Former MDU building may become new home for Elks

Members of the Elks Club in Jamestown may have a new home soon, pending club approval at the next meeting.

Dwaine and Joyce Heinrich, members of the Jamestown Elks and Elkettes, respectively, recently purchased the Montana-Dakota Utilities building with the sole purpose of donating it to the Elks and Elkettes, Dwaine said.

The building, located at 324 Second Ave. SW, could give the Elks a permanent home for the first time in at least two years. There are about 500 Jamestown Elks members.

The club would have to approve the acceptance of the building at its meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Buffalo City Rotisserie Grill.

“The purpose of purchasing the building was to give them (the Elks) the opportunity (for a new location),” Dwaine said.

He can’t donate it yet as the sale has not closed, but there is a signed purchase agreement.

The Elks currently have been meeting at Shady’s or the Grill. Prior to that, the group had two locations in the same building at the corner of Second Street Northwest and First Avenue.

Before that the group met in a building on the corner of Third Street Northwest and First Avenue, long since vacated and now damaged from a Feb. 17 fire.

“Every Elks Club in the United States historically had a nice spot and historically here in Jamestown we had a nice place,” said Darold Walls, exalted ruler of Jamestown Elks Lodge No. 995, referring to the building damaged in the fire.

Before, the old Elks Club was a place for members to meet and socialize and order dinner, along with conducting meetings.

“This particular building we would probably do that on a limited basis initially,” Walls said of the MDU location.

The Elks and Elkettes in Jamestown are dedicated to improving the community, Walls said.

The Elks own Camp Grassick in Dawson, N.D., which provides people with disabilities a summer camp experience.

The group also donates to community events like the annual Easter egg hunt and provides scholarships. The club’s slogan is “Elks Care, Elks Share.”

“I know that all of our members are excited,” Wall said. “The ones that I know and have dealt with recently are excited and hopefully they all see the need for it and want to get back into a place like this and have a home. Hopefully retain our membership and increase our members.”

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

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