Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City. The fraternity currently focuses on Community, Friendship and Charity.

Membership requirements
Candidates must be as follows:
 * A citizen of the United States of America who will pledge allegiance to and salute our Flag.
 * Over age of 21.
 * A believer in 'God'. A candidate will never be asked to define or qualify their belief.
 * Of good character.
 * Neither directly or indirectly participating in the activities of any group or organization, supporting or adhering to beliefs or tenets advocating the overthrow of the Government of the United States or any political subdivisions by force or violence.

Headquarters
The Elks' national headquarters are located in Chicago at the Elks National Veterans Memorial and Headquarters, overlooking Lincoln Park, near Lake Michigan. This building was originally conceived as a memorial to the nearly 1,000 Elk brothers who were lost in World War I. The cornerstone was laid July 7, 1924, and the building was officially dedicated on July 14, 1926.

The rotunda displays murals and statues illustrating the Elks' four cardinal virtues: charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity. The friezes depict the "Triumphs of War" on one side and "Triumphs of Peace" on the other. The entrance is flanked by large bronze elks.

Grand Lodge
The BPOE is organized on the national or "grand" level and the local lodge level. The Grand Lodge, which meets in convention annually. Grand Lodge members nominate and elect the following officers: The three Knights assist the Grand Exalted Ruler and officiate in his absence; furthermore, the Grand Esteemed Loyal Knight acts a prosecutor in cases when an Elk is accused of an offense against the order. The Grand Trustee have general authority over assets and property owned by the order. The Grand Esquire is appointed by the Grand Exalted Ruler and organizes the Grand Lodges and serves as marshal of Elks parades. The Grand Tiler, Grand Inner Guard, and Grand Chaplain is also appointed by the Grand Exalted Ruler.
 * Grand Exalted Ruler—Similar to chief executive officer of an organization
 * Grand Secretary
 * Grand Esteemed Leading Knight
 * Grand Esteemed Loyal Knight
 * Grand Esteemed Lecturing Knight
 * Grand Treasurer
 * Grand Trustees

Elks Magazine is published 10 times a year and goes to all members.

Lodges
Lodges officers are essentially the same as the ones on the national level, with "Grand" prefix removed. Lodges also may establish dinner and recreational clubs for members. In 1979, there were 2,200 lodges. Lodges which are incorporated are required to be governed by a board of directors. Otherwise, the Lodge Trustees are the governing board.

Social quarters
Most Elks lodges operate a social quarters with a private bar. According to sociologists Alvin J. Schmidt and Nicholas Babchuk, members primarily joined the Elks to be "provided with entertainment, liquor, and food at reasonable rates" in the social quarters.

National charity programs
Lodges are encouraged to participate in national Elks charity programs. There are also State Elks Associations charity programs. This usually includes a State Major Project. Elks Lodges are usually involved in other local charitable efforts.

Due to the willingness of most Elks Lodges to respond to community needs and events, it has been internally common to turn the BPOE abbreviation into a backronym for "Best People on Earth".

Elks National Foundation
Established in 1928, the Elks National Foundation is the charitable arm of the BPOE. The foundation, with an endowment valued at more than $750 million, has contributed more than $500 million toward Elks' charitable projects nationwide. Since inception, the Elks have received more than $288.7 million in contributions and bequests. As of the close of the 2021 fiscal year, they boast more than 120,000 active donors and an endowment fund valued at $833.1 million.

