These kids are the reason for Moose Lodge

The Moose Lodge in Grand Coulee Saturday hosted 10 girls for dinner who are the organization's reason for raising funds.

The girls, from 8 to 12 years old, live on a 1,000-plus acre campus outside Chicago, Illinois, and benefit from the Grand Coulee lodge's fundraising efforts every month.

"Mooseheart" is about a third of the national Moose organization's reason for existence. It's called "The Child City ... a home for children and teens in need, from infancy through high school."

Its residents are nominated by anyone through a local Moose Club to live in the campus that includes 26 homes housing about 200 students and their "house parents." They come because their parents can't take care of them for any of many reasons.

Saturday night, 10 of those kids dined on a chicken dinner prepared by local Moose members.

The 10 girls live in a home supported by lodges in Washington and Northern Idaho. They were on a trip around the country with their house parents, a young couple with a small child. They'd come from Seattle and sites in Western Washington to swim on the beach at Spring Canyon, take in the Laser Light Show on Grand Coulee Dam and eat chicken at the local lodge.

"A lot of people think the Moose is the bar," commented member Kathy Baty. "It's really about serving the community and to help all these kids."

District Moose official John Mangiantini said Mooseheart,plus Moosehaven, a home for senior citizens in Florida, plus community service are what every lodge in the nation's seven districts is meant to support.

"This is, by far and away, the best lodge in this district," he said of the Grand Coulee Moose Lodge.

Something for all those folks to remember who turn out for that Queen of Hearts drawing every Friday night.