The Muenster Elks celebrated their 50th Anniversary as a chapter with an informal supper and program for members and significant others. The membership gathered on Saturday, October 26 at the Muenster Curling Club, their traditional headquarters of operation.
After a gathering hour and a lovely meal, members and guests reminisced about major events, club-based hi-jinks, and the thousands of hours of service leading to thousands of dollars generated by the organization for local charities.
The evening also included an important pin-ceremony for two charter members who signed on in 1974. Emil Vedress and Wilbert “Chubby” Wasserman received the 50-year pins for their five decades of dedication.
Current Exalted Ruler Gord Kiefer took the crowd down memory lane with the long term and annual projects that have kept the Elks busy on the fundraising front. Among the recent projects is a free-standing structure behind the Muenster Community Hall to house barbecues and their crews for events. It was many of the Club’s newer and younger members who hopped onto the project and lent their skills to a record-time finish.
The annual Spring Steak Supper is one of those special barbecue events. Nearing its 30-year mark, the assembled Elks recalled the efforts of James Korte, Glenn Korte, Vern Chapman and many others in taking the initial event and creating a long-term community staple.
A little impromptu math determined that the annual Elks Club 200 draws have raised approximately $3000 per year in each of its 50 years. It took a little pencil lead and cyphering for the members to calculate around $150,000 generated through the annual fundraisers alone.
The funds have always gone to local organizations, not only in Muenster but in Humboldt as well. The Humboldt and District Hospital and the Hospital Foundation have frequently been beneficiaries.
With a membership of over 60, the Muenster Elks continues to boast one of the largest memberships in Canada, and on Saturday night, they proved that there is still much cause for celebration heading into the next 50 years.