By SCOTT D. JOHNSTON
The 150th anniversary of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will be commemorated this Friday, Feb. 16, and the members of the Ocean Shores Elks Lodge are inviting the public to join in their celebration. The local Lodge, located at 199 Ocean Lake Way, will host a party from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday.
“We welcome everyone in all our communities to join us and tour the Lodge, meet the current officers, learn about our programs and charities, and to find out what becoming a member entails,” wrote Nancy Oakes, in announcing the event. She is the Lodge’s Leading Knight and will become its new Exalted Ruler April 1.
“We will be serving complementary hamburgers, chips, sodas, and cake. Please visit us during this celebration of 150 years of charity and caring,” she added.
The local 400-plus Elks members join more than 850,000 members and 2,000 Lodges nationwide in observing the anniversary. Nationally, the Elks are responsible for more than $6 billion in donations over their history. Last year alone, Elks donated approximately $323 million in cash, gifts, and time to their local communities. Over the past 10 years, the Ocean Shores Lodge has generated nearly $400,000 in charitable contributions, plus thousands of hours and untold in-kind donations, Oakes said.
The Elks support the North Coast community with many programs involving veterans, she said, as well as scholarships, hoop shoot programs, soccer time and programs, drug awareness programs, dictionaries for elementary schools, scouting, and other charitable and community programs.
They also have a very successful track record of receiving grants from the Elks National Foundation (ENF). Oakes explained that all lodges donate to support the ENF, and they may apply for several different grant programs aimed at community support activities, youth and veterans.
“What we donate comes back to our Lodge and community 3,000% from ENF,” Oakes proudly proclaimed, which she said is an average of $8,000 to $10,000 each year.
The Lodge operates a number of popular community events each year, such as the Youth Fishing Derby in May and their Veterans Day Dinner & Dance. This year, they will add a major undertaking as they will take on operation of the annual Ocean Shores Flag Day Parade.
They also join all Washington State Elks Lodges in supporting the Washington Elks Therapy Program for Children. Known as the Tall Elks program, it has provided home-based occupational or physical therapy to children with developmental delays or physical disabilities, totally free, since its inception in 1954.
The Lodge hosts literally dozens of events for members and guests, with a kitchen, lounge, main room that can accommodate up to 230 people, smaller meeting rooms. an outdoor cabana and RV parking with full hookups.
Oakes explained that, one way or another, almost all the events and activities the local Elks produce support their efforts in five areas: Tall Elks, ENF, scholarships, veterans and the Lodge’s building fund. They also make their 7,560 square foot Lodge building and surrounding grounds available for community events and private party rentals.
Ocean Shores Elks Lodge No. 2581 was chartered in 1979 with around 300 members. After drumming up contributions and selling interest bearing notes to members, ground was broken on the Lodge building on June 20, 1981. It was dedicated on July 10, 1982. Membership today is over 400, about 20 of whom are charter members.
Oakes smiled as she explained that the Elks approach running the Lodge “as a regular business; the only difference is, our product is charity.”
More information is available online at their Facebook page, Ocean Shores Elks Lodge BPOE #2581.
