THE ALHAMBRAN QUARTERLY THE ASecondLH AEditionM-JuneB-RAugustA 2019N –Q EditorU SDA CliffR DakeTE RLY Second Edition-June-August 2019 – Editor SD Cliff Dake CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS SERVING OUR MEMBER CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS SERVING OUR MEMBER FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. We will miss PSC Michael Stakem, PSC-PSA Edward Fiorella, PSD Clifton Dake, PSD Stephen Kunath and PSD We will miss PSC Michael Stakem, PSC-PSA Edward Fiorella, PSD Clifton Dake, PSD Stephen Kunath and PSD Louis Cersosimo. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the Order. Louis Cersosimo. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the Order. We had a great time at Convention. Conducted a lot of business and had a lot of fun. We had a great time at Convention. Conducted a lot of business and had a lot of fun. Thank you to all who supported the Booster Ad Book Thank you to all who supported the Booster Ad Book PSCPSC Michael Michael Stakem Stakem pictured pictured at atHeadquarters Headquarters with with the the plaque plaque that that was he presented installed that at the PSC Michael Stakem pictured at Headquarters with the plaque that was presented at the was presented5 to8th him Biennial at the Convention 58th Biennial in Baltimore,Convention Maryland in Baltimore, – July-2019 Maryland – July-2019 58th Biennial Convention in Baltimore, Maryland – July-2019 This plaque hashas beenbeen dedicateddedicated to all the Past and Present Alhambra members andand honoringhonoring This plaque has been dedicated to all the Past and Present Alhambra members and honoring themthem forfor all thethe hard work and dedication to to the the Order. Order. them for all the hard work and dedication to the Order. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED THE CONVENTION AND MADE IT A GREAT SUCCESS! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED THE CONVENTION AND MADE IT A GREAT SUCCESS! FR. PAUL K. BALLIEN, SUPREME CHAPLAIN It is often said that we live in a consumeristic society, and so because of this, the advertisements that we see on TV and hear on the radio can often times seem sort of shallow. For example, a commercial for dandruff shampoo will show a guy with low self-esteem because he’s got dandruff. I mean how can anyone like themselves if they’ve got dandruff, right? But then he finds the right shampoo, gets rid of the dandruff, and all of a sudden he is successful at work, he gets the girl of his dreams, and life is wonderful and happy. If only life were so simple. This is why it is so important for us to remember what really makes us happy, what really satisfies us. It is important for us to remember what it is that we are really thirsting for. When it comes down to it, do we not all long for love, life and truth? It is Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and life. He is the one who satisfies our thirst. St. Augustine was once quoted as saying, “My heart will not rest until it rests in you my God.” It is necessary therefore that we come to that realization lest we go after things that end up leaving us empty on the inside. Working for the intellectually disabled helps us to come to this realization, it helps us to realize what is truly important in life, it helps to put things in proper perspective. This is because when we imitate Christ’s love by showing care and concern for all human beings, especially for the most vulnerable, we end up connecting ourselves much more closely to Him because we have adopted his attitude of love and compassion. This is what fulfills us, not the empty promises that the world offers. If you stop and think about it, you have to realize that everything here on earth is transitory and passes away. Nothing here is permanent, which is why nothing can permanently or totally quench our thirst except God alone - who is eternal. Its only our relationship with God, or lack thereof, that remains forever. Other things are only there for a second and then they are gone. Therefore, if we really want to find our happiness and fulfillment that will last, that kind of satisfaction can only be found in God. Laus Deo. J. R. BLACK, SUPREME COMMANDER I hope everyone has enjoyed the summer and ready to get in the “Fall and Winter mode” I want to thank all those members who attended the convention in Baltimore and selected me to be the new SC for the next two years. As I stated in my remarks at the Convention, my main focus will be “MEMBERSHIP” which is the life blood of our or any organization to survive. I would like your support to recruit as many new members as possible between now and the next convention, it won’t be easy but we can do it if we put 100% effort into it, but we need everyone to do their part. My Sultana Barbara and I really look forward to serving you and the Order for the next two years and I look forward to your comments and suggestions. You can reach me anytime. For information and planning purposes the next convention will be in San Antonio, TX, July 2021. More information will be put out at a later-date. So, mark your calendar and plan on being there. We are in the planning stages of a great convention. Make sure you submit your newsletters articles to the Alhambran so everyone can see what you are doing in your region for the next few months. We have a very busy schedule ahead, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, but it’s a good time to visit with family and friends. While visiting ask if they would be interested in our “Great Order”, it never hurts to ask. Talking about “Membership” let me remind you that the annual Christmas raffles will be coming out soon and the annual Raffle will be sent out early next year, I encourage all members to purchase at least one book, this along with Membership helps keep the per capita down. Raffle Funds won’t last forever, Membership is the key. I plan on having a “Membership Contest” more information will follow. So stayed tuned. We are trying our best to keep the cost of running the Order down and use the money wisely. In closing my Sultana and I hope you had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend, looking forwarded to be out on Halloween with Kids, Grandkids, great Grandkids. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas. This is always a great time for family and friends. Warm regards, God Bless you all, and God Bless this Great Country of Ours and the Order of Alhambra. JOE B. CORTINAZ, VICE SUPREME COMMANDER Members All, I want to thank every member of the Order for your support in getting me elected as your Vice Supreme Commander. It is truly an honor to serve in this position. And I want to thank all the past Supreme Commanders, COV members and caravan members who attended the 58th Biennial Convention in Baltimore MD. Without your support this convention would not have been a success. I was very happy to see the camaraderie among the Alhambra members. Special thanks to the Convention Committee for all their hard work and a very special thanks goes out to Executive Secretary Denise Blakely for all the countless hours that she devoted to making sure the convention went as planned: all the miles she drove and all the meetings she conducted with hotel personnel so that everything would be in place when all arrived at the hotel. Thank you, Denise. Our next convention will be in San Antonio, Texas in 2021. Start making plans to attend the 59th Biennial Convention. San Antonio is a great place to visit and there are lots of places to see: The Alamo, River walk, Six Flags, Historic Pearl Brewery, Buck Horn Saloon, Tower of the Americas, Golf, Shops at the Cantera, Preserved Spanish Missions dating back to the 1700’s, Restaurants, and many more things to do. Start planning now, Rooms will be limited. If you don’t come, you will be missing out on a great time. More information will be forth coming. As Vice Supreme commander one of my responsibilities is membership. The message is clear; we need more members. We have fallen to an all time low of 1863 members. It is the responsibility of every member to recruit. At our last meeting at the convention, I gave an assignment to each Supreme Director. I asked each Region: II, III, IV, V, and VIII to bring in 20 new members by July 2020. Region VI was asked to bring in 30 by 2020, and Region VII was asked to bring in 40 new members by July 2020. This is not a hard assignment. Supreme Directors, you must follow up monthly with your Grand Commanders and make sure they are pushing recruitment in their caravans. At the COV meeting of July 2020, I will expect your report on membership. As our Supreme Commander stated: “we are all volunteers, so let’s do the job we volunteered to do”. Supreme Director, let’s give one hundred per cent to this effort. We are only 137 members away from 2000 members. If every Supreme Director can meet their goal, we will be in good shape in July 2020. Keep in mind the more members we have the more we can do for God’s Special Children.