This year millions of school children around the world will benefit from D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), the highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation's school districts and in more than 43 countries around the world. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.
Kentucky State Police youth program: Trooper Island Camp was developed by the Kentucky State Police as part of a long range program of public service to the youth of Kentucky: a place where the tensions and turmoil of our everyday lives can be forgotten; and for one week young people can be given a touch of hope and desire of a better tomorrow.
Hunters in 21 states are now gathering animal hides for the Veterans Leather Program, one of the most visible activities of the Elks. Hides of deer, caribou, antelope, and, yes, elk. Hides are salted, stacked, shrink-wrapped and shipped to a Utah tannery for processing. Then, fingerless wheelchair gloves, along with finished leather for use in crafts programs, are sent to veterans' medical facilities across the country. See Col. Marsh or go to this website for more information
Elks National Foundation will distribute 15.8 million dollars to help Elks build stronger communities. We provide tomorrow’s leaders, our youth, with a healthy beginning; honor the Elks’ pledge to never forget our veterans; help the state Elks associations accomplish their charitable objectives and fund projects that improve the quality of life in local Elks communities. All of this is made possible by our generous donors.
Like other fraternal organizations, the Elks have struggled with massive decline in membership. 600,000 members since 1980 were lost to old age, death and just plain apathy, officials say. Overall, the Elks are still losing about 19,000 a year as members continue to decline and age. But a youthful burst in membership is helping to stanch annual losses and revitalize faltering lodges.