We finally made it to March, more daylight each day, and spring is right around the corner. A great deal of work has been completed at the Lodge over the winter months, so please stop by when you can to check out the improvements. I am predicting a remarkably busy spring for our Lodge.
In the coming weeks we will hold Lodge elections, initiate new members, shop for area food pantries, finalize budget planning, host dignitaries from the Grand Lodge in support of the Regional Hoop Shoot at Regina High School, and prepare for spring cleanup at both the golf course and the pool, just to name a few activities. What we accomplish now will set the stage for the rest of the year.
On a personal note, as a former member of the Regina High School boys golf team that practiced and played at the Elks Lodge from 1990–1992, I am especially proud to welcome Regina back to the Lodge. It has been 34 years since Regina called the Elks home for boys golf. The head coach is a Lodge member, and more than half of the players’ parents are members as well. We have already welcomed one new family with two golfers on the team. This renewed partnership will be tremendous for our Lodge and for our community. Good luck to the team this season!
I am pleased to report that as of February 16, 2026, we have raised $3,648.38 for the Elks National Foundation. That equals $4.36 per member which is just shy of our $5.15 per member goal. Reaching this goal qualifies us for more than $12,500 in grant funding for the 2026–2027 Elk year. If you have not donated yet and are able to contribute $5.15, please consider doing so. Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time and contributed resources this past year. Your dedication continues to make meaningful impacts on our Lodge and the local community.
In this month’s newsletter you will find updates from the Golf Committee, including the full-year golf schedule, an Exalted Ruler update, a message from our General Manager, and the March event calendar. Please remember that our summer calendar is already filling quickly. If you are planning a graduation party or special event, now is the time to reserve your date.
I must also remind everyone that all past-due payments need to be resolved as soon as possible. We currently have 17 members who have not yet paid their 2025–2026 dues. I have attempted contact by email, regular mail, text message, and phone. The names of these members will be included below, not in an effort to shame anyone, but in hopes of making contact and retaining them as members. If you know any of these individuals, please encourage them to contact me or provide updated contact information. Members who do not make arrangements will be dropped from the membership rolls on March 15, 2026.
Additionally, if you wish to drop your membership, you must notify me prior to March 31, 2026. Members who do not request a drop by that date will be billed for the upcoming dues year. On April 1 each year, the Lodge remits payment to the Grand Lodge and the Iowa State Elks Association on behalf of our members totaling more than $37,000. Please pay your dues before March 31 or formally request a drop. I cannot stress how important this is for the financial health of our Lodge.
The following members still need to make arrangements for their 2025–2026 dues:
Anderson, Chris (18 years), Bormann, Brent (1 year), Bossen, Drew (34 years), Hanneman, Chad (3 years), Hicks, Robert (34 years), Hoth, Peter (10 years), Johnson, Greg (11 years), Lindekugel, Osa (1 year), Logsdon, Benjamin (18 years), Moore, David (5 years), Parker, Krystal (4 years), Pritchard, Brent (12 years), Pursley, Adina (15 years), and Wilson, Bryan (3 years).
Always remember: Elks Care, Elks Share — and We Are THE Elks. God bless our Lodge, the Order, our Troops, our Veterans, and the United States of America.
Exhalted ruler update
I hope you are all doing well. I am writing to say that this will be my final announcement as I am preparing to hand over leadership responsibilities to Matthew McCormick. It has been a pleasure serving in this role, and I look forward to seeing the continued progress under Matthew’s direction. Regarding Lodge operations, we expect to be in full swing by the end of this month. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to come out to the restaurant on Wednesday and Friday evenings for dinner. On a final administrative note, if you have not yet paid your membership dues from last year, please settle your account at your earliest convenience. I look forward to seeing everyone on the golf course soon.
Golf committee update
The Golf Committee has been very busy this winter planning and budgeting for the upcoming season, and we are excited about what’s ahead for 2026.
We are adding a new Parent/Child event, which we hope will become a fun tradition for families at the Lodge. We’ve also made improvements to the Thursday Night Men’s League to enhance competition, pace of play, and overall experience.
In addition, we are proud to announce that we will be hosting the Regina Boys High School Golf Team for practices and four home meets this spring — the first time in more than 30 years that Regina will call our course home. We are excited to support local youth athletics and showcase our course to the community. The team will have tee times in afternoon from 3:40-4:10 on days when they practice and will be supervised by their coach and member Jason Urdahl. You may see them on the practice hole and or putting green. The regular season will begin on March 23 and concludes May 11.
This will be a busy year on the golf course so please remember to make a tee time on our new 4up reservation system to ensure you can get on the course in a timely manner without delay. Without a tee time you will be forced to wait until the next available time. Please DO NOT skip around the course, this was allowed in the past but will not be tolerated going forward without permission from the club house. I know this is not what many of us a used to but unfortunately it is the price we now have to pay with our new membership growth, beautiful course, clubhouse, and the closure of Finkbine this summer.
What else are we working on? The committee is discussing a possible annual Spring Kick-Off Event to start the season in style, as well as a golf-and-dinner event inspired by the famous Masters Champions Dinner. We believe events like these can add camaraderie and tradition to our golf program.
The committee has also completed a comprehensive review of golf course fees. This included surveying other area courses and comparing their rates and structures. Moving forward, this will become an annual review process to ensure we remain competitive and fair while maintaining the quality of our course.
If you have ideas to improve the golf experience at the Lodge, we encourage you to share them with the committee. Your feedback helps make our course better for everyone.