Our Pledge to Veterans

In 1946, the Elks made the solemn pledge that “so long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them." The Elks National Veterans Service Commission has been fulfilling this promise for fifty-seven years.

For the 2003-04 year, the Elks National Foundation granted $722,000 to help fund the Order’s Veterans Service Program, which includes the following efforts.

VAVS Reps A significant portion of the funds received by the Commission from the Elks National Foundation are earmarked for the Order’s 639 Veterans Administration Voluntary Service representatives, who provide aid and comfort at each of the 127 VA Medical Centers around the country. In addition to working with veterans, these reps organize and coordinate volunteer and fundraising efforts for the Lodges in their area.

Recently, the program expanded its outreach to include veterans at two Community Based Outpatient Clinics, three State Veterans Homes, and one USO. They also work with outpatients and veterans who are homeless. In addition, due to the Order’s Army of Hope efforts, the program has seen a surge of requests from families of men and women in the Military Reserve and National Guard, who have been deployed to foreign locations. The challenge is to put these families in touch with local Lodges who can help them out.

Youth Volunteers One way that the Commission continues to enhance the level of comfort for veterans is by involving youth. This past year, state Youth Activities chairmen, working together with state National Veterans Service Commission chairmen, showed an increase in youth volunteers and time spent nurturing these deserving veterans. For tips on how to involve youth in your veterans activities, visit www.elks.org/vets/youthveteran.cfm.

Adopt-A-Vet The object of the Adopt-a-Veteran program is to provide a sense of family, and to let veterans know we will never forget them. Last year, Lodges across the nation adopted 103,000 veterans, up 16,000 from the previous year. The Elks visited with them on their birthdays and holidays and showered them with gifts and attention. They took those who could leave the medical centers out to dinner, and brought dinner to those who couldn't. Your Lodge can become involved in this program by contacting your VAVS representative and requesting a list of vets in your area.

Leather Program The Elks are a major source of hides and tanned leather used for recreational and occupational therapy throughout the VA health care system. Leather provides a form of relief by keeping minds active as well as providing exercise for injured and unused muscles. Recently, the program has seen a large increase in requests for leather fingerless gloves for veterans confined to wheelchairs.

Playing Cards Another activity for hospital-bound vets that the Commission supports is playing cards, made available through arrangements with several riverboats and casinos. A "Playing Cards For Veterans" sticker with the Commission’s logo is placed on each deck of cards, which are available free of charge. Contact Tom Jamison, card chairman, at (217) 323-2224 for more information.

Through financial assistance from the Elks National Foundation, the Elks National Veterans Service Commission is well on its way to reaching its goal of making the Elks the most visible force in voluntary service to our veterans. To read more about the Elks veterans efforts, or for tips on how to organize a veterans program at your Lodge, visit www.elks.org/vets.

Elks Help Educate This past year, the ENF-funded Elks Drug Awareness program again offered reimbursement to Elks Lodges that hosted youth drug awareness events in their communities. More than 200 Lodges took advantage of the Promise Grants assistance program, with events ranging from After-Prom and After-Graduation parties, to Red Ribbon Week celebrations, DARE graduations and youth leadership seminars.

In Martinsburg, W.V., the focus was on education. The Martinsburg Elks Lodge used their Promise Grant to help sponsor a pool party for more than 100 participants and peer leaders of the local Boys & Girls Club of America’s SMART Moves program.

“I feel really good about participating in this event,” says Jill Kremer, the DA coordinator at the Lodge. “The looks on the kids faces when they were told that the Elks were responsible for the event was priceless!”

SMART Moves is a national prevention program that helps young people avoid four of the most immediate threats to their well-being: alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and teen pregnancy. Many of the SMART Moves participants in Martinsburg are high-risk teens who do not have positive interaction with adults in the community.

A voluntary after-school program, participation is encouraged via rewards and incentives. The graduation party is a key component to encouraging kids to participate next year and to recruit new participants.

“We cannot thank the Elks enough for the time and energy your members put into making this event successful,” said Tracie Welch, SMART Moves Coordinator, in a letter to the Lodge. “Your members demonstrated that they care for these kids by giving of their time. You had a major impact on the success of the event that extends beyond this one afternoon.”

Thanks to the Promise Grants program, Elks Lodges are provided with the resources to make a difference through drug prevention activities. By combining educational efforts with fun events, Elks show parents and youth that they care about the future of their communities.

Financial assistance is available to Elks Lodges who plan to hold drug-free events, like the one described here, through the Promise Grants program. A pledge form for the 2004 grant program is available online at www.elks.org/enf/promisegrants.cfm. Drug-free events must be held between April 1 and November 30, 2004. Deadline to apply is March 31, 2004.