Elks put on a party for 1,300 special needs guests

By Pete Fontaine
Posted 8/30/16

The Elks credo – “Elks Care, Elks Share – surfaced in an extraordinary manner on a recent Thursday afternoon inside the sun-covered Masonic Youth Center off Long Avenue in Warwick.

“Now …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Elks put on a party for 1,300 special needs guests

Posted

The Elks credo – “Elks Care, Elks Share – surfaced in an extraordinary manner on a recent Thursday afternoon inside the sun-covered Masonic Youth Center off Long Avenue in Warwick.

“Now this is what you call a super special event,” William A. Walaska, a state senator who represents Warwick’s District 30, said as he held a large container of just-cooked hamburgers. “Just look around at all these smiling faces!”

Trouble was, as Walaska and Mark Eaton later concurred, “It’s difficult to tell who is having more fun, the volunteers or guests.”

Take the father and son team of Gregory Santos Sr. and Jr., who are members of the Tri-City Elks Lodge No. 14 on West Shore Road, who hammed it up with dueling tongs as they cooked hot dogs and hamburgers.

“Hey folks, are we having fun yet?” Gregory Santos Sr. asked two more volunteers who were also manning another propane-powered charcoal grill. “Get those rolls ready; these burgers are gonna taste great.”

Scenes like that, as well as picnic tables filled with happy people of all ages, enjoyed what was perhaps the most unique “365 Outing” the 10 Elks lodges in Rhode Island have ever hosted.

“We’ve got over 1,300 special needs guests here today,” Eaton, the past exalted ruler of Lodge 14 who chaired the 365 Outing for the second straight year, offered. “We’ve got representation from all 10 lodges – 56 from Tri-City – and that total is approximately 120 volunteers.”

For inside of three hours, those valuable volunteers cooked 1,300-plus hamburgers, nearly as many hot dogs and kept cans of iced-down soda and bottled water coming along with other picnic necessities like potato chips and potato salad.

“We’re also serving slices of watermelon,” Eaton said. “I think we bought about 35 or 40 melons.”

Those statistics were only half the story at this year’s 365 – a.ka. Special Needs – Outing.

Assisted by Elroy the Elk, Eaton and Leo Blanchette, a Warwick resident and Elks’ District Exalted Ruler, along with many of the day’s volunteers and even three Rhode Island Shriners Clowns, handed out over 4,000 gifts that ranged from Mardi Gras-like beads, hats and a variety of inflatable musical instruments.

When asked how much the outing cost, Eaton simply stated, with a wide smile on his face, “Nothing!”

“The Elks Charitable Foundation tries to make a difference in the community,” Eaton said. “Since 1768 Elks have worked with many goals to help veterans, provide scholarships, drug awareness, afternoon school programs and basically the needs of each community where we have a lodge.”

The most recent case was the 365 Outing or, as most people know it, the Elks’ annual Special Needs picnic.

“This event is called the 365 Outing because we ask our members to donate a penny a day – $3.65 per year – to have this wonderful event,” Eaton explained. “All you have to do is look around and watch how much this means to each and every one of our guests.”

Even the Warwick Fire Department took part in this year’s 365 Outing, first to make sure there was a medical emergency team on site and second to pass out those ever-popular plastic fire chief’s hats to attendees.

The day also included Irish Step Dancers, a disc jockey who played music all afternoon, unlimited food at a special outing made possible by nearly 500 hours of volunteerism by the Elks lodge of Rhode Island that once again upheld their credo: “Elks Care, Elks Share!”

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here