Our Programs

Elks Care, Elks Share

We are a volunteer organization with many opportunities to serve. We proudly support veterans and children with disabilities, provide college scholarships, and support The Dictionary Project.

Please contact us if you would like to volunteer. To see our most pressing volunteer needs, please click the button below.

Dinner for a Cause

About seven years ago we started our monthly dinner for a cause, the third Thursday of every month.

We have supported Burien Cares Animal Rescue, Bloodworks Northwest, Paralyzed Ceterans of America Burien branch, The Salvation Army, Schonwald Camp for Kids, and so many more.

We host a dinner buffet that is $15 per person with $10 going straight to the cause, and $5 helping us recoup some of our food costs. We also get members to donate raffle prizes so we can sell dollar raffle tickets with 100% of the proceeds going to the cause.

Honor Guard

The Burien Elks Honor Guard provides a dignified and gracious service for those who served this Country and have passed on and for their families. The group provides Interment Services at Tahoma National Cemetery as one of several V.S.O. (Veterans Service Organizations). 

The Burien Elks Honor Guard also provides other services to the community through by working with Boy Scouts and Girls Scout units to teach Flag etiquette, ritual services, Memorial Day service, and other Veterans programming when called upon. 

The Dictionary Project

The Dictionary Project has put more than 18 million dictionaries in the hands of students nationwide. Its primary focus is to promote literacy to children in the third grade as they transition from learning how to read to identify and use information. 

Since joining this movement, the Elks nationally have donated more than 1.2 million dictionaries. This year, the Burien Elks Lodge #2143 are donating over 1,000 dictionaries within the Highline School District as part of the Elks’ nationwide Dictionary Project.

Washington Elks Therapy Program for Children, Inc.

Since 1954, the Washington Elks Therapy Program for Children, Inc. has provided home-based occupational or physical therapy to children with developmental delays or physical disabilities. Services are provided at no cost to the family served.

This program is funded entirely by donations from Elks in the State of Washington and friends of the program.

Elks for Seattle Children’s Hospital

The Elks for Children’s Hospital partnership between Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Washington State Elks Association began in 1926 and still continues today. The bond of these two entities and the care of the Elks has given hope to children in our region for more than 93 years.

The Elks for Children’s Hospital Committee is a standing committee of WSEA that has contributed more than $1 million to Seattle Children’s Hospital. We are listed as a Hero for Hope and included in the Rock Wall at Seattle Children’s main campus.

Scholarships

Since 1930, The Elks National Foundation has helped students recognize their academic dreams. Each year, we award more than $3 million in college scholarships to at least 800 outstanding, service-minded high school seniors.

Our Elks scholar family is 17,000 strong, with 3,000 active scholars attending 65 unique U.S. institutions.

Veterans

The Elks National Veterans Service Commission promises service to our nation’s veterans and military members, with a special focus on service to those in need.

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.