Elks Lodge distributes $19,000 in grants to community programs

Wrangell Elks Lodge No. 1595 received $19,000 in state and national Elks funds which the lodge has distributed to four separate community programs.

The grant funds were distributed to the school wrestling program, Senior Center, Parks and Recreation’s youth swim program, and for grocery gift cards for veterans and their families.

The checks — and burgers — were presented at the Elks Club weekly burger night Thursday, Feb. 13.

“The Wrangell Elks Lodge is proud to support these programs and more in our community,” said Dawn Angerman, a lodge trustee and grants coordinator.

The Wrangell lodge has almost 450 members on its books. Though many no longer live in town, they continue to contribute to the club’s programs.

“For more information on how to become a member of one of the premier charitable organizations in the nation, contact a local Elks member, stop at the club or visit Elks.org to request a membership application,” Angerman said.

Members select each year’s grant recipients, collecting ideas during the year and then deciding at a lodge meeting, she explained.

The Wrangell lodge received $10,000 from the Alaska State Elks Association HELP (Hometown Elks Local Projects) grant program, and $9,000 from two different Elks national grant funds.

The $10,000 in funds from the state Elks is the most ever for Wrangell, Angerman said.

The lodge directed the state program’s money to the Wrangell wrestling program to buy mats that will improve a larger practice room for young wrestlers, she said.

The lodge directed $3,000 in Elks National Foundation grant funds to the American Legion to distribute grocery gift cards to veterans and their families.

Angerman reported that a total of $6,000 from the national Elks Beacon/Spotlight grant fund went to the Parks and Rec youth swim program ($3,000) for swim instructor fees, safety equipment, scholarships to cover facility user fees and program promotion; and to the Senior Center ($3,000) for new kitchen supplies and equipment, gift cards to buy fuel for the senior rides van and gift cards to buy groceries for senior meals.