Havre Elks Lodge donates dictionaries to local students

Press release

The Havre Elks Lodge #1201 recently donated to dictionaries to third grade school children in Hill and Blaine Counties.

Lodge Exalted Ruler Matt Kretchmer said the lodge was leased to present a total of 368 dictionaries to the following to Hill and Blaine County Schools, 34 dictionaries to Box Elder Schools, 48 dictionaries to Rocky Schools, six dictionaries to Turner Schools, 115 dictionaries to Havre Public Schools, 15 dictionaries to North Star Schools, 11 dictionaries to St. Jude’s Schools, 19 dictionaries to Hays-Lodge Pole Schools, 35 dictionaries to Chinook Public Schools, three dictionaries to Cottonwood Schools, two dictionaries to Davey Schools, 20 dictionaries to Zurich Schools, four dictionaries to Gildford Schools and 56 dictionaries to Harlem Schools.

Kretchmer said the dictionary project is a core youth activity project that the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks sponsor nationwide.

“Locally, this is our third year since we reinstated the program under the suggestion of our lodge secretary, Brandy Kurtz,” Kretchmer said, “All dictionaries were mailed to the schools this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Havre Elks Lodge was able to fund the dictionary project through the generosity of Hill, Blaine, and Chouteau county residents at a free-will donation bake sale we held during the Winterfest Craft Show in December 2020 at the Holiday Village Mall,” Kurtz, who is also the project chair, said. “We are grateful to the generosity of our Havre and Hi-Line communities to make a difference in these third grade students’ lives.”

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is celebrating 153 years as the premiere charitable and patriotic organization in America. Locally, Havre Lodge #1201 has more than 200 members.

Find out more about Havre Elks Lodge #1201 and the work they do by contacting Lodge Membership Chairman Kyle Leeds at 262-0906 or Lodge Secretary Brandy Kurtz at 390-0091.