Pierre, SD 1953

Elks Lodge 1953 members Dwight Pogany and Bill Fuchs participating in the lodge's fall ditch walk on November 1, 2018.

Lodge 1953 members took part in Pierre's annual Parade of Lights on November 19, 2018. Thanks to Steve Wegman, Audry Ricketts and Jeff Hallem for representing the lodge in the parade.

Santa was surrounded by colorful lights on the 2018 Pierre Elks Lodge float.

Elroy the Elk also joined Santa on the float at the 2018 Pierre parade.

Pierre Elks Lodge Members and Oahe Federal Credit Union Employees pose for a photo to promote the 2018 Elks Stocking Stuffer Program for veterans.

Pierre Elks Lodge held the annual Memorial Service on December 2, 2018. The service was dedicated to former lodge members Lyle Hunsley and James Tinker.

Pierre Lodge Exalted Ruler Matt Schatz spoke at the 2018 memorial service. Pastor Alex Haines of Lutheran Memorial Church gave the memorial address.

Music at the 2018 memorial service was provided by Margaret Ellefson (on piano), Steve Van Mullem (on fiddle) and Karen Van Mullem (vocals).

Pierre Elks Lodge 1953 conducted the annual Elks Hoop Shoot December 2, 2018 at Georgia Morse Middle School in Pierre. Shown here are some of the participants, practicing before the competition.

Heather Perry organizes the Pierre Hoop Shoot. She's shown here standing with trophies the that were handed out to the top participants in the 2018 competition.

Shown left to right: Pierre Lodge's Lecturing Knight Sheila Carpenter, Exalted Ruler Matt Schatz and Tiler Jeri Smith helped to get 2018 Pierre Hoop Shoot participants registered for the competition.

Champions of the Pierre Elks Lodge 2018-19 Hoop Shoot held December 2, 2018 at George Morse Middle School in Pierre.

On December 5, 2018, Chase Cooper (left) and Treyton Kost Hillmer (right) were initiated into Pierre Elks Lodge #1953 as the lodge's newest members. They're shown here with Exalted Ruler Matt Schatz following the initiation ceremony.

Each holiday season for several years, the Pierre Elks Lodge has held the Stocking Stuffer Program for Veterans, in which donations of socks, t-shirts, shampoo, toothpaste, books, gift cards and other items are taken in at boxes placed at locations in Pierre/Fort Pierre. The items are then sorted and taken to the federal VA facility and Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home-both in Hot Springs. On December 15, 2018, lodge members met to sort thousands of dollars in donations given for the 2018 program (shown here).

A look at some of the Pierre Elks Lodge members and friends of the lodge who worked December 15 to go through the 2018 Christmas donations so they could be gifted to our heroes in Hot Springs.

Jerry Wattier (left) is the chairman of the Pierre Elks Lodge's successful Stocking Stuffer Program. He's joined here by Lodge Chaplain Karen Van Mullem on December 15, 2018. They're showing some gifts for veterans provided by the Pierre Women's Club.

Students from local elementary schools and Georgia Morse Middle School also contributed to the 2018 Elks Stocking Stuffer program! They created 1,116 cards which were given to veterans in Hot Springs.

Pierre Elks Lodge Inner Guard Heather Perry, sorting books for the Stocking Stuffer Program on December 15, 2018.

Shown here with a few of the many generous donations on December 15, 2018 are Pierre Elks Lodge Leading Knight Jonathon Ward and Karen Pogany.

As you see here, the 2018 Stocking Stuffer effort received lots of socks, underwear, t-shirts and other new clothing items to give to veterans in Hot Springs. Elks members and helpful volunteers sorted through the donations on December 15, 2018