, they have assisted in raising a few nieces and nephews.

He joined Gateway Elks Lodge in late 2007 and was quick to jump in and join the officers as Electrician. He went on to be Inner Guard and will soon be Assistant Chaplain. He has also joined several committees and helps around the Lodge where needed. He has been a big asset to the entertainment committee helping back stage, running the video camera and spot light. He has also helped with the Meadowood Committee and he has a love for the Meadowood Springs Speech and Hearing Camp.

Elkdom has become very important to our Officer of the Year and he wants to see our Lodge grow and continue to be a vibrant part of our community.

Gateway Elks Lodge and the PERS are proud to announce Bruce Hurst as Officer of the Year for 2011-2012.

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OFFICER OF THE YEAR FOR
2010 / 2011
ED PARMER

Our new Officer of the Year was born in Medford in July of 1958.  He moved to Portland in the 60’s and went to work full time at the age of 14.  He went to high school at night where he earned his GED.  When he turned 17 he joined the navy, where he received his training as a boiler tech.

He married his wife Teresa in 1978 and they have three grown children, Dana, Christine and Benjamin.  Due to work constraints, he was not able to volunteer as much as he would have liked while his kids were growing up.  But, he did find time to help with the PTA on movie nights, school plays and on carnival nights.  He was a co-Boy Scout Leader and helped any way he could.  He even purchased tickets so that every Campfire girl at his children’s school could attend the Circus.  He and Teresa are now the proud grandparents of eight wonderful grandkids.

All though he gives to many charities, our new officer of the year gives much more to individuals in need.  From getting a single parent help at Christmas, to helping a family in need get heat at no charge, he is there to lend a hand.  He has even gone out of his way to let family members know when an aging client is having life issues.

Volunteering at the lodge, as much as his work allows, he is a trustee, a member of the scholarship fund committee and a crony.  He has helped with the veterans’ yard clean up and gives a hand to the Meadowwood committee when they need extra help in the kitchen or the park.  He will lend a hand to any committee in need, including packing and delivering Christmas food baskets, serving and doing clean up at many of the lodge banquets, serving Monday night spaghetti and helping with many of the big outside events.

Of all of the services he provides the lodge, his biggest accomplishments are seen by few but enjoyed by all.  He puts in many hours every month helping with the maintenance of the lodge and its properties.  He has helped to keep our aging heating and cooling system running as well as possible.  He maintains much of the kitchen and bar equipment and helps with repairs at the rental house.  He has even gone up and patched the roof in the pouring rain.

Gateway Lodge is proud to present our Officer of the Year, Brother Ed Parmer.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
MAY 2012

Gateway Elks is proud to introduce the Elk of the month for May. He was born in San Mateo, California in 1947. He has only one Brother and he and his brother both think that they are only children. He graduated from David Douglas High School and after graduation he went into the United States Navy where he spent four years sailing the south seas sowing his wild oats and chasing women while serving his Country.

Upon his return from the Navy he used the GI bill to become a card carrying journeyman printer. Now let's fast forward to the best thing ever in his life when he met his wife Mary. He has two granddaughters, Katherine and Evelyn, who think the world of their Grandpa. They also learned the art of female manipulation early. He spends a lot of time going up and down I-5 between the Granddaughters and the Gateway Elks.

He joined Gateway Elks in November 2010 where he got busy. He is a member of the Auditing Committee, the Veterans Committee, and has been seen serving at "the Chicks on the Grill". He also makes salads for Meadowood, pops up at the Lodge Decorating committee and helps with the Knitting Social Committee as their MULE. This Elk of the Month will do everything his wife will volunteer him for.

It gives us a great pleasure to introduce Jim Gast as May Elk of the Month.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
MARCH 2012

Gateway is proud to announce Denice Schuermeyer as March's Elk of the Month. Always an active member, Denice can be found doing many important works not only here at Gateway but in the community as well. From entertaining the members at the show to posters, decorations, dictionaries and Easter Egg hunts Denice's list of activities goes on and on. This year however we are most proud of her great strides as Public Relations Chairman. This is one of the greatest areas of improvement this Lodge has had all year long. Denice has managed to build a relationship with all the right people, consistently promoting the wonderful works Gateways committees do; not only in the Elks National magazine but in our local newspapers as well. All year long The Oregonian has been touting the wonders of Gateway, explaining to the community the Elks are no longer the best kept secret, but that we are the best fraternal organization out there today. People want to be part of something great and through Denise's hard work and dedication with public relations she has also opened up a previously closed door in attracting new membership and promoting the wonders of Gateway Lodge.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
FEBRUARY 2012

