What Elkdom is all about
BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS
A FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION
ORIGIN
Founded in New York City, February 16, 1868 by 15 actors, entertainers and others associated with the theater. Membership consisted of other professionals in ensuing years.
PURPOSES
This Fraternal Order was founded "To promote and practice the four cardinal virtues of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its members; to quicken the spirit of American Patriotism and cultivate good fellowship."
WHO WE ARE
The Order is a non-political, non-sectarian and strictly American fraternity. Proposal for membership in the Order is only by invitation of a member in good standing. One must be an American citizen, believe in God, be of good moral character and at least 21 years old. There are 1.1 million members today in over 2,100 Lodges.
WHAT WE DO
The Order spends over $80,000,000 every year for Benevolent, Educational and Patriotic community-minded programs in such fields as physically handicapped children, Elks National Foundation scholarships, Scouting, athletic teams, veterans' works, a national "Hoop Shoot" free-throw contest involving 3,500,000 children annually, physical and occupational therapy programs, patriotic programs. The youth of our country have always been important to the Order. It is for this reason the Elks Drug Awareness Education Program was launched to warn primary grade students and their parents of the dangers in drug use. Every Lodge observes June 14th as Flag Day, a tradition the Elks began in 1907 and which was later adopted by the Congress as an official observance.