2025
2025
New Year’s Party
2024-2025
Rage of the Sage Camper Club
2024
Annual Trunk or Treat for Youth
2024
Installation of New Officers
2023-2024
Annual Halloween Trunk or Treat for Youth
2023
Purple Pig Event
2023
Memorial Day
2023
Walter & Susie Sapp.
Walter is our Veterans Chairman
Pictured: left to right, Luis, Garcia, Oscar Sanchez, Anwar Caram, (wreath),
Marcy Simily, Sid Simily, Vern Gross, Purple Heart Recipient, Back Row, Mike Barnum.
Theme Child, Aushay
2021-2022
Born after a complicated 36 hours of labor, came a healthy baby boy of 9 pounds, 8 ounces on February 26, 2010. At birth, Aushay seemed very healthy. However, at Aushay’s 3-week check-up, his parents and pediatrician noticed a few abnormalities, prompting multiple referrals to UCSF University of California in San Francisco. Initially, Aushay’s family was referred to a cardiologist, geneticist, and ophthalmologist for further testing. Aushay had his first surgery when he was only 3 months old on his eye to expand his pupil so his eye wouldn’t stop working due to lack of stimuli since there were corneal opacities that were blocking visual input. Aushay’s family spent much of his first year patching his eye as a form of treatment. Over the next months and years of his development, Aushay’s list of medical specialists and procedures grew. Eventually, Aushay was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome. He was also diagnosed with autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, glaucoma, intellectual disabilities, sleep disturbances, and a host of eye issues. Aushay has many diagnoses and at one point was considered legally blind but has recently grown out of that diagnosis. He is now seen both at Stanford and UCSF Children’s Hospital. He no longer uses a white cane but still wears corrective lenses. Aushay’s most recent diagnosis came in the summer of 2021 when Aushay was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, which is a rare form of epilepsy. This has been a very challenging time for Aushay and his family as they have had many failed medication trials and continue to strive to reach medical stability for Aushay. Currently, Aushay wears a helmet and sometimes uses a wheelchair for protection and accessibility. Aushay resides in his Santa Rosa home, with his parents, Nicole and Cameron, and his younger brother, Levi. Aushay loves to spend time with his family and looks forward to connecting with friends at his new school, Cypress which provides a unique opportunity where Aushay can enjoy structure, safety, and friendship safely away from home. Due to medical necessity, Aushay has a 1-to-1 aide at school for safety. He’s making great connections! Aushay fatigues easily, likely due to his frequent seizures, but that doesn’t stop him from singing and dancing. Aushay gave himself the stage name “Wobbly Lizard” a year ago and really likes to tell jokes. He says he wants to be a comedian one day, but he is still working on the pronunciation as it comes out as ‘chameleon’. Aushay was first introduced to early intervention services when he was 2 years old due to a speech/language delay. When he was 3 years old, his family began to teach him sign language through the help of a specialist. Aushay became rather good at asking for what he wanted using his version of ASL. However as his language emerged, the need to use sign language decreased. Even though Aushay was significantly delayed compared to neurotypical toddlers his age, he demonstrated many strengths that gave his family great hope for his future. Speech Language Pathologist, Jocelyn Bishop began working with Aushay in March of 2022 when his family was struggling to find the resources to help with communication concerns. Jocelyn’s therapy services through the California-Hawaii Elks Major Project coincided with the emergence of the global pandemic. Aushay had still not returned to in-person learning and with isolation, limited educational instruction, and other services indefinitely on hold, Aushay’s family was in desperate need of help. Aushay has developed a very strong connection with his therapist, Jocelyn. He has been an excellent participant in his speech therapy program, working on his goals to improve his social-pragmatic skills, socio-emotional skills, articulation skills, and language. Aushay enjoys guided reading activities, music, dance, and everything about space and trains! A typical session may include a sensory regulating activity, like “Brain Gym” or yoga, paired book reading, and writing personal narratives about an experience. Aushay uses his speech therapy tools both in the classroom and home setting with the help of his family and aides following his speech therapy home program. Aushay continues to make progress toward his goals in speech and language therapy with the guidance of his therapist, Jocelyn. He is building skills to become a better communicator, improve the clarity of his speech as well as work on strategies to self-regulate in order to build strong connections with his family, friends, teachers, and therapists. Aushay’s willingness to continue to learn and grow will allow him to break barriers in this world. Despite a myriad of setbacks in his life, Aushay is a beam of light to anyone he comes in contact with. Aushay is a shining example of what the therapy services through the California-Hawaii Elks Major Project can accomplish! The therapists who are part of this project are honored to offer their skills and expertise to help children like Aushay, develop skills, obtain equipment, and learn strategies so that they can walk, talk, see, and play! The California-Hawaii Elks Major Project provides skilled services and hope for families in need.
Ritual Contest Winners
2022-2023
Ritual Certificates to Marcy Simily & Willie Norman, PER.
At the Kern River Valley Ritual Contest Lancaster Elks Lodge took 1st Place!
Awards were handed out At the ER Steak Night & AVP Darin’s Homecoming July 16th. Ritual Team 2022-2023 PDDGER Warren Guest presenting Awards with AVP, Darin Combs, PER, Ritual Coach, Marv Smith, PER, Candidate, Ilona Smith, PER, Esquire, Jerry Mundell, Exalted Ruler, Anwar Caram, Loyal Knight, Nancy Jo Hatfield, PER, Chaplain, Bob Hancock, PER, Ritual Coach Bob Hancock, PER, Ritual Coach Jerry Mundell, Exalted Ruler,
Most Impressive Exalted Ruler, Nancy Jo Hatfield, Chaplain
Exalted Ruler, Jerry with 1st place Trophy for Lancaster #1625
Anwar Caram, Esteemed Loyal Knight 1st Place
Ilona Smith, PER, Esquire 2nd Place
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Lancaster #1625
Ritual Team
2022-2023
Annual Car Show
2022
