CANADIAN ELK CANADIAN ELK ´ELAN CANADIEN - Elks of Canada

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY is now an approved program ofthe Elks and Royal Purple Fund for Children. Here is anexample of how well Habitat for Humanity and theElks can work together.Habitat for Humanity - NWTIn 2010, the Yellowknife Elks Lodge No. 314 passed a motion to investigate the feasibility ofestablishing a Habitat for Humanity Affiliate in Yellowknife. Not only did the Lodge want tobecome involved but it decided that if this dream was to become a reality it would take morethan just the Lodge – it had to become a community project.After contacting Habitat Canada and through their contacts and others in the community aninformal working group began laying the foundation for establishing an NWT Affiliate. Itbecame apparent in the beginning that a lot of ground work and preparation had to becompleted before we even were in the position to think about our first build in Yellowknife.In March 2011, Alfred Nikolai, CEO of Habitat Edmonton, came to Yellowknife and a publicinformation session was held. The community response was very positive and from there wemoved forward in our planning. On July 13, 2011 our first board was formed from the workinggroup and several members from the community were added to fill out key positions. Today,our Board consists of 10 individuals of which 6 are Lodge members and the ExecutiveCommittee of 5 includes 3 Lodge members. Our goal of community involvement had beenachieved. To further assist us in our planning the Lodge provided $5,000 in start up funds.In November of 2011, Kathrin Delutis from Habitat Canada visited Yellowknife and workedwith our Board in preparing for our final submission to Habitat Canada for full affiliate status.In December 2011 our submission was approved and we are now full affiliate members ofHabitat Canada.With this milestone now behind us we are preparing for our first build this year and our planis to turn over the keys to a family in Yellowknife before December 2012. To achieve this goalthere is still much planning, fundraising and community involvement to obtain but we will besuccessful through the hard work and dedication of our Board, the support of YellowknifeElks Lodge No. 314 and the community as a whole.Dave HurleyPresidentHabitat for Humanity - NWT63