Biggar Elks Lodge was instituted on September 15, 1957 under the direction of Grand Organizer Bro. Harry Greaves. The initiation ceremony was performed by Saskatoon Lodge Officers ably assisted by the Saskatoon Ladies drill team. Our first Exulted Ruler was Bro. Bill Evanoff, who was the owner of Evanoff Plumbing and Heating. Biggar at that time was part of District #2 which included Saskatoon, Viscount, Hanley, Zealandia and Rosetown. We were very fortunate in having a lot of visitors from Saskatoon and Rosetown Brothers who gave us a lot of assistance in getting started. Within three years from when we started Bro. Bob Anderson became District Deputy which gives you an idea of the calibre of members we were fortunate to have in our lodge.

The Royal Purple was organized in Biggar in 1958. What a great asset to us as they were very involved in our projects.

In our first year, we raffled a deep freeze and donated $900 to the new rink fund. In 1961 we were honored by a visit from the Grand Exalted Ruler Bro. Stan Otto. We had one hundred and five members at this time with meetings at the Legion Hall. We decided to build our own hall so in 1962 we started construction with Bro. Bob Archibald as foreman along with volunteer labour. The hall was completed early in 1963. In June of that year Grand Exalted Ruler Bro. Henri Delorme of Sherbrook, Quebec officiated at the dedication ceremony of our new hall.

In 1962, we held our first $1000.00 dance as a fund raiser. This continued for the next twenty five years. We held our first seniors card party in 1963, hosted by Bro. Bob Archibald. Bob passed away in 1972 and Bro. Don Crozier has been the host since then. The highlight of card party has been the great lunch of the Ladies of the Royal Purple of open faced buns and angel food cake. Our Publicity Director, the late Bro. Jim Loukota did a great job of taking pictures of this through the years. Also in 1963 the Elks and Royal Purple held a joint memorial service to honor our departed members. Memorial plaques were placed in the hall at this time.

In 1964, we assisted with the installation of Unity Lodge. Also in that year it is recorded that we assisted with the organization of the Cubs and Scouts in Biggar and have been their sponsors since that time.

1967 records a visit from Grand Exalted Ruler Bro. Bob Collins the occasion being our 10th Anniversary. Also in attendance for the occasion was Past Grand Exalted Ruler Bro. Harry Greaves. In 1968, we got our Elks head you see in the front of the hall. Bro. Vern Mackie got this Elk head from the former Watrous Lodge.

1969 records several toboggan parties for the kids which were held on the north side of town. 1972 was a busy year for the lodge. We were honored by a visit of Grand Exalted Ruler Bro. Bill Peddle of St. John s Newfoundland. There were 85 members and visitors in attendance. Bro. Jim Varcoe of Stranraer was District Deputy and Bro. Dick Sully was Exalted Rule at this time. We did a lot of work on the interior of the hall that year. We also put on a harvest dance that year to raise money for a cement floor for the rink. As well, we held a mortgage burning ceremony as our hall was finally paid for.

In 1974, we started on a park which we named the Elks Tot Lot. The mothers knew it as the Purple Park. Over the years we made improvements. Bro. Ed Pollock and crew built a gazebo and we bought new equipment. The Dorosh brothers very graciously supplied and painted the gazebo for us.

1978 marked our 20th Anniversary. Grand Exalted Ruler Bro. Andy Capp was here for the occasion. Jim Keith was Exalted Ruler and Bro. Jim Kerr was District Deputy at this time. We had another reorganization of the districts. This district became #4 and there were only four lodges in it. A number of members were concerned about the district being too small. However, we were able to institute a new lodge at Kerrobert that fall and also one a Wilkie the following spring. It was a very busy time to be a District Deputy.

1980 shows a picture of Bill and Aleta Crozier celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. They were both members of their respective lodges and their three sons, Bob, Don and Ron have all been Exalted Rulers. That year we presented life memberships to three of our members, Bro. Walter Blackmuir, Bro. Bