Local Elks donate smoke detectors

Van Wert Elks information

Van Wert Lodge 1197, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, recently donated 58 smoke detectors to the Van Wert City Fire Department.

Van Wert County fire chiefs are raising funds for their “No Child Sleeps Unprotected” project. With this project, county fire chiefs hope to provide smoke detectors with a sealed 10-year battery to all children in grades K-12 who live in Van Wert County. The project will encompass approximately 4,500 children.

The smoke detectors were purchased through Van Wert Fire Equipment Company, which has worked with the fire chiefs to provide them the lowest price available and keep donated monies spent locally.

The Ohio Elks Association distributes the funds in the form of a community service grant. The Ohio Elks Association receives monies each year from the Elks National Foundation, a perpetual trust fund established many years ago by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.   Contributions to the Foundation are made each year by more than one million Elks and their families from more than 2,000 Elks lodges across the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

Van Wert Lodge is proud to be able to assist the Van Wert County Fire Chiefs with this important project.   With this donation, through community service grants, Van Wert Elks Lodge has donated to the communities within Van Wert County $30,395.08 in total grants since the inception of the program.