Volunteer Information and Schedules

Lodge Year 2022-2023

The Home Association was organized by the Lodge Trustees and Lodge Members to give all persons an equal share in ownership. With ownership being not only in the grounds, facilities and all its contents but also in its maintenance and operating cost. The Home Association Trustees are installed and entrusted with providing a place for the lodge to meet and the power to oversee the maintenance and care and budgeting for those purposes.

(Contact the Home Association)

ELKS HOME ASSOCIATION SPRING 2022 UPDATE

The Home Association (HA) completed another obligation of the loan forgiveness contract, the installation of the memorial rock and bronze plaque honoring Roy and Katy Schwinn. Roy provided $150,000 of the $200,000 in total financing needed to open the new lounge in 2019. Upon Roy’s passing, his will provided that $100,000 of the loan be forgiven. As such, the Elks owes less than $100,000 on the new building and has a manageable loan payment of under $700 per month. Roy’s will stipulated that a memorial honoring both Roy and Katy be erected, and we are honored to comply. The large rock with plaque is located in the southwest corner near the building entrance and completes our landscaping project. Another element of the landscaping is the etched brick memory court, located just left of the front entrance. The court can accommodate several more memorials and they remain available for purchase.

The HA annual budget was approved in lodge in April. The budget remains nearly unchanged except for two-line items. The monthly loan payment is now included. Prior to 2022-2023 the loan obligation had been funded outside the budget by special event revenue. Loan inclusion in the budget was the direction set by HA trustees. Secondly, the only budget line item of concern is natural gas expense. The HA reappropriated some money to accommodate expected increases, but current gas prices render it uncertain. Aside from the loan payment inclusion, the total budget figure has not changed in three years.

The HA has made some recent purchases of note. And there have been several maintenance expenses including upkeep on the John Deere tractor. The large stainless-steel cooler in the lounge died and the HA replaced it with a new 3-door costing $4,800. The HA also purchased a refurbished cash register for the Bar & Grill ($400) plus two octagon 8-person picnic tables for the back patio and a stainless corner sink for future use ($750 for all. In addition, there have been storm damage expenses totaling several hundred. The trees by the beer hut took a beating and the one to the north is a loss. Removal will be a fall project. The other pending fall project is a new roof on the pool maintenance building. Pool operations are now self-sustaining and warrant the upkeep.

Regarding taxes and insurance, the property insurance on all buildings and free-standing structures has been renewed. And thanks to the efforts of lodge Secretary Jenson, the lodge received a property tax rebate of $8,400 from the auditor’s office and future tax obligations should remain reduced. The HA also paid for half of a trustees/officer’s liability policy. This is very important considering the use of the swimming pool and banquet hall.

Also, the HA granted an easement to AEP for the installation and future maintenance of large power poles and lines along Melrose Avenue adjoining the Elks south property line. Actual installation is not on Elk’s property but runs outside of the banquet hall wall. The easement allows for the use of ten feet on the Elks side for bucket trucks. There is a stipulation that drives remain unblocked. The project is staked, and AEP paid the lodge $2,500 for the rights.

The future cooler room, a.k.a. kitchenette, remains in early planning stage. Building requirements are being investigated and we await preliminary drawings. Barring some major breakage, the financial trajectory is looking favorable for the construction of the cooler room in the foreseeable future.

At the last HA meeting, three trustees were nominated and then elected in lodge. Brian Logsdon and Jeff Schimmoeller both completed their terms and opted not to run again. Tom Vanderhof and Wes Russell were elected to 3-year terms, as was Denise Heilman who had been appointed to the remainder of Jason Reimschussel’s term as HA Secretary/Treasurer. Dan Scherf opted out with one year remaining. We thank Brian, Jeff and Dan for their contributions as trustees. Completing the 9-person board is Pat McCaffrey, appointed to the remaining year of Dan’s term and approved at lodge. Patrick, like Tom and Wes, is a good addition as he has been working on several improvements in the pool and Tiki bar area. All current HA officers were re-elected for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

– Home Association Trustees

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Attention Elks members, pool members and guests;

as of April 1, 2019 an additional fee for online credit card charges will be added to your purchase. If you would like to avoid these charges you may stop in our lounge and pay with cash or check. If you pay with a credit card in the lounge you will still incur this fee as it is processed online.

In addition, when using your credit or debit card in the lounge, a minimum purchase of food or drinks must total $10.00. These purchases WILL NOT incur the additional fee.

We are sorry that we have to add these added charges and rules but our processing fees have risen.

The Elks is a fraternal organization, open to both men and women, that does community service projects, especially those concerning veterans or youth.  Here is a listing of some of our recent projects.

Youth Programs

• STUDENT OF THE MONTH: High school seniors, proposed by local high school Guidance Counselors, are invited to our Lodge for recognition of being “Student of the Month”. There are 10-15 Students a month honored. Students of the Year are then honored in May.
• STUDENT OF THE YEAR: In May the Students of the Month are Evaluated and the top Students are selected as our ”Students of the Year” and again invited to our Lodge and receive recognition and a cash award.
• ELKS SOCCER SHOOT: Kids of all ages Participate and the winners advance to the District Shoot Out.
  The Soccer Shoot is Mid May and the 1ST Sat. in June.
• ELKS HOOP SHOOT: Kids of all ages participate and winners advance on to the Region tournament.
• AMERICANISM:  We had 191 5th through 8th grade student entries in the Americanism Contest.
• SCHOLARSHIPS:  The Elks offer many scholarships at two levels.  At the national level there is the Most Valuable Student (MVS and Legacy).  At the Lodge Level, there are Elks scholarships, college scholarships and technical scholarships. 
• YOUTH CHARITABLE DONATIONS:
  1. Granted $1000 to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
  2. Granted $500 to Special Kids Therapy.

