Elks Lodge 298 in Davenport is celebrating 45 years at its current location

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – It’s been 45 years since Elks Lodge 298 moved to its current location on Center Avenue in Davenport Park.

On Sunday, they held an open house to celebrate, which included a tour of the facility, prizes for participation and a free game for members.

The public was invited to tour the facility and see what the Elks have to offer veterans, youth and the community.

Members gathered at Elks Lodge 298 on Sunday for the celebration, and former High Governor John Zamora tells us what he’s looking forward to at the event.

“We want to welcome people to this lodge and that’s why we’re having an open house and hopefully we can generate some members and just tell people what this lodge stands for,” Zamora said. “It’s not just a building, it’s a place where people can come in and feel welcome and enjoy themselves.”

Although the Elks Lodge has been around for many years, there are people who are not aware of their purpose.

“The Elks are kind of a hidden gem,” said Lisa Reimick’tul, a lodge member. “I don’t think many people know what we do here. We do a lot for veterans, for the youth in our community, and for the community in general, so I think it’s important to let people know what we’re doing.”

Bob Wrage talks about the impression he has made since becoming Supreme Governor in 2022.

“We’ve got over 60 members, and we’re growing,” Wrage said. “We get people who are more interested in our three pillars, and they have a place for one or the other, and with that, we create a better impression in the community.”

After 45 years at this location, the members are happy to say…

“The Elks Lodge is growing,” Zamora said. “This particular lodge has had the largest increase in membership in the entire state this year, and we hope that growth continues and we hope people know why we’re here.”

The mission of the Elks Foundation is to help Elks build strong communities, help young people develop lifelong skills, send students to college, and meet the needs of today’s veterans.

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