BROKEN BOW—On Tuesday morning, Broken Bow Elks Lodge #1688 and Mayor Cecil Burt signed the proclamation for Youth Week which takes place the first week of May. Donations were also made to the Optimist Club and the D.A.R.E. program which also support area youth. This proclamation and check presentation came just a few days after the annual Elks Awards Reception.
Earlier this month the Elks gave out approximately $6,300 in scholarships to local youth. Scholarship recipients were announced at the annual awards reception and came from seven different schools. Twenty-one students were also recognized for student spotlights and three sixth-grade students were recognized for Americanism awards. Scholarships included most valuable student, vocational student, past exalted rulers, Broken Bow Elks/Does service scholarship, and the Neuman E. and Mildred Harris scholarship.
Elks Chaplain Gary Wright said he enjoys being part of an organization that focuses on students in central Nebraska.
“That’s the main reason I belong to the Elks because we do things for the students. The scholarships and all that we give out plus hoop shoot, soccer shoot, Boy Scouts programs, Veterans programs, flag day ceremonies,” Wright said.
During the awards reception, Kevin Cooksley had the honor of announcing the Elk of the year and citizen of the year awards.
He said it is a tough choice but an honor to spotlight active community members.
“It gets pretty tough to decide because a lot of Elks members do an awful lot for the organization and they do it on an ongoing basis. I don’t’ think it would be hard to say that there would have been half a dozen people fully qualified to receive that award,” Cooksley said.
Stan Sedlacek was named Elk Member of the Year and Cooksley described him as one who has “done more to promote the Elks and this Lodge than anyone else I have known. He has given his time freely in more ways than I can relate.”
As a member of the Board of Trustees, Sedlacek has been known to help maintain the yard of the lodge, negotiate building issues, and lead or participate in Elks events such as Blood Mobile, Flag Day presentation, Veterans Bingo, Halloween, Santa’s Visit, Veteran’s suppers, Hoop Shoot, Soccer Shoot, and Boy Scouts.
Summing up an impressive resume, Cooksley expressed appreciation and admiration for Deb McCaslin’s endless energy and community promotion. Whether it is a business, fundraising or charity event, or tourism activity, McCaslin is there and ready to work.
Cooksley named McCaslin as Citizen of the Year for her community involvement in raising her family, playing the organ at her church, previously working as publisher of the Custer County Chief and Executive Director of the Custer Economic Development Corporation, organizing a Hero Flight and the Eclipse event, being active in the TeamMates Mentoring Program, and so much more.
Congratulations to all recent Elks Lodge award winners!
