Dayton Elks Host CP Talent Show & Distribute OEA CP Grants

The Ohio Elks Association provided a $20,000 grant and an $800 Campership to United Rehabilitation Services (URS) of Dayton. The large grant is used for therapy services at URS and the Campership grant is for two URS clients to attend a summer camp for disadvantaged individuals. United Rehabilitation Services in Dayton, OH serve over 1,300 clients of which over approximately 33% have Cerebral Palsy.

The original name of the unit was United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dayton. which the Dayton Elks and/or the Ohio Elks have been involved with in one from or another for over 45 years. The unit through merges with other agencies morphed into the name of United Rehabilitation Services, with Cerebral Palsy still being the largest percentage of the clients.

The videos are from the "Annual Talent Show" where 100 clients and staff gather once a year at the Dayton Elks Lodge for a meal provided by the Dayton Elks.

In turn the clients put on a Talent Show for the Elks. The choir was made up from URS clients and this is only the 2nd time they have performed this song in public. The 1st time the choir sang was at the "URS Volunteer Thank You" luncheon put on by a local bank, to which OEA State President, Nevin Taylor attended back on May 1st at the URS building.

The Dayton Elks have funded a meal every year for URS clients since 1978 from the lodge's local fundraising efforts. Originally the meal was to reward the bowling league from United Cerebral Palsy, but it switched over to a "Talent Show" after the league went defunct approximately 20 years ago.

The other video is to show some of the talent that an individual has even though they have cerebral palsy. Usually, around 20-30 individuals entertain the Elks each year, through songs, poems, and talks.