The Elks Lodge is expanding its food service and hours of operation this fall, making its dining room more available after a fire destroyed the Marine Bar and Hungry Beaver Restaurant.

Dawn Angerman, exalted ruler of the Elks Lodge, said the fraternal nonprofit is working to expand its menu with items like fish and chips, a four-piece chicken meal with french fries, and mozzarella sticks.

The club went to seven-day-a-week operations starting Oct. 18, an increase from its previous limited days of Friday burger nights and Saturday steak nights and occasional special-event nights.

The club is also adding Sunday lunches, opening at noon so patrons can eat lunch, bowl and watch televised football games.

“We hate to profit from somebody else’s tragic loss, you know, but it kind of is what it is,” Angerman said.

She noted that the lodge normally ramps up operations during the fall season because of league bowling.

Because the Elks operates as a private club under its liquor license, she said food and beverage sales are legally restricted to members who are current in their dues and their signed-in guests. There is no set limit on how many guests a member may sign in at one time, though she explained that members are discouraged from repeatedly signing in the same nonmember without that guest seeking membership.

Angerman said October and January are months when former members can reinstate a lapsed membership for a $1 fee, plus prorated dues. New applicants need a member to propose they join and two references to complete the application process.

According to Angerman, interest in membership grew immediately after the fire.

“Matter of fact, the very first week after the fire, we had two members that came in and filled out a reinstatement application,” she said.

She said the nonprofit club uses its revenue after paying building operating and maintenance costs to support veterans activities, youth programs, Special Olympics and senior citizens.

The organization relies heavily on member volunteers to handle maintenance, groundskeeping, food preparation and freight in order to keep operating costs low.

“The Elks Lodge has been in Wrangell for many, many years, and just like every other business, you know, all the costs have gone up, and we’re struggling to pay our bills just like everybody else,” Angerman said. “What keeps us going is people paying their dues and people coming in for our functions, and so we would love to grow our membership.”

She added that the lodge plans to hold an open house membership drive to allow the public to tour the facility and view the two-lane bowling alley.

Anyone interested in joining the Elks can stop by the club to pick up an application or call 907-874-3716.