Hunters: Give up your Hides

If you hunt elk or deer consider extending the positive hunting experience by supporting the local Elks lodge's Veterans Leather Program. “This valuable program established in 1948 has benefited tens of thousands of war veterans who have served our nation,” reported Colorado State Veterans' Leather Chairman and Brighton Elks member, Jim Vincent.
      With some of the 2010 Colorado big game hunting units allowing deer and elk hunting through Nov. 21 gives hunters considerable opportunities for providing hides to the Elkís Lodges.
      Just as elk and deer hunters value the comfort and the support a good pair of gloves provide on a cold morning or when hoisting a down elk back to camp, veterans enjoy a similar benefit in their daily lives. Elks lodges provide a support program locally and nationally for our war veterans who are handicapped or disabled and utilize wheel chairs for mobility. Veterans participate in local occupational therapy programs that produce wheelchair leather gloves, plus craft products such as moccasins, belts, wallets, clothing and other leather art items.
    “Hunters who provide elk and deer hides are giving back to a community organization that truly supports its youth and families,” Vincent suggested. Local Elks lodges sponsor a number of annual youth programs. Laradon Hall that supports hundreds of wayward youth is the Elkís primer Colorado project. Others include Drug Awareness, Soccer Shootout, Catch-a-Calf and Heifer Wrangle, high school scholarships, hoop shoot program, Americanism essay contest and Elks National Home for veterans.
     Hunters are asked to contact local Elks Lodges in Brighton (720-685-3208), Westminster (303-429-2227), Greeley (970-397-1910) or the Golden Elks Lodge (303-279-2740) for additional information and guidance on how to prepare hides for donation.         “This is a win-win program for hunter and veteran,” Jim Vincent reminded us.

Contact Ron at Ron-Hellbusch@comcast.net