ELKS LODGE IN CAPE TO MARK 100 YEARS

A virtual Who's Who of Elks Lodge members in Missouri will descend upon Cape Girardeau to help the local lodge celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Cape Girardeau Lodge 639 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized on Jan. 19, 1901. An official charter was issued the following July.

Myron Carter of Scott City, Mo., a local lodge member and statewide officer, said several members of the Elks upper leadership will attend a dinner, lecture and dance with events beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Also attending are Past Grand Exalted Ruler Ted Callicott of Paris, Tenn., former national president, who currently presides over the Elks region that includes Missouri. Missouri Elks Association President Gary Ballinger of Excelsior Springs, Mo., and Special Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler Carl Simpson of Nevada, Mo.

The first Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge was on Themis Street, but the group now meets on Elks Lane, near the junction of U.S. 61 and Interstate 55.

Members are known for their projects with youth, said Carter, a 20-year member.

"We work with youth in drug awareness, hoop shoots and other charitable work we do with kids in the community," he said.

Elks also award scholarships and sponsor Scouting, summer camps, in-home treatment for children with disabilities and other programs.

The national organization has been formally meeting since Feb. 16, 1868. The Elks have grown to 1.3 million men and women in 2,200 local lodges throughout the country.