In 1906, a group of prominent citizens decided
that our community should have an Elks Lodge. The application
for a charter was created by Geo. W. Foote, B.G. Kelly, Jay
Galligan and thirteen others. On October 31, 1906, a charter
was granted and a new Lodge was immediately started. There
were 72 Charter members, all their names are inscribed on
that document which has and always will be hanging on the
walls of our Lodge room.
During the intervening year between the Lodge’s inception
and about 1926, we had rental quarters on the second floor
of the Association Building. While some members were talking
of building or buying a new Lodge home, the Lovelander Hotel
building came up for sale and could be bought for a minimum
amount of cash. The hotel was bought, and the Lodge voted
to move immediately. Temporary clubroom facilities were set
in the kitchen of the hotel, and Lodge meetings were held
in the dining room. All of this took place while the remodeling
program was in progress.
During the early years of the Larimer County Fair, Loveland
Lodge #1051 would always furnish floats, marchers, costumes,
and personnel to assist in management problems. One year,
when finances in general were too low to conduct a fair, our
Lodge proceeded to underwrite the cost of it.
One of our old time members felt that it was time Loveland
had a boy’s band. He presented the idea to the Lodge,
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the first youth band came into being. Musical
instruments were furnished to about 20 or 25 boys. This band
became the nucleus for the present day Loveland High School
Band.
During the time of the terrible flu epidemic, Loveland did
not have sufficient hospital facilities to care for the stricken
citizens. Loveland Lodge came to the rescue by turning their
Lodge room into a temporary hospital staffed with nurses and
supplies. Loveland Lodge #1051 then voted to donate $50,000
to start a hospital fund. This sum was augmented by donations
from public-spirited citizens and other organizations, plus
some government aid. Thus it was that in a very short time
construction was started on what was later to be known as
the Loveland Memorial Hospital. The corner stone was laid
in 1951, with the Loveland Elks Lodge providing the ceremonies.
Loveland Lodge’s charity and relief work has continued
on through the years to help cripple children, worthy students,
hospitalized veterans, and scores of youth building programs,
without regard to Elk membership, race, creed, or color.
Every year, the Lodge sponsors a Christmas party for all
the children of Larimer County. We are still rich in the heritage
our forefathers left for us. We still strive to raise money
for charities and to aid the less fortunate.
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