Good things do come in small packages. As part of the auditing committee this person helped to restructure and implement the new auditing process working diligently all year long. An active member of Meadowood this person can be found in the kitchen almost every Monday night washing those dishes and getting those burgers out. And every Thursday night making sure we are on the way to meeting our per capita requirements. Assisting with all three ham and turkey shoots, as well as the Christmas baskets, this person has been active with many other functions around the Lodge. So, for her outstanding work, tireless dedication and overall wonderful attitude, Gateway Lodge is proud to bestow the Honor of Elk of The Month upon Linda McClain.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
JANUARY 2012

Gateway's Elk of the Month for January is our new member Mykall Walker. Transferring in from a Lodge we won't name, Mykall joined our ranks January of last year. Since then he has become a very active member in our Lodge. He has stepped up to help out with many committees most recently the PER's spaghetti feed where he took over for the slacking ER, helping to make the noodles. A member of the entertainment committee, Mykall also sat down with Bob Reese to do a television interview. I can usually see his smiling face every Thursday night at our regular meetings.

Mykall was born October 1952 in the mid sized town of Torrance, California. Sometime after High school he moved to Oregon where he continued his education at Portland State University. After serving in the United States Navy aboard destroyers and aircraft carriers he came back to Sandy, Oregon to live near and help his mother. He worked as an electrical design engineer before finding his true calling as a message therapist. After twenty-two years as a therapist he's finally decided that he likes it. Sometime during all of this, he found time to marry his wife, Marcella, and have one daughter, Zahra. (Means princess in Hebrew) Mykall loves home repair projects, disc golf and making his own special home brew.

For his ever increasing involvement, smiling face and overall positive disposition we are proud to have him as a member, and honored to present him as Elk of the Month for January 2012.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
NOVEMBER 2011

After her retirement in December of 2008 Jean Friend joined Gateway Lodge and quickly has become one of our most active and supporting members. It is our honor to present the most prestigious award; November Elk of the Month.

Since joining, Jean's accomplishments have been many. Serving first as Chaplin, then Assistant Chaplin, followed by Assistant Inner Guard; she also found time to join and take part in many committees of this Lodge. Most recently Jean has stepped up to co-chair the Lodge Membership activities committee with her sister, Jan.

Whether it be Meadowood, the Elkettes, ENF or Betty Hise, Jean is always there helping anyway she can, even volunteering at Milwaukie Lodge's Halloween extrava-ganza for eighteen days. You can see Jean at the Elks at almost every function and is frequently the hostess on a Friday or Saturday night, sitting in for other officers. Jean volunteers in the dining room for special functions and can always be called upon to make a salad, a rum cake or whatever is needed in support of the committees and the Lodge.

Jean loves to dance and will generally be found dancing on Friday and Saturday nights. When not at the Elks, she also loves to vacation and has taken many wonderful trips this year.

Jean is an active member and friendly face at the Lodge and is well deserving of the honor of Elk of the Month.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
OCTOBER 2011

Our Elk of the Month for October joined our Lodge in 2008 to help make a difference in his community. Almost immediately he began making that difference as an active member in the Veterans Committee in which he has spent countless hours visiting and assisting at the local Veteran's hospital to show support and gratitude for those men and women who help to ensure our nation's most precious freedoms. He has most recently accepted the challenge to lead Gateway Veteran's Committee as he takes on the Committee Chairman position. He is also a loyal volunteer of the Kitchen Kids and is always glad to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Please join me in honoring Jeff Lindsey as Gateways Elk of the Month for October 2011.

Jeff was born on April 25, 1940 in Southgate, California to loving parents Homer & Lilly. Lindsey and has two brothers and a sister. Upon graduating from high school he enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed in Grand Forks, NC where he served as a military policeman. While in Grand Forks he met and married his first wife. Not long after they moved to California. When Jeff was transferred to Canada to work at an isolated radar site, his wife stayed behind in California and gave birth to their first child, a son. When he was discharged from the military Jeff returned to California to join his family and they relo-cated to Ventura where he joined the sheriff's office as a deputy. While in Ventura, Jeff and his wife welcomed two daughters. After thirteen years in Ventura, Jeff moved his family to Oregon in search of the great outdoors. They settled in Douglas County where Jeff was a resident deputy for Glendale/Glide. After five years the family once again relocated, this time to Vancouver, WA at which time his marriage dissolved. Jeff later remarried and welcomed another son. After time this marriage also dissolved. Jeff retired in 2003 and in 2004 he finally met and married the love of his life, Mary, and gained a stepson.

Jeff's pride lies with his family and with his ten beautiful grandchildren. His passion is giving of himself to help make charitable contributions to his peers, community and country. He has been a great asset to Gateway Lodge and we are grateful to have him as a member. It is my great pleasure to name Jeff Lindsey as Gateway's Elk of the Month for October 2011.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
SEPTEMBER 2011

Gateway's Elk of the Month for September really needs no introduction. She is an active member of several committees and has spent countless hours helping to make a difference at the Casey Eye Institute. She always makes you feel welcome with her beautiful smile and is the first to lend a helping hand when you are in need. It gives me great pleasure to present Eleanor Brown as our Elk of the Month for September 2011.

