SALISBURY — In order for local organizations to do the kind of valuable, selfless work that they are known for, they require access to funds. For the past 15 years, the Salisbury Elks Lodge 699 has been dedicated to awarding grants to these kind of agencies so that people in need can get the care they deserve.

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks has been around since the 1800s “to promote and practice the four cardinal virtues of charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity.” This involves lodge members donating their time and money towards worthy causes of their choosing. District Deputy for Salisbury Lodge 699 Rich Penk says that they have a group that figures out what local groups to donate to and how the grant money is distributed.

“We try to cover a broad spectrum of personnel,” Penk said.

Penk joined the Elk Lodge when he lived in New Jersey back in 1997 and remained a member when he moved to Kannapolis over a decade ago. “I saw all the good they were doing in the community in New Jersey and then when I moved down here I just wanted to continue being a Elk,” Penk said. “Being able to go out and help the community. Our lodge does a lot for the homeless veteran program. That’s something I wanted to get more involved with.”

This year, the Elks Lodge gave the $2,500 Gratitude Grant to the Family Crisis Council and Rowan Helping Ministries. This grant comes from the lodge meeting the national president’s per-member-giving goal for the Elks National Foundation of less than $5. Communities in Schools received the $2,000 Spotlight Grant that “shines a light on three issues facing American communities: early childhood literacy, veteran homelessness, and hunger.” Lastly, the W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center Health Care for Homeless Veterans accepted $1,500 from the North Carolina Charitable Trust.

Penk and the lodge are committed to giving back anyway they can. Thanks to the grants, the Elk Lodge is allowing these groups to offer their services and save the lives of people living in Salisbury and Rowan County. Penk knows the gravity of what these grants can do and feels lucky to be the one who personally hands them out.

“When you see the reactions from the people we give the grants to, and you know it’s going to a good cause, just knowing that somebody is being helped just by me being an Elk, it’s a feeling you can’t shake. Knowing that you’re doing good in the community is priceless,” Penk said.