Honoring those who protect us!
This year the Orange Elks honored and showed our appreciation to these agencies for their hard work and dedication to our city of Orange for the safety and protection they provide us and our families! In addition to honoring the Orange Police Department (OPD) and Orange Fire Department (OFD), the Orange County Sheriff Department and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) were recognized this year as they both protect and serve our city.
Janine Storm, the Chairmen of the event, welcomed our honorees, their guests and our members. She thanked our all volunteer kitchen crew who prepared and served the dinner. Janine said “No words seem adequate to express the admiration and gratitude for those brave men and women who run toward danger to selflessly save others”.
Our Boy Scout Troop 1475 presented the flag and lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
The program started with a tribute video that showed the Police Dept., Fire Dept., the Sheriff Dept. and the Highway Patrol in action. You can see the video at https://elks1475.smugmug.com/12718-L....A.
The program started with an impromptu demonstration by OPD K9 Officer Jude King and Griffin bite and take down a bad guy.
Our Master of Ceremonies was Ray Lozano, the National Elks Drug Awareness Program spokesman.
The Mayor of Orange “Tita” Smith attended the ceremony thanked our honorees, the Orange Elks and mentioned her families ties to the Orange Elks.
Captain Chris Boyd from the Orange Fire Department gave a brief bio of the individuals who received their awards. They were Tanner Osterkamp, Fire Explorer of the year, Kevin Southerland, Manager of the Year and Rob Dunwoody, Firefighter of the year.
L-R
Elroy, Tanner, Kevin, Rod, Chris and Janine
Orange Elks member and Police Chief Tom Kisela and Captain Dave Nichols presented awards to Detective Leslie Franco, Motor Officer Armando Plascencia and Sergeant Rafael Ward.
L-R
Leslie, Elroy, Rafael, Armando, Dave, Janine and Tom
EDIT|Bill Neessen|1517198919
Captain Dave Sawyer and Lieutenant Jeff Puckett of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department recognized Sergeant Uvaldo Corvera, Deputy Jeremy Buraglia and Office Specialist Monigue Rodriguez.
L-R
Adam Powell, , Elroy, Jeff, Monique, Jeremy, Uvaldo, Dave and Janine
Each year at the Elks Grand Lodge Convention, The Enrique Camarena Award is presented. Enrique S. "Kiki" Camarena was an 11 year veteran agent of the DEA, who was kidnapped, brutally tortured and then murdered in Mexico in 1985. It is given to a law enforcement officer who have made a significant contribution in drug prevention and who personify Enrique’s belief that one person can make a difference. This year Orange selected two CHP officers and their dogs who were responsible for seizing over a millions dollars in cash, 75#’s of meth, 79 #’s of cocaine, 200#’s of marijuana and 9 #’s of heroin.
Both dogs are highly qualified in narcotics detection, protect and keep their partner safe and help arrest the bad guys.
L-R Captain Lorenzo Ruano, Elroy, Officer Scott Smith and his dog Raiden and Officer Aaron Bingman with Norris
Photos by Tom Ruff
Video by Mike Cash
Elroy Terri Schatz