Message From the State President

An important reminder to please treat your State Officers with the same respect as you would show me as your State President if I was attending your event. State Deputies are representing me at your meetings. I have heard that some State Deputies are not being treated with respect. Remember they are there for me! We assign new deputies every two years. If you do not wish to have the person I have appointed, please notify me and I will see if a change can be made. For the Good of the Order, please try to work with them.

I just want to write a few words from a member and one of my officers who sent me an email describing his feelings for the Order. I loved what was written. I asked permission to reprint some of it. This person joined our Order at a young age. It was stated that for this person, the lodge is a labor of love just as he feels it is for me. It is a way that we honor our parents and their memories. It is a way for him to repay the kindness he received when he was awarded State and National scholarships and it is the assistance that his Father received that far outweighs the minor burdens that we take on for the Order. Along the way he has met countless wonderful people and he was so kind to also mention my family and my parents. He also thanked me for my tireless work for the Order, past, present and future. Aren’t these words and feelings beautiful!

The weather must follow me around! I traveled to Reno leaving SFO in a rain storm, arrived in Reno where it was cold and windy and before we left for our destination, it was snowing!!! The Festa Primavera sponsored by the Reno Lodge was absolutely terrific. Over 300 guests were in attendance and the raffle prizes were plenty and the meal outstanding. It was so great to see everyone in that area again. I was honored to do the invocation (thank you President Dawn)and sat with PSP Barbara Wisniewski who did the pledge. It was great seeing Past First Gent Ken looking so well. I stayed with friends Ann and Jeff whose house is gorgeous and I felt like I was in the forest! Flew home to sunshine! Still working on Anne and Jeff to join the Reno Lodge!

Congratulations to Foundation Trustee Pauline Richmond on the birth of another great grandson, Jordan!

Even though a bylaw has been passed to eliminate fines for non-attendance at the yearly conventions, I do hope that all the lodges will have full representation. I do understand the financial strain on some of the lodges, but a delegate who really wants to represent his lodge can always assist their lodge by absorbing some of the expenses themselves. This has been done in the past. Let’s be good Brothers and Sisters of the Order.

I hope that all the Mothers had a lovely and very special Mother’s Day. As my Dad always told me, you can have several Fathers but only one Mother! On that note, Happy Father’s Day to all the Fathers out there. If you still have a Mother and or Father, treat them with love please because when they are no longer here, it is a very hard holiday.

I will be attending the 75th anniversary of the Centinela Lodge May 18. Happy Anniversary!

Kudos to this hard working lodge. I will also be attending the National NELA event at the end of May. It will be wonderful to again attend as it has been a few years since I have attended.

A wonderful convention has been planned for you.

Ciao and hope to see you in Concord.

Arlene Marcucci Nunziati
State President