It was once said, “A man is not finished when he is defeated, he is finished when he quits.”  As all of you know, I never gave up and never quit my quest to become the President of the best state in our nation – New Jersey.  It has been a long journey to the office of New Jersey Elks’ President and I promise this upcoming year will be one of commitment and hard work by me. It is truly an honor to be the 99^th State President and I will do my best to represent our wonderful state.

This year, my motto is WE  CAN, WE MUST,  WE WILL!

WE CAN….. because we have for the past ninety-nine years been one of the strongest associations in Elkdom and New Jersey Elks have never backed down from a challenge put forth by our leadership.

WE MUST….because there are still so many to be touched by the great Heart of Elkdom -- our special children, our brave men and women in uniform, and our veterans -- the strong support for the Elks’ National Foundation must continue.

And WE WILL….because we are the New Jersey State Elks Association, second to none.

It is important that each one of us remembers the vow that we took at the altar:   to God, Country and the Flag and to rekindle the passion that makes New Jersey Elks the greatest  charitable organization in the state.

John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”  And while I would like to thank everyone who has supported me these past few years as I pursued the office of president, I would like to assure you that I plan to live by my words and trust that you will stand with me as we continue down the road fulfilling our quest to continue to be all that we can be. 

Additionally, I would like to extend my deepest congratulations to Rusty and Mary Beth for a very successful Elk year.  Each of you is committed to upholding the many programs that New Jersey Elks support, but together you exemplify the true meaning of Elkdom.  Thank you for this past year, it is truly an honor to follow in your footsteps.

To the many Elks who have stepped forward to help me along this journey I thank you in advance.  To those Elk members that have not yet stepped forward, I extend a helping hand and an open invitation for you to join me on this voyage.

Together, let’s make a difference, a difference that only New Jersey Elks can, must, and will make.

Fraternally
James Hall
State President