Columbus-Grove City Elks #37 Helps Those Less Fortunate
Columbus-Grove City Elks #37 was recently awarded an Elks National Foundation (ENF) Beacon Grant that enabled a $4,000 donation to the Bed Brigade of Columbus, OH.
This charitable organization provides beds ( made by the Volunteers) to families and children who have been sleeping on floors and have no beds. Hundreds of beds have been made and donated to families in need.
Columbus/Grove City Elks 37 Exalted Ruler Jim Miller and Dean Hoover of the Bed Brigade.
State Drug Awareness Program Contest Winners Announced
Salem, Ohio students, 5th grader McKaylynn Cox with her poster and 8th grader Jackson Cranmer with his essay, won blue ribbons for their 1st place entries in the state DAP contest. Both students also received a $100 Visa gift card.
The presentation of certificates and prizes took place at the Salem Elks Lodge #305 on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Attending were Ohio State Elks President Ed Connor, Salem Lodge DAP Chairman Kim Chapman, NE District DAP Chairman Pat Greenhill, and State DAP Chairman Becky Underhill as well as the parents and teacher.
The winning entries have been submitted for national judging.
Pictured left to right: State President Ed Connor, Salem Lodge DAP Chairman Kim Chapman, Poster winner McKaylynn Cox, Essay winner Jackson Cranmer, State DAP Chairman Becky Underhill, and NE District DAP Chairman Pat Greenhill.
Sandusky Elks #285 Help Homeless Veterans With Spark Grant
Sandusky Elks Lodge #285 was awarded a Veterans “Spark” grant from the Elks National Foundation (ENF). The $1,000 grant was used to purchase two mattresses and box springs for two separate veterans when they were finally placed in their apartments after homelessness. With a small amount of additional lodge funds and donations we gave them pillows, bedding, towels, and a few other items for their new homes.
From Left: member Russ Dickman, Secretary & Grants Coordinator Connie Lee, and veteran Marcee.
Congratulations to Ohio Hoop Shoot Winners!
Back Row left to right: Tom Pavlik, OEA 1st Vice President, 12/13 boys 2nd place Keaton Elwer Lima #54 24/25 and 3/5 shoot off, 12/13 girls 3rd place Saylor Holt Wooster #1346 22/25, 10/11 girls 3rd place Kynlee Geary Van Wert #1197 11/25, Dennis Sabo OEA Hoop Shoot Director.
Front row left to right:
8/9 girls 1st place Candence Watson Coshocton #376 23/25, 1st place Brody Ernsthausen Lebanon #422 23/25, 1st place Jaxon Ramos Lorain #1301 21/25.
Lima Elks #54 Honors Local Scouts
Lima Elks Lodge #54 recently recognized Jacob Hafer of Troop #84 and Gavin Capuchino of Troop #49 during their Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
For his Eagle Scout project, Jacob constructed dog beds out of PVC and screening for the Humane Society so that dogs don't have to sleep on the floor or ground.
For his Eagle Scout project, Gavin enlarged the roof over the Allen County Sheriff Posse building at the Allen County fairgrounds to eliminate flooding during rain storms.
Lima Elks Lodge #54 also regognized 37 Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients from the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Council during their annual awards celebration.
Gallipolis Elks #107 Raises over $22K for Elks National Foundation
Gallipolis Elks Lodge #107 held its annual Italian Night ENF fundraiser in conjunction with their Valentine’s Day Dance on 11 February 2023. Over 220 people attended the event that included a live and silent auction, spaghetti dinner with wine and DJ. ENF Chairperson, Jason Bowers and his crew, raised $22,167 for the Elks National Foundation.
Lorain Elks #1301 Sponsor Hoop Shot Contestant in Regional Finals
Lorain Elks Lodge #1301 is very proud to have Jaxon Smith, grandson of Elks Members Brian & Michelle Bartlebaugh advance to the Regional finals of the Elks Hoop Shoot being held in South Bend Indiana. On March 4th a dinner, plaque, and travel expenses for him and his Family were presented to Jaxon by Exalted Ruler-Elect Chris Parker & Trustee PJ Newbert.
Salem Elks #305 Sponsors Two Soccer Shoot Contestants In Mid-Atlantic Regionals
The Mid -Atlantic Regional Elks Soccer ⚽ Shoot was held March 10th-12th in York, PA. The final results out Ohio in 2nd place by less than 25 points, against 5 other states. Our Salem Elks Lodge #305 had 2 participants. Pictured are
Alicea Davis 5th place in U12 and Nora Shean 1st place in U14.
