BOONTON
ELKS #1405
ABOUT THE BOONTON ELKS
It takes some very special people...
As the Boonton Elks Lodge #1405 moves forward into the 21st century we are proud to continue our commitment to our community and our charitable causes. Our State Project "Elks Camp Moore" provides a free week of summer camp to New Jersey's special needs children ages 7 through 17. From our first efforts to support our nation's veterans during World War I until today the Elks will always be there for those that defend our freedoms. Our community outreach programs like Hoop Shoot, Batters Up and our Essay contests are going strong and our public ceremony for Flag Day is a sight you should not miss!
All of this would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the diverse and caring members of our Lodge. Diversity and inclusion ensures the Boonton Elks incorporates the varied and unique talents of our members to better reach out to our community and to support our charitable activities. The diversity of our members guarantees a variety of opinions, life experiences and knowledge that is being used build a stronger Lodge and stronger community in Boonton. There is no other lodge that can compare with the dedication and hard work of our members.
We would like to extend an invitation to our community members to come down to the Lodge and speak to the members and find out what we are all about. We are not your Grandfather's Elks Lodge any longer.

Our Mission
Mission Statement
To inculcate the principles of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity; to recognize a believe in God; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its Members; to quicken the spirit of American patriotism; to cultivate good fellowship; to perpetuate itself as a fraternal organization, and to provide for its government, theBenevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America will serve the people and communities through benevolent programs, demonstrating that Elks Care and Elks Share.
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We are...
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A fraternal order with hundreds of thousands of members and a 150+ year history.
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A network of nearly 2000 lodges in communities all over the country.
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A generous charitable foundation that each year gives millions in scholarships, an inspiration to youth, a friend to veterans and more.
Purposes
This Fraternal Order was founded "To promote and practice the four cardinal virtues of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its members; to quicken the spirit of American Patriotism and cultivate good fellowship."
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What We Do
The Order spends more than $80,000,000 every year for benevolent, educational and patriotic community-minded programs in such fields as benefitting special needs children, sponsoring Elks National Foundation scholarships, scouting, athletic teams, veterans' works, a national "Hoop Shoot" free-throw contest involving more than 3 million children, physical and occupational therapy programs and patriotic programs.
The youth of our country have always been important to the Order. It is for this reason the Elks Drug Awareness Education Program was launched to warn primary grade students and their parents of the dangers in drug use. Additionally, every lodge observes June 14th as Flag Day, a tradition which the Elks began in 1907 and was later adopted by the Congress as an official observance.
Our History
The moving spirit for the Elks was an Englishman named Charles Algernon Sidney Vivian. Born October 22, 1842, this son of a clergyman was a successful comic singer and dancer in the music halls of London. In November 1867, Vivian arrived in New York City to try his fortune.
Other actors and entertainers soon gravitated toward his magnetic personality. With everything closed on Sunday because of New York City Blue Laws, a group of theatrical people began meeting for their own amusement under Vivian's leadership. A loose organization was formed to make sure the larder was well-stocked for these gatherings. They called themselves the Jolly Corks, a name derived from a trick introduced by Vivian in which the uninitiated purchased a round of refreshments.
When one of their members died shortly before Christmas in 1867, leaving his wife and children destitute, the Jolly Corks decided that in addition to good fellowship, they needed a more enduring organization to serve those in need.
On February 16, 1868, they established the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and elected Vivian to head it. Its social activities and benefit performances increased the popularity of the new Order. Membership grew rapidly. Elks traveling to other cities spread the word of the Brotherhood of Elks. Soon there were requests for Elks Lodges in cities other than New York. In response to these appeals, the Elks asked the New York State legislature for a charter authorizing the establishment of a Grand Lodge with the power to establish local Lodges anywhere in the United States. When the Grand Lodge Charter was issued, the founders then received the first local charter as New York Lodge No. 1 on March 10, 1871.