Members of the Cullman Elks Lodge are looking for veterans who might need a little help this Christmas with their Christmas meal.

The Elks are providing up to 75 meal boxes which includes a ham, 2 cans of green beans, 2 cans of corn, a box of Deluxe Mac and Cheese, a 5 pound bag of potatoes, a bag or box of stuffing mix or dressing mix, a can of cranberry sauce and cookie mix or a cake mix and icing.  If you are a veteran and could use this assistance, call Elks Veterans Committee Chair Gwen Parker at 256-347-1545 or by email at gbparkercullman@att.net. Pick up these boxes will be Sunday, Dec. 22, from 1-3 p.m. at the Elks Lodge on Brantley Ave. 

The Elks newest program for veterans, WELCOME HOME PROJECT, assists veterans who are coming home from active service/deployment or who need help getting set up with independent living.

Welcome home kits include, but are not limited to: Sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, clothes basket, cleaning supplies, mop, broom, mop bucket, dust pan, dishes, pot and pans, silverware, kitchen towels, dish cloths, hot pads, clothes detergent, dish detergent and personal hygiene supplies. The project will also spend up to $400 per veteran until Dec. 31, 2024 for requested items not on the list, such as a mattress. Contact Parker for more information. She will work with the local VFW to coordinate assistance.  

The Cullman Elks Lodge recently hosted its second “Beauty in the Beast” contest, raising more than $5,000 to provide Christmas gifts and holiday cheer for local veterans and their families. Elks will be providing Christmas gifts for 18 homebound veterans and 68 veterans who reside at Hanceville Nursing Home, Woodland Nursing Home, Folsom Center, Cullman Health & Rehab, Monarch Place, Gentiva Home Health and Hospice and will visit EVERY veteran personally.

“Our senior veterans deserve to feel seen, valued, and appreciated — especially during the holidays,” Jessica Atchley, project coordinator, said. “Delivering gifts and spending time with them allows us to give back in a personal and meaningful way.”

The Elks also have a long standing nursing home project that has been in place for more than 20 years for non veterans. Woodland Nursing Home and Cullman Healthcare provide the Elks with a list of needs for 20 male and 20 female residents. Gifts and personal items are delivered by Elks and Santa. A previous gift was a set of teeth for a resident in need.

In addition, Saturday, Dec. 14, at 11 a.m., the Elks Lodge will hold its annual Kids Christmas Party for Cullman County HeadStart children. This program — a favorite among elks members — has been in existence for more than 60 years. The party will begin with pizza, beverages and cookies for the children, then Santa will land in the Elks Lodge back yard via helicopter. Each child will be given an opportunity to talk to Santa and receive a gift and a bag of assorted fruit.  

In partnership with Toys for Tots, the Lodge also provided Christmas gifts for five veteran families, including 27 children. Each child received a collection of presents, and special gifts were included for their parents as well, ensuring the entire family feels the holiday spirit. This year, the initiative supported individuals ranging in age from newborn to 99-years-old.

“Knowing we were able to make Christmas special for so many people — from infants to our senior veterans — is a powerful reminder of the good we can accomplish together,” Atchley said. “This year, we were able to touch the lives of 102 individuals, and every single one of them matters.”

The Elks in Cullman are committed to be a good community partner and are always looking for ways to help others.  That’s why our slogan is ELKS CARE – ELKS SHARE. These are just a few projects the Cullman Elks Lodge use to support the residents of Cullman County. Other projects include financially supporting the SGB Shot Program — a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder — and each year hosts Cullman’s Veterans Day Program at Cullman Regional Airport that feeds up to 1000 veterans and their spouses.