The Merced Elks Lodge recently held a fun day for Merced County Office of Education students who are living with special needs.
There were 20 classrooms of Pre-K through 5th grade students represented from the cities of Winton, Dos Palos, Livingston, Los Banos, Atwater and Merced. In total, 441 students participated, with each receiving a drug awareness wrist band as they entered Kiddieland.
They had unlimited park rides that were operated by specially trained Merced Elks members. The participants were able to make personalized drug awareness badges to wear, and were able to pick up a drug awareness coloring book with bookmark at the Merced Elks drug awareness booth.
The participants also had group tours at Applegate Zoo. In addition to providing snacks and bottled water, the Merced Elks cooked and served lunch. This project was funded by Merced Elks BINGO, Merced Elks Bikers, and a grant from the Elks National Foundation. The Merced Elks Lodge has a very long history of community service projects, especially helping students with special needs and military veterans.