VALDOSTA — Members of the Valdosta Elks Lodge led by Exalted Ruler Kristi Jones and Auxiliary members led by President Deborah Johnson made their presence well-known at the 108th Annual Convention of the Georgia Elks Association at Jekyll Island.

Elks officers attending with Jones were Rick Corbett, Bruce Hayden, Mike Johnson, Owen Prince, Connie Snipes and Fred Wise. Also representing the Valdosta Lodge were GEA Past State President Ray Hamel, Lisa Hayden, Don Ruch, Roy Spiker and Gerry Stracener.

Assisting Johnson were Past State Auxiliary Presidents Sandra Regan and Dixie Spiker and working women Anita Hamel, Joan Ruch, Kim Stracener and Carol Wise.

Snipes worked the credentials desk for the business meetings, and Bruce Hayden served as sergeant-at-arms for meetings led by outgoing State President John Yost of Albany. Newly elected President Larry Capes of Covington appointed Mike Johnson to serve as his sergeant-at-arms for the year 2009-2010. In addition to the regular business meetings, Hamel worked with the board of directors and met with the past state presidents at their special meeting. Roy Spiker was elected as a two-year trustee to the board of directors and will receive an award at the Grand Lodge Convention July 5-9 in Portland, Ore., for his work as chairman of the GEA Leadership Training Committee.

The women attended meetings led by State President Ruth Hall of Tifton and elected Annette Perritt of Waycross as president for 2009-2010. The Valdosta women, under the leadership of Immediate Past President Kim Stracener won the first place awards for both the state and the Southeast District for community service. They took first in district and second in state for their annual scrapbook, second in the state for their participation in local lodge activities.

Both the lodge and the auxiliary received plaques for their outstanding support of the GEA State Project, the Elks Aidmore Children’s Center in Conyers. The auxiliary also received a second-place award for personal participation in the state project after receiving first place in the district.

In the social events of the convention, the Valdosta Elks and women were easily recognizable as they wore their T-shirts from Valdosta donated by Ron Corbett, owner of The Boardwalk located on Baytree Road.