For the first time, Elks Lodge 1460 of Platteville will host the Fall Conference of the Wisconsin Elks Association Thursday through Sunday.
Lodge 1460 will also host Grand Exalted Ruler John D. Amen and First Lady Marcia from Lodge 17 of Denver, Colo.
The Elks Grand Exalted Ruler represents more than 800,000 Elks nationwide in 2,000 Elks lodges. Having the Grand Exalted Ruler in Platteville is a first for Platteville and for the Elks organization.
Also in attendance will be Past Grand Exalted Ruler F. Louis Sulsberger, from Lodge 1659 of Flora, Ill., sponsor for the State of Wisconsin.
The Platteville Lodge has the distinction of being the home lodge of this year’s President of the Wisconsin Elks Association, Todd Kostuck. He and his wife, Leah, are spending the year traveling Wisconsin sharing their message of “Changing Lives Through Elkdom.”
This is the second time Platteville has been the home lodge of a state president. The last state president from Platteville was Harold Canaan in 1965.
Nearly 250 delegates representing 32 lodges will attend the Fall Conference.
The Platteville Elks Lodge has been in existence for 91 years. Established on Feb. 28, 1923, the Elks support local youth through scholarships for high school seniors, Hoop Shoot, Drug Awareness, and Dictionary Program. The Elks also support veterans through their pledge, “So long as there are Veterans in our hospitals, the Elks will never forget them.”
The Wisconsin Elks Major Project is a respite care center, Camp Wawbeek in the Wisconsin Dells, partnered with Easter Seals of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Elks Association has donated $2.6 million dollars for facilities at the camp. In addition, the Elks have been a long time supporter of the annual Badger Camp Telethon.