Elks give holiday dinners to those in need
The Butler Elks No. 170 held a Christmas Dinner Giveaway on Saturday morning, Dec. 21, at their lodge located on Kaufman Drive, but it almost didn’t happen.
The group offered 100 dinners, including a ham and a $25 Giant Eagle gift card, to local families who needed a little help this holiday season.
“We’ve been doing turkey giveaways for five years now,” said Elks Exalted Ruler Gary S. Martin. “But we decided, everybody has been giving turkeys away for years, why not give a Christmas dinner?”
The giveaway almost didn’t take place after the Elks were notified on Wednesday before that the hams that they had ordered were not going to arrive.
“We thought we had 100 hams and found out we didn’t have any,” said Martin.
That didn’t stop them. Martin, along with his brother-in-law Lou Collins spent more than six hours on that very rainy day buying the hams they needed at different locations throughout the area.
“We spent all day running from grocery store to grocery store, loading hams into the back of my car. Lou told me that people are probably wondering what we’re doing with these buggies of hams,” said Martin.
At their last stop, they found out what one woman thought.
“Lou told me a lady said that she didn’t know what we were doing with the hams, but she sure knew it was good,” said Martin with a smile.
The planning for the event didn’t start until after the Thanksgiving holiday, which is why rather than providing side dishes, gift cards were provided.
“This way, they get to pick out what they need to finish their dinner,” said Martin.
The lodge’s 2024 turkey dinner giveaway was funded with a grant through their own Elks National Foundation, provided by dues paid by members. This year they had a small amount left, but not nearly enough to cover the cost of the ham giveaway, but they found a way to make it work.
“It will probably be at least two to three thousand dollars out of our own money,” said Martin.
The locals who got the chance to pick up a ham dinner were grateful for the assistance.
“It means a great deal,” said Michael Hemphill of Slippery Rock, who stopped to get a ham dinner for both his and his sister’s family. “It helps a lot, especially during the holidays.”
“We always choose to help our community. Some people just don’t have enough. And that what the Elks does. We give back to the communities we call home,” said Martin.
More information on the Butler Elks #170 and other local charters can be found at www.elks.org.
