Remember, when you are a member of any of these you can visit any other Lodge as you travel. With the Elks, I believe your first drink is free if you ask for your free drink. In my lodge they are $5 bucks. (but you have to tell the bartender/barmaid you are a guest and you'd like to have your free hospitality drink).
As for what these Lodges stood for.....many originated in earlier times (100+ years ago) The Elks known as BPOE (Brotherhood of Protective Order of Elks) It may be hard for people of today to understand why men
formed these orders but it was for their own protection and welfare when business and industry ran rough shod over them. In time they formed Labor Unions too.
Many Rail Road employees pooled together to form RRYMCA's. (Rail Road YMCA's which were different than other YMCA's as these were for the benefit of traveling men such as brakemen, conductors, firemen, and Engineers) Prior to that all they had was their Caboose (often called a crumby) Those contained a pot belly stove, some bunks and cooking utensils. There may have been a cork lined box for refrigeration if they could get ice in a freight yard as they traveled.
But that's why these places came about as they have. The view of old men sitting around drinking beer makes me laugh as I too once had that view of it when I was a kid. An "old man's" fountain of youth, where the old guys could play poker, talk about anything they couldn't talk at home in front of the wife and kids...and otherwise be men and not have to make excuses for it. These Lodges sponsor Golf groups, Bowling groups, have raffles as fund raisers, community involvement projects helping kids, Libraries, youth sports teams, Picnics for the families, and often in the winter holiday seasons will have Trivia Nights where groups get together and play Trivial Pursuit with one member asking the questions and the teams trying to answer them. This usually is accompanied by a nice dinner. So that those who wish to stimulate their minds can enjoy an evening of the game with food. (and win prizes)
When meetings are held there is always a report on who is ill, in the Hospital, has passed on, or in any other way in need. Measures are taken to assure their support or help with their final business.
The Elks were instrumental in the Development of Veterans Hospitals by WW1 and one day a week I drive a DAV van about southern WV, Ohio, and eastern Ky. I may drive 300 to 400 miles picking up and delivering to their homes disabled Vets. But it's part of what my Lodge does as we have a large VA Hospital in our area. and several other specialized facilities near by.
This is the 10 passenger Ford Super XLT Triton V-10 I drive. (I painted the rear hub cap on it for this photo....another driver cut a curb too sharp and destroyed that wheel cover) We fleet a bunch of Dodge Mini Vans locally. Some of the other drivers just work the 20 mile radius where the rest of us do the road trips.
