Ferndale Elks
By Jill Hurst
LOOKING FOR LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT? DRAG QUEEN BINGO? A EUCHRE TOURNAMENT?
Maybe it’s Tuesday and you want to hear great local jazz. Well, you can find all that and more at the Ferndale Elks Lodge on Woodward. I met with Elk Josh Gartner, who took me on a tour, chatting about the Elks past, present and future.
The Elks are a private social club. Lodge #1588 has existed in Ferndale since 1931. Want to join up? You must be 21 to apply for membership, and sponsored by an Elk in good standing. Once you’re voted in, your membership card opens the door seven days a week. The Ferndale Lodge currently has over 700 members, the second highest membership in the district. They have the youngest median age for members in the country. About half the members are women. As a dues paying/rule abiding member, you can stop by for a drink and a snack.
You don’t have to do anything more, but most members find themselves drawn to the many volunteering opportunities. The Ferndale Lodge is especially known for its generosity and commitment to our community, giving thousands to veterans organizations, awarding scholarships to local and state students, and sponsoring annual events like the Dream Cruise and Pride.
There is plenty of work to go around. The only people on staff at the Lodge are the four bartenders. The rest is done by volunteers. Josh says while it’s great to belong to a social club where everyone knows everyone, it’s the charity work that’s addictive. He says, laughing “We refer to ourselves as a bunch of drinkers with a volunteering problem.”
THE ELKS HAD JUST FINISHED RENOVATING when the pandemic shut them down. Nightly Zoom meetings kept members connected. One of the bartenders made cocktails in mason jars and did home delivery!
Then, in 2020, the Ferndale T-Rex Walking Club was born to bring smiles to the community, especially the local children. Members clad in costumes that included a pink unicorn, a giraffe and a gray shark, took surprise walks through Ferndale neighborhoods!
What could have turned into a huge event was reconfigured as a kind of secret club so as not to put people’s health in danger. The fun took work, but the Elks are good at that and seeing the kids happy faces made everyone feel better.
COVID restrictions lifted. The Lodge opened. Slowly. Local events like the Memorial Day Parade, Pride and the Dream Cruise are on the schedule again. It’s nice to get back to the old routine. And as always, the Elks are open to new things that improve the well-being of the membership. Lodge President Oscar Renautt created a wellness program that includes weekly yoga, T’ai Chi and a bike program!
WHILE THE ELKS ARE COMMITTED TO LOOKING FORWARD and changing with the times to stay in touch with their communities, they value tradition. Like the “Hour of Eleven” toast. Music and conversation stop, the members stand and there is a toast made to all of the Elks who have come and gone. It’s important to take a moment every day to think about those who have left us. Then go forward, in their honor and do some good in the world.
Check out the Elks Lodge next time they open their doors to the community for a good cause. It might be a nice place to visit, or your new home away from home. Lodge #1588 is located at 22856 Woodward, one block north of Nine Mile.
