City support came too late to secure a $100,000 federal grant for Vernon Elks Club

Photo: Jon Manchester

Support from the City of Vernon was too little, too late for the Vernon Elks Lodge to receive federal funding.

The service club submitted a grant application to the Heritage Canada Legacy Fund for $98,600. The funding would have been used for centennial celebration events, renovations to the upstairs spaces, and a memorabilia showcase.

But, the club needed a show of support from the City of Vernon, which took too long to happen.

City support got bogged down in debate on how the request should be handled, but the city did eventually issue a letter of support in October, however it was still not enough to secure the grant.

A January 2021 letter from Heritage Canada's Debbie Vanderburgh stated: "I regret to inform you that, following a review of your application for funding, we are not able to fund your project. Applications submitted by non-profit organizations must demonstrate tangible and meaningful support from the municipality. The level of support provided by the Corporation of the City of Vernon was deemed insufficient to meet this criterion, since the information included in your application does not demonstrate that the municipality commits to provide a cash or in-kind contribution to support the project."

The matter only came before council March 8 of this year, although during their March 22 meeting some council members felt "blindsided" as the request had been made of the city a year earlier – a situation that generated heated debate.

Eventually, the city agreed to provide the Elks with $5,000 as a show of support, but it was not enough to secure the federal grant.

Officials with the Elks Lodge said no opportunity was given to appeal the Heritage Canada decision.

The Elks have been part of the fabric of the city for more than 100 years, and they plan to continue.

“The Vernon Elks Lodge 45 has adapted many times over its 100 years of service to the Vernon community through the Second World War, recessions, cultural shifts and currently enduring the strain of a pandemic,” the lodge said in a press release.

The lodge donates more than $30,000 a year to local non-profit groups and organizations.

The Elks also hosted the city's first Rib Fest, which it hopes to bring back next year after being forced to cancel due to COVID restrictions.

The grant denial isn't stopping the Elks from pressing on with a fundraising campaign. A GoFundMe has been launched for the Centennial Renovation Fund, with a $100,000 goal.

The Armstrong Regional Co-op has teamed up with the Elks, and drivers can donate their Co-op cash back using membership number 86001 in-store, at the pumps and at the ARC Liquor Store.