Veteran services
The Elks pledge that "So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them."
 * Elks Veterans Memorial in Chicago, Illinois
 * The Army of Hope, established in 2003, primarily serves families of deployed service members.
 * Adopt-A-Veteran Program
 * Freedom Grants to serve veterans and/or military members in need of support or services.
 * Veterans Leather Program
 * Veterans Remembrance
 * Playing Cards for Veterans
 * Re-Creation USA

Youth programs

 * Most Valuable Student scholarships
 * Hoop Shoot (National free throw contest)
 * Drug Awareness
 * Soccer Shoot
 * Junior Golf Program
 * Dictionary Project
 * Youth Recognition

Americanism
The Elks have shown their devotion to Americanism by conducting bond drives, promoting civil defense programs, and Flag Day observances. During World War II, they designated the week of March 15, 1942, as "Win the War Week", and helped recruit for the United States Army Air Corps. An "Elks National Service Commission" was in operation from 1946 to 1950, and the Grand Lodge adopted a "Declaration of American Principles" in 1961 in Miami.

Rites and traditions


Initiation and funeral rites still exist, however. The initiation rite is not considered a secret. The initiation involves an altar, with a Bible upon it and chaplain leading the brethren in prayers and psalms. The candidate must accept a "solemn and binding obligation" to never "reveal any of the confidential matters of the Order". He further promises to uphold the Constitution of the United States, protect brother Elks and their families, only support worthy candidates for admission and never bring political or sectarian questions up into the Order. The funeral rite is called the "Lodge of Sorrow" and also involves prayers.

The Hour of Recollection
Deceased and otherwise absent lodge members are recalled each evening at 11 p.m. Chimes or sometimes a bell will be rung 11 times and the Lodge Esquire intones, "It is the Hour of Recollection." The Exalted Ruler or a member designated by him gives the 11 o'clock toast, of which this version is the most common: "You have heard the tolling of eleven strokes. This is to impress upon you that with us the hour of eleven has a tender significance. Wherever Elks may roam, whatever their lot in life may be, when this hour falls upon the dial of night, the great heart of Elkdom swells and throbs. It is the golden hour of recollection, the homecoming of those who wander, the mystic roll call of those who will come no more. Living or dead, Elks are never forgotten, never forsaken. Morning and noon may pass them by, the light of day sink heedlessly in the West, but ere the shadows of midnight shall fall, the chimes of memory will be pealing forth the friendly message: "To Our Absent Members.""

Memorial for "Absent Members"
The Lodge offers Funeral Services to members who pass. This usually is available upon request. Details for this ceremony can be found in the "Rituals of Special Services" manual. Many Lodges have a memorial in their building or in their Lodge room, dedicated to their absent members.

Communal burial
The Elks have communal cemetery plots, which are often marked with impressive statuary.

History
The Elks was established by actor Charles Algernon Sidney Vivian – a British expatriate and member of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes – in New York City on February 16, 1868. Organized as a club for minstrel show performers, the impetus for the group's founding was the death of a fellow actor to disease due to a paucity of funds for treatment and a desire to organize communal support for fellow actors in need.

Founded as the "Jolly Corks", by December of 1868 it had adopted the name Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

By 1890, 173 lodges had been established throughout the United States.

In 1976, the Elks had 1,611,139 members. As of June 2020, it claimed to have more than 750,000 members.

Elks Mutual Benefit Association
Like many other fraternal orders, the Elks at one point sponsored an insurance fund. The Elks Mutual Benefit Association (EMBA) was founded in 1878. At the 1885 Grand Lodge, it was reported that the EMBA was prosperous, but its finances were carelessly managed. The Association was disbanded after the 1907 Grand Lodge passed a resolution banning mutual or insurance features, as well as degrees and auxiliaries.

Elks National Home
The Elks National Home is a retirement home in Bedford, Virginia, built in 1916. In late 2013, the Elks sold the home to a private organization.

Origin of the Slogan "Hello Bill!"
The slogan "Hello Bill!" was coined during the Elks' National Re-Union in Minneapolis in 1897. William Goddard of Minneapolis Lodge No. 44 became known for this greeting as visiting Elks were frequently directed to him with phrases like "Go see Billy Goddard." This led to visitors greeting him with "Hello Bill!" The phrase quickly spread among attendees and became a lasting tradition within the Elks community.

