The Local Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is proud to announce the formation of the Marion Elks Lodge 32 Scholarship Fund. The local Lodge is funding the scholarship through instant bingo proceeds, with the first scholarship scheduled to be awarded in 2006 from the interest earned by these funds. The scholarship will be open to any senior in Marion and contiguous counties to assist in attending any accredited college, university or technical school.
According to Brad Smith, Past Exalted Ruler of the Marion Elks, there is a special provision in the scholarship. Eligible applicants will be asked to provide a short essay that demonstrates their understanding of the ideals and mission of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks and their relevance to the community.
“Many people don’t have a good idea of what fraternal organizations like the elks are all about, and all too often the image they have is not exactly complimentary. We wanted to utilize our scholarship as a way to help educate young people – who represent the future of our organization – about the Elks,” Smith said. “Yes, we provide an alternative clean, safe and cost effective social environment for our members. But we are also an organization made up of many of the pillars of our community, men and women members and their spouses who donate a great deal of their time, money and other resources to assist a wide variety of worthwhile projects in our community. By writing an essay, we feel the students who apply for our scholarship cannot help but have a greater appreciation for fraternal organizations like ours.”