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115 Years in the Making Local Elks looking to revitalize reputation, grow
Celebrating 115 years in Brazil, a local non-profit organization is revitalizing its reputation in hopes of new membership.
The Brazil Elks Lodge 762 is an “all together” lodge, according to West Central District Elks President Brandon McKinney, who said every one of the 263 members is considered the same and the “lodge would like to grow even more.”
“Our only requirement is that a person be 21 years old and an American citizen,” McKinney said. “Since our charter originated in 1902, throughout our 115 years, we’ve had about 3,300 members.”
Today there are more than 60 lodges in six districts throughout the Indiana Elks Association, with more than 16,000 members working to help support families and various charitable causes while focusing on what is most important within their communities.
“That’s one of the really cool things about the Elks, where we see a need we can help. We can support basically anything that’s a good cause,” said McKinney about individual lodges and members being able to focus on what is most important in their community. “If a member has a cause that’s near and dear to them and they want to organize something to support that, we encourage their efforts.”
Family is a big focus for the current members of the Elks lodge.
McKinney said the lodge went non-smoking in 2014 in an effort to create a family- and child-friendly environment for members wanting to attend various events at the facility located at 19 South Sherfey St. in Brazil.
“We try to be more inclusive because things have changed. Members and potential members value their families and it’s a big focus to them. And we want them to be able to bring them with them for a lodge event, whatever it may be,” McKinney said, adding everyone is treated with the same respect and members can participate at their own level of comfort.
Indiana Elks Association State President Tony Vester explained the lodge has never had any type of add-on chapters, like auxiliary groups, since its inception by a group of New York City minstrels. The Jolly Corks created the private social lodge, according to the Elks origin history, because they were bent on having fun while avoiding a New York Excise tax in 1867. At first they helped only their members, but a faction within the group soon began reaching out into the local community. That group evolved into a charitable service organization within a few months. By February 1868, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was chartered and began to help wherever “charity, justice and brotherly love were needed.”
“We’re more than just this building,” Vester said about the lodge in Brazil, touching on the past reputation of being a party club. “We’re not the place where the old rich guys go to drink anymore. We want to be part of the community.”
Over the years, Vester explained, the local lodge developed an unfortunate reputation. The Elks was once viewed as being a bit more rowdy and expensive to join than other lodges located on the then so-called “Club Corner,” which was back 40-50 years ago when the Elks weren’t alone on Sherfey Street. McKinney said three other social lodges sat at each corner, including the Moose and the VFW.
There’s been a recent push by Elks’ lodge members to change that, said McKinney.
“We have members who are college students to 92-year-old World War II veterans, and everything in between for both males and females,” he said. “There may have been some instances in the past, but a lot has changed over the years. We’re trying to shake that reputation off.”
The “rich man’s club” days are gone, according to the men who explained their dues aren’t as expensive as many people think.
“We do maintain this 11,000 square-foot, 102-year-old building that requires a lot of upkeep. And then there are the utilities. Our dues aren’t high to keep anyone out, we’re just in a different situation,” said McKinney about the $30 application fee and the annual dues of $105. “We say it’s $2 a week. It’s basically a cup of coffee a week.”
To learn more about the local Brazil Elks Lodge log on to the club’s Facebook page to keep abreast of their activities. Log on to www.indianaelks.org to learn more about the Indiana Elks Association Inc., or elks.org to learn about the national organization of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States.
Elks stepping up and helping out
Without a singular mission statement members of the Brazil Elks Lodge 762 are able to support various community projects and organizations through fundraisers and grants, including:
Various family, children and veterans programs,
Provide various scholarship opportunities and community investment grants,
Financial support for equipment budgets for local emergency response agencies,
Shop With A Cop,
Habitat for Humanity,
Clay County Humane Society,
Support of the annual Red Ribbon Week drug awareness campaign,
Allowed use of their facility by other lodges and service groups like 100 Women Who Care and 100 Guys Who Give among others, and
The Elks contribute to cancer research by funding the research programs at IU Simon Cancer Center and the Purdue University Cancer Research Center. The Elks have also supported cerebral palsy with a contribution to the CP organization in Terre Haute, who helped build living quarters for homeless veterans.
They organize the annual Hoop Shoot event in the Clay Community School Corporation, with more than 1,600 students participating this past December.
The lodge also has a strong partnership with the Air National Guard 181st Intelligence Wing stationed at Hulman Field in Terre Haute, providing lunch for the soldiers returning from their annual training exercises, Christmas parties for the soldiers and their families and support other on-base programs that support military personnel.
To learn more about Brazil Elks Lodge 762 activities and fundraisers, call 812-448-8665, or stop by the lodge located at 19 South Sherfey Street, Brazil, 4-10 p.m. daily.