Nora improved from her 5th place finish last year. She hopes to defend her 1st place standing. However, Alicea will be moving up to U14 and will become direct competition for this coming Soccer Season. Congratulations to you both.
Northeast District Renovates Drug Awareness Trailer
The Northeast District’s drug awareness trailer was recently renovated and updated with new and modern graphics designed to better promote the Elks Drug Awareness Program (DAP) along with other youth programs like Hoop Shoot, Soccer Shoot, and Veterans Programs.
The trailer is used by lodges at public events to better promote the programs of the Elks with a primary effort to help parents and kids understand the dangers of prescription and elicit drugs.
Many thanks to the Kansas Elks Association for sharing their graphic files which helped base the overall design of the trailer graphics.
The interior of the trailer is also being updated for a more modern presentation.
This project was funded by a donation from Berea Elks Lodge #1815 along with a grant from the Ohio Elks Association and from Elks National Foundation.
Elks DAP Poster and Essay Contest Participants Selected for State Competition
A big shout out to Salem Lodge #305 and Berea Lodge #1815 for their support of and participation in the Elks Drug Awareness contests.
The participating students did an outstanding job with their entries and I am so proud of the effort that they put forth.
Thank you to Kim Chapman of the Salem Lodge for her hard work in getting the information out to her area schools, giving these kids the opportunity to participate in our Drug Awareness program.
The judging has been completed for the state winners and I have sent the winning essay and poster onto the National Elks DAP for judging. Each state winner in each category will receive a 1st Place Blue Ribbon and a $100 Visa card as well prizes from the lodge and district.
I won’t say who the winners are at this time as I want to let the kids know first, but I will let everyone know at the state convention in April.
Please take the time to read the essays. The students have put a lot of thought and time into their writing and drawing.
Essay Contest:
Romina Martin-Baltazar
Ronin Jay Sutter
Jackson Cranmer
Poster Contest:
Abby Klein
McKaylynn Cox
Sawyer Boron
We will be starting our new Elk year soon and then your lodge will have the opportunity to promote Drug Awareness to your area schools.
Please email me for information on each of the contests and how to find the forms.
Becky Underhill
Ohio Drug Awareness Chairman
Underhillbecky1@gmail.com
Berea Elks #1815 Conducts Health Wellness Programs For Local Veterans & Active Military
Berea Elks Lodge #1815 recently conducted a mental and health wellness program designed for veterans and active military which was hosted by the American Legion Post 91 in Berea.
Berea Elks Lodge #1815 recently conducted a mental and health wellness program designed for veterans and active military which was hosted by the American Legion Post 91 in Berea.
The program addressed reintegration to civilian life, PTSD mitigation, and learning personal health warning signs. It helped those who attended learn how to impact their personal health and wellness and learn the warning signs of deteriorated wellness for fellow veterans and other
Take aways for attendees included an ability to track wellness metrics through wearable devices provided by the program and to learn how to build a foundational routine for an understanding about HOW and WHY, rather only learning WHAT impacts wellness.
Berea Elks Trustee, Pat Greenhill
It featured a presentation on building foundational routines to improve resilience using the 3R’s:
Emotional Resilience
Mission Readiness
Healthy Reintegration
The program was free to all active military and veterans and included gift bags containing personal health monitoring equipment, health diaries, and other supplies essential to the program.
Light snacks were served during the presentation, with a dinner afterwards to honor the service of our Veterans.
The program was presented by Berea Elks Trustee, Pat Greenhill who is also an actively serving Berea Law Enforcement Officer. American Legion Post 91 of Berea generously donated their facility and promoted the event with the veterans of the post.
The entire program was made possible by a Freedom Grant awarded to Berea Elks Lodge #1815 by the Elks National Foundation
Lima Elks #54 Honors Local Eagle Scout
Lima Elks Lodge #54 recognized Braden Knippen of Ft Jennings Troop #230 during his Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
The award consisted of the American Flag and the Eagle Scout Certificate framed for hanging along with the Grand Exalted Ruler’s Congratulatory Letter, Certificate of Merit and Elks/Scouting pin.
For his Eagle Scout project, Braden erected a Purple Heart Memorial at Freedom Square in Ft Jennings, Ohio.
Congratulations to Braden on his accomplishments.
Circleville Elks #77 Helps Local Food Pantry
Circleville Elks Lodge #77 recently made a $4,500 donation to the Ashville Food Pantry. More than 160 families were served by the Ashville Food Pantry in February. With government assistance being reduced starting in March, the services of pantries such as the one in Ashville will be ever more vital in our communities.The donation was made possible by a grant from the Elks National Foundation (ENF).
