LYNNWOOD—For 63 years and counting, the Lynnwood Elks Lodge 2171 has been a community gathering space for south Snohomish County residents offering BINGO, dinners, dances, and more. But its reach doesn’t stop there. Through the Elks Lodge’s robust charity system, the club has successfully returned $1.9 million back to its community—offering assistance to veterans and individuals struggling with homelessness, awarding students with scholarships, and supporting children’s mental health through therapy.
The Lynnwood Elks recently won first place in Division 5 in the All-American Lodge, a prestigious award based upon its volunteer efforts and its number of members.
Darla Aiken Tinker, member and officer, has been a member of the Lynnwood Elks Lodge for two years. Having had an interest in the Elks Club for some time, as she drove passed facilities in downtown Seattle with peaked curiosity, she finally got the push she needed to sign up after attending an Elks Lodge with family while they were on vacation in Newport Beach, Cali.
Tinker’s time at the California Elks Lodge was a blast, she informed the Lynnwood Times, but the real reason she decided to join her local Lynnwood chapter was its volunteer charity work. Prior to joining the Elks Lodge Tinker would frequently hand out baskets to homeless living in Edmonds, Lynnwood, Everett, and Mukilteo and wanted to do more for her community.
“They welcomed me wholeheartedly,” said Tinker. “They’re a great network of people.”
If Darla Aiken Tinker’s name rings a bell it could be that you recognize her as the, self-proclaimed, “Easter Egg Lady of Lynnwood” who has been making sugar eggs around Easter for the last 47 years. At the Elks Lounge in Lynnwood, she brings this tradition to the club, joining its many festive celebrations for holidays alongside Santa visits around Christmas.
Tinker began her time with the Elks bartending on Thursdays, but when the Elks Lodge relocated from its rental space last September, which was located near the upcoming Link Light Rail station, she volunteered a good portion of her time painting the building and helping the facility get up-to-speed.
The Elks 2171’s new facility is now located at 15128 Highway 99 in Lynnwood and has a full kitchen on site serving exquisite food (taking over the now closed Taster’s Wok), a game room with a pool table, darts, and shuffleboard, a banquet hall and dining room, and even a full bar. Often its events are even accompanied with live music.
“We just have a lot of fun,” said Tinker. “There’s so much you can partake in. I can’t say enough to encourage people to join, not just because I’m a member but because I’ve seen just how much we are able to do – raising money for charities and having fun along the way.”
The Lynnwood Elks Lounge frequently donates to the Mukilteo Food Bank and raises money to help find housing insecure people a place to stay.
For its veteran’s services, Elks partners with Hero’s Café assisting those in need whether that be housing or food.
The Elks’ pledge is: “So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.” The Elks National Veterans Service Commission takes that pledge one step further and promises service to our nation’s veterans and military members, with a special focus on service to those in need, Tinker said.
Thousands of Elks volunteers give generously of their time, energy and resources to serve veterans and military members each day, to ensure that pledge is not an idle one.
Today, Elks volunteers provide direct service to veterans in more than 330 facilities each month. Through its grants to Elks Lodges, the lounge connects with veterans and military members in their communities, providing them with services where they live.
“We help veterans rehabilitate and thrive through adaptive sports programs and therapy kits. And our Welcome Home initiative is reaching out to some of our most vulnerable veterans: those who are experiencing homelessness,” said Tinker.
Students seeking financial assistance with college can also apply for scholarships, up to $1,500, on the Elks Club website.
On September 21, Elks Lounge 2171 will be holding a Rummage Sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that is open to the public. The proceeds from this sale will go towards operational costs and volunteer-based charity services.
November 9 will be the Purple Bubble Ball, a community dance featuring the music of local classic rock band The Davanos.
The lounge also has frequent BINGO nights—including the very loud, but very fun, Loud Mouth BINGO, according to Tinker.
The membership price to join the Elks costs $145 annually, which grants you, friends, and family, access to all its events. As an Elks member, one also has access to any Elks Club facility anywhere in the country.
The Elks Lounge in Lynnwood also rents out its facilities for non-members.
Volunteers are always welcome to lend their time to any of the Elks community events and charities. Tinker encourages anyone interested to simply stop in the lodge and introduce themselves.
Social Quarters Hours are held Tuesday through Saturday 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Lynnwood Lodge meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of every Month at 7:00 p.m. (except July, when they only meet on the third Wednesday). Initiations are held on the third Wednesday, which also just so happens to be steak night. Other themed dinners include Taco Tuesdays, potluck night, and prime rib dinners.
“We have so many good people in Lynnwood and to keep that camaraderie is very important,” said Tinker.
For more information stop by the facility, give the Lodge Secretary Bonney Larsen a call, or visit the Elks’ website at http://lynnwoodelks.org/ The website will also be updating its calendar with events coming up in August sometime this week.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
