Every act of kindness, every hour volunteered, and every hand extended to a neighbor reminds us why we are Elks. The things we do together create a ripple of good throughout the Temecula Valley.

I am proud to say we had an absolutely unforgettable time at our recent rally! Gathering together with our CHEA family, our community showed up in a massive way to support an incredible cause: raising vital funds to help children walk, talk, see, and thrive. While the final numbers are still rolling in, the early results are nothing short of historic. Our legendary pig races shattered all previous records, bringing in over $7,000!

Not to be outdone, our booze wagon also reached an all-time high, pulling in an amazing $3,625. A massive shoutout and a heartfelt thank you goes to every single person who donated, bought a ticket, or volunteered their time to help us far surpass our goals. We literally couldn’t have done it without you.

Of course, it wouldn't be a true community event without a bit of a challenge to test our grit! Right in the midst of the festivities, a major wind storm swept through our camp. It was powerful enough to rip off RV awnings—mine included—and leave several easy-ups completely mangled. As large tree branches began falling on cars, all of our outdoor activities came to a sudden halt, but if you know ELK’s, you know we don't back down easily.

We quickly shifted the entire operation indoors. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and the day proceeded exactly as planned. What moved me most was seeing that absolutely everyone kept a fantastic attitude, laughing off the weather and focusing entirely on why we were there.

To quote Winston Churchill: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

Remember, my friends, charity is the great channel through which the mercy of God is passed on to mankind. What we do matters, and this weekend proved that when we stand together, not even a storm can stop us.