by Bill Richards
Secretary, Sheboygan Elks

THE ADOPT-A-FAMILY COMMITTEE, left to right: Alan Kupsch, Connie Kupsch, Tom Mulvaney, Maria Mulvaney, Rev. Greg Whelton, Holly Gerritson, Randall Gerritson, Kristin Kamin, Donald Kamin. — Submitted photo

While many organizations have tempered their activities in the past year due to COVID, that’s not the case at Sheboygan Elks Lodge #299.

Led by our Exalted Ruler (President) Tim Cook, we’ve primarily focused on assisting families in the area.

We recently completed our Adopt-A-Family program. We assisted 45 families, including 124 children, through the generosity of our membership. With an Elks Foundation Grant, we were able to raise over $18,000, which allowed us to supply each family with food baskets, a hot meal for the family, gift cards from various stores, and age-appropriate gift bags for the children. With $1500 remaining, we lent assistance to the Sheboygan County Food Pantry.

Beginning in early April, we donated $1,500 to the Fire Department, to assist in providing literature for elementary students. We also partnered with Culver’s to provide $3,000 in gift cards for firemen, policemen, and first responders.

In June, with a $3,000 Elks Foundation Grant, we gave $750 each to St. John’s UCC Food Pantry, Safe Harbor, SCIO, and Sheboygan County Food Pantry. In total, the Sheboygan County Pantry received over $4400 last year.

A #299 sub-committee, the Gridiron Committee, hosts an Annual Banquet to honor student-athletes in all sports from area high schools. The Gridiron Committee has given $135,000 to local sports organizations, and $330,000 in scholarships. They were recognized last April by the Lakeshore Community Foundation and recently were named the Sheboygan A’a Sponsor of the Year.

In September, #299 purchased $2,400 worth of adaptive furniture for James Madison School. This is an annual project, assisting those elementary students with cognitive or physical handicaps.

Sheboygan Elks Lodge #299 currently has 550 Members, 60 of which are women. We’re always looking for additional members, to further our mission.