A central focus of the Elks Drug Awareness program is to teach youth about the dangers of using illegal substances. The Promise Grants program provides financial assistance to Lodges that perform community outreach to help educate local youth while providing safe places to have fun. The success of the following Promise Grant initiatives is due to the hard work of Lodge members who have connected with young people by increasing their access to caring adults, safe places and healthy choices.
Elks from the Sistersville, WV, Lodge, sponsored a lock-in for local high school graduates. The event was held immediately following the graduation ceremony, and featured a DJ, games, refreshments, movies and prizes. The goal of the event was to keep the graduates safe and off the highways, away from potential drug and alcohol temptations. The graduates helped plan the event, along with several Elk members who are also teachers at the school. “Our lock-in gives youth an alternative choice for celebrating their graduation,” says event coordinator Donald Stokes. “The seniors have an opportunity to socialize and interact with each other one final time prior to embarking on their future careers. Parents, the community and the Lodge all support the event.”
At the lock-in hosted by the Cicero-Berwyn, Ill., Elks, the focus was on rewarding students’ anti-drug efforts over the past year. The Lodge invited students from two area Snowball clubs and a high school art club to celebrate the drug-free lifestyle endorsed by these groups. The art club produced anti-drug use posters that were hung in areas frequently traveled by students. The groups were treated to a bowling and pizza party, listened to a drug awareness presentation, and left with a bag of drug awareness literature. “Our Lodge members felt like the event was so successful that they want to expand the program next year,” says Lodge DA chair Robert Rolewicz. “The students were respectful and appreciative. They liked that their efforts had a secondary reward. And we reaffirmed the message that drug-free is the way to be.”
The El Dorado, Kan., community was invited to a Kid’s Safe Night Out sponsored by the El Dorado Lodge. The Lodge hosted a block party to promote child safety and drug awareness in their community. The party featured live music, games, a K-9 unit, photo Ids, drawings and food. The event was free thanks to contributions from area merchants, law enforcement agencies, fire and safety organizations, and local service groups. The drug awareness trailer was kept busy handing out pamphlets, and families had the opportunity to enjoy an evening of outdoor activities in a safe environment. “Our Lodge managed to top the number of kids and parents in attendance this year,” says organizer Larry Scott. “We had many parents thank us for our concern and community involvement.”
High school students in Tacoma, Wash., were invited to a dance held at the Tacoma Lodge, which also featured a presentation from a local DEA agent about gateway drugs and a motivational talk with the Seattle Storm WNBA team. The Elks hoped to show youth what drug-free lifestyles can lead to, that youth can have fun without drugs and alcohol and that adults care about community youth. “This was the first event of this type that we’ve held,” says event coordinator James McNellis. “The Lodge members were very supportive and suggested we host more events. We enjoyed seeing the youth reaction to the different speakers and presentations. They departed the dance knowing that the Elks do care about them.”
By hosting safe, educational and fun events for community youth, the Elks help young people make thoughtful and positive choices and, in turn, be better prepared for situations in life that challenge their inner strength and confidence. For more information about the Promise Grants program, visit www.elks.org/enf/promisegrants.cfm.
ENF Announces Grant Opportunity
It’s Friday night in your Lodge community. Do you know where your local youth are?
Young adults need safe places and supervised activities that connect them with caring adults, protect them from violence and negative influences and provide interaction with peers involved in positive activities. The US Department of Education reports that children who attend after-school programs have better grades and conduct in school; more academic and enrichment opportunities; better peer relations and emotional adjustment and lower incidences of drug-use, violence and pregnancy (U.S. Department of Education, 21st Century Community Learning Centers: Providing Quality Afterschool Learning Opportunities for America's Families, September 2000). Is your Lodge doing its part to provide youth with this valuable resource?
If your Lodge hosts a safe and drug-free event for community youth, financial help is available through the ENF-funded Promise Grants program. Promise Grants are available to the first 250 Elks Lodges that pledge to hold drug-, alcohol- and violence-free events for youth in their community. Examples include After-Prom parties, graduation parties, teen dances, pool parties, youth lock-ins, back-to-school events or Red Ribbon celebrations. These 250 Lodges are eligible, through the Elks Drug Awareness Program, for reimbursement of expenses of up to $200. In order to be eligible for reimbursement, the youth events must be held between April 1 and November 30, 2005.
Promise Grants pledge forms will be mailed to Lodge Drug Awareness Program chairs in November. Pledge forms are also available at www.elks.org/enf/promisegrants. The pledge form must be completed and received by the Elks National Foundation no later than March 31, 2005.
For more information, contact Eliza Lazar, Elks National Foundation, 2750 N. Lakeview Ave., Chicago, IL, 60614, elizal@elks.org, 773/755-4864.