An Okotoks service club is looking to grow while giving back to the community.
The Okotoks Elks Club is part of a network of over 1,900 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks groups across the United States and Canada, with 89 lodges in Alberta.
"The Elks building here in Okotoks was founded in 1927, so it's almost at its 100-year anniversary," said president and exalted ruler David Milos. "It used to have 500 members. We're down to 20 now, roughly."
Milos is hoping to see the historic group regain some of its former size.
"We talked to Elks Halls in smaller farming communities, and they're still quite active," he said. "The town of Okotoks has changed from a farming community to a bedroom community and it's a different demographic of people that live here."
The Elks Club hosts numerous events in Okotoks at Elks Hall, and is looking to do more.
"The goal of the board right now would be to get the Elks Hall open every night, but it's not yet there and it's all being run with volunteers," said Milos. "We're starting to become more active, we're drawing in new members."
On April 20, vendors came to Elks Hall for an indoor community garage sale.
"This is the first garage sale we've hosted here at the Elks," said Milos. "I think it's a great thing and hopefully it happens more often than just a one-off like two or three times a year type of thing.
"I would like to see the Elks Club grow with more members, but I think we have to make it exciting for members to want to be here."
The group plays an active role in the community, including hosting fundraisers and giving the Okotoks Legion a location for weekly meetings as it works towards getting its own building.
"We give to the Rowan House, we give to the Lunch for Children's program, we give away scholarships," said Milos. "One of the things that I would like to see as president, if a community member wanted to host a fundraiser for something, and the Elks stand behind what they're fundraising for, we will do what we can to help make that happen.
"If we could get our membership up, then there's more that we could do to give back to the community."
Learn more about the Okotoks Elks Club on its website.
