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Orest Fodchuk serves 75 Years with Elks
Orest Fodchuk serves 75 Years with Elks
Rosanne Fortier - News Correspondent
Orest Fodchuk was born in 1923 and grew up on a farm seven miles northwest of Vegreville.
Orest is the first member in Vegreville to earn a 75 Year Service Pin from the Vegreville Elks Lodge No. 143. This honour was presented to him where he resides at Heritage House on March 22.
Orest admitted that he joined this service club because a lot of farmers were members and they told him, it was a great service club to belong to.
Since he joined the Elks, they have eliminated some of the procedures they use to have. They used to have a password that they whispered to each other, district meetings have disappeared, and the rituals have gone.
“Memories I have from the years past were being in the Initiation Team where we went to Wainwright, Hairy Hill and all the lodges in the district. I got to travel and get to know a lot of different people. I also enjoyed being in the Patrol Team where I visited a lot of different places.
I would advise young people to join this organization because we do so much service work and built so many projects for the betterment of the community.”
Elks representative Orest Olineck read his speech and stated Brother Orest Fodchuk was elected on December 1, 1949 and initiated on January 6, 1950. “One of Orest’s first volunteer contributions was to assist the late Robert Robert with preparation of lunch for a meeting. He was the official potato peeler. He always was willing to help in anyway with the best volunteer organization in Vegreville-The Elks.”
Olineck went on to say there were 110 members in the club in 1950 and they helped with hall renovations, fair raffles and other projects.
Orest Fodchuk was nominated for chair positions leading to being elected as Exalted Ruler for the 1972-73 term. He was one of the last to have memorized all the rituals for meetings.
He was appointed Esquire in 1958 and kept that position for many years. He memorized his parts and lines. Whenever, there was need for volunteers, Orest willingly stepped forward with the Building Committee and Elks Park by pumping water or weeding the flowerbed, or whatever needed to be done.
Brother Orest was and continues to be proud of purple and white as he demonstrates his enthusiastic support of the Principles of Elkdom: Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity and his support of the Virtues of Elkdom: Equality, Love, Kindness and Service.
Olineck closed by saying, “The Elks are proud and honoured to have shared in Orest’s leadership for 75 wonderful years. Congratulations Brother Orest, you have been an exemplary devoted and dedicated Elk. May your good spirits continue to guide you through your remaining years. You have left your highlight marks within our lodge.”
