Elks memorabilia was on display.
Fort Macleod Elks Club was celebrated for a century of outstanding service to the community and beyond.
A sold-out crowd turned out for the 100th anniversary celebration at the Fort Macleod and District Community Hall.
“A handful of dedicated individuals came together with the vision to create a lodge that would not only bring people together in fellowship, but also make a lasting positive impact on Fort Macleod and its people,” Elks Grand Esquire Gordon Moon said. “Today as we look back over 100 years, it is clear that their vision had been realized beyond all expectation. Throughout the years, Lodge No. 129 has been a beacon of hope and compassion.”
Moon said the club has touched countless lives as it supported the community in many ways through projects and donations.
“Their legacy lives on in each project, each scholarship and each act of generosity,” Moon said. “Let us also look forward with optimism, ready to adapt and continue your tradition of service in new and innovative ways. The world may change, but the need for a compassion and community remains.”
Elks Provincial President Terry Read also praised the Fort Macleod club on its dedication to service to the community, which have made a lasting impact.
“All I can say is good luck on the next 100 years,” Read said.
Elks Club member Shayla Farough provided a history of the organization.
In February 1926 Tony McKinley, a grand organizer for the Elks of Canada, set up his headquarters in the Queen’s Hotel.
The first Elks lodge was established in 1912 in Vancouver and quickly spread, establishing clubs in communities across Canada.
McKinley touted the Elks Club as bringing together people of all classes and creeds into one big fraternity.
“Word spread like wildfire and in no time at all the Fort Macleod community had their very own Elks Club,” Farough said.
The club formed in March 1926 and the following month held its first social, a community dance that attracted 100 people from Fort Macleod and neighbouring communities.
“That wasn’t just a good turnout, it was a statement,” Farough said. “The Elks were more than just a club. They quickly demonstrated their strong will and grand presence in town.”
In the fall of 1926 the Elks hosted a three-day carnival filled with games, dancing and excitement. The highlight was the raffle of a family vehicle with tickets sold for 25 cents.
As the club’s bank account grew, members started discussing how to put that money to good use in the community, beginning a legacy that has spanned a century.
The Elks started a Christmas party that became a longstanding tradition, complete with a visit from Santa and treats for all the local children.
Another longstanding Elks tradition became the community Halloween party that continues today. In 1963 the Halloween party was reported to have attracted 600 children aged three to 14 years.
In the 1940s the Elks started a tradition of Thanksgiving dances that proved popular.
“For many families, those celebrations weren’t just events, they were traditions, memories and moments that mattered,” Farough said.
When they weren’t hosting popular community events, the Elks were quietly donating to worthy causes, including emergency assistance for local families, paying for medical care and donating to the Children’s Hospital.
The Fort Macleod Elks, and clubs across Canada, had a national fund for children that contributed an average of $125,000 a year in support of the medical needs of children.
The club showed leadership in various ways, including buying the first war bond during World War Two, sponsoring a Stampede Queen candidate and donating $500 to support refugees and child victims of war.
Through the years the Fort Macleod club got support when needed from Elks clubs in Granum, Claresholm, Vulcan, Pincher Creek and other communities, sharing in a network of camaraderie.
Until 1995 the Elks remained a men-only club, but the Macleod club was buoyed by women and families working in the background.
“Behind the scenes, many events were powered by an incredible group of women, often the wives and daughters of Elks members, who supported in every detail,” Farough said. “They prepared meals, served desserts, decorated halls and made each gathering feel special.”
Eventually the Order of the Royal Purple was formed, a women’s organization the mirrored the Elks commitment to serving the community.
“Together, the two groups formed a powerful partnership rooted in community,” Farough said.
In 1951, the same year the Royal Purple formed, Fort Macleod’s Pinder family donated land for a new community hall. Construction began two years later, with the hall opening in 1954.
“The hall was dedicated as a monument to those who have passed on and an inspiration to those in the present and the future,” Farough said.
The Elks put the hall to good use, staging bingos that attracted hundreds of people vying for the cash prizes of up to $1,000, as well as automobiles.
The Elks in 1962 burned the mortgage on the new hall, which continues to be a community hub under management of a Town of Fort Macleod committee.
At various times in its history the Elks Club has seen membership drop off to the point where the club’s future was in doubt, but people have always stepped forward.
“Here at Fort Macleod, we are very fortunate,” Farough said. “We have a strong, dedicated and passionate group of members who believe in what this lodge stands for. Over the past 100 years, this lodge has undoubtedly given thousands of dollars back to the community, perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
“From major contributions like this very community hall to smaller but deeper meaningful acts supporting school teams, sports, playgrounds, medical needs and families in times of crisis, the Elks have proudly been a pillar of support for the community of Fort Macleod, giving consistently and generously.”
Farough closed her presentation with a pitch for new people to join the Elks.
“The Fort Macleod Elks Lodge No. 129 may be smaller in number, but we are mighty in spirit,” Farough said. “We are committed to continuing the legacy of service.”
Elks Provincial President Terry Read (left) and Grand Esquire Gordon Moon (right) presented a plaque and certificate to Fort Macleod Elks Exalted Ruler Hank Van Hierden.
Elks memorabilia was on display.
Fort Macleod Elks Club treasures from the past were displayed.
Fort Macleod Elks paid tribute to past members on Saturday night.
People bid to win models made by former Elks member Randy Rollo, who died in November.
Past fashions of the Elks Club were on display. Saturday.
A cake commemorating the Fort Macleod Elks Club 100th anniversary is ready to be served.
Lesley Gruhn and Cameron Hinton entertained with their duelling pianos.
