By President Randy Eldridge

On December 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2010 the Garden Grove Elk-Enders Campers descended upon beautiful Emerald Desert RV Park in Palm Desert for our annual Christmas Campout.  The Wagon Masters Bill & Sue Catlin along with their assistants Ken & Karen Moody and Martin & Marcia Hoxworth promised all of us a fun filled weekend.  Well, I can tell you that they did not let us down.  The group had a fantastic time of fellowship, fun, and games.  And of course, I must mention that It was a food fest of excellent food made and served b your wagon masters and some wonderful pot-luck dishes made by some of our excellent chefs and cooks in our membership.  Some of us had a lot of fun watching Ken Moody and John Zahn work on Ken’s motor home as if it was in the repair shop.  By the time they were done they both were covered from head to toe in grease. They looked like two Elks that had fallen into the La Brea Tar Pits.

We had a Christmas Gift exchange in which we all drew numbers and each member could open a new gift or steal a gift already opened by another.  It was great fun with some members trying to hide the gift they really liked from view so that someone wouldn’t steal it from them.  During the Saturday Night meeting, Sheriff Reggie Brown showed up resulting in the issuance of fines that resulted in $26 going to the Purple Pig.
On December 18th, 2010 the Elk-Enders continued to celebrate the Christmas Season with a huge Elk-Ender Christmas Dinner Party at our Lodge.  The Wagon Masters of this annual event was Linda & Jack Hansen.  All of the dinner tables were beautifully decorated for the second year in a row by our very own Jo Ann Zapata. In lieu of a Christmas Gift exchange the Hansen’s had made arrangements to support a very worthwhile group called "Helping Others Prepare for Eternity" or H.O.P.E. for short.  This organization provides programs and services to our community in Youth Mentoring Programs, Family Support Services, College Scholarships, Workforce Development, and Career Readiness Workshops.  Our donations allowed them to purchase 1,589 baby diapers, a dozen shampoo bottles, and numerous tubes of toothpastes, tooth brushes, toiletries, and numerous gift cards to department stores.  Way to go Elk-Enders!

On January 28, 29, & 30th we will be camping at Woods Valley and will completely fill the RV Park.  Steve& Debbie Pavich and Randy & Janice Eldridge will be the Wagon Masters of the great place to camp.  And we will be camping at Lake Elsinore in February with Wagon Masters Reggie & Sunshine Brown.

If you are a member of the Garden Grove Lodge or an Associate Member and you love to camp, please consider checking out our wonderful camping group. We meet in the Lodge Room on the first Wednesday   month at 7:30pm.  Guests are always welcome.

The Elk Enders are our camping group. Members are members or associate members of B.P.O.E. Lodge 1952. Meetings are held at 7:30 P.M. on the first Wednesday of each month.  Come early for Family Night dinners.

Click here to go to the Garden Grove Elk-enders website.