Message from the Exalted Ruler

Dec 2025

Members all,

The end of fall is upon us, and so the Christmas season begins. But being an Elk is not a season, it is a commitment, a vow, an oath, and a promise we all took at some point in life. This is how we should all follow:

How to be an Elk

Loyalty to Members and their families:

I will always protect and defend their good names and their families, and I will always respect and defend the purity and sanctity of their homes and firesides.

Elks Obligation

What this means:

When you took you Obligation, you promised more than membership - You pledged guardianship. This is part of the vow, which isn't ceremonial. It's a call to stand in defense of your fellow Elks, even when they're not in the room. "To protect our members" means to speak up for them, not to speak about them. It means you don't allow gossip, slander, or division to take root. It means you view their families as not outsiders, but as part of the Elks extended family. Their homes and firesides represent privacy, dignity, and peace, and you've sworn to honor those things. You're not just a friend in public. You are a defender in spirit.

Living the Charge

Speak with honor. If it wouldn't strengthen a member's good name, it doesn't need to be said.
Support their families. When an Elk is struggling, caring for their loved ones is part of caring for them.
Respect boundaries. Hoes and personal lives are sacred spaces. Treat them with the same reverence you'd want for your own.
Stand up quietly. Loyalty doesn't always make noise; sometimes it just refuses to participate in hard. Protecting each other is more than defense; it's daily kindness, quiet respect, and a shared fire that never dies.

Let's all never forget why we became part of our great order.

Give back to our community, helping those in need and are less fortunate than we are. It is the season of giving, both in charity and respect for one another.

Fraternally yours,

Mark Harrell,