The slogan was used as a personal greeting and welcoming elks to the different national re-unions. This can be seen in many historic photos.

Ritual
The Elks originally borrowed a number of rites, traditions, and regalia from the Freemasons. However, by the first decade of the twentieth century, much of this had been abandoned as the Elks sought to establish their own identity. The original two degrees required for membership were consolidated into one degree in 1890, the apron was discontinued in 1895, the secret password was gone in 1899, and the badges and secret handshake were abandoned by 1904.

Controversies
Throughout American history, many Elks lodges have been criticized for excluding African-Americans, Jews, Italians, women, atheists, and others from membership. The Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World was founded in 1897 due to the exclusion of African-Americans from the BPOE.

In 1919, a "Flag Day resolution" was passed, barring membership to even passive sympathizers of the Bolsheviks, Anarchists, the I.W.W., or kindred organizations, or who does not give undivided allegiance to" the flag and constitution of the United States.

In 1979, the qualifications for membership included being male, at least 21 years old, of sound mind and body, a citizen of the United States and not a member of the Communist Party.

Desegregation
In 1962, the Anti-Defamation League supported the decision by New York Elks Lodge No. 1 to eliminate their "Caucasians Only" membership criteria and expressed support for extending the BPOE's membership to other minority groups as well. A 1956 ADL study showed that nearly 15% of BPOE lodges in the survey excluded Jewish people from membership. Some lodges banned Jews from membership while other lodges made it difficult for Jews to become members.

In 1972, the Elks expelled the head of the Ridgewood lodge, Richard J. Zelenka, because of his advocacy against the Elks' discriminatory policies which limited membership to white men. By the following year, however, a resolution to repeal the discriminatory clause of the national constitution passed, desegregating the organization.

In Beynon v. St. George-Dixie Lodge 1743 (1993), the Utah Supreme Court ruled that while freedom of association allowed the Elks to remain a men-only organization, "the Elks may not avail itself of the benefits of a liquor license and the license's concomitant state regulation" as long as it violated the Utah State Civil Rights Act. Faced with losing their liquor licenses if they did not admit women, the Elks Lodges of Utah voted to become unisex in June 1993, which was followed by a vote at the Elks National Convention in July 1995 to remove the word "male" from the national membership requirements.

Athletes / Sports

 * Michael Badgley, Summit NJ Elks Lodge No. 1246
 * Jon Condo, Philipsburg PA Lodge No. 1173
 * Dan Feeney, Summit NJ Elks Lodge No. 1246
 * Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford, Queensborough NY Lodge No. 878
 * Will Fries, Cranford Lodge No. 2006
 * William Ray Guy, Hattiesburg MS Lodge No. 599
 * Bobby Jones, Atlanta-North Lake Lodge No. 78
 * Willie Keeler, Brooklyn, New York Lodge #22
 * King Kelly, Boston, Massachusetts Lodge #10
 * Al Leiter, Summit NJ Elks Lodge No. 1246
 * Vincent Thomas Lombardi, Green Bay Lodge #259
 * Nicholas Allan Mangold, Madison NJ Lodge No. 1465
 * Elisha Nelson Manning, Summit NJ Elks Lodge No. 1246
 * Knute Kenneth Rockne, South Bend Indiana Lodge No. 235
 * Babe Ruth, New York, New York Lodge #1
 * Francis Joseph "Spec" Shea, Naugatuck CT Lodge No. 967
 * Monty Anthony Stickles, San Francisco Lodge No. 3
 * William Harold Southworth, Kenton OH Lodge No. 157
 * Honus Wagner, Carnegie PA Lodge No. 831
 * Richard Anthony Weber, Florissant MO Lodge No. 2316

Presidents of the United States

 * Warren G. Harding, 29th president of the United States, Marion, Ohio #32
 * Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd president of the United States, Poughkeepsie, New York #275
 * Harry S. Truman, 33rd president of the United States, Kansas City, Missouri Lodge #26
 * Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States
 * John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States, Boston, Massachusetts Lodge #10
 * Gerald R. Ford, 38th president of the United States, Grand Rapids, Michigan Lodge #48

