The Estevan Elks Club marked 85 years of service to the community in fine style Saturday night with a celebration in their own lodge located on 13th Avenue.
About 200 people joined in the event that featured a short address by the Grand Exalted Ruler of Canada, David Hurley from Yellowknife, N.W.T.
Greetings were also brought to the podium by the Elks provincial president Fred Webber and District Deputy Kal Nankivell.
MLA Doreen Eagles brought greetings to the occasion from the provincial government while Deputy Mayor Dennis Moore spoke on behalf of the City.
Dean Chow served as emcee for the evening's program that included the presentation of long service awards by Art Dougherty, exalted ruler of the Estevan Elks Club, who also spoke briefly in a welcoming address to the guests who had joined the Elks members for the special evening.
It was pointed out during the course of the evening that Estevan can now boast of having the largest Elks club in the province. Chow said that this wasn't attained by accident.
"We had to make a commitment. The club had really been struggling for a number of years," he said. That included some discussion regarding the possible closure of the lodge, lounge and the upstairs hall.
"This club has had some rough years, but you got it back on track," said Moore. "This is the Elks Club we've known for many years, the one associated with generosity, service and generally giving back to the community."
Hurley, in speaking to the audience, noted that he was first attracted to the Elks movement about 25 years ago and it was for the simple reason that "their lounge stayed open until two in the morning."
That brought a round of laughter; however Hurley said it was the motivating factor back then, but it certainly wasn't the motivating factor that kept him in the fold. He later told The Mercury, he stayed involved and then even allowed himself to get wrapped up in the territorial and Canadian movement because, "we can help people in despair and I can be a pretty emotional guy. I served as the club manager in Yellowknife for a number of years and when I saw what we could do to help people who really needed help, I was convinced."
Dougherty said that commitment to help others is definitely one that resonates with the local lodge.
Eagles said "you've been there all these years, giving and volunteering."
Dougherty and Chow said in a later interview that the local club has rebounded from the near dissolution edge to a point where they now enjoy a membership in excess of 170 and "most of those are active members," said Chow.
He and Dougherty said that the commitment began for some of the newcomers through a lounge membership that later transcribed to being a full lodge member, willing to wear regalia and participate in the club rituals as well as community service.
Chow noted that with the dissolution of the Weyburn Elks Club, there will probably be a half-dozen members from that group willing to join the Estevan Lodge, which will once again augment the effort and expand the community which they'll serve.
"The house and promotions committee was the group that got the membership drive going and we picked up between 40 and 50 new members in the last two years," Chow added.
"Now every project we have, there seems to be a good show of active members willing to help out," he added.
The new group includes 10 female members. There is also the accompanying female arm, the Royal Purple.
"We can always do better. The lounge makes a profit now, but as a fraternal organization we're obligated to give back to the community. We can't keep it here for a lot of maintenance or rebuilding, but we're building a surplus once again, so we can free up more money that can be donated to the community," said Chow.
"We give to the Army Cadets annually, we look at a number of applicants who come to us for health care needs, hearing impaired needs and so on," said Dougherty.
Playgrounds and school programs also received money and volunteer help from the Elks in recent years.
"We rarely have to turn people down," said Chow.
"We'll continue on this path of increasing membership. We'll bring in more projects to increase the action around here with more fundraising efforts so we can get more dollars to put back into the community," said Dougherty, who said the lodge and hall are currently in pretty good condition, but replacements and renovations are continually needed. The lounge was recently redone to benefit members and visitors.
"In two years, Elks will be celebrating 100 years in Canada and you'll have been with us for 87 of those years," said Hurley, 57, who has been an Elk for 25 years now and had been on the road for the past 84 consecutive days making official visits to lodges during his one-year term as Canadian leader.
He said some lodges are on the cusp of having to close, while others, like Estevan's are in revival mode.
" I went in as lodge manager in 1997 and it's the best job I've ever had," said the former teacher and sport administrator who has resided in Yellowknife since 1975.
"I got to work with people who were helping people and yes, I got emotionally attached because there is no better job than one where you are helping people," Hurley said.
"I understand this lodge was hurting a few years ago, now they're attracting all kinds of new members, including some couples. Whatever works for you, that's the way to go," he said.
"We help people in despair, nothing more, nothing less," he said.
"The theme for this year is together, because I realized a long time ago that you can only do small things alone, but you don't join groups so you can be alone, you join so you can be a part of a group, so I advocate three things; The first thing is to work together to do great things. The second thing I advocate is to have fun at it. If you don't, why are you here? The third thing is to be proud of what you do and be proud of being an Elk and proud of what you do in your community."
Plaques commemorating the 85th anniversary were presented to Dougherty by Irene Weinrauch on behalf of the Royal Purple, Webber from the provincial Elks and Hurley on behalf of the Canadian Elks clubs. The local club also donated $1,000 to the Canadian Children's Fund.
Dougherty later thanked Chow and the many volunteers who put the event together, allowing it to reach a successful conclusion.
The evening wrapped up with a dance which included an 11 p.m. service and modified ritual that included the Sign of Fidelity as the club paid tribute to those departed and renewed their bonds of fraternal service.
