The Boone Elks Lodge closed almost a decade ago, but now Dolan Olson of Boone is testing the waters to learn whether there is local interest in reviving the organization.
Anyone from Boone or the northern Dallas County area is welcome to attend a 2 p.m. meeting Sunday, Nov. 20 to discuss reopening the lodge. The meeting will be held at Burger Daddy in Boone, 720 Eighth St., in a building that formerly housed the Boone Elks Lodge.
Olson, formerly of Perry, moved to Boone 16 years ago.
“I was a member of the Perry Elks years ago,” he said, “and I decided it was time to see if there was an interest in bringing it back. That’s what this get together is about, to judge the interest in bringing the Elks back.”
The early signs have been encouraging, Olson said.
“So far the response has been overwhelming,” he said. “We don’t have a lodge building as of yet, so we’ll be meeting at Burger Daddy for the time being.”
He said the Elks Lodge in Jefferson will act as the “parent lodge” for the fledgling Boone group.
“I want to make sure everyone understands that this is for the Boone-area residents only,” Olson said. “The Elks frown on lodges trying to take members away from other lodges, so I want to make it clear so I don’t upset the Perry Lodge.”