Eleanor was married to Honorary Life member Ronald Brown #00009 and spent many years working alongside him as a spouse until his death in 2007. Not long after, Eleanor decided to become a member of our lodge to continue to do good works to help her lodge and her community. She was an avid square dancer and she still enjoys dancing every now and then. She is a longtime member of the Campers and Elkettes both of which she currently holds the title of treasurer. She is also an active member of the Widows group and since its inception, she is also a member of the Betty Hise Trust for Cancer Research. Eleanor has spent 3000+ hours working as a volunteer for the Elks Children's Eye Clinic which is her passion and has yielded much recognition by Grand Lodge.

Eleanor is an exceptional individual and is a perfect example of what it means to be an Elk. Her enthusiasm and passion for volunteering is an inspiration to us all. The members of Gateway are proud to have Eleanor Brown as our September Elk of the Month.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
AUGUST 2011

David James Edward Petersen VI was born on Valentine's Day 1988. As with everything he has done in his life he waited until three minutes before midnight to make an appearance, thus setting the tone for the rest of his life. Sandy, David's Mom, doesn't like children so on the way home from the hospital Sandy said to David, "I won't treat you like a child, if you don't act like one and I won't talk baby-talk to you if you don't talk baby-talk to me. If you have anything to say speak up now." David didn't say anything so the agreement was set and he was raised like a little adult. At an early age David learned to talk - it was a survival tactic. If he was hungry he had to speak up or dinner was a long time coming'. David could carry on an intelligent conversation at six, skipper the boat at seven and drive a car at ten. He missed his childhood entirely.

Since David's family owned a trucking company David has seen most of the United States thru the windshield of a truck with either his Dad or his Mom driving. David and his dad were together 24/7 for several years. His Mom, Sandy, would go to work and David would go with his Dad often times cross country in one of the company trucks. David was so young when he started going in the truck his Dad had his car seat strapped into the air ride truck seat. Although his parents were divorced David and his Mom spent every summer with his Dad at his bar in Wisconsin. When David was eleven his Dad had a fatal heart attack.

David has two passions: Music and cars. David was exposed to all genres' of music ie: Jazz, from Billie Holiday to the present; Swing, Country, Polkas, Rag Time and 1950s Rock & Roll. David says due to overexposure Doo Wop being his least favorite. When David was sixteen he won the karaoke contest at the Yacht Club for singing "Sixteen Tons". David was ten when learned to drive on his Grandpa David's farm in Wilsonville and has been driving ever since. He's owned six cars and two pickups since he was sixteen. David was in Boy Scouts for nine years, and loves hiking, camping and the Great Out Doors; especially the Oregon Coast. David has been around big boats all of his life and was a member of Tyee and Portland Yacht Clubs for many years. They own a 34 Trolley that lives at Portland Yacht Club. David attended Portland Lutheran School and graduated in 2006. He attended Mt Hood and Clackamas Community Colleges and after two and a half years of college he took a break. David is currently working at a bank and will be resuming his education at Clackamas Community College in the fall. Although David has intrinsic knowledge of the transportation industry he has opted for a Business Degree.

On his 21st Birthday David joined the Elks. His second Mother, Denice, brought him in and signed him up. David was excited to have Jim, Russ & John also sign his application. He liked the idea of all those PER's. Even before he was old enough to join David was helping out with the entertainment committee. After he joined he did not stop there. In just a couple of years David has helped out with several committees most of those committees he is not a member of just likes to help out where he can. Still a member of the entertainment committee you can see David in all the shows his work schedule will allow for. David has also helped with Oktoberfest, Chili cook off and the Kids Christmas Show. David has helped decorate for a charity ball, inaugural ball and lent a hand to the Elkettes setting up tables for the Christmas Bazaar and for the last two years has helped with adult disabled dance both in numbers and helping to get the dancers to and from the event. David also helped with the kids Easter egg hunt this year. The PER's have also been given a hand by David bussing and washing dishes for the spaghetti feed and crab feed.

Gateway Elks are proud to honor David Peterson as our August Elk of the Month.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
JULY 2011

Gateway is proud to present its Elk of the month for July, Judy Veazey.

Born in Portland she attended and graduated from Parkrose High School. Although she has been with Gateway since its charter as a spouse, she became a member in 2001 and has been active and involved in too many committees to count. Honored by Grand Lodge with a certificate of Sainthood, Judy has made Gateway Lodge proud of her and her accom-plishments.

Judy is being honored as Elk of the month for her recent volunteerism in the office. During our recent changes she has come in and helped us with the transition, spending many hours during the day assisting our secretary and treasurer with the duties of the office.

