The month of December is a festive time and traditionally, a chance to spend valuable time with our families and friends and remember those who have made an impact on our life. One special organization, The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, holds a memorial ceremony every December known as "Elks Memorial Day," a special service which recognizes and honors their own members posthumously to ensure they are never forgotten. The service is approximately 45 minutes long and takes place throughout the country on the first Sunday of December, which this year is December 1.
According to the Huntington Elks Lodge, the ceremony is a means to honor the memory of absent members who have passed during the previous year. As part of their own ceremony this year, the Huntington Elks have planned an inspirational evening which will include a dinner and several special tributes throughout the evening. The tributes include the reading of names of each Elks member who has passed during the previous year. For each name which is read, a tall, white candle is extinguished. At the end of the ceremony, a final candle is extinguished to honor the "memory of our departed veterans." "The Elks organization is rich with tradition. Every Elk is a member of our family and each member is an important part of the overall organization. While each candle is extinguished as part of the memorial ceremony, the eternal flame of their memories will always burn brightly in our hearts," explains Peter Demidovich, Huntington Elks Exalted Ruler.
Tradition of the Elks Memorial Service:
The tradition of the Elks Memorial Service has its roots when the organization was originally created. On February 16, 1868, the Elks organization was formed by individuals in the theatrical field who named the group the "Jolly Corks." For the next two years, whenever a member passed, a funeral ceremony, known as a "Lodge of Sorrow" was held. On March 20, 1870, the first Elks Memorial Day took place for Elks member George Farmer and John Glenn. Later that year services were again held for other members which included one of the Elks Founders, James Lingard. From the on, the services continued until a formal designation took place in 1889 at the Grand Lodge Convention proclaiming that the first Sunday in December would be designated as a time that Elks, would pay tribute to their absent members. December was selected since that is the time of year which was quieter for those in the theatrical professional. Today, the tradition continues.
Huntington Elks Members who will be remembered this year include the following:
James J. Burns Life Member 9/15/13
Kenneth Deegan Life Member 7/2/13
Thomas L. Elkins Life Member 1/7/13
Joseph Fata Jr Life Member 2/4/13
Charles A. Hickman 7/1/13
Frank Lapera Life Member 9/21/13
Anthony J. Viorritto Life Member 3/9/13
Traditionally the Elks Memorial Dinner is attended by Elks members as well as the families of those who have departed. If you would like to attend, please reserve your spot by contacting the Lodge at (631) 271-1565.
About the Huntington Elks:
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is one of the most active fraternal organizations in the world with more than 1 million members in more than 2,000 lodges across the country. The Huntington Elks Lodge No. 1565’s restaurant, catering hall and bar are available for private affairs including meetings, catering, celebrations, weddings, corporate events, receptions, holiday parties and charity fundraisers. The Huntington Elks Lodge is conveniently located at 195 Main Street in the heart of HuntingtonVillage and has plenty of free parking.
Company Name: Nightingale PR
Contact Person: Alyssa Nightingale
Email:Send Email
Phone: 6313678599
Address:93 Main Street
City: Cold Spring Harbor
State: NY
Country: United States
Website: www.nightingalepr.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment