Elk's start up in Cambridge Bay
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Cambridge Bay (Dec 11/00) - Some said it couldn't be done.
But a handful of Cambridge Bay community members proved they could and established an Elk's Lodge in one of Canada's most Northern communities. And they did it in less than five weeks.
"The three founding members sat down at the hotel here and came up with the idea to start an Elk's Lodge," said Bob Jancke, the man who was given the position of Exalted Ruler.
Tasked with heading up the non-profit fraternal organization that specifically targets children's and youth groups in need, Jancke said the naysayers thought the idea was a joke and not possible.
Once the organizers put the word out on the streets of the Kitikmeot community, however, it took a little more than a month to get 57 members signed up.
"We easily could have had 100 people, but we felt 57 was a good start," he said.
To launch the new lodge, an initiation ceremony was required and as is standard fare, the Grand Exalted Ruler from Regina, Sask., flew in for the event. The kick-off took place on Dec. 1.
"We wanted to get more of the community involved and get the membership together to socialize," said Jancke.
Eight other out-of-town Elk's members also attended the launch and $1,100 was raised. Jancke said the community was proud of their first-time efforts.
"We ran a donation box for children's Christmas gifts to buy gifts for all the local kids," he said.
The fund-raiser was followed by a free breakfast for the community the next day. That event brought about 500 people out for bacon and eggs and resulted in several different organizations receiving donations of left-over food.
Jancke said all other organizing efforts had been tabled until after Christmas, but he said Ikaluktutiak Elk's 593 already had a couple of projects planned for the new year.
"We've had so much local support," said Jancke.
"That's really made this thing big."