Twice this year she ran orientation of the new members while Jake and Lyle were unavailable. As current Chairman of the membership committee she has been active in sitting at a booth during many of the functions being held at the Lodge, attempting to recruit members. Judy also ran a successful golf tournament this year raising $2,000 for scholarships.

For these and many other reasons we are proud to have Judy Veazey as our Elk of the Month for July 2011.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
JUNE 2011

Our Elk of the Month for June 2011 has been a longtime member and active participant of our Lodge since 1975. He is a member of our Veterans group and is part of our Kitchen Kids volunteers. You will often see his smiling face while serving and helping out for Thursday night dinners or dancing the night away on Friday and Saturday with his lovely wife. My friends, it gives me great pleasure to present Walter Winterlich as June's Elk of the Month.

Walter and his family left Germany in 1952 in order to provide a better life for his children. The family arrived in Ridgefield, WA in 1952 and later in 1953 relocated to Portland where he and his wife Ruth have resided for the past 59 years. They have a daughter, two sons and have been blessed with six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Walter retired from his job at Portland Wire and Iron,where he worked as a computer programmer, in 1984. After retirement he and his family began spending more time at their summer home in Maupin, OR. An avid fisherman, Walter loves to fish the Deschutes River for trout, salmon and steelhead. A man of many talents, he also enjoys woodcarving, painting in all mediums, and has built many artistic pieces out of metal and wood. He and his wife enjoy dancing on weekends, socializing with friends and participating in many lodge activities. This September will mark their 65th wedding anniversary.

Walter joined Gateway Lodge in 1975 and was quick to volunteer on many committees as well as help with various functions and projects. He is responsible for designing our last three lodge pins and although dealing with blindness has most recently designed the new ER pin for 2011-12. He was selected as Elk of the Month for December 2000 and was honored with the title of Elk of the Year for the year 2006-2007.

I appreciate his "can do" attitude, willingness to help and most of all admire his great love for his Lodge. I am proud to once again honor Walter Winterlich as the June 2011 Elk of the Month.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
February 2011

The attributes that go towards making up an Elk of the Month don’t always come in standard shapes and sizes.  Dedication to and support of one’s Lodge, volunteerism, Charity and the willingness to “go the extra mile” can take many forms.  Illustrating this statement perfectly is our Elk of the Month for February 2011, David Morris.

David is a native of Portland and comes from a very large family.  He was born on May 14, 1955, the third of 17 children.  Around age five he was diagnosed with Cerebral palsy, a condition which can cause muscle weakness or paralysis in a group of muscles.  In Davis’s case, the condition affected his lower extremities and as it progressed over the years, it has left him bound to a wheelchair.  Although this may have slowed him down a little bit, it has certainly never stopped him!

After graduating from Madison High School in 1974, David embarked on a career as an independent Building Consultant and is an advocate for ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act).    He has also been active in the Special Olympics and, with little bell in hand, help raise money for charitable works at Christmas. 

Coming up this April, David will celebrate 30 years of membership in Gateway Lodge.  Throughout those years he has volunteered his time and effort to many committees including the Christmas Baskets, Betty Hise, After Lodge Activities, the Veterans and greeting members and guests at the front door.  He is the chairman of the Pop Top committee which collects aluminum pop tops to be exchanged for kidney dialysis time.   With wife Sandy (who is also a member), he can be seen at almost every Lodge or Club function and at almost every Lodge meeting.  This is particularly poignant as neither of them drives and must commute to and from the Lodge from their home in Beaverton, by bus.  Brother David is always one of the first to greet new members or guests and make them feel at home.  His overly apparent warmth, sincerity and ready, sharp wit engage all that pass his way.  Oh, and David is also a very active and enthusiastic member of the ER Agitation Committee and is fond of constantly stretching the limits of the current Exalted Ruler’s patience!

David met his bride Sandy at the home of friends on July 11, 1991 and they were married that December 7th.  He has become step-father to her son Joshua and today they make their home in the Beaverton area.  When not at the Lodge, they enjoy trips to the coast, getting together with friends and family and generally enjoying life.

It is an honor to present David Morris as our Elk of the Month for February 2011.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
January 2011

Many of our members do so very much for our Lodge throughout the year with little or no fanfare.  They show up when needed, do what needs to be done and then quietly go about their business.  One of these members is our Elk of the Month for January 2011, Randy DeYoung.

Born into the Portland family of Jack and Jan DeYoung on April 25, 1958, Randy is the second child of four.  He has an older brother Scott who lives in Waldport and two younger sisters, Diana and Linda, who live here in Portland.  He is a graduate of Adams High School and attended Mt Hood Community College.

After college, Randy first worked doing race car engine repairs and then got a job driving oil tankers from Seattle to Portland.  About 20 years ago, as father Jack’s health began to fail, Randy took over the family business, DeYoung Sanitation.  He had been involved with the business most of his life and has proven to be a steady hand at the helm of this long-time Portland business.

