The institution of Englewood Lodge #2122 was held at Denver
Lodge #17 on May 2, 1959 with DDGER Central District Clarence
Metcalf serving as GER, Arthur Drehle PDDGER serving as Grand
Esquire and the balance of the Officers were Past District
Deputies of the Central District. One Hundred forty two charter
members were initiated by the Officers of Littleton Lodge
#1650, with Lymon Ditson as the ER. The Officers were installed
by the PER’s of Greeley Lodge #809, with O.J. Fisher
serving as GER. John Just, who had been very active in the
formative meetings to generate interest in starting the new
Englewood Lodge, was our first ER.
A Lodge facility was rented at 55 West Floyd Ave. in downtown
Englewood. Members had worked on the space to build a Lodge
room and small clubroom and were able to hold an open house
on May 3, 1959, which was well attended by Elks from around
the state. One of the initial charitable ventures the Lodge
was involved in was a fund drive for the then new Swedish
Hospital. The Elks and their wives went door to door to collect
donations.
The Englewood Lodge building reached its current size through
an initial building plus two additions. Ground breaking for
a Lodge building at our current site took place on July 4,
1964. An addition to the east of the existing building was
completed in October of 1970. In November of 1978, the land
to the north of our building was purchased to become the site
of a future expansion of the Lodge and serve as the current
parking lot. Ground breaking for an addition that would double
the size of the Lodge building took place on March 3, 1984.
Many factors combined to put the Lodge in a financial crunch.
Lodge finances dwindled prompting a proposal to sell the Lodge,
which was defeated on January 20, 1988. With that vote, the
members pulled together and participation in Lodge functions
increased. On February 22, 1994, the mortgage and all bondholders
had been |
paid in full and we owned the building.
Englewood has been honored to have the following serve as
DDGER: Jay Hatfield (1968), George Jorgenson (1975), William
Tilson (1981), Bill Swank (1986), and August “Bud”
Gerger (1991). Jay Hatfield was President of the CEA in 1978.
Englewood has participated in many of the Ritual Contests,
bringing honor and experience to the Lodge. The Lodge has
a very active Veterans Program supporting the veterans at
the V.A. Hospital by helping host their bingo functions, helping
with their picnics, and sponsoring an annual dinner for the
veterans at the Lodge. Englewood had an active clown group
that brought recognition to the Lodge and the community and
has a golf group that has attracted many members to the Lodge
over the years.
It is only though the efforts of the dedicated Officers over
the years and many volunteers—from the charter
members that created the first Lodge Room to those that are
active today—that the Lodge continues to thrive. The Lodge
has had many faithful employees through its history that have
helped the Lodge grow.
For as long as most can remember, our Elks Ladies have served
a spaghetti dinner each week before bingo is played in the
hall. Proceeds from this function have helped the Lodge survive.
The Ladies have helped with many projects, including the
purchase of the Ritual Jewels on four separate occasions over
the history of the Lodge. Englewood Lodge is very fortunate
to have had the support of the Elks Ladies and the many volunteers,
without which, we might not now be in existence. |
