If you've ever been hospitalized, you know the loneliness and
depression you can experience. Think how tough it must be for
hospitalized veterans, especially those who are far from home or
have no family. With that thought in mind, George Schwarz of
Clawson-Troy, Michigan, Lodge devised a simple yet effective
solution in 1980: the Adopt-a-Veteran program.
His idea proved so successful that it was picked up by the
National Veterans Service Commission in 1983. 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. The Elks provided these men
and women with comfort, companionship, cheer and understanding,
and in the process helped lift some of their loneliness.
There is no program that better illustrates our patriotism.
The Adopt-a-Veteran Program is one in which every Lodge can, and
should, participate. So, how can your Lodge get involved? This is
how the program usually works:
- The VAVS Representative (or chairman at a state
facility) secures the names of veterans without family or
friends nearby and forwards the list to the state
National Veterans Service chairman.
- The state chairman will divide the list among the
Lodges in close proximity to the facility and forward the
names to the appropriate district chairman.
- The district chairman will determine how many veterans
each Lodge wishes to adopt. He will then provide the
Lodges with a like amount of names.
- The Lodge should publish the names and birthdays of
its adopted veterans in its bulletin each month and
encourage members and their families to schedule visits.
Gifts for the veteran should consist of personal-care
items, reading material, games and similar items of
nominal cost. Luncheons and dinners at a restaurant or
the Lodge are also recommended.
The object of the Adopt-a-Veteran program is to take the
place of family, to replace loneliness with hope and to let the
veterans know we will never forget them. The state associations,
districts and Lodges should use the means best suited to their
particular situations to meet these objectives.
Veterans Comfort Care Items
The Elks National Veterans Service Commission has teamed up with Federated Wholesale, Inc., to put together comfort care kits for our hospitalized veterans at a most reasonable cost. The plastic drawstring bag will have our logo on it as well as space for the veteran's name. Body powder, shaving gel, body lotion, shampoo, alcohol-free after shave and deodorant will also contain our logo.
The items containing our logo as well as a comb, denture adhesive, emery boards, toothbrush and toothpaste will all be part of the kit.
The kits can be an integral part of your Adopt-A-Veteran Program. They can be given out when your present your Adopt-A-Veteran Certificate.
Featured
Veteran. We'll periodically feature your
adopted veterans.
Program Chairman
Stewart G. Israel
40225 Newport Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170-4739
Meet Robert Hookey
(left), A World War II veteran with two purple hearts and a
member of Weirton, West Virginia, Lodge. Hookey joined the Elks
after learning about the Order through the Adopt-a-Vet program.
Since joining, he's grown especially close to Billy Davis
(right), who has claimed Hookey as not only a member of the Lodge
family, but also his own. Here, the two friends practice putting.
