2024Vol41No3NBUJournal

HIDES FOR HEROES

By Ed Takach, Nevada State Elks Association Hides Committee Chair

Hunters across eight states are making a big difference for American veterans—one hide at a time. Through The Elks Grand Lodge Veterans Leather Program, thousands of donated elk and deer hides are being transformed into practical, morale-boosting items for veterans in need. In the 2023–2024 season alone, nearly 12,000 hides were donated to the program. These generous contributions helped provide 938 veterans with free, fingerless wheelchair gloves—carefully crafted from durable, natural leather. In addition, more than 75,000 square feet of hide were used to create leather craft kits for veterans undergoing recovery. Over 14,000 of these kits were distributed nationwide, giving veterans the tools and materials for creative expression and therapeutic engagement.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the many hunters who donate hides to this important cause. Their generosity supports a program that truly gives back to those who have served.

Hunters: Here’s how you can help!

If you’re a hunter looking to support this meaningful effort, contributing is easy: • Donate cleaned elk or deer hides—please remove excess fat and flesh before drop-off. • Frozen hides are accepted, so you can store them until ready for delivery. • Please do not donate antelope hides, as their leather is too thin for use in gloves or kits.

Hides can be delivered to the Reno Elks Lodge during business hours for storage and processing. Your donation helps turn your harvest into comfort, utility, and purpose for a veteran. For more information, contact Ed Takach, Nevada State Elks Association Hides Committee Chair, at (775) 431 7433 (call or text). To coordinate a hide drop-off, call Ed Takach, or the Reno Elks Lodge at (775) 825-0597.

Locally, The Reno Elks Lodge plays a vital role in this program. Big game hunters from across Nevada donate elk and deer hides, which are then stabilized and processed by dedicated Lodge member volunteers. Once ready, the hides are shipped out to the tannery— thanks in large part to Paul Enos, a Reno Lodge member and the CEO of the Nevada Trucking Association, who coordinates transportation logistics through a commercial carrier.

NBU thanks NAE for providing quality merchandise and soft goods

NBU Gratefully Acknowledges Blend Catering as a 2025 Sponsor

NBU Journal . Volume 42 . Number 2 36