BPOE’s National Drug Awareness Speaker Ray Lozano returns to Missouri for 3rd consecutive year
Elks Care – Elks Share” is a motto we use often to express our work in our communities. This motto also extends to one lodge helping another lodge. St. Louis #9 arranged for Ray Lozano, a national drug awareness speaker for the Elks, to be in the St. Louis area from October 16-20, 2023. During this visit Ray Lozano spoke at six high schools and three middle schools in three districts of the state, Metro East, Northeast, and Southeast.
In total Ray spoke to over 3100 students. Elk Lodge involvement included attending the presentations, helping arrange the presentations and helping provide meals while Ray was in the St. Louis area. In Ray Lozano’s report to the Grand Lodge, he stated “This had been an excellent tour because there were so many different Elk Lodges involved.” The cooperation between lodges and districts helps make our organization more dynamic and represents how one lodge helping another lodge can strengthen our visibility in the Drug Awareness Commission and the message to Live Drug Free to our youth.
You might ask what topics are discussed during these presentations. Some schools re quested Ray speak on alcohol to student leaders to help them set an example for other students at their schools. Vaping was requested by almost every school as this is a problem beginning in the middle schools and progressing through the high schools. One high school principal was concerned Ray may not be able to hold the student’s attention for 45 minutes, but after the presentation he came to Ray to say thank you as he was so totally impressed by the way the information was presented and how it reached the students. Before reaching the next school, that principal had sent a request for Ray to come again next year. This was a message received over and over. Principals and teachers are impressed with the energy Ray brings to the presentations which allows Ray to hold the attention of the students. Have you ever been in a middle school with over 800 silent students as they listen to a story? Students write on Ray’s websites how much they learned from the presentations. This is the important work we can accomplish by working together.
If you see representatives from the following lodges, please say thank you for their participation in this visit: St. Louis #9, Affton Lodge #2635, Troy Lodge #2805, Warrenton Lodge #2662, and Mineral Area Lodge #2583. St. Louis #9 is holding October 28 – November 1, 2024, for Ray Lozano to be in the area again. If your lodge would like to be in volved, please contact Beth Schnettler at St. Louis #9, beth12523@gmail.com) to see how you can get involved.
