Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035 presents $900 ENF grant to Town of Fowler SOS Program

by Rachel Hunter

Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035 Exalted Ruler Gresford Speid presented a $900 Elks National Foundation grant to be used to support the Town of Fowler Support Our Seniors (SOS) program at the Town of Fowler Council meeting on Nov. 5 at the Fowler Town Hall.

“On behalf of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Gouverneur Lodge No. 2035, we would like to present this check to the Town of Fowler’s SOS program for 2020-2021,” ER Speid said during the presentation. Town of Fowler Supervisor Rick Newvine gave the privilege of accepting the check on behalf of the Town of Fowler to Town of Fowler Highway Superintendent Randy Durham, a Past Exalted Ruler of Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035 who was the “driving force behind getting the grant.”

“I would like to say: It is a pleasure to accept this on behalf of the Town of Fowler, and thank you for your help,” Mr. Durham said.

Much applause sounded through the Fowler Town Hall as all those gathered celebrated the Town of Fowler’s ability to help more seniors with the additional funds.

Town of Fowler SOS Organizer Deputy Supervisor Karen Simmons, later in the meeting, reported the following update on the program: “We are getting ready to make another delivery on Nov. 20, the Friday before Thanksgiving. It is going to be a little different this time. It is going to be kind of along the lines of Thanksgiving. I have 72 people already on the list. We are going to buy enough for 75, so we have room for a few more if there is somebody who needs to be on there. I volunteered Town of Fowler Supervisor Rick Newvine to help him deliver. Everybody is just so appreciative of it. Everybody when I call just thanks me and says what a nice job. They are so thankful for the Town of Fowler for doing this. They said they don’t know any other town around that would do something like this. They really appreciate it. And that makes you feel good.”

Supervisor Newvine said the program is possible because of the people in the Town of Fowler. “It is all donated money,” he said.

Michael Cappellino of Fowler then asked for it to be made public the amount of the check presented by the Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035. Deputy Supervisor Simmons announced $900. Town of Fowler Bookkeeper Barbara Finnie said that the Town of Fowler SOS fund currently had a little over $1,000 in it. Deputy Supervisor Simmons then said: “We are going to spend the majority of it.”

There was some more discussion, and then the Town of Fowler Council continued to discuss business at hand. The next meeting of the Town of Fowler Council will be held on Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. in the Fowler Town Hall, 87 Little York Road, Fowler. Those with any questions can contact Karen Simmons at (315) 287-4753 or Supervisor Rick Newvine at (315) 287-4753 or Town Clerk Tami Gale at (315) 287-0045.