A message from the State President

John R. Opitz, Jr., President

Abingdon, MD Lodge No. 2354

State President’s Message

My fellow Elks, Brother and Sister Members of the MD, DE & DC Elks Association: I am honored and quite proud that you have elected me to serve as your President for the Fraternal year of 2026-2027. We celebrate the 250th year of our great nation, the 107th year of our association, and the 158th year of Elkdom. Stephanie and I eagerly anticipate our lodge visits to see old friends and make new friends throughout this association. We are ready to serve our members, and prepared for our collaboration with our sponsor, Malcolm J. McPherson, Jr., PGER, and our Special Deputy GER, John C. Loftus. I I look forward to the tutelage from our Advisory Committee, and input from all the Officers and Committee Chairs of this Association.

The Lodges and Members of this Association continue to work hard to promote all our Elks programs that benefit our local communities. We continue to excel at retaining our members at the lodge level, and spare no efforts to recruit new members.

My motto this year is “Proud Service to our Communities“. This motto was taken to send forth a message: Be Proud of what your Members and Lodges do in your neighborhoods. Make sure your communities know of your good works. As we continue to serve our Youth, Veterans, and others who benefit from our efforts, let the world know who we are and what we do as Elks.

I urge all the Lodge Officers and leaders to make every effort to get members involved with the works of the lodge. Especially, new members, as we have heard in the past, “volunteering is a warming of the soul“. When members feel involved and appreciated, they will want to continue that good feeling. The camaraderie of a group of Elks doing good work cannot be measured. We all know this, we simply need to extend this to members who haven’t been involved yet. Let’s expand our reach in our communities by starting a youth program in your lodge, especially if your lodge has not done so before. The Antlers/JR Elks is a way to get youth involved at the lodge; they elect their own Officers, and learn how to be leaders. These opportunities for youth will benefit them as the mature and when you recruit them as adult Elk members, they are already educated about what we do. Hoop Shoot and Soccer Shoot promote sportsmanship and the joy of competition. Scholarships available to our communities, Drug Awareness and Americanism programs get many youth involved with the lodges. Getting non-member families involved with their local lodges through programs spreads the word about who we are, and parents of these young people are potential Elks.

Our State Major Project, Elks Camp Barrett, is the crown jewel of this Association. I urge all Lodges and Members to support the camp any way possible. Our Lodges recruit the children who attend the camp weeks each summer. Lodges can send funds to support the camp even if they don’t have campers to sponsor. There is always something to do at the camp; members, reach out and volunteer, even if its only for a couple hours.

Our Veteran’s programs are one of our core missions as Elks. We can always do more for Veterans. Anyone who took the oath and offered to lay down their life for all of us deserves our best efforts. The Army of Hope, Welcome Home, and all our Veterans programs need the support of all 37 Lodges and 20,000 plus Members of this Association. Our Pledge of “So long as there are Veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them” carries a solemn meaning and commitment. I encourage all Members and Lodges to support our Association’s Veterans Programs, as well as at the Lodge level. If each of us supports these programs, our Veterans will know that this great Order is with them.

Our Association exists with the support of our Members, Lodges, and Officers. We are here to help if your Lodge needs any assistance. We have many committee chairs who are knowledgeable and willing to help. Please reach out and ask; hearing from Lodge Members is a highlight of serving on an Association committee. Each District has a Vice President who can assist their Lodges. I look forward to working with all our Association Officers and Committee Chairs.

Once, again, I would like to express my appreciation for the opportunity to serve our great Association, and all our Lodges and Members, as your President this year. Let’s be “Loud and Proud” and continue to be the Best People on Earth. Provide “Proud Service to our Communities“.

*God Bless our great Nation, all our Armed Services, Veterans, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Sincerely and fraternally,

John R. Opitz, Jr.

Abingdon, MD Lodge No. 2354

Cell: 410-533-5909

“Tell the world of our Great Deeds with Humility and Deference”