LUSK – Lusk Drove #64 of the Benevolent, Patriotic Order of DOES has been quite busy for the past few months.
In December we held our annual Christmas Tree (etc.) auction, and raised enough money to donate $1000 to the Gary Sinise Foundation for U.S. service personnel and $1,400 to our Niobrara Senior Center.
January brought installation of the 2022 officers: President Sheila Tangney; First Counselor Julie Tollman; Senior Counselor Etta Patterson; Junior Counselor Kristina Stanley; Conductor Rhonda Tollman; Chaplain Barbara Crofutt; Secretary Lish Murphy; Treasurer Marylou Larson; Inner Guard Sharron Zeller; Outer Guard Jasmine Christianson; Musician Ardy Meier; Color Bearers Robyn Jefcoat, Bernice Lowe, Kathy Keenan, and Lenore Hankins; and Attendants Sandy Smith and Lisa Shaw. We’re looking forward to a great year. These officers will be very busy when we host the Wyoming State Meeting in Lusk in September.

In February we had what has become our annual Valentine’s Cookie sale. Our community is so ready to support our Drove in our fundraisers, and we truly appreciate it.
Our annual Easter bake sale April 15 brought funds to purchase a seal-a-meal for the Elks Lodge kitchen, and make donations to the Grand Lodge Ways and Means fund and to the Does Talk publication.
Now – we get to have more fun! Our Does “Birthday Party” was held May 1st. Our Drove was organized in December of 1950, receiving our Charter on June 14, 1951. We had a wonderful dinner prepared by the Elks (who spoil us regularly). Tokens of appreciation were presented to the 2021 officers by Past President (and current President) Sheila Tangney. Sheila also had the opportunity to honor our Past Presidents in attendance with cards and red roses. Those present were: Theresa Modine, serving in 1967, 1977, 1985, 1997, and 1998; Sharron Clarke-Zeller, 1980 and 2014; Barbara Crofutt, 1989 and 2005, Bernice Lowe, 2000; Arlene Rapp, 2009, 2010, and 2011; Julie Tollman, 2013, 2019, and 2020; and Amanda Dawson, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Other Past Presidents not in attendance are: Marylou Larson, 1999; Sean Wasserburger, 2003 and 2004; Martha Even, 2007 and 2008; Dena Retzlaff, 2012; and Carol Mercer, 2015.
Gifts were presented to our longest member, Sharron Zeller; our eldest member, Theresa Modine. Our newest members are Trisha Thayer and Lynette Clark; and our youngest member is Jasmine Christianson, who were not in attendance.
Entertainment after dinner was provided by “Tall Paul” Swartz.  He is much appreciated by our Drove, as are the members of Elks Lodge #1797.