Becoming A Member of the BPOE #75
To be eligible for membership in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, you must be a citizen of the United States over the age of 21 who believes in the existence of God.
You must be sponsored by a member of the Findlay Elks. You also need two other Elks, also in good standing, who will be your co-sponsors. The membership application can be obtained by visiting the Lodge or downloaded.
After your proposer fills in the required portion, you will be given the Application for Membership. Fill it in, following the instructions and answering all questions. Return the completed application to the Lodge with the Application Fee.
Your application will be read at a regular Lodge meeting. It will then be forwarded to the Investigating Committee, that will conduct a background check. When that background check comes back, your membership will be voted on in Lodge. When the members approve you as a member, you will be asked to come to an indoctrination session. This session is typically on a Wednesday evening and includes a complimentary dinner for you, your spouse and your sponsor. At the indoc, you will learn about some of the details of the Elks on a national, state and local level. You will also get a tour of the building.
The next evening, you will come back to the Lodge for initiation. Once you have been initiated and paid the remaining fees and dues, you will be a full member of the Elks with all rights and privileges. The Secretary will tell you what the remaining fees and dues are.
After initiation as an Elk, you can take part in all meetings and social functions of the Lodge.
If for any reason your application is rejected, you cannot make application for membership for six months from the date of rejection. If you are approved for membership, you will have up to three invitations for indoctrination before you will have to reapply for membership.