Vice Presidents of the United States

 * Alben W. Barkley, 35th vice president

Governors

 * Fred P. Cone, Florida (1937–1941)
 * David Sholtz, Governor Florida (1933–1937), Exalted Ruler of Florida.
 * William M. Tuck, Danville, Virginia, Lodge #227 Governor of Virginia (1946–1950)

Members of Congress

 * Richard E. Connell, United States Representative representing New York
 * Robert Leroy Ehrlich Jr., Towson MD Lodge No. 469
 * Barry Goldwater, United States Senator representing Arizona
 * Tom Kean Jr., Summit NJ Elks Lodge No. 1246
 * William Fife Knowland, Oakland Lodge No. 171
 * Warren Grant "Maggie" Magnuson, Seattle Lodge No. 92
 * Sherman "Shay" Minton, New Albany Indiana Lodge No. 270
 * John Matthew Moore, Houston Lodge, No. 151

Other politicians

 * Lonnie O. Aulds, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1968 to 1972, real estate developer in Shreveport, Louisiana
 * Edward Francis Blewitt, Pennsylvania State Senator and businessman. Great-grandfather of the 46th and current President of the United States, Joe Biden
 * Richard E. Connell, NY Lodge No. 1
 * Richard J. Daley, 48th Mayor of Chicago
 * David Dank, member of Oklahoma House of Representatives since 2007
 * Gilbert L. Dupré, state representative and district court judge in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
 * John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus
 * Fiorello Henry La Guardia, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Henry "Scoop" Jackson, Everett WA Lodge No. 479
 * John McCormack, 45th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
 * A. J. Rosier, Wyoming state senator
 * Alfred Emanuel Smith, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Vincent Richard Impellitteri, NY Lodge No. 1

Military

 * Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
 * General John Joseph Pershing, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Frederick Funston, New York Elks Lodge #1

Entertainers

 * Gene Autry, Burbank CA Lodge No. 1497
 * Edward James Begley Sr., New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Jack Benny
 * Irving Berlin, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Leonard Bernstein, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Bruce Lorne Campbell, Ashland OR Lodge No. 944
 * James Joseph Cramer, Summit NJ Elks Lodge No. 1246
 * Walter Cronkite Jr.
 * Andy Devine, San Fernando CA Elks Lodge No. 1539
 * William Scott "Jack" Elam, Ashland OR Lodge No. 944
 * Richard Travis Hall, Livingston MT Lodge No. 246
 * Harry Hershfield, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Al Jolson, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Martha MacCallum, Summit NJ Elks Lodge No. 1246
 * William Paul Petersen, Gardena CA Lodge No. 1919
 * Lawrence Welk
 * Casey Webb, Red Bank Lodge No. 233
 * Tex Williams, Santa Clarita CA Lodge No. 2379
 * Robert Wagner Jr., New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Rudy Vallée, Portland ME Lodge No. 188
 * Danny Thomas, Toledo OH Lodge No. 53
 * John Philip Sousa, NY Lodge No. 1
 * Arthur Willard Pryor, Asbury Park Lodge No. 128

Other

 * Charles Marion Russell, Greater Falls MT Lodge No. 214
 * Francis Joseph Spellman, New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., New York Elks Lodge #1
 * Charles Marion Russell, Greater Falls MT Lodge No. 214

Grand Exalted Rulers
This is a list of the organization's national presidents, known as the Grand Exalted Rulers (GER):

• Year - GER Name; Home Lodge Name (Lodge Number)

• 1871 – George J. Green / Charles T. White; New York, NY (#1)

• 1872 – Joseph C. Pinckney; New York, NY (#1)

