What is an ELK?????????

An Elk is anAmerican Citizen who loves and respects theAmerican Flag

and has pledged allegiance to all that the flag represents.

An Elk stands ready to relieve distress whenever he finds it. He recognizes

charity as the foremost principle of the Order and acknowledges the

Golden Rule as the foundation and groundwork of the Order.

An Elk believes in the existence of a supreme being and acknowledges

the Bible as an emblem of justice.

An Elk goes through life with a smile and always has a friendly hand

clasp for the living. Brotherly love is a vital part of his daily life.

An Elk not only cherishes the memory of the dead, but scatters flowers

along life’s pathway, realizing fidelity is a priceless jewel.

The faults of our brothers we write upon the sand:

Their virtues upon tablets of love and memory.

Elks Caring for Veterans:

The Elks financed and equipped two base hospitals in France for the Army in World War I and were the First American Hospital units of their kind to arrive behind the trenches. 

·        The Elks built a 700 bed Reconstruction Hospital for the government in Boston in 1918.

·        The Elks gave $60,000 to the Salvation Army during the postwar operations at Christmas in 1918.  (These were the days when the $5 daily wage was still a rarity)

·        During the Korean War, the Elks obtained more than half a million pints of blood for the wounded.

·        During the Vietnam War, the Elks started a “Letters from Home” campaign

Through a generous grant by the Elks National Foundation, the Elks National Veterans Service Commission has launched the Elks/Wounded Warrior Project.

During the Grand Lodge Session of July 8, 2009, Grand Exalted Ruler Paul Helsel, PGER Amos A. McCallum, Chairman of the Elks National Veterans Service Commission, and PGER Frank Garland, Chairman of the Elks National Foundation Trustees, presented a check in the amount of $50,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project. This grant is valid for 2010 through 2011 many Lodges have applied and are working on this project.

Medals of Valor available to honor fallen U.S. soldiers

by Robert M. Hennings
Commission Director

It is with a great deal of pride that I can inform you that we now have Medals of Valor that can be presented to deserving families of those who have made the supreme sacrifice in the conflicts in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom).

These medals are made in the United States and come in a presentation case. The back of the medal is suitable for engraving the name of the deceased service person. The cost per medal is $8.00, which covers all shipping charges.

If you know of a family in your community who lost a loved one in Iraq, you may want to honor that person by presenting a Medal of Valor to that family. You could set a time of presentation at the lodge or some other suitable venue in your area. Just contact us at Elks National Veterans Service Commission, 2750 N. Lakeview Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614 or send an e-mail to vets@elks.org to order your medal(s) and we will promptly ship them to you.

The Medal of Valor comes in two parts. The left two images are of the front of the medal. The right two images are of the back of the medal.

 

 

 

 

The Elks have a strong belief in remembering the veterans by honoring them with on Veterans Day as well as other activities.  The Elks belief is “as long as there are veterans” we will always remember them.

 To Learn more about Kentucky's Veteran programs go to our Veterans page

Thinking of joining the Benevolent Order of Elks?
Requirements for becoming an Elk: You must be a citizen of the United States of America, be 21 or older, and believe in God.

You must be sponsored by a member of the Elks Lodge and reside in the jurisdiction of the Lodge you wish to join. You also need two other Elks who will be your co-sponsors. The Elk who proposes you for membership must obtain a Membership Application from the Lodge Secretary.

After your proposer fills in the required portion, you will be given the Application for Membership. Fill it in, following the instructions and answering all questions. Return the completed application to the Lodge Secretary.

Your application will be read at a regular Lodge meeting. It will then be forwarded to the Investigating Committee, who will call you and set up a time for you and your sponsor to meet with the committee so that they can interview you.

After the interview is concluded, the committee will report to the Lodge concerning your membership. The members will be given a notice not less than 10 days nor more than two months before the vote will be taken.

When the vote is concluded, you will be notified and asked to present yourself and your spouse for indoctrination. During indoctrination, you will learn more about the Order's programs and charities. You will also be told during the program the date you will be initiated.

After initiation as an Elk, you can take part in all meetings and social functions of the Lodge.

If for any reason your application is rejected, you cannot make application for membership for six months from the date of rejection.

Please go to our Lodge page to see if we have a lodge close to you KY LODGES

 If you are looking in another state please go to elks.org  and put your zip code in on the Lodge Locator link.