Athens Elks Lodge #973 Have Busy September Supporting the Community
Athens Elks Lodge #973 donated $5,000 to the Athens County Department of Jobs and Family Services to purchase winter coats for needy children in their program. This donation should provide for approximately 500 winter coats. (See picture) Pictured L to R, Jean Demosky, Executive Director of the Athens County Dept of job and Family Services, Athens Elks Members Rich Russell, Jim Balding, Adam Lewis, George McCarthy and Tim Lairson.
The Athens Elks Lodge #973 donated $1,000 to the Federal Valley Resource Center for their Veterans Garden project. The Veterans Garden will be located at the Resource Center in Stewart, by the main entrance to the building. It will have benches, flowers, a flagpole, and steppingstones. Inside there are photos of Veterans and this money will help upgrade that display as well.
Athens Elks Lodge #973 donated $500 to John W. Clem Recovery House as a Silver Sponsor for their 7 th Annual Wake-Up for Recovery Breakfast fundraiser. The John W. Clem Recovery House was opened in December 2006 to provide safe, homelike residential facilities for men who struggle with alcohol and substance abuse disorders.
The recovery house has helped more than 700 men in their journey to find and maintain
sobriety. Athens Elks Lodge #973 donated $250 as a platinum sponsor to the Federal Hocking Youth Basketball league. Federal Hocking is a rural school in Athens County. The donation will be used toward uniforms, equipment, gym rentals and to help pay for refs. It serves youth in grades 3rd to 6 th. Athens Elks Lodge #973 donated $300 to be a platinum sponsor for the Kiwanis Club of Athens annual pancake day. This fundraising event helps raise funding for the children in the Athens community and supports children in need.
Athens Elks Lodge #973 donated $3,000 in gift cards and gas cards to the Athens County Veterans Court Treatment Program. The cards are provided to veterans as rewards for reaching goals set for them throughout the treatment program. They are awarded for reaching certain achievements or completing certain tasks such as successfully completing treatment, completing sober living, hitting sobriety milestones and ultimately for graduating from the program. Funding for this was provided by the Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant. (See picture) Pictured L to R Athens Elks members Jim Balding and Rich Russell, Athens County Judge George McCarty Veterans Court administrator, Athens Elks members Tim Lairson and Mark Mahaffey.
