On Sept. 12, the newly installed National Leader/Grand Exalted Ruler of the Elks organization, Derek Barkley, paid a visit to the Elkhorn Elks Lodge #381. It was his first stop on a journey to lodges throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The evening began with a meet and greet and barbecue supper. Following supper, a formal meeting was held with Wanda Rhodes, Exalted Ruler of the Elkhorn Lodge, conducting the meeting.
Barkley had the opportunity to address the members in attendance. In his remarks, he touched on issues such as declining membership and spoke on the difficulty of attracting new members.
He encouraged Elks to work on building the membership base by hosting events or awareness nights to make the public aware of what the Elks do in the community. He also addressed the topic of revenue and alternative ways to raise funds.
Barkley thanked the Elkhorn Lodge for their contributions to the national charity, Fund for Children, which provides financial assistance for medical needs of children with hearing and speech disorders.
Following the meeting, a social time was held. Rhodes was pleased with the turnout for the meeting and was impressed that Barkley made Elkhorn his first stop and expressed pride for the work that the Elks do in the community.