• 1874 – James W. Powell; Philadelphia, PA (#2) / Henry P. O'Neil; New York, NY (#1)

• 1876 – Frank Girard; New York, NY (#1)

• 1878 – George R. Maguire; Philadelphia, PA (#2)

• 1879 – Charles E. Davies; Chicago, IL (#4) / Louis C. Waehner; New York, NY (#7)

• 1880 – Thomas E. Garrett; St Louis, MO (#9)

• 1882 – John J. Tindale; New York, NY (#1)

• 1883 – Edwin A. Perry; Boston, MA (#10)

• 1884 – Henry S. Sanderson; New York, NY (#1)

• 1885 – Daniel A. Kelly; Baltimore, MD (#7)

• 1886 – William E. English; Indianapolis, IN (#13)

• 1887 – Hamilton E. Leach; Washington, DC (#15)

• 1889 – Simon Quinlin; Chicago, IL (#4)

• 1890 – Simon Quinlin; Chicago, IL (#4)

• 1891 – Edwin B. Hay; Washington, DC (#15)

• 1892 – Edwin B. Hay; Washington, DC (#15)

• 1893 – Astley Apperly; Louisville, KY (#8)

• 1894 – Edwin B. Hay; Washington, DC (#15)

• 1895 – William G. Meyers; Philadelphia, PA (#2)

• 1896 – Meade D. Detweiler; Harrisburg, PA (#12)

• 1897 – Meade D. Detweiler; Harrisburg, PA (#12)

• 1898 – John Galvin; Cincinnati, OH (#5)

• 1899 – B.M. Allen; Birmingham, AL (#79)

• 1900 – Jerome B. Fisher; Jamestown, NY (#263)

• 1901 – Charles E. Pickett; Waterloo, IA (#290)

• 1902 – George P. Cronk; Omaha, NE (#39)

• 1903 – Joseph T. Fanning; Indianapolis, IN (#13)

• 1904 – Wm. J. O'Brien, Jr.; Baltimore, MD (#7)

• 1905 – Robert W. Brown; Louisville, KY (#8)

• 1906 – Henry A. Melvin; Oakland, CA (#171)

• 1907 – John K. Tener; Charleroi, PA (#494)

• 1908 – Rush L. Holland; Colorado Springs, CO (#309)

• 1909 – J.U. Sammis; LeMars, IA (#428)

• 1910 – August Herrmann; Cincinnati, OH (#5)

• 1911 – John P. Sullivan; New Orleans, LA (#30)

• 1912 – Thomas B. Mills; Superior, WI (#403)

• 1913 – Edward Leach; New York, NY (#1)

• 1914 – Raymond Benjamin; Napa, CA (#832)

• 1915 – James R. Nicholson; Springfield, MA (#61)

• 1916 – Edward Rightor; New Orleans, LA (#30)

• 1917 – Fred Harper; Lynchburg, VA (#321)

• 1918 – Bruce A. Campbell; Fairview Heights, IL (#664)

• 1919 – Frank L. Rain; Fairbury, NE (#1203)

• 1920 – Wm. M. Abbott; San Francisco, CA (#3)

• 1921 – W. W. Mountain; Flint, MI (#222)

• 1922 – J.E. Masters; Charleroi, PA (#494)

• 1923 – James G. McFarland; Watertown, SD (#838)

• 1924 – John G. Price; Columbus-Grove City, OH (#37)

• 1925 – William H. Atwell; Dallas, TX (#71)

• 1926 – Charles H. Grakelow; Philadelphia, PA (#2)

• 1927 – John F. Malley; Springfield, MA (#61)

• 1928 – Murray Hulbert; New York, NY (#1)

• 1929 – Walter P. Andrews; Atlanta-Northlake, GA (#78)

• 1930 – Lawrence H. Rupp; Allentown, PA (#130)

• 1931 – John R. Coen; Sterling, CO (#1336)

• 1932 – Floyd E. Thompson; Moline, IL (#556)

