Five Moose Jaw high school graduates have received financial support from the Elks Lodge No. 7 that will go toward their future education or career aspirations.
The 106-year-old Moose Jaw Elks organization provided the scholarships to the students during their graduation ceremonies last June, but the organization made the announcement recently about who received the scholarships, along with the prestigious Trudie Temple Scholarship.
Josh Reidy from Central Collegiate Institute and Myriam Levesque from Vanier Collegiate Institute each received $750. At A.E. Peacock Collegiate, students Megan MacDonald and Kassandra Loucks tied for the highest mark in their graduating class and split the $750 scholarship.
Avery Garner from Central Collegiate received the Trudie Temple Scholarship and $750.
In total, the Elks handed out $3,000 in scholarships. Due to the success of the Elks’ fundraising this past year, the scholarships were increased to $750 from $500.
“We thought (giving out the scholarships) would be a good thing to do to support the youths in the community,” said Harold Claffey, the Elks’ publicity director. “We’ve been doing it for (more than 40 years).”
It’s important to give out scholarships since the club likes to be community-minded and enjoys giving students a boost financially, Claffey continued. While a university education is important, Claffey noted the recipients can use the money however they wish: for university, college, or to enter the workforce.
Being able to give more money is encouraging since it shows the Elks’ fundraising efforts have been successful, he said. The group is providing service to the community while also giving back in a meaningful way.
For example, the Elks held a variety of events this past year to raise funds. This included catering barbecues, a chili challenge, weekly meat draws from September to June in the Legion lounge, and raffles.
The Elks also operated two large concession stands this summer, including one day at ParkArt on July 1 and two days during the air show. Across the three days, the club sold 1,080 bottles of water, 1,900 hamburgers, and plenty of hot dogs, pop, corn on the cob, and popcorn.
Besides scholarships, money raised also supports initiatives at the community, provincial and national level, including the Elks and Royal Purple National Fund for Children, which provides cochlear hearing implants. Last year the Moose Jaw Elks gave out more than $20,000 in donations.
“It’s nice to be able to up the scholarships,” Claffey said, “because the amount doesn’t go as far as it used to. Inflation keeps on apace and to be able to increase the scholarships makes it more meaningful and gives a better boost to the students.”
The Moose Jaw Elks club is currently thriving and doing well, and while it has many members, it could always use more help, said Claffey. The club regularly donates to community organizations such as Hunger in Moose Jaw and Transition House. It also enters a low-end tree into the Festival of Trees every year so people and businesses don’t have to spend thousands of dollars bidding on it.
Residents should join the Elks so they can give back to the community, have something to do, make friends and help with various health projects including children’s hearing initiatives, he added. The club also hosts several sports tournaments every year, including bowling, golf and darts, plus a walkathon for children’s hearing. The public is always welcome to participate.
For more information visit moosejawelks.com or the lodge’s Facebook page.
