If Your An Elk Member

If your a member of the Elks lodge in your area I just want to say thank you so much for what you do for the families in your area.

My oldest son started getting OT through the Elks clubs months back. They send someone here to our home to work with him a hour each week. It is so nice to not have another appointment to run to and the other kids to have to sit through. We just make sure we are home and she shows up.

In October they had a big camping trip for the families of the kids they help. We went and stayed at camp the kids stay at over the summer. We stayed in the cabins they stay in and met the staff that are always there and run things. It was very nice and a lot of fun for the kids and family. In the summer the kids and their siblings who are old enough to go will get to go and stay a week at the camp.

One day a few weeks ago she was here and I asked her if she had a family that could use some clothes. I had a bunch of new jeans and shorts I had just bought him the last few months he wore a few times and out grew. She took them. Later she texted and asked what size the kids wore and I told her thinking she wanted to know if she came across someone getting rid of stuff. Then she was talking to the kids about Christmas and what they wanted.

He last day with us until after the new year was last week. She said why he was working on his stuff that she would be off the next two weeks for the holidays but she would be back this week with a car load of stuff for us. I looked at her funny she said really I have a bunch of stuff for the kids. She said that’s why I asked about what their sizes were and things. She gives the club she is part of the names of the kids in her families and they shop for the kids.

She wasn’t kidding when she showed up she had a bunch of stuff for all the kids not just my son that she works with. She also gave me an envelope with a bunch of gift cards they all purchased and gave her to give us.

The kids were so surprised and blown a way when they seen all that they brought and gave them. They are so thankful as well. They are writing letters to her and the Elks club to let them know.

We always do for others and help when we can. We use to do toys for tots every year this year we decided to buy for a little boy we know who we didn’t know if he would have Christmas or not. His family is going through a hard time. They are always asking where they can take their old toys to or to help people we see who are homeless. My son will ask mom can I have some money to give that person he will go up give it to them and talk to them and things. I see things come around to us a lot here and there, some big some little things that I don’t think they really notice. It is mostly things that don’t have to do with them or them directly so they really wouldn’t. But for them to do this just for them really made their day.

They hadn’t ask for much this year just a few smaller things and nothing outrages or costly like they have in the past. Well if you don’t count the motorcycle or real reindeer my 4 year old ask for. That’s another post. The last two years we were homeless before and during Christmas. I think it really made them think about things and what really matters and that we can’t get a ton of things and larger gifts. Not only are we on a budget but we also have 4 of them to buy for. They asked for things they would really use not just because they seen it on tv or the kid down the street has one. We only do about 3 to 5 gifts each depending on what the “bigger” or “nicer” gift is they get. They get stuff from extended family as well so they still end up with a lot of stuff. But for them to have all the extra stuff under the tree this year was fun for them and nice. It was a nice change for once instead of something else not so good happening.

I just want them to know how much it meant to me and our family to receive such a blessing from them this year. To say thank you so very much. I can’t express enough how grateful we are or say thank you enough. It may not seem like such a big deal but like I said it was to the kids.

We were able to get something a little nicer for the little boy we decided to get for and do a little extra for him as well. Like she said when she gave me the envelope with the cards in it she knew we would be grateful and pay it forward and we did.