Randy followed his father (who was a life member) into the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and joined Gateway Lodge on April 21st, 2005.  He soon became involved with several committees and Lodge/ Club functions by volunteering his time and energy; doing everything from working in the kitchen, doing dishes, cleaning tables and selling tickets at the Turkey and Ham Shoots (bare from the waist up except for a vest and bow tie to entice the ladies to buy more tickets).  He stepped up and served as a Lodge officer on the Board of Trustees and has also been involved as a candle lighter at several of our annual Memorial ceremonies.  Randy is one of those people of whom it is known that “if you need him, he’ll be there”.  He has even utilized his company’s equipment to haul off unwanted items that have found their way onto Lodge property.

At home, Randy is stepfather to partner Jamie’s children, John and Alison and is grandfather to four grandkids Ashley, Ava, Kyle and Kiki.  He enjoys golf, hunting, woodworking, anything mechanical and touring on his motorcycle.  Randy is also known to be very artistic and creates many of their holiday yard decorations.   According to Jamie, he also enjoys telling her what to do, but, apparently, it doesn’t get him anywhere.

It is an honor and pleasure for the members of Gateway Lodge to introduce our Elk of the Month for January 2011, Randy DeYoung.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
November/ December 2010

Our Elk of the Month for November 2010 really needs no introduction.  Hers is an easily identifiable face which has been a part of almost every aspect of Lodge life since day one of our existence.  Her easy smile, gracious presence, outgoing, friendly and confident manner have all contributed to her being a well loved and much appreciated fixture of this Lodge.  She is our own Judy Veazey.

Born Judith Anne Plue, Judy is a Portland native and grew up here in the City of Roses.  She graduated from Parkrose High School in 1948 and a year later married Howard Veasey.  They have 2 daughters and Judy is now a proud grandmother to nine grandchildren and great-grandmother of three!

Judy began her working career at the Jim Dandy on Sandy Blvd and later shifted over to the phone company.  At Pacific Northwest Bell she rose up the ranks to a management position before her retirement in 1983.

Husband Howard was a charter member of Gateway Lodge and Judy, from the very beginning, has been an active participant, first as spouse and finally, from April 2001, as a member.  From its earliest days (back when it was boom boxes and flashlights) she has been a member of the Entertainment Committee and served as that committee’s director for many years.  She has been Chair of the Orientation Committee, the Entertainment Committee, the Raffle Committee (just to name a few) and was instrumental in completing the carpet project in the Dining Room.  Over the years she has probably been involved, in one aspect or another, in just about every committee in the Lodge. 
In 2005 Judy was elected as our Lodge Secretary, a post she held with competency and efficiency for five years until 2010.  No sooner had she left office than she took on the Chair of the Membership and Lapsation Committee.  With her usual flair for getting in and getting things going, she has started organizing programs and events to help promote new membership and maintain our current roster.  She recently put together an innovative “new members” event and organized a highly successful Charter Member party.  Where she will go from here is anyone’s guess!

When not involved at the Lodge, Judy enjoys traveling when she can and she is also very active in her church, the Zion United Church of Christ in Gresham, where her fellow members often wonder how some things ever got done before Judy joined their congregation.

The members of Gateway Lodge proudly stand in honor of our Elk of the Month for November 2010, Judy Veasey.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
October 2010

Our Elk of the Month for October 2010 is noted for his good looks, witty repartee and friendly manner towards his fellow Elks and Lodge visitors.  He is our own Keith Torgrimson.

Keith was born on August 14, 1939 and a year later the family moved to Oregon where father Timen worked as a logger.  He has two brothers, one living in Clackamas and one in Washington, and two sisters.  He went to grade school in Portland and graduated High School in Gresham.  He majored in History as he attended Portland State College.  After college he did a stint as a Navy photographer in Washington D.C. before becoming a teacher in Gresham/ Orient schools.  Keith has also worked in Real Estate sales and is now retired but still keeps busy working part time as a security guard.

He has two sons, one who lives in Redmond, OR and one in Springfield, OR.

Keith joined the Order at Gateway in 1975 and can be seen frequently holding court in the main lounge where he has a friendly hello for anyone who comes within his line of sight.  He is Chairman of the Workout Room Committee and he and his crew have done a great job in fixing things up and maintaining things in that area .  The place is starting to resemble a professional gym!

Keith volunteers around the Lodge, doing many things quietly and effectively.  Recently, he helped with the general Lodge clean-up, scrubbing tables and their bases, cleaning mirrors and dusting anything that wasn’t nailed down.  Not one for putting on a show (except, perhaps, for the ladies) Keith just does what needs to be done and helps where he can.  It is obvious in talking with him that he deeply cares for our Lodge and has the best interests of it and its membership at heart.