• 1933 – Walter F. Meier; Seattle, WA (#92)

• 1934 – Michael F. Shannon; Los Angeles, CA (#99)

• 1935 – James T. Hallinan; Brooklyn Queensborough, NY (#878)

• 1936 – David Sholtz; Daytona Beach, FL (#1141)

• 1937 – Charles Spencer Hart; Mt Vernon, NY (#842)

• 1938 – Edward J. McCormick; Toledo, OH (#53)

• 1939 – Henry C. Warner; Dixon, IL (#779)

• 1940 – Joseph G. Buch; Trenton, NJ (#105)

• 1941 – John S. McClelland; Atlanta-Northlake, GA (#78)

• 1942 – E. Mark Sullivan; Boston, MA (#10)

• 1943 – Frank J. Lonergan; Portland, OR (#142)

• 1944 – Robert S. Barrett; Alexandria, VA (#758)

• 1945 – Wade H. Kepner; Wheeling, WV (#28)

• 1946 – Charles E. Broughton; Sheboygan, WI (#299)

• 1947 – L. A. Lewis; Anaheim, CA (#1345)

• 1948 – George I. Hall; Lynbrook, NY (#1515)

• 1949 – Emmett T. Anderson; Tacoma, WA (#174)

• 1950 – Joseph B. Kyle; Hobart, IN (#1152)

• 1951 – Howard R. Davis; Williamsport, PA (#173)

• 1952 – Sam Stern; Fargo, ND (#260)

• 1953 – Earl E. James; Oklahoma City, OK (#417)

• 1954 – William J. Jernick; Nutley, NJ (#1290)

• 1955 – John L. Walker; Roanoke, VA (#197)

• 1956 – Fred L. Bohn; Zanesville, OH (#114)

• 1957 – H. L. Blackledge; Kearney, NE (#984)

• 1958 – Horace R. Wisely; Salinas, CA (#614)

• 1959 – W. S. Hawkins; Coeur D Alene, ID (#1254)

• 1960 – John E. Fenton; Lawrence, MA (#65)

• 1961 – William A. Wall; West Palm Beach, FL (#1352)

• 1962 – Lee A. Donaldson; Etna, PA (#932)

• 1963 – Ronald J. Dunn; Oneida, NY (#767)

• 1964 – Robert G. Pruitt; Atlanta, GA (#1635)

• 1965 – R. Leonard Bush; Inglewood, CA (#1492)

• 1966 – Raymond C. Dobson; Minot, ND (#1089)

• 1967 – Robert E. Boney; Las Cruces, NM (#1119)

• 1968 – Edward W. McCabe; Nashville-Franklin, TN (#72)

• 1969 – Frank Hise; Corvallis, OR (#1413)

• 1970 – Glenn Miller; Logansport, IN (#66)

• 1971 - E. Gene Fournace; Newark, OH (#391)

• 1972 - Francis Smith; Sioux Falls, SD (#262)

• 1973 - Robert Yothers; Seattle, WA (#92)

• 1974 - Gerald Strohm; Fresno, CA (#439)

• 1975 - Willis McDonald; New Orleans, LA (#30)

• 1976 - George Klein; Lincoln, NE (#80)

• 1977 - Homer Huhn, Jr.; Mount Pleasant, PA (#868)

• 1978 - Leonard Bristol; Saranac Lake, NY (#1508)

• 1979 - Robert Grafton; North Palm Beach, FL (#2069)

• 1980 - H. Foster Sears; Macomb, IL (#1009)

• 1981 - Raymond Arnold; Jackson, MI (#113)

• 1982 – Marvin M. Lewis; Brawley, CA (#1420)

• 1983 - Kenneth Cantoli; Hasbrouck Heights, NJ (#1962)

• 1984 - Frank Garland; Centralia-Chehalis, WA (#2435)

• 1985 - Jack Traynor; Devils Lake, ND (#1216)

