ATTENTION: Hunters and Friends of Hunters!
It may still be 100F+ outside, but with a two month Bugle being issued, I am reminding everyone with a “heads up” that the Elks have a wonderful Hides Program which benefits our Veterans. The Veterans Leather Program provides hides (deer and elk only) to make wheelchair gloves, craft kits, and more, for essential equipment and therapy programs.
There you will find pertinent information which includes a direct citing below:
For many patients in VA hospitals, time can move slowly between visits from family and friends. In addition to holding events and providing friendship to veterans in VA hospitals, Elks also provide the tools for veterans to take up a new skill.
The Veterans Leather Program relies on the charity of hunters across the nation to donate hides so they can be turned into leather used for therapy programs for recovering veterans.
Leather is also used to provide professionally-crafted gloves for veterans in wheelchairs, which are distributed at veterans adaptive sports clinics and gatherings throughout the country. Click here to read more about the sports clinics!
Each year, thousands of Elks step up to help out with this program, offering their time, energy and skills to serve veterans. Their gifts help to create thousands of gloves and therapy kits provided to veterans at no charge.
“It's a godsend. These gloves fit perfectly and they're nice and soft — better than any gloves I've had to buy. After you put them on a bit, they fit to your hands. It's very helpful for veterans like me."
– Max Rainey, Vietnam War Veteran
Please remember our veterans as you acquire any hides. The sheet provides directions for proper preparation of hides which can be later delivered to your lodge for shipment/delivery.
Thanking you all in advance for your consideration of donating deer and elk hides for this invaluable Veterans program.
Gabrielle “Gabby” Scott, PER
Hides Program, Chairman
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