With deer hunting season beginning, the Jefferson Elks Lodge is hoping local hunters will donate their deer hides to help disabled veterans.
Each year the Jefferson Elks Lodge collects deer hides to be used in veterans hospitals in Iowa and across the country. The hides are donated by local hunters to the Elks Lodge. The hides are then processed at a tannery, at the Elks’ expense, and donated to the veterans hospital craft shops. Disabled veterans at the Marshalltown Veterans Home, and similar facilities, make wheelchair gloves for others as well as a variety of crafts. Nationally, Elks distributed over 2,500 pairs of wheelchair gloves, over 65,000 square feet of crafting leather to disabled veterans through this project, as well as 63,700 crafting kits.
Iowa Elks were second in the nation in donated hides last year. The Jefferson Lodge collected about 150 hides during the last hunting season and is hoping to best that by a large margin this year.
Exalted Ruler Cliff Said said, “This is a great way to show our appreciation to those veterans who have given so much to our country.” Said invites all hunters to donate their deer hides this year to the Jefferson Elks. It’s very easy; just call the Elks Lodge at 515-386-2106 after 4 pm or contact John Schoening at 515-386-4191 or Les Fister at 515-370-3724. Arrangements will be made to pick up or drop off your hides.