Veterans

• Granted $650 to the Hancock County Veterans Services to give 130 five dollar food certificates to Hancock County Veterans at the Hancock County Fair.
• Hosted the Hancock County Veterans Services Resource Fair.  240 Veterans attended this fair that has numerous vendors giving information for Veterans needing help in their life.
• In coordination with our Flag Day Ceremonies, we invited all veterans and their families to a free dinner in our banquet hall on Flag Day. Over 150 veterans and their families enjoyed the dinner. Special Occasions catered the meal.
• Your lodge raised $3,050 to host the Re-Creation Variety Show of a traveling group singing and dancing and celebrating Veterans. • 427 Veterans, Police, Fire, and Elks attended the show free of charge.
• Awarded a $2,000 Freedom Grant to the Hancock County Honor Flight for a fundraiser;  More than $6,000.00 was raised overall.
• Donated $210 to Veterans attending the Hancock County Fair for free Food Vouchers at the fair.
• Findlay Lodge #75 participated in the Veterans Day Parade
• Last year we partnered with the Hancock County Veterans Office and The Concerned Veterans of America to serve 200 Christmas Dinners to Veterans and their families.  Santa Claus presented Gift bags to the Children.  Santa Claus (J.D.Owens) also gave a concert to them.  Scheduled for December 14 this year.
• Through donations and raffles, we donated $2,250 to Adopt Nine(9) Veterans to Christmas shop with an Elk member for shopping for food, clothing, shoes, and sundry items.  We are now in the process of raising funds for this year and our goal is to adopt 15 Veterans at $250 per family. $3,750 total and we have raised $1,534 so far!!
• Teaming with the Hancock Co. Veterans Office and the Disabled American Veterans (D.A.V.), we were able to give 10 new bicycles to local Veterans Children on Christmas Eve.
•  

Elks Programs

• STATE MAJOR PROJECTS:
  1. Findlay Lodge #75 met our per capita of $4.00 for over $2,000.00 to our state project-“Cerebral Palsy” for 2015/16.
  2. Granted $500 to Blanchard Valley Cerebral Palsy.
• ELKS NATIONAL FOUNDATION:
  1. Hoop Shoot Program
     The Elks have been developing gritty kids through the Hoop Shoot program for nearly 50 years. For 2020-21, the Elks National Foundation allocated $1.2 million to fund the program. For videos, news from the court, and more information about the Hoop Shoot, visit elks.org/hoopshoot.
  2. Drug Awareness Program
     Through the Elks National Drug Awareness Program, youth learn the importance of making healthy choices. For 2020-21, the Elks National Foundation allocated $1 million to fund the Drug Awareness Program, which includes a nationwide speaking tour. For more information, visit elks.org/dap.
  3. Veterans Service Commission
     The Elks National Foundation ensures our veterans are never forgotten. In 2020-21, the ENF granted $3.6 million to meet the needs of veterans through the Elks National Veterans Service Commission, including $1.3 million to help end veteran homelessness. For more information about the Veterans Service
     Commission, visit elks.org/vets.
  4. Elks National Foundation Lodge Grants
     The Elks National Foundation allocated $14.6 million this year to fund the Community Investments Program. Lodges meet local needs through grants that offer Elks opportunities to serve their community in ways that will raise the Lodge’s profile, energize the membership, encourage former members to return to the fold, and gain the notice of people who want to be part of an organization that’s doing great things. To learn more about the Community Investments Program, please visit elks.org/CIP.
  5. State Grants
     In 2020-21, the Elks National Foundation will grant $10.1 million to state Elks associations. These grants help fund each state’s major charitable projects. To find out how the ENF is helping your state, visit enf.elks.org/YourState.
  6. Scholarships
     In 2020-21, the Elks National Foundation will award $4.6 million in college scholarships, ensuring a bright future for our nation’s youth. As important members of the Elks family, Elks scholars have many social and service opportunities to connect with the Elks and one another. For more information about our scholarship programs, and for ways Lodges can get involved with Elks scholars, visit elks.org/scholars.

Other Initiatives

• Granted $2775 to the Findlay Back Yard Mission Trip to help with 240 projects city- and county-wide helping our neighbors who are unable to do necessary repairs/cleanup etc. There were twenty (20) Elks members working on this great project installing a garage door and handicap ramp, cleaning a property, landscaping and resetting pavers.
• Granted $500 to the Red Cross for their Military Bash.
• Granted $400 to the Hope House and $300 to the Family Resource Center
• Donated to Women’s Resource Center for $600, CASA/GAL(Court Appointed Special Advocates for children) $1,000, Flag City Champions $500
• Granted $500 to the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership to support their Rain Barrel Project.
• We are again planning on donating to the Findlay Police Dept. “Shop with a Cop” Christmas shopping for area children
• In January, we again plan to hold a Winter Beach & Band Bash; all proceeds raised charitable donations

IF YOU HAVEN’T KEPT COUNT; THE ABOVE EVENTS AND PROJECTS LED TO

GRANTS & DONATIONS AMOUNTING TO OVER  $30,000  OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 

NOT INCLUDING THE TIME AND INVOLVEMENT OF

 FINDLAY LODGE #75 MEMBERS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!