It is with gratitude for his efforts on behalf of our Lodge that we congratulate and honor our Elks of the Month for October 2010, Keith Torgrimson.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
September 2010

Our Elk of the Month for September 2010 is one of our more engaging personalities here in the Lodge.  Always there with a friendly word or gesture of encouragement, always willing to meet new people and very willing to pitch in wherever she can, our honoree for September is our own Nancy Goldsworthy.

Born to Gail and Irene Stephens in Pullman, WA sometime in the 50’s, Nancy is the eldest of 5 sisters and boasts of 8 nieces and nephews.  She attended Lynn View Grade School here in the Portland area and graduated from Centennial High School in 1970. She has a son, Kurt, who is a long-haul trucker and whom she sees now and again for dinner as their paths cross almost anywhere in the country; in some of the weirdest places.

Nancy has been in the apparel industry for over 30 years.  Starting at Pendleton Woolen Mills she then progressed to having worked her way up from sewing machine operator to Production Engineer at Nike where she specialized in fabrics and garments for high school and college sports,.  In 2001 she went independent with her own company, Nine Patch Quilting.  Today, with several published books under her belt, she jets back and forth across this country teaching quilting classes and participating in quilting, fabric & garment related shows.  And this fall she will be teaching classes overseas as well.

In our Lodge, Nancy is very heavily involved with the Entertainment Committee (Showtime Revue) and contributes much of her talent and organizational skills to that committee’s unquestionable success.  She is active on the Meadowood Committee and donates her time and considerable expertise as a volunteer bartender for events and special functions.  She has also been known, from time to time, to slap the Exalted Ruler upside the head and, very sweetly, point him in the right direction when he seems, uh, confused.  (Always in the kindest possible way and with the best intentions, of course!)   And, it goes without saying that there is the ever-present duty to keep her sweetheart, Trustee George Hasten, in line and out of trouble!

Known for her style and grace, Nancy is an excellent dancer and enjoys doing so whenever she can.  She is also an exceptional billiards player!  When not working or at the Lodge, Nancy enjoys gardening, reading and spending a day quilting with her mom, sisters and nieces once a month.

To know her is to appreciate her friendliness, her sincerity, her honest, open nature and her many contributions to our Lodge.  Gateway Lodge members stand in honor of our Elk of the Month for September 2010, Nancy Goldsworthy.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
August 2010

Our Elk of the Month for August 2010 is a very familiar face in the Lodge.  The boyish grin, the infectious Tom Sawyer personality and the rich, sonorous voice could only describe one person, Russ Muma.

Born in Hood River, OR on September 26, 1960, Russ is the youngest of three brothers and two sisters.  Growing up in that area of the country, with the mighty Columbia River flowing by his doorstep, must have afforded Russ a very Tom Sawyer/ Huck Finn type of childhood.  Indeed, he seems to have exhibited some of their more adventurist characteristics.  In High School, on a cold, snowy day while waiting for the school bus, Russ and friends were waiting inside the school where it was warm.  The principal, probably wanting to get home himself, informed them they had to wait outside…in the cold and the snow.  In retribution, Russ and his friends lifted the principal’s VW bug and placed it between two stout columns, making it impossible to drive.  To this day, he doesn’t know how the principal got it free.  He also had a short career as a train robber, holding up the Mt Hood Dinner Train on horseback, wearing bandana and cowboy hat and brandishing pistols, much to the delight of the tourists on that popular excursion.

After High School, Russ moved to Portland for some college courses and to find work.  He was employed at the Boys and Girls Aid Society and Fred Meyers Credit Union before being hired by EE Schenck Co as their bookkeeper in 1995, a position he still holds today.  It was there that he met his lovely wife Debbie whom he married on October 23, 1998. 

Russ joined the Order in 2000 and soon became very involved.  He was chairman of the Youth Activities Committee and has become a major player in Gateway’s Showtime Revue where he consistently delights the audiences with his professionalism and remarkable talent.   He stepped up to serve his Lodge by going though all of the chairs until finally becoming Exalted Ruler in 2008-2009.  His rich, deep voice and easy, un-hurried delivery assured him first place in most of the Ritual contests.  As a Past Exalted Ruler, he is still to be seen volunteering at many events and functions, usually without being asked.  He just shows up and gets to work without any fanfare, exhibiting the true characteristics of a dedicated Elk.

It is an honor to present our Elk of the Month for August 2010, Russ Muma.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
JULY 2010

Our Elk of the Month for July 2010 is another one of those quiet, behind the scenes kind of guys that do so much for our Lodge.  He was born in Lampasas, Texas on August 25, 1933 and was the sixth child of twelve born to parents William and Susan Wilmoth.  His is our own Chuck Wilmoth.

