LACEY – Giving out $22,000 to service organizations showcased the mission of the Loyal Order of Moose Lacey Lodge 1907 during a recent barbecue attended by members, special guests, and families.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the 1,300-strong lodge has remained active. Recipients of the checks included the township’s three fire departments, two EMS units, Lacey Underwater Rescue and Recovery Team, Lacey Food Bank, the police department, Vetworks, Municipal Alliance and the Popcorn Park Zoo.
The event started at 1 p.m. with check presentations following at 3 p.m. and then it was time to eat.
Lodge Treasurer Joe Pandorf wasn’t counting money during the event, instead he was looking over chicken on the grill and making sure they were cooked just right. He was one of several Moose members who took a grill shift during the afternoon.
Pandorf said it was a way for the public to learn more about what the Moose, and in particular, the Lacey Lodge, does.
“We have a very active Women of the Moose membership as part of the lodge,” Pandorf added. Louisa Kasper is the current Senor Regent for the Women of the Moose. She presented the Popcorn Park Zoo an additional check from their auxiliary for $500.
“The Popcorn Park Zoo is a very special cause for us and we wanted to give them something extra this year,” Kasper said.
“Popcorn Park Zoo Animal Control Officer Marie Cymanski appreciated the additional donation and presented Kasper with a gift of a cardboard purple peacock standup which is symbolic to the Forked River based zoo’s popular wandering birds.
The weather cooperated with the rain arriving just around the time when everyone finished up their meal which included chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, various pasta dishes, sausage, peppers and onions, chili, salad, watermelon and various other items.
“It is our annual give back to the township day. We only skipped last year because of COVID,” said Bobby Brown, the group’s administrator. Food donations were collected during the afternoon for the Lacey Food Bank. There was a truck present at the barbecue. “We felt it would be a real nice thing to be able to fill the truck with donations for them,” Brown said.
Brown added, “we have a lot of benefits that people come out to support. If some unforeseen thing happens to a family, we hold big events to help them. We have a good town here.
“Normally, it is a check for $1,000. It is usually a $14,000 day but this year we did about double,” Brown said. “Even though COVID hit we are still solid here in supporting our town. It is a big day for us.”
“When I first came here, we had only 200 members but we have grown because it is a great place. We put a lot of heart into it,” Brown said.
Chaplain Dan Cortese was busy taking photos during the afternoon. He noted that the Lodge 1907’s board also includes Vice President Jim Linnell and Trustees Dan Balance, Vick Trasky Jr and Warren Smith Sr.
Long time Moose member Frank Sarnecki was recognized during the event. He has served in numerous positions over the years including as a past Supreme Governor, the seventh Director General of the Loyal Order of Moose and Chief Executive Officer of Moose International, from March 1, 1994 to April 15, 1999.
Prior to that he served as Chairman of the Mooseheart Board of Governors and as a member of the Executive Committee. He served as Supreme Governor during the 1988-89 Moose year. He was joined at the event with his wife Joyce who sat on the supreme council for Moose International and his son Gary who serves as Lodge president.
“We are proud to have him as a member of our lodge,” Brown said during the presentation.
“This is a special day in all of our hearts. I’ve been waiting for this for a year now. Lacey Moose Lodge takes on this challenge to help those who need a helping hand and over the years it has been doing that,” Frank Sarnecki said.
The lodge is located at 305 South Main Street, Route 9, Lanoka Harbor. For information about Moose International, visit mooseintl.org.
