MAKING A DIFFERENCE

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MAY 1, 2025 - KIMBERLY KELLY, DUNNELLON MOOSE NEWS EDITOR

The new Moose year begins today, May 1, 2025 and runs through April 30, 2026. 

Looking back at the Moose year that ended yesterday, a lot of good things happened.  Membership at Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 reached over 1,000! 

In fact, a report from April 26, 2025 showed 1,059 members had either joined, renewed, or transferred into our Lodge.  The roof was fixed and we made the connection to the County sewer system.  

The Moose Legion stepped up and provided an incredible night of entertainment with the Blues Brothers Tribute. The Lodge was packed, the food delicious, and The Blues Brothers were on a mission. 

The Moose Legion donated equipment for the Special Needs children at Citrus Springs Middle School, and sponsored an Inverness Little League baseball team.  

The Valued Veterans continued to help veterans in our community through their quarterly $300 donation to the Citrus County Veterans Coalition.   

Dunnellon WOTM Chapter 1662 saw two members, Vicki Cacciatore and Diane Lally, earn their Academy of Friendship Degree. 

Karen Garland met the requirements of the Star Degree and received her Call Card for the Star Conferral. 

I was installed onto the International Higher Degrees Board for the Women of the Moose.   

These are just a few of the amazing things that this Moose family accomplished.  

We all have a lot to be grateful here at Dunnellon Lodge.  

There are a lot of truly devoted Moose members in every aspect of Dunnellon Lodge. 

In fact, I do not know of a single person who is not passionate about what they do. 

There are currently 47 Moose Legionnaires, 14 Fellows, and one Pilgrim in Dunnellon Lodge; 41 members of the Academy of Friendship (Academy of Friendship Degree), 20 members of the College of Regents, and 12 Stars (Star Degree) in the WOTM Chapter; 21 Past Regents (WOTM); 13 Past Governors/Past Presidents (Lodge); 27 members of the 25 Club; four members of the FMA WOTM Conferral staff; one FMA Chairman; one Past FMA Council of Higher Degrees Chairman, one Past President of the Gulf to Lakes Council of Higher Degrees; one Past Deputy Grand; one Past Grand Council Member, and one current International Higher Degree Council Member.  

There’s a lot of leadership and fraternalism in this group.  

While the new Board of Officers for the Lodge and the Chapter begin today, we need to take a few moments to think about a few things.  

Did Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 meet your goals? 

Did the Lodge officers leave the Lodge better than it was a year ago?  

What about the Moose Legion and Valued Veterans? Did they leave a positive impact?  

And what about Dunnellon WOTM Chapter 1662? Did they accomplish supporting Mooseheart, Moosehaven, embracing the community, supporting the lodge, supporting each other?  

From my view, the answer is a resounding YES!  

That leaves the incoming Boards and Committees with a big task ahead. 

In last weekend’s Joint Installation of Officers for the Lodge and WOTM Chapter, over a dozen of our Moose family pledged to perform the duties of the office to which they have been elected or appointed, to comply with the General Laws of the Moose, the General Laws of the Women of the Moose, promote the Moose fraternal programs, promote and support the programs of the Moose Legion and the Women of the Moose Chapter, be worthy of our trust and confidence, and lead by example.  

These men and women will be developing new ideas for the year and asking our membership to help implement them in the coming weeks. 

Let’s all stay focused on moving our Lodge, Moose Legion, Valued Veterans, and WOTM Chapter forward so that we can positively impact our society by giving back.