Not your father’s Elks Lodge SideStory: Elks host New Year's Extravaganza
by Stacy Falk It’s a casual Friday evening at 901 East Second Ave., and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) gather round the bar to discuss upcoming events. In aims of being more open to Durango residents and attracting new members, the Elks upcoming New Year’s Eve Extravaganza is far from a members-only affair. It’s open to the public, and all proceeds will benefit local charities such as Safety Town, scholarships for graduating high school seniors, veteran’s services, drug awareness programs and more. “It’s going to be a really fun party and a comparably less expensive alternative for going out on New Year’s Eve,” said Holly Hopkins, Elks club member. Hopkins is among a new crop of twenty- and thirty-somethings migrating toward the club. “There’s a trend of younger members joining,” she said. Not only are new members younger than recruits of yesteryear, but there are more women than ever joining the party. Out of 600 active Durango members, an estimated 20 percent are women, according to Faye Harmer, club manager. “Historically the Elks were a very male-dominated group, but since the early 1980s, women have played a strong role in the organizational success of the Elks,” she said. Harmer, who is the only full-time employee for the Elks, says there has always been a lot of misconception about what goes on behind the closed doors in the historic downtown building. “We decided that we needed to be more public in educating people about who we are and why we want them to join,” said Harmer. “There’s no secret handshake, it’s not old guys drinking beer all day, and yes, there are women members.”Harmer said that many people who don’t know what the Elks are about often just make something up. She said she once overheard someone outside the building ask his friend what “BPOE” stands for, and the friend replied, “Blind People of Europe.” However the rumors about cheap drinks are true. Since it’s technically a private club, there’s a much lower profit margin. Kevin Dezendorf, the club’s official Esquire, recently ordered a White Russian with peppermint schnapps. “What should we call it?” asked Sharon James, who has been pouring drinks at the Elks Lodge for more than 15 years. Soon enough the entire north end of the bar was sipping “candy canes” and having a blast. But the drinks are only an added bonus. It’s not why people sign up, insists Dezendorf. “I got into this to be part of an organization that gives back to the community,” he said. “We’re not some skull-and-cross-bones organization.” And Dezendorf, in his early thirties, has certainly proved his loyalty to the Elks. Since joining a few years back, he has been involved in numerous restoration projects for the building, helped in updating records and curating the museum on the top floor, and even played Santa at the recent holiday brunch. Sunny Rothove, a newly inducted Elk, says she had been coming to the lodge as a nonmember for more than a year with Dezendorf, participating in as many events as possible. “Everyone is really welcoming, and nobody was pushing me to be a member. I only recently decided to become a member,” she said. So why the Elk? The organization itself was formed in 1867 by actor Charles Vivian. It functioned around entertainment as a means of lifting spirits during hard times. The elk was chosen because it embodied the same ideals and values of the club: a passive and peaceful animal, fighting only to protect family and its own life. On June 22, 1899, the Durango Charter established itself as the 507th lodge of Elkdom. Construction for the current lodge took place in 1925 for roughly $60,000 and the building was occupied in 1926. Today, there are more than 2,000 lodges across the country, encompassing just under 1 million members. An interesting fact for the Durango Elks, says Harmer, is that they actually helped re-populate the elk herd between 1911-15 at Hermosa Park. Brett Rundquist, Lecturing Knight, the lodge’s fourth chair officer, says the people you meet at the Elks Lodge span a wide range of backgrounds. While taking a look around the lounge and sipping a properly crafted Moscow Mule (top-shelf Vodka, ginger beer, bitters and lime served in a cold copper mug), he noted that the friends one makes as an Elk are friends for life. “From doctors to ditch-diggers and everyone in between, all these people become your second family,” he said. But to become part of the extended family, there are few guidelines. A member must be a U.S. citizen, at least 21 years of age and sponsored by an existing member. Members must also agree with the Elks Mission to promote charity, believe in God, and support other members, patriotism and government. “We are a charitable organization of like-minded individuals, and that’s how you become an Elk,” Harmer said. “Start asking around, and you’d be surprised how many Elks you already know.” After a wannabe Elk finds a sponsor, there is an application process and a nonrefundable fee of $60. Although the applications are reviewed by a specific committee, any Elk member has the option of turning down a potential Elk. Harmer says that this has never happened in Durango. The accepted newbies are inducted by the traditional hierarchy of Elks including the Exalted Ruler, Leading Knight and Loyal Knight. The ceremony, taking place in the chamber room located on the third floor, follows a traditional structure of rituals that were founded by musicians and performers. “Everything is a little dramatic” said Hopkins about the induction ceremony. “It’s really fun.” Once an official Elk, there are annual dues of $95, which include unlimited access to the lodge and picnic grounds north of town. The main floor consists of a bar and lounge, a dining room with a stage, and a giant TV (there’s even a Wii). There are two rooms each dedicated to their own antique 9-foot pool table and dart board as well as a library and a card room. The lower level is set up as a banquet hall, complete with bar, dance floor and semi-professional kitchen. The hall is available to rent for both members and nonmembers. There lodge even has a resident ghost - “Robert,” who is said to prefer the basement. Another perk of Elkdom is that Elk members have access to all other lodges across the country. Diezendorf says that he stopped by a lodge in Kansas City where Harry S. Truman was a member. “The people there were my best friends for the few hours that I was there,” he said. Bree Adamian, another new club member in her thirties, says she also enjoys visiting other lodges and makes a point to do so when traveling with her best friend, business partner and fellow Elk, Tina Miely. “We both joined the Elks Lodge because it is an organization we believe in, and we like all of the community involvement and fund-raising that the Elks do,” said Adamian. “We have really enjoyed getting to know the members, they are really expanding as far as having some younger members and some ladies, so the lodge is a great place to hang out.” •
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