WHAT ARE ELKS? Or WHAT DO ELKS DO?
How many times has one heard, “What are Elks or What do Elks do? Or if you say to someone “I am in the Elks” or “I am an Elk” and they reply “oh yea, I have heard about them. That’s where you can go to drink cheap”.
Elks get these questions and why do they get these reactions? It’s simple, Elks don’t tell anybody what they do. Elks have a National Publication and who does it go to? Elks! Elks have a National Convention and who attends? Elks! Grand Lodge sends out bulletins on a regular basis, who do they go to? Some Elks! Elks are great at telling each other what we do. Telling non Elks, not so good.
The Elks as an organization does not advertise on television or radio, and do not advertise in the newspaper or magazines so how do Elks get the news about what they do to non Elks in the community?
Our Grand Exalted Ruler (GER) made a good analogy on his visit to Burlington during the year when he said “we are hiding our light under a bushel” we need to get rid of that bushel and let the light shine far and wide.
The mantra of the Grand Lodge program this year is “Elks Pride-Community Focus”. What does that mean? It means Elks have to spread the word about the good works they do. So the next time somebody says “oh yea, that’s where you can drink cheap” try answering them by saying: “yes and in between drinks Elks gave 3,000,000 dictionaries to third graders across the nation.” And they gave out almost $4,000,000.00 per year in College Scholarships which incidentally does not have to be paid back!
Since 1946 Elks have been servicing our Veterans that are in VA Clinics, VA Hospitals and homeless shelters while servicing our active military members.
Elks hold National Hoop Shoot and Soccer Shoot for our youth. Elks have the largest volunteer Drug Awareness Program in the country to educate our youth against the perils of drugs.
Vt. Elks State Project is called Silver Towers Camp and for the last 50 years Elks have been hosting campers with disabilities. For the last five years Vt. Elks have hosted up to 500 campers each year in an 8 week period. That is pretty impressive for Vt. Elks!
Springfield Elks Lodge 1560 is all in with the above documentation. The Lodge participates in everything noted above especially in the Drug Awareness Program, giving out of Dictionaries to third graders at Union St. School for the past ten years, Hoop & Soccer shoots for many years. Local scholarships are given out every year to upper valley graduates, donate to the VA Hospital and the Veterans Home in Bennington, and donations to many youth activities in town, donations including Apple Blossom Cotillion, Family Center and with their annual Gratitude Grant of $2000 they donate to community efforts that need the help. Most of their donations of funds are made to youth and Veteran activities.
The above document was given as a speech at the recent Vermont Elks Convention in North Conway , NH by Vt. Elks District Deputy South Frank Lopez from Brattleboro Elks Lodge and as he left the podium he was given a standing ovation. If this doesn’t explain “What Are Elks or What Do Elks Do” , please read it again. Or, go to Elks.org and get more information on “Who we are” and click on a membership form and ask to join.