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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

PELHAM – The Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge, a nonprofit fraternal organization based in Pelham, has announced various efforts to contribute to the Pelham community.

Recently, the lodge received a $2,900 grant from the Alabama Elks Trust to support its goals and outreach plans for the 2025 calendar year. This included funding for the purchase of teddy bears for the five fire stations located within Pelham. The bears will ride with the firemen and will be available to distribute to children affected by situations responded to by the fire department.

The lodge also used a portion of their funds to donate to Pelham Strong, an organization dedicated to supporting the needs of youth and families in Pelham. The lodge assisted in Pelham Strong’s Christmas Children’s Drive, which provided Pelham youth with coats, shoes, toys and games during the holidays.

The lodge also used a portion of its 2024 Alabama Elk Association trust grant to fund Community of Hope, a health clinic for uninsured citizens in Shelby County. The funding was used to purchase medical lab furniture for patient exam rooms in the facility.

Finally, the lodge announced its supportive efforts toward the Liberty Learning Foundation and the Shelby County Miracle League.

Leon Johnston, a member of the Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge who serves as the organization’s secretary, grant writer and historian, gave background on the history of the lodge and its community outreach.

“The lodge was formerly located in Homewood and known as Homewood Elks Lodge No. 1738,” Johnston said. “The organization constructed a new facility in Pelham, which was formerly dedicated in 1987 as Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge No. 1738. It immediately began implementing its various charitable programs in its new community.”

Johnston added that since the group moved to Pelham, they have raised approximately $1.4 million of charitable impact in Shelby County.

“With an average membership of 80 Elks, over that period, (we) have provided an average of $38,000 per year in charitable investment in Shelby County,” Johnston said.

While the lodge has been extremely charitable towards Shelby County, Shannon Hubbard, the lodge’s president, emphasized that the program has certain focuses when it comes to deciding who receives funding.

“We focus on programs that address the betterment of the general public, needs of veterans, needs of the economically disadvantaged, scholastic and patriotic programs for youth and gaps in the social support fabric of our community,” Hubbard said.

The Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge is also not alone in its charitable efforts in the Yellowhammer State.

“Cahaba Valley is one of 22 Lodges in the Alabama Elks Association,” Johnston said. “The Association has a major state project, Alabama’s Special Camp for Children and Adults. Alabama Lodges are engaged in providing financial and ‘in kind’ support to the camp.”

Sharon Gaydon, former president of the lodge and chairperson of the lodge’s public relations committee, took the time to detail one of the lodge’s recent charitable efforts, the Teddy Bear Program.

“The Teddy Bear Program is one of our newest Elk Projects,” Gaydon said. “Lodge membership encompasses retired educators and social workers. These individuals are aware of the trauma experiences of children. They considered this to be one way our lodge can assist local fire and medical professionals to help children who deal with loss or abuse.”

The lodge’s partnership with Pelham Strong, according to Johnston, is mutually beneficial.

“Pelham Strong is an important partner in our efforts to provide aid and comfort to the underprivileged in Pelham,” Johnston said. “Utilizing their research into local needs, Cahaba Valley purchased and donated shoes and coats valued at more than $2,500. A Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks national grant plus member donations have provided our funding for the Children’s Christmas Drive.”

The funding allocated to Community of Hope was designed to help the clinic serve its clients more effectively, and Gaydon added that the clinic has been a longtime partner of the lodge.

“The lodge has provided donations of more than $4,000 to CHHC since adopting the Clinic as one of our local projects,” Gaydon said.

The lodge’s interest in the Liberty Learning Foundation arose, according to Gaydon, from the group’s investment in American patriotism.

“We became aware of the need to provide patriotism education to school children through our Know Our Flag program and Americanism Essay Contest,” Gaydon said. “Representative Kenneth Paschal introduced the program to a lodge member. The idea of supporting Liberty Learning was presented to our Charities committee… Our goal for this and other patriotic programs is to enhance the teaching of what it means to be an American patriot.”

The Shelby County Miracle League provides people facing physical and mental disabilities the chance to play baseball. It is one of the lodge’s more recent partners, according to Hubbard.

“The Lodge adopted the Miracle League as a youth project two years ago,” Hubbard said. “Members began by supplying team shirts, game snacks and lodge space for celebrations and distribution of awards and trophies. Members attend League games to cheer the team players, and some are team buddies who aid those requiring assistance (during the games).”

In order to raise funds to support all of these charitable efforts, the lodge hosts multiple fundraising events.

“All our charity projects require funding,” Hubbard said. “We schedule two catfish fries per year, offer a BBQ Sunday dinner, have competitive game events and (rely on) the generosity of members to provide a portion of our funding.”

Johnston added that the support and involvement of the lodge’s members is the lifeblood of the organization.

“Member support and involvement are of supreme importance,” Johnston said. “Without the desire to make a difference in our community we could not succeed. The level of commitment to the principles of Elkdom is a personal choice. We believe Elks are especially determined to be a change agent. That is what enables us to commit time, talent and treasure to make our communities a better place to live in and raise a family.”

The lodge, along with all of its current charitable partnerships, has plenty scheduled events for 2025.

“Our plate is quite full at present,” Hubbard said. “However, we know that new challenges are always on the horizon. We seek to increase our emphasis on patriotism education in our schools, and aid those in economic distress. Specific 2025 programs are a Flag Day celebration in conjunction with American Village on Saturday, June 14 and a Charity Cornhole Tournament partnering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness in August. (We have) catfish fries in April and October, a BBQ meal in February and a competitive game afternoon once each calendar quarter. We would appreciate public support for all these activities.”

Gaydon concluded by emphasizing that the Lodge is committed to changing lives for the better throughout Shelby County.

“We are a relatively small organization,” Gaydon said. “However, we are dedicated to bringing programs to our communities that make a difference.”

To learn more about the Cahaba Valley Elks Lodge, visit its website at Cvelodge1738.org.