The Ways and Means Committee will be having BAKED GOOD SALES in the Lodge Lobby on the following dates: December 9, 10, 16, 17, 24. Please check the calendar for hours.

If you would like to donate any home made baked goods, please contact me. If you would like to help sell the baked goods, please let me know and I will put you on the schedule. Thank you.

Dawn Shreves
301-602-7718

On November 14, 2011, we will have attained 63 years of age; 63 years of fraternal success. This success is measured in service to your GOD, your families and your LODGE, in that order. In those years, you have probably read or been told historical accounts illustrating the many steps which were milestones of progress in our development and growth, from 49 members in 1950, to 4400 in 1975, and reducing to 1800 in 2011--ups and downs. But through it all, we continued to be very proud of our reliable support of MOOSEHEART AND MOOSEHAVEN, two basic responsibilities of our mission for being.

College Park Lodge 453 was instituted in the Rawlins Building on Kenilworth Avenue, which incidentally, is now the home of BPOE Lodge 1778. Initially, it was chartered as Berwyn Lodge. After a year or so of unsuccessfully trying to fulfill the administrative requirements of MOOSEHEART, the charter of Berwyn Lodge was lifted in 1949. It was later reactivated and recharged as College Park 453 on November 20, 1950. With special dispensation, our official charter date is November 14, 1948 as shown on MOOSEHEART records. This information explains the different date of the charter document posted in our Ray Smith Ballroom. To my knowledge, the only living charter member is Fred Glazier.

Normally, history doesn't change, so it becomes increasingly difficult to publish interesting stories year after year. Many important details of Lodge growth developments are dependent on time-ravaged memories. I hope to soon form a committee for the purpose of creating a museum-type display of our history with pictures, articles, etc...which will fill in some interesting spaces. We will welcome with grateful acceptance any help in this area. A realistic target date for at least an estimated completion date would be summer of 2012.

With half of our Moose Year gone, we've still gotten off to an unusually slow start. Your help is needed and I would like to invite all members to join us here at the Lodge this Holiday Season. Show your potential members what your Lodge has to offer.

The new "3 for 2" membership campaign begins!!! To take advantage of this special membership campaign, you must pay your dues in the office during business hours. The offer will not be available by paying dues through the mail by check, or online by credit or debit card. If you have any questions, please see the Governor or Administrator. Our current membership campaigns here at the Lodge include Moose Bucks and DRINK-A-DAY.

The current membership campaigns from Moose International include FREE MEMBERSHIP for your next year for sponsoring TWO MEMBERS BETWEEN May 1, 2011-April 30, 2012. Also, sponsor FOUR MEMBERS THIS YEAR AND RECEIVE A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF THREE ALL EXPENSES PAID TRIPS FOR TWO to either Las Vegas, Miami, or New York City.

With the upcoming functions here at the Lodge, I hope to see you and your guests this Holiday Season. So let's all go out there and CREATE SOME INTEREST for the Lodge. As always remember: MEMBERSHIP IS THE BACKBONE OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND YOUR LODGE CAN ONLY BE AS STRONG AS ITS ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP!

Due to the tax increase and our suppliers raising prices, we find it necessary to raise some of our prices effective December 1, 2011. We are keeping it to a minimum.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.