From Left: Trustee Chair Joe Valone, PER, and Leading Knight Wes Riley with some of the volunteers at the Ashville Food Pantry.
Berea Elks #1815 Helping Veterans Enjoy The Big Game
Berea Elks Lodge #1815 member Gary Farkas (second from left) and his helpers delivered 25 pizzas and 400 wings to veterans in the care tower at the VA hospital in Cleveland. They served about 150 veterans during a Super Bowl party.
Port Clinton Elks #1718 Donate to Local Organizations
Congratulations to The Salvation Army and the Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center as recipients of a $2,000 donation each towards their emergency assistance services addressing rental and food insecurities. The donation funds come from the 2022-2023 Community Investment Program (Beacon Grant) of the Elks National Foundation.
Port Clinton Elks Lodge #1718 commends you for what your agency does and will continue to do in the community and wishes your organization nothing but success in the continued pursuit of its important mission.
(Pictured: William Murphey, Esteemed Leading Knight, Kami Sayre, Director of The Salvation Army Port Clinton Service Unity, Connie Roe, Director of the Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center, and Pamela Hatfield, Exalted Ruler, Port Clinton Elks Lodge #1718.)
From Left William Murphey, Esteemed Leading Knight, Kami Sayre, Director of The Salvation Army Port Clinton Service Unity, Connie Roe, Director of the Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center, and Pamela Hatfield, Exalted Ruler, Port Clinton Elks Lodge #1718.
Ohio Elks Charity Tickets - Changes To Drawing Announced
I hope you are all doing well with the Charity Ticket sales. I would like to explain a “change” we have made this year.
The Charity Tickets have been on a steady decline over the past several years. More than $12,000. lower than when it was doing well. It has leveled off the past year or two, but we are still down about $12,000.
Now is the time to make a change, and hopefully for the better. I introduced this to the Interim Governing Board (IGB) a couple years ago and after further discussion, it was recently approved. I have sent one previous email out. I will continue to send notifications out over the next couple of months.
Not only are we drawing in August, NOT APRIL, but I am also encouraging folks to continue to sell the rest of your tickets over the next six months. I would continue to send them out with dues notices. I would have officers sell them. I would sell them on drawing nights. Your Lodge keeps half, so it is a win-win!
Please let me know if I can help you and your Lodge!
Remember, do not bring your tickets until August 2023!
Jeffrey Warner, PDDGER
District Activities Chairman
OEA Charity Ticket Chairman
OEA PER Association President
Findlay Elks #75 Celebrates Americanism Essay Winners
Findlay Elks Lodge #75 congratulates our Americanism essayists for making the top three in their grade out of 95 entries.
From left: Hayden Thieme, Elaina Ricker, Chairmen Pat McCaffrey (PER), Parker Williams, J.J. Langlois, Sophie McDaniel, Lukas Sadowski. Missing: Troy Holzwart, Molly Rood, Grayson Hohman.
Van Wert Elks #1197 Helps Feed Their Local Community
Van Wert Elks Lodge #1197 recently donated $3,000 to the First United Methodist Church of Van Wert for their food pantry. The monies are from a Beacon Grant the lodge received from the Elks National Foundation.
The Elks National Foundation is a perpetual trust fund established in 1928 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Contributions to the Foundation are made each year by almost one million Elks and their families and friends from more than 2000 Elks Lodges across the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
Van Wert Elks Lodge is happy to be able to assist the First United Methodist Church with this important service they provide the citizens of the community in need.
Pictured left to right are Michael C. Stanley, Lodge Elks National Foundation Chairman and Teresa Shaffer representing the 1st UM Church.
Ohio Elks Website Now Has Map Mode!
Members, potential members, and guests can now find a lodge near them in an easy to use “map mode” on the Ohio Elks Association website. Simply click this link: https://ohioelks.com/findalodge and you can start looking for lodges across the Buckeye State in the map.
Click on a map pin and you can see the lodge details and jump right to their website on ohioelks.com.
Van Wert Elks #1197 Donates $3,000 To Local Salvation Army
Van Wert Elks Lodge #1197 recently donated $3,000 to the Salvation Army of Van Wert for their food pantry. The monies are from a Beacon Grant the lodge received from the Elks National Foundation.
The Elks National Foundation is a perpetual trust fund established in 1928 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Contributions to the Foundation are made each year by almost one million Elks and their families and friends from more than 2000 Elks Lodges across the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
Van Wert Elks Lodge is happy to be able to assist the Salvation Army with this important service they provide the citizens of the community in need.
Pictured left to right are Keith Collins, Past Exalted Ruler and Major Deborah Weigner.