On May 6, 2024 Cahaba Valley Elks lodge has the pleasure of hosting a Youth Banquet tonight to celebrate all of our youth winners 
throughout the year. Thank you to Greg Ponder, banquet chairman for a beautiful night. Thank you to Sharon Gaydon and Howard Prater for working so hard as Americanism Chairman and on the Americanism Essay contest. CVE had a state winner in all 3 grades. This banquet also included JROTC recognitions.
Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge No 1738 recognizes outstanding Americanism essay writing done by local 5th, 6th and 7th grade students. The 2023 theme was “What is Your Amercan Dream?” Pelham Park Middle School’s Coach Wheeler’s 7th grade student, Jaaziel Alvarez, won first place at the state level of the competition and will be participating in the national level of the Elks Grand Lodge competition.
Pictured from left to right: Coach Wheeler, Jaaziel Alvarez, CVEL Loyal Knight Greg Ponder. (June 2023)
The 2021-2022 Americanism Essay Contest was an impressive success for the schools that elected to participate, the students, and the Lodge. The theme for this year’s contest was What Does it Mean to Love Your Country? The topic inspired local 5th-7th grade students to participate with youthful patriotic ideas. The Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge received 450 essays from area intermediate and middle schools. The essays were judged by members and outside judges to select the winners of the contest for the District and State Winners.