In October 1954, at the age of 21, he found himself living with one of his brothers in Salinas, CA.  I suppose that under those circumstances it would only be natural to think about joining the Army, which is just what he did.  He did his basic training at Ft Ord.

Chuck met his loving soul mate, Colleen Mollahan, in January 1955 while visiting another brother in Portland, OR.  It must have been love at first sight because by the time he returned to Ft Ord, they were engaged to be married.  In March of that year he was transferred to Ft Lewis on route to a tour of duty in Alaska.   Colleen and her mother took a bus and met him in Tacoma and on March 31st they were married.  In August the happy couple settled down to life in Alaska and by October the snow started to fall.  And it didn’t stop until the following March!  Chuck was transferred back to Ft Lewis in October 1956 and in July of 1957 their daughter Linda was born.  She was followed in July of 1960 by son James.  Fast forward 50 years and they now have nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

In October 1957, Chuck was honorably discharged from the Army and he and his family set up housekeeping in Portland.  He hired on with Freightliner in 1958 and after 38 years with them retired in 1996.

Chuck became a member of our Order at Gateway Lodge in April 1983.  He is a very active member of the Veterans Committee and donates a great deal of time and energy assisting our nation’s veterans in the VA facilities in the area, helping to collect and recycle cardboard to raise funds for the committee and being useful at all of the committee functions.  He is almost always available to lend a hand with just about anything happening at the Lodge.  He has volunteered to help with the Spaghetti Feed and other events, pulled kitchen and dining room duty and helps maintain the grounds around the Lodge.  He and Colleen (who finally became a member in 2009) are regularly seen dancing up a storm and socializing in the Lounge most weekend nights and are familiar faces at every Lodge/ Club event.

The officers and members of Gateway Lodge are proud to honor our Elk of the Month for July 2010, Brother Chuck Wilmoth.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
JUNE 2010

Our Elk of the Month for June 2010 epitomizes the very spirit of the Elk of the Month program.   He has been actively involved within his Lodge on many levels since he was initiated a mere 17 months ago.  He stepped up right from the start and got involved, joined and became very active in several committees and became an integral part of many Lodge events.  It is a pleasure to introduce our Elk of the Month for June 2010, Jeff Lindsey.

Jeff was born on April 25th 1940 to Homer and Bea Lindsey in Southgate, CA.  He has two older brothers, Raymond and Richard and a younger sister Patty.  His early school years were spent in nearby Torrence and he graduated from Southgate High School in 1958 where his senior yearbook named him “the cutest guy in the class”.

After High School, Jeff joined the Air Force and was stationed in Grand Forks, ND for three years as an air policeman before being sent to an isolated station in Ontario, Canada as Airman in charge of security.  Upon his retirement in 1962 he joined the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and in 1974 he became the Resident Deputy for Douglas County in Roseburg, OR.  In 1977 he relocated to the Portland metro area, joined the Army Reserves and worked at Wacker Siltronics until his retirement in 2002.

Jeff and his 3rd wife Mary were married in 2004 and between them they have 5 children; Daryl, Dorie, Dane, Ryan and Scott and 10 grandchildren.

Jeff joined Gateway Lodge in January 2009.  Almost immediately he got involved with the Veterans Committee, Public Relations, Drug Awareness, the Kitchen Kids and the After Lodge Committee.  He spent the entire summer of 2009 single-handedly manning the Lodge pavilion at the Rose City Farmers Market telling the community about Elkdom and our Lodge.  He and Bob McKay are spearheading our Drug Awareness program into the local schools and he is actively working within the Veterans Committee to assist our nation’s honored veterans in the local VA centers.  He has also found a place in the kitchen and dining room on Thursday nights and after initiations he and Bill Hornbeck have now added pizza and chili for those that are feeling a bit peckish.

Jeff’s participation in his Lodge should be an inspiration to all of our members.  He is a shining example of what an individual can do by getting involved and how the Lodge and its members can benefit from it.

Gateway Lodge is proud to present our Elk of the Month for June 2010, Jeff Lindsey.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
MAY 2010

Our Elk of the Month for May 2010 is one of those silent workers here at the Lodge.  Most never see him doing what he does best.  He was born on October 30th 1939 in Davenport, Washington to parents Don and Amanda.  His name is Rodney French.

The French family relocated to a ranch in Milton-Freewater where Rodney attended school.  After graduation from High School in 1957, he attended Transportation College and thus started a 40 year career with Burlington Northern as a trucker.  During his career he logged over a million miles without incident, which is a significant achievement.  Towards the latter part of that career he was a diesel tractor driving instructor and spent 5 years in management.  He is also a proud, long-time member of the Teamsters Union.  He retired from trucking 12 years ago in 1998.

Rodney comes from a family of 4 children; a brother in Spokane and two sisters here in the Portland area.  He also has three children, Linda, Laurie and Amanda.   These days he shares his life with his companion Angie.

