Five years ago Steve Kay was staring down cancer, his wife
Jo Ann beside him every step of the way. “But you know who was supporting her?”
says Steve. “The Elks.”
Steve Kay has just finished his one year term as Exalted
Ruler (think president) of Fremont Elks Lodge 2121. “My Father was an Elk; my father-in-law
was an Elk. When I was a kid, my cousin got Elk support to get the surgery he
needed to walk. ” Seeing the good work Elks did, and having the family
connection, it was no surprise that Steve became a member decades ago. When he
had young kids, he truly appreciated the Elks’ support of youth programs and
sports.
This year the Elks celebrate their 150th anniversary. With
more than 2000 lodges across the country, and around a million members, The
Elks National Foundation has recently passed the 6 billion dollar mark for
charitable giving since its inception.
In today’s social media world where online relations are
often unfulfilling, people of all ages are rediscovering the joy of working
alongside others to do good works for their communities. The list of the Elks
charitable activities is long: essays contest for scholarships, youth programs,
drug awareness campaigns, providing clothes for victims of sexual abuse,
fundraising on behalf of numerous charities, and much, much more.
Of the many areas the Elks support, veterans receive some of
the most benefits. Recently, a grant from the Elks National Foundation paid for
36 baskets of supplies for veterans leaving the Palo Alto VA Hospital for new
living situations. The ‘Welcome Home Baskets’ included basic household items
such as cleaning supplies, aluminum foil, and paper towels to give the vets a
little jumpstart.
“I’d have to say that working with veterans has been the
most rewarding of my experiences with the Elks,” says Steve. “There is a line
in the Elks pledge: ‘So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.’”
The history of the Elks relations with Veterans goes back to
World War I when Elks funded and equipped the first two field hospitals in
France and built both a 72-room community house in Camp Sherman, Ohio, and a
700-bed rehabilitation hospital in Boston.
After World War II, Elks Foundation loans to 40,000
returning veterans for college, rehabilitation, and vocational education were
the precursor of the GI Bill. During the War, the Elks were the only civilian
organization asked to help recruit construction workers for the military, a
task that was completed three months ahead of schedule.
Another popular Elks sponsored activity is the Hoop Shoot. In
this free throw shooting competition, kids 8 to 13 compete at the Lodge,
District, State, and Regional levels, leading all the way to a National Final.
Winners receive medals and have their names ensconced in the Naismith Memorial
Basketball Hall of Fame alongside the greats of the game.
The idea behind the Hoop Shoot is that by instilling the
values of persistence and patience, reinforced with practice and goal-setting,
youngsters will transfer that skillset to their academic and, eventually,
workplace environments. In other words, by developing ‘grit,’ young people are
embracing the quality most likely to help them succeed in life.
The Elks’ commitment to youth is also reflected in the
strong relationship the Order has with the Boy Scouts of America. Visitors to
the Fremont Lodge’s recent gala dinner celebrating 150 years of Elks would have
seen a display of scrapbooks and memorabilia going back decades. There, a
recent photograph shows a Scout troop at Space Center Houston during a trip
made possible with Elks fundraising support.
Working with the Scouts is a high priority, as the
organizations share so many values and goals. Elks that volunteer are eligible
to receive a special award, the Boy Scouts’ Marvin M. Lewis Award named for the
Honorable Marvin M. Lewis, a former Grand Exalted Ruler. Established 1998, it
recognizes significant contributions to Scouting and the development of
America’s youth.
The son of a clergyman, Charles Algernon Vivian was a
twenty-five year old singer when he who arrived in New York in 1867. A
moderately successful variety performer, he attracted a number of fellow
performers who lamented the closing of the bars on Sunday. They began meeting under
Vivian's leadership and they made sure the meetings were well-stocked. When a
members died shortly before Christmas 1867, the group decided it ought to help
the widow, an act which eventually led to framing the organization as a benevolent
society, choosing the strong, peaceful, majestic elk as its mascot and
namesake.
As much as the Elks do for the community, they are equally
committed to providing fellowship for the membership. From karaoke to weekly
darts tournaments, square dancing to car shows, the Lodge has something for
everyone. Wing Wednesdays are a big hit, and members look forward to special
events like the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day and Easter brunches.
It’s arguable that nineteenth-century America had a
particular view of women and non-whites that influenced the early membership of
the club; unfortunately, many of those biases persisted, Finally, in the 1970s,
restrictions to membership on the basis of race and gender were abolished.
Today, the Elks open their doors to everyone. “The Order,” states the
Membership page of the Fremont Elks website (http://fremontelks.org/membership/),
“is a non-political, non-sectarian and strictly American fraternity. Proposal
for membership in the Order is only by invitation of a member in good standing.
To be accepted as a member, one must be an American citizen, believe in God, be
of good moral character and be at least 21 years old.” Steve Kay adds, “We
don’t define God for anyone. It’s the God that you believe in.”
Civic-minded people who enjoy giving of their time and like
socializing in a fun and friendly environment should visit http://fremontelks.org/membership/
today.
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