Elks care, Elks share
The phrase Elks care, Elks share, couldn’t be more appropriate for the event that took place at the Elks Lodge in Wooster Tuesday, Dec. 15. The group donated $36,000 to various charitable organizations, making a direct impact on some of the most vulnerable members of the community.“This is our sixth year of doing this; we are now over a half million dollars. Tonight actually puts us at $522,000 and change that the Elks Lodge of Wooster has given back to the community… I’m sure the public really appreciates what we do as well,” said Andy Catanzarite, treasurer of the Elks.
The group raised money via bingo for their own funds and for the charitable funds throughout the year. And while they are down in their donations from previous years, they are still thankful they could return something to the community. The Elks had to fine-tune the recipients of their funds this year; honing in on their mission to serve youth and veterans. When there is an excess of funds, however, they are happy to give to more organizations.
“It’s nice to be able to give back to the community. It’s for the community to know that we are here, and that we are involved with the community. We’re not just a social organization, but we are a community organization,” Catanzarite continued.
Though not all were in attendance, the organizations they gave to this year were Boy Scouts, Cerebral Palsy Fund, People to People Ministries, the Chuck Cicconetti Scholarship, Elks National Foundation, Ida Sue School, Hilltop Villa Veterans Home, Kidney Foundation of Wooster, National MPS (Mucopolysaccharide) Society, Salvation Army, The Village Network, Shriners Crippled Children’s Hospital, Wayne County Committee for Crippled Children and Adults, Wooster Youth Baseball, Wooster Youth Football Association, Wooster Soccer Association, Wooster Lacrosse Club, Wooster Emblem Club, Field of Dreams, Shrine Transportation Fund, Community Action, Rett Syndrome, Wayne County Children Services, Camp Nuhop, Farmers and Hunter Feeding the Hungry and drug awareness.
“CP (cerebral palsy) is our state Elk’s Fund. It’s the key fundraiser for the Ohio Elks,” Catanzarite added. The Wayne County Committee for Crippled Children and Adults as well as the Elks National Foundation are very important causes for the Elks.
Though their mission is pretty direct, they were able to disperse their money to a wide range of causes, envisioning the community holistically rather than in a single-minded fashion. Furthermore, Catanzarite explained, hopefully when the economy picks back up, so will their donations.
“That’s what the Elks has always been founded on,” Catanzarite said, about their charitable initiatives. “The Elks is a very patriotic organization. The flag is always first next to our altar; that’s where the veterans come into play. As Elks, we enjoy giving back to the community.”