Dowagiac Moose Lodge hosts supreme governor
Published 1:42 pm Friday, April 25, 2014
From left to right: David Coffey, regional manager for the State of Michigan, Joesph Koons, supreme governor, Loyal Order Of Moose International; Kathy Blue, chapter chaplain; Jeanette Gray, chapter member; Sandy Bruens, senior regent; Connie Huston, recorder; Karen Mikosz, supervisor, Cass County Child Protection Services; and James O’Connor, Michigan Moose Association state president. (Submitted photo)
Earlier this week, the Dowagiac Moose Lodge 933 was honored to host the Supreme Governor of Moose International Joseph R. Koons and his wife Connie, who were visiting Dowagiac. Along with him in attendance were Michigan Moose Association President Jim O’Connor, Regional Manager for Michigan David Coffey and several other state, district and local officers.
The Dowagiac Moose Lodge also donated a dozen “Tommy Moose” dolls to the Dowagiac Police Department, while the Women of the Moose Chapter 1508 donated another dozen to Child Protection Services of Cass County. Accepting for the Police Department were Deputy Police Chief Jarrid Bradford and Director of Public Safety Steven L. Grinnewald; for Child Protection Services was Supervisor Karen Mikosz.
Tommy Moose is a friendly, playful, cuddly moose doll whose sole purpose is to bring comfort to children in times of stress, uncertainty, or anxiety. He personifies one of the cornerstone tenants of the Loyal Order of Moose: caring for children.
Tommy originated as a Moose community service project in Connecticut and soon spread throughout the US and Canada.
Since 2002, more than 100,000 Tommy Moose plush dolls have been donated to shelters, hospitals, and emergency workers, who in turn deliver them to children in need of some comfort when facing some of life’s biggest challenges.
