Elks donate $50,000 for MCC scholarships

McCook Community College receives a $50,000 gift from the McCook Elks to be used on need-based scholarships through the McCook College Foundation. Attending the check-presentation were (from left): McCook College Foundation Director Janet Werkmeister, MCC Vice President Andy Long, McCook College Foundation board member and Past Elks Exalted Ruler Ken Foster, Elks Trustee Secretary Roger Moreau, McCook College Foundation President Paul Wood, Elks Trustee chairman Dan Stramel, Mid-Plains Community College Area Director of Financial Aid Dale Brown, MPCC Area Director of Development Carol Bodeen, and MPCC President Ryan Purdy. (MCC photo)

McCOOK, Neb. -- The McCook Elks Lodge No. 1434 was once a booming organization. At its peak, local membership totaled more than 3,300 and the lodge, led by the Elks Club, prospered financially. Today, only 131 call themselves McCook Elks but a gift of $50,000 to the McCook College Foundation will provide a long lasting legacy in supporting students at McCook Community College.

The gift comes with no stipulations, just a donation to MCC for the College Foundation to use for need-based scholarships.

"The McCook Elks Lodge was a success because the residents of area supported it and this is just our way of giving something back," said Dan Stramel, Chairman of the Elks Lodge trustees.

"This is going to help a lot of students in the area," said McCook College Foundation Director Janet Werkmeister. "This is a substantial gift and we are very grateful." The McCook College Foundation will be the organization that will award the scholarships.

Stramel said trustees discussed the possibility of donating scholarship directly to area high schools but ultimately decided a gift to McCook Community College would have the greatest impact on the area.

"The great thing about this gift is it shows the commitment of the leaders of this area to help develop our next generation of leaders to make Southwest Nebraska strong," said Andy Long, McCook Community College Vice President.

Over past several years, the Elks trustees have used proceeds from the sale of the former Elks building to build a financial portfolio that has allowed them to give back to the community in several areas.

The McCook Elks Lodge No. 1434 trustees decided to become proactive in making sure the area would ultimately benefit from the Elk's mission to "serve the people and communities through benevolent programs."