Show I I LETTERS TO NTO iH N r EDITOR Dear Sir On May 1967 it was my privilege to melt meet with a group of citizens in Vernal for the pur purpose pose of receiving a petition signed by seventy two residents of your area who are request request- requesting ing permission to establish a lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order Ordel of Elks in Vcr nul nai It is highly probable that this petition will receive favorable oraLie action by our Order In slightly sightly more than thun nine months tin time e the the Order of Elks will be one hundred years ears old The number of Elks In the Unit ed States now totals over one million four foul hundred thousand belonging to some two thousand two hundred lodges to the one that is contemplated for Vernal Utah has fourteen lodges lodges es with a of nine thousand four foul hundred men WHAT TYPE of man seeks membership in our Order We have many hundreds of pro pro- prominent citizens in our ranks The late President Kennedy I was an active member of the Order in Boston Massachusetts 1 nearly one third of the congress of the United States Stales belong doctors lawyers educators skilled craftsmen laborers in short people from every e walk of life have taken up member member- membership ship in our organization Our membership requirements state simply that a man must be an American citizen of caucasian birth he must believe in God and he must swear eal allegiance to the Constitution of the Unit ed States of AmeriCa lie He must also obligate te himself to the 1 of charity justice bro bra love and fidelity and must t in all sincerity ty attempt to make his horne home his it ity and his country a better place in which to live WHAT CAN your our community expect of this group of men menu They like all citizens of a corn com are arl drawn together be be- be because cause they have a desire to give of themselves for the better better- betterment aunt ment of the their l community Soc ial in involvement is n a necessity and the choice as to how it must occur must lie liel l within thin the thein in individual ivi ual These men are seeking a common bond of friendship and a unification that will allow them to not only en en- en enjoy joy the social contacts with men of desires but will per pel mit them to show the love of fellow man that is inherent in inus inus us all alI They will seek no special favors but ask only for the chance to show that they are arc community builders and will make of your city a better place to live THE ORDER of Elks provid es Cs a ver very definite program for each subordinate lodge that includes youth activities through scouting sports activities directed social functions as well as many scholarships to those who might otherwise be deprived of education Char ity is one of the four cardinal principles of the order and this charity charily must be directed on the individual in need without thought of race religion or social background Utah's mn ma jor project is care of crippled and handicapped persons and requires time the expenditure of seve sev- several eral thousands of dollars annu- annu annually ally for crutches wheel chairs chah's hospital beds and other physic physic- physical al aids to those who need this type of assistance Our Order insists that we support the vet vet- veterans erans in our hospitals and help to make their future worth worth- worthwhile while they require that we take the lead in recognizing pat pat- patriotic events and in paying tribute in every way possible to the democracy that we en en- enjoy joy We must pay tribute to our departed brothers with appropriate services Our order has absolutely no no- nothing thing to hide We have every every- everything thing to offer My community is proud of its Elks Lodge and andI I am sure that yours will be because an Elk is an American gentlemen who loves his fellow fellowman fellowman man Respectfully J Vurge Smith District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler Huler Utah South |