South Dakota charities received donations of $85,000 last year from the Elks National Foundation (ENF).
Money dispersed from the ENF were made as grants to the South Dakota Elks Lodges. The South Dakota Elks Association made donations of $35,000 to Lifescape and $25,000 to the Children’s Home Society.
Harlan Huetson of Yankton Lodge No. 994 reported to the S.D. Elks Association at the recent state convention that the ENF had also provided $12,000 in college and vocational scholarships, and $8,000 Elks Legacy scholarships, eligible to children or grandchildren of Elks members.
Money provided by the ENF for scholarships are exceeded only by those issued by the federal government.
Veteran’s service programs in S.D. also received $9,000 from the ENF.
This Elks Charitable endeavor also sponsors the DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) programs and the Elks Hoop Shoot open to boys and girls ages 9 to 13.
Each Lodge holds a Hoop Shoot with the winners progressing through the state and regional competitions to reach the national competition.
Huetson reported that Elks in S.D. donated $33,000 to ENF last year. Only the interest from this endowment is spent for ENF charitable endeavors.
Last year the 10 S.D. Lodges received $85,000 in return from the ENF, a return of $2.56 on each dollar donated.
Huetson said, “Last year the Elks all over America donated $7 million to the ENF and received $36.9 million in return from the ENF.”
Elks Lodges must meet a per capita goal each year in order to apply for specific grants from the ENF.
The Huron Lodge has met this requirement for the last several years. Last year they received $2,500 to host the Veterans, Disabled and Elderly picnic held in Campbell Park, $2,000 for Operation Warm to provide local children with new winter coats and books and $2,000 to People’s Transit.
The Huron Elks Lodge No. 444 is looking forward to continued support to our local communities for years to come.