Rodney likes the outdoors as you can tell by his hobbies.  He likes fishing, horses and cars and rarely misses a car show.  One of his greatest passions is yard work.  And that’s what he does for his Lodge.  During the day, Rodney might be spied trimming here, pruning there or just making sure everything is neat and tidy.  He never makes a big show of it; he just shows up now and then and does what he does best.  It is the kind of service to our Lodge that is easy to overlook because it is so subtle, yet so important.  It helps to maintain our good outward face in the neighborhood and in the community.  He also assisted in designing a portion of our Lodge lighting to maximize efficiency while minimizing energy output.

When not being of service to the Lodge, Rod and Angie can be found here enjoying the video activities in the Game Room, dancing on the Lounge floor or providing stimulating conversation at the bar.

The members of the Lodge are proud to recognize the services of our Elk of the Month for May 2010, Rodney French.

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ELK OF THE MONTH FOR
FEBRUARY 2010

Back before digital technology, drect TV and cell phones a little guy was born in Twin Falls Idaho on March 19, 1941.  His name was William Jacobson and unbeknownst to his parents Fred and Othello, he would grow up to be our Elk of the Month for February 2010.

In 1943 his father’s position with the railroad transferred them to Portland.  Bill attended school here and graduated from Benson High School and Portland State College.  After graduation, in 1959, he joined the United States Navy in whose company he spent the next 10 years.  At retirement he was an operator on a Nuclear Submarine.

Bill went to work for Precision Cast Parts in 1979 and stayed with them for 19 years, retiring in 2007.  He met his lovely wife Carolyn in 1984 and in 2000 they were accompanied by eight of their close friends to Las Vegas where they were married.  They have three children, Kim, Eric and Scot who have blessed them with 5 grandsons and 5 granddaughters.

He is a Charter Member of Gateway Lodge and has been a very active member throughout the years.  He was Exalted Ruler of the Lodge in 2003/ 2004 and is one of the more active members of the Past Exalted Rulers.  He can be found working the Spaghetti Feed, Crab Feed and many other “feeds” besides.  For the past few years he has been known to all of our new members as the Elk that took them through the world of indoctrination into the Order.  He has been active on the Meadowood Committee and is currently the District Chairman for the Americanism Committee.  For two years he was Sergeant at Arms and traveling companion of then State President Bill Patrick and in March will step up to be the President of the Oregon/ Washington Past Exalted Rulers Association.

In his leisure time, Bill likes to read anything from political subjects to history.  He enjoys being with his grandkids and he and Carolyn have a great deal of fun traveling in their motor home.

The members of Gateway Lodge stand in recognition of a truly inspirational member, our Elk of the Month for February 2010, Bill “Jake” Jacobson.

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ELK OF THE MONTH
FOR JANUARY 2010

Our first Elk of the Month for the New Year is a frequent presence in the Lodge although some may tend to not see her.  Being somewhat short in stature, she nevertheless towers over many of her peers with her generosity, her gentle but somewhat playful nature, her willingness to help with whatever needs to be done and her kindness to others.  Gateway Lodge is proud to present as our Elk of the Month for January 2010, Linda McLean.

Linda was born a few years ago in Portland, Oregon on September 27th and is the eldest of the three children of Pete and Beryl McLean.  Her sister Terry Hays lives in Portland and brother Gary lives in Sandy.

She is a graduate of Park Rose High School where she played the clarinet in the High School band.  After graduation she worked for the 1st National Bank, East Hill Church, Portland Pipe and City Center Parking as a payroll bookkeeper.  But such a demanding career didn’t stop Linda from also volunteering to help with activities that mean so much to her.  She has been a volunteer at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, AA Sports Marathon, Triathlons and the Portland Marathon.

And, of course, she is busy with her Lodge.  Linda joined Gateway Lodge in 2001 and has been busy working on numerous committees.  She has gone to Meadowood Speech and Hearing Camp for the past 8 years, works on the Christmas Basket program, Adult Picnic, Membership, Auditing, Hoop Shoot, Past Elks of the Year Breakfasts, the PER Spaghetti Feed, Elks National Foundation and Meadowood’s Monday Night Football Hamburger Feed.  And, if ask, she’ll probably lend a hand with whatever else is needed.  She has also held the position of Lodge Treasurer and has been an Oregon State Elks Association Tiler and Inner Guard.

Now you might get the idea that Linda is all work and no play, but that is far from the case.  She enjoys sports, is a season ticket holder to the Portland Trail Blazers and attends many of the touring theatrical productions that perform in Portland.  At home she enjoys spending time with her niece and her two grand-nephews Hudson and Hayden.

The members of Gateway Lodge are proud to honor Linda McLean as our Elk of the Month for January, 2010.

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NEW ELKETTE OFFICERS FOR 2010 / 2011