Welcome to Rock Hill Elks
Rock Hill, South Carolina
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March 2025
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About The Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the U.S.A.
A Fraternal Organization
Who are the Elks?
Elks are American citizens who enjoy living life by contributing to the lives and well-being of those around them. We guide ourselves through life with strong morals and a great love of our fellow man, always adhering to the founding principals of our order: Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity.
Elks Lodges bring so much more to their communities than just a building, golf course or pool. They are places where neighbors come together, families share meals, and children grow up.
Elks invest in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, meet the needs of today's veterans, and improve the quality of life.
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We are...
• A fraternal order with hundreds of thousands of members and a 150+ year history.
• A network of nearly 2000 lodges in communities all over the country.
• A generous charitable foundation that each year gives millions in scholarships, an inspiration to youth, a friend to veterans and more.
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Elks Mission Statement
To inculcate the principles of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity; to recognize a belief in God; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its Members; to quicken the spirit of American patriotism; to cultivate good fellowship; to perpetuate itself as a fraternal organization, and to provide for its government, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America will serve the people and communities through benevolent programs, demonstrating that Elks Care and Elks Share. Download and share our mission statement here.
Origin of the Elks Lodge
The moving spirit for the Elks was an Englishman named Charles Algernon Sidney Vivian. Born October 22, 1842, this son of a clergyman was a successful comic singer and dancer in the music halls of London. In November 1867, Vivian arrived in New York City to try his fortune.
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Other actors and entertainers soon gravitated toward his magnetic personality. With everything closed on Sunday because of New York City Blue Laws, a group of theatrical people began meeting for their own amusement under Vivian’s leadership. They called themselves the Jolly Corks.
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The Elks Lodge Today
Since inception in 1868, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks has grown from a small gathering of people with good deeds in their hearts to the largest fraternal organization in the U.S. With over 800 thousand members, the Elks have contributed more than $3.6 billion in donations for the nation’s youth, veterans, disadvantaged and handicapped, and to individuals and groups in support of patriotic and civic programs.
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Each year Elks give more than $80 million in contributions and is one of the largest private providers of college scholarships in the United States. If you are amazed at these numbers and wonder why this is not common knowledge, it is because the heart of Elkdom is always humble.
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Currently, there are over 1900 active Elk Lodges in the United States, each identified by a number and the name of the city in which the Lodge resides. We are very proud to be South Carolina Lodge #1318.
When one of their members died in 1867, leaving his wife and children destitute, the Jolly Corks decided that in addition to good fellowship, they needed a more enduring organization to serve those in need.
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On February 16, 1868, they established the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and elected Vivian to lead it. Its social activities and benefit performances increased the popularity of the new Order. Membership grew rapidly. Elks traveling to other cities spread the word of the Brotherhood of Elks.
Membership
The Order is a non-political, non-sectarian and strictly American fraternity. Proposal for membership in the Order is only by invitation of a member in good standing. To be accepted as a member, one must be an American citizen, believe in God, be of good moral character and be at least 21 years old.
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What We Do
The Order spends more than $80,000,000 every year for benevolent, educational and patriotic community-minded programs in such fields as benefitting special needs children, sponsoring Elks National Foundation scholarships, scouting, athletic teams, veterans' works, a national "Hoop Shoot" free-throw contest involving more than 3 million children, physical and occupational therapy programs and patriotic programs.
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The youth of our country have always been important to the Order. It is for this reason the Elks Drug Awareness Education Program was launched to warn primary grade students and their parents of the dangers in drug use. Additionally, every lodge observes June 14th as Flag Day, a tradition which the Elks began in 1907 and was later adopted by the Congress as an official observance.
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Our Programs
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Scholarships
Learn all about the Elks National Foundation's Scholarship Program. Explore elks.org/scholars
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Hoop Shoot
The Elks Hoop Shoot highlights the Elks commitment to America's youth through their annual free throw basketball contest.
Explore elks.org/hoopshoot
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National Memorial
The Elks National Memorial was built in 1926 to honor Americans veterans' service. Explore elks.org/memorial
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Veterans Services
The Elks are committed to their mission, "So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them." Explore the elks.org/vets
The CIP Program invests in Elks communities through Lodge grants that help Elks meet local needs. Explore elks.org/cip
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Drug Awareness
Learn all about the Elks' Drug Awareness program. Explore elks.org/dap
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Elks History Project
Explore decades of Elks history through the project's magazine archives, photo gallery, document center, and more. Explore elks.org/history
Sports and Teamwork
Read all about the Elks Soccer Shoot program. Explore elks.org/programs/soccer.
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Read all about the Elks Soccer Shoot program. Explore elks.org/hoopshoot.
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Learn about the Elks Junior Golf program.
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School and Community
Read information about the Elks' Americanism Essay Contest.
Dictionary Project
Learn about the Elks Dictionary Project.
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Antlers
Learn about junior membership with the Elks Antlers program.​
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Youth Recognition
Learn about how the Elks celebrate youth achievement through Youth Recognition.
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SC Districts and Lodges
South Carolina Elks Association
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SOUTHEAST DISTRICT NUMBER 8160 View Map
NORTHEAST DISTRICT NUMBER 8180 View Map
WEST DISTRICT NUMBER 8200 View Map
SC’s State Project
The SC Elks Association adopted Alzheimer’s as it’s major state project in June of 1997. The mission of the project is to raise funds through lodges to support the state’s Alzheimer’s Chapters, with much of the money raised going toward the Charitable Trust Perpetual Fund (designated for Alzheimer’s programs and services, particularly “respite for caregivers”). They have several events each year in support of this mission.
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Alzheimer's Association
In 1979, Jerome H. Stone and several family support groups representatives met with the National Institute on Aging to explore the possibility of setting up a national non-profit fundraising initiative to support federal efforts surrounding Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association was founded on April 10, 1980, with Jerome H. Stone as its premier president.
The Alzheimer's Association reaches millions of people affected by the disease throughout the world. The Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. They work to advance levels of care and support received by Alzheimer's patients and their families. They also work to fund important research into the disease.
Please click the video to the right to view the facts and figures concerning Alzheimer's disease, and learn how the lodges of South Carolina are helping to raise funds towards research and support by visiting http://scelks.org.