Will benefit needy in community

Ironton Elks Lodge 177 made a donation of $1,500 to the Ironton City Mission for the purpose of assisting with its mission of serving the community’s needy and homeless population.

“We operate a full-time Mission to help those who are in need in our community with the motto of ‘The Door of Hope to the Unfortunate.’ Although we are helping people all year long, we are best known for the free Thanksgiving Day dinner that is given to hundreds each year and for helping with Christmas food and toys,” Jeff Cremeans, pastor of the Ironton City Mission Church, said. “Every year, hundreds of families are given food and over 1,000 children are given toys. This is made possible by the generosity of individuals, churches, schools and civic groups, like the Elks, who share our vision of helping others.”

Brad Washburn, exalted ruler of the Ironton Elks Lodge, said the Elks are all about giving back to the community.

“One Elks saying is ‘The Elks care! The Elks share!’ We were able to put this into practice,” he said. “We appreciate their role in helping in our community. We too always look forward to giving back to our community.”

The Elks Fraternal Order was founded “to promote and practice the four cardinal virtues of charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its members; and to quicken the spirit of American Patriotism and cultivate good fellowship.”

As a whole, the organization spends more than $80,000,000 annually for benevolent, educational and patriotic community-minded programs in fields such as benefitting special needs children, sponsoring Elks National Foundation scholarships, scouting, athletic teams, veterans’ works and more.

There are more than 2,000 Elks Lodges nationwide with more than 900,000 members.

The Ironton Elks are always looking for new, community-minded members. To learn more, contact elks177@gmail.com, call 740-532-1262 after 3 p.m. or visit www.elks.org.