• 1986 - Peter Affatato; Hicksville, NY (#1931)

• 1987 - Ted Callicott; Paris, TN (#816)

• 1988 - Robert Sabin; Des Plaines, IL (#1526)

• 1989 - Donald Dapelo; Coalinga, CA (#1613)

• 1990 – James W. Damon; John Day, OR (#1824)

• 1991 – Lester C. "Ted" Hess, Jr.; Wheeling, WV (#28)

• 1992 – Vincent Collura; Lincoln, NE (#80)

• 1993 – Charles F. Williams; Plano-Richardson, TX (#2485)

• 1994 – Kenneth L. Moore; Corona, CA (#2045)

• 1995 – Edward Mahan; Framingham, MA (#1702)

• 1996 – Gerald L. Coates; Greensboro, NC (#602)

• 1997 – Carlon M. O'Malley; Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (#109)

• 1998 – C. Valentine Bates; Gainesville, FL (#990)

• 1999 – James C. Varenhorst; Ludington, MI (#736)

• 2000 – Dwayne E. Rumney; Willmar, MN (#952)

• 2001 – Arthur Mayer, Jr.; Bergenfield, NJ (#1477)

• 2002 – Roger R. True; Tri-Cities, WA (#2755)

• 2003 – Amos A. McCallum; Biddeford-Saco, ME (#1597)

• 2004 – James M. McQuillan; Ogallala, NE (#1760)

• 2005 – Louis James Grillo; Stockton, CA (#218)

• 2006 – Arthur H. "Jack" Frost, III; Oak Ridge, TN (#1684)

• 2007 – F. Louis Sulsberger; Flora, IL (#1659)

• 2008 – Paul D. Helsel; Newark, DE (#2281)

• 2009 – James L. Nichelson; Ohio River Valley, OH (#231)

• 2010 – Michael F. Smith; Plant City, FL (#1727)

• 2011 – David R. Carr; Ticonderoga, New York (#1494)

• 2012 – Thomas S. Brazier; Santa Cruz, California (#824)

• 2013 – Millard C. Pickering; Sapulpa, Oklahoma (#1118)

• 2014 – John D. Amen; Denver, Colorado (#17)

• 2015 – Ronald L. Hicks; Fredericksburg, VA (#875)

• 2016 – Michael F. Zellen; Saugus-Everett, MA (#642)

• 2017 – Malcolm J. McPherson Jr.; Lyndhurst, NJ (#1505)

• 2018 – Michael T. Luhr; Petersburg, AK (#1615)

• 2019 – Robert L. Duitsman; Culver City, CA (#1917)

• 2020 – Paul R. Ryan; Willmar, MN (#952)

• 2021 – T. Keith Mills; Caldwell, ID (#1448)

• 2022 – Bruce A. Hidley; Watervliet-Colonie, NY (#1500)

• 2023 – Randy P. Shook; Lawrenceburg, TN (#2206)

• 2024 – Douglas A. Schiefer; Bucyrus, OH (#156) Source:

Elks State Associations
The state level organizations are called "Elks State Associations"; state level officers include presidents, vice presidents, secretaries and treasurers. Generally state associations are setup to govern and control the "State Major Project".

Antlers
Despite its 1907 resolution banning any auxiliaries, the Elks at one point had a youth affiliate for young men called the Antlers. The first chapter was organized in February 1922 by San Francisco Lodge #3. The 1927 Grand Lodge approved the junior order, granting the Grand Exalted Ruler the power to permit subordinate lodges to instituted organizations for males under 21. In 1933, there were 45 local units of the Antlers with 3,584 members. However, the Antlers numbers were decimated during the Second World War, with so many young men having gone off to war. Despite 86 local Antlers groups still existing in 1946, the Grand Lodge deleted all reference to them in their constitution and bylaws that year. However, some local Antlers groups were still active in 1979, according to one source.