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PUTNAM — The Putnam Lodge 574 Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks recently obtained a Freedom Grant to help a local military family that is struggling with medical bills.
The Benevolent and Protective Order have been serving the nation’s veterans for nearly 100 years. In Putnam, the story is no different – local Elks embrace the Elks National Veterans Service Commission’s pledge, amended at the National Convention in Philadelphia in 2001, “So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.”
In 1918, the Elks built a 700-bed “reconstruction hospital” – the precursor to today’s VA Medical Centers. Elks sent care packages, organized blood drives during the Korean War, joined together with Bugles Across America to ensure that all veterans “make their final journey home in dignity,” welcomed veterans home from Desert Storm.
In 2011, the commission began to offer ‘Freedom Grants’ – $2,000 grants to “only 125 lodges which submit well-crafted proposals which support veterans or our active military.” Initially, only 75 lodges could apply for and receive the grant. Last year, 100. Demand and interest in the grant has prompted the commission to increase the number of grants available.
Putnam Lodge #574 applied for a ‘Freedom Grant’ for the first time this year, in order to support local veterans in the community, according to Esteemed Leading Knight and Officer of the Year Lysa Molnar.
“We diligently investigated many options of ways this money could make the most impact and give veterans the most return on the investment,” Molnar said. “Throughout this process, we unearthed many options and programs that we were unaware of and it is inspiring us and identifying needs in our own community that are not being met through other channels. It was a very eye-opening endeavor.”
Molnar said that the Putnam lodge will be using the grant funds to assist a local military family that is struggling with medical bills.
There are children in the home and Molnar expressed concern, “We want them to have the same quality of childhood that many of us take for granted, but the discretionary income is just not there.”
Grant funds are distributed in October. The Elks plan to provide Halloween costumes for the children in the family and are already discussing Thanksgiving and Christmas meal baskets, as well as a supplemental food budget. Holiday gifts, Easter baskets, heating expenses and transportation costs to and from medical treatment facilities are all on the list of things Elks would like to use the monies to help with. Additionally, Molnar said, funds could be used to ease the burden of extra-curricular activities.
“Only 125 lodges were awarded this grant, Molnar said. “I am grateful that we were one of those chosen so that we can make a difference for this family…As an officer, and as an individual, I believe it is everyone’s duty to make the world a better place; one person, one act at a time. You never know what impact a small and random act