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Elks Centennial Anniversary
•1868- 1968 &
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Charles A. S. Vivian,
Founder of The BPO Elks
Robert E. Boney, GER, is a business and civic leader of Las Cruces, N. M., where he is a
Charter member and Past Exalted Ruler of Las Cruces Elks Lodge No. 1119. He was born in
Chester, S. C., September 20, 1903, where he lived until he was five years old. Having settled
in Las Cruces some time earlier, he decided to enter the insurance field in 1932 and has built
one of the largest in the Southwest. In the Grand Lodge, Mr. Boney has served four years on the
Credentials Committee, three years on the Auditing committee and was appointed Grand
Esquire in 1959. He was elected Grand Esteemed Leading Knight in 1961 and to a four year
term on the Board of Grand Trustees in 1963.
AIDMORE HOSPITAL
Elks Aidmore Hospital, a children’s convalescent and rehabilitation hospital, located on the campus of Emory University Hospital,
is entirely owned and operated by the Elks of Georgia and is the Major project of the Georgia Elks Association. Together with
the Aidmore Auxiliary, mostly composed of wives of Elks, approximately $480,000.00 dollars is raised by the Elks of Georgia to
finance this wonderful institution. The hospital, which was begun in 1937 in an old dwelling on Peachtree Street in Atlanta is now
equipped with 71 beds and has a staff of 65. While owned by the Elks of Georgia, it is affiliated with the Emory University Hospi
tai and is valued at more than two million doUars. The first donation to the hospital, other than from the Atlanta area, was fifty
dollars from the Griffin Lodge, No. 1207 and was raised by staging a minstrel show, which was in 1937. Since then, Griffin Lodge
has raised it. donation yearly until now it contribute, at least SIO.OO per member per year. A trust fund was established for Aidmore
in 1954 while the late Mr. C. J. Williams was Trustee from the Griffin Lodge, in which he had a large part, and in 1965 a donation
of $2,000.00 by the Griffin Lodge put the trust fund over the $1,000,000.00 mark.
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Charles Algernon Sidney Vivian was the younger son of an English clergyman, who
| came to America to seek his fortune in November, 1867 at the age of 21. His zest for
life and warm personality endowed the Order of Elks with an attractive and enduring
attribute — good fellowship, as distinguishing an Elk tradition as their warm-heated
and generous philanthropy. Under Vivian’s magnetic leadership, a loose organization
was formed known as The Jolly Corks, the name being derived from a trick using a cork
which every member was subjected to. They soon found that good fellowship was not
enough and set out to form a more enduring organization to serve the loftier aim of
helping those in need, and on February 16, 1868 the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks was formed with Vivian at the head of it.
He died March 30, 1880 at the age of 34 and is buried in the Mt. Hope Cemetery,
Boston, Mass.
ACTIVITIES OF GRIFFIN LODGE 1207
Griffin Lodge No. 1207 is known as a leader in its field. Among the activities for the youth of this area encouraged
and sponsored by the local lodge are: Boy Scouts, Little League Baseball, Babe Ruth Baseball, Midget Football
teams, etc. It also contributes to summer camps, school patrol and similar projects. Every year the lodge sponsors an
Elks Scholarship contest along with an Elks Leadership contest, the winner of which may participate in the State con>
tests. The past year, 1967, the winners of each were also first place winners in the State and received an additinoal
scholarship award to help further their education. These students were competing with winners from about twenty
other lodge contests in the State. In addition to the above, the lodge also sponsors a <l Kle Klub” which is composed
of the youth of the community and is supervised by members of the lodge. Also sponsored is a Football game
known as the B-Team game with which it raises money to pay for the transportation of the High School band to all
out of town games.
The present officers of the lodge are: Thomas G. Gilchrist, Exalted Ruler; Wyman Mathews, Est. Leading Knight;
V. M. Morris, Est. Loyal Knight; Calvin Perry, Est. Leet. Knight; Bob Howell, Tiler; O. M. Snider, Jr., Treasurer;
F. D. Hunt, Secty.. LaFayette Beck, Esquire; James Searcy, Inner Guard and James Doe, Chaplain. The Trustees
are: Kimsey Stewart, C. T. Parker and J. P. Jennings.
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; Robert E. Boney, Grand,
Exalted Ruler, BPO Elks
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Griffin Daily News
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Friday, February 16, IMB