In the absence of the president and vice president, past president, Dennis Rayman, called the April 30 meeting of Western Fraternal Life Association Lodge 44 Zare Zapadu to order.

Marie Krikava gave the secretary’s report. Jim Becker gave the treasurer’s report.

Dennis and Gail Rayman and Evelyn Svensen will proceed with the Wooden Hall monument. The lodge hopes to have it installed and dedicated sometime this year.

Members continue to work toward the tuck-pointing project and are awaiting news on the grant application.

The District 4 meeting was held on April 25 in Owatonna. Eighteen local members attended. Director Duane Jirik presented Lodge 44 with the Level I Award. The lodge also received a bonus for its 2009 referrals. The lodge will host the District 4 meeting on May 1, 2011, at the historic Brick Lodge hall.

The July meeting has been changed to July 18. Dennis Rayman will be the featured speaker on Czech immigration and settlement of the Myrtle area. Invitations will be sent to District 4 lodges and will be open to interested people in the area. The meeting will begin with a potluck dinner at noon. Fifty- and 75-year members will be honored at this meeting.

A large tree branch broke off this spring near the lodge. For the lodge’s Earth Care project, Alton Krikava sawed it up and Don Kral cleaned it up. Janice Benesh pruned and shaped the shrubbery around the building and Spencer Kral mowed the grounds.

Seventeen volunteers came to clean the lodge hall on April 30 and four came on May 1 to finish the job.

The next meeting will be held Monday, June 7, at 6 p.m., beginning with a potluck supper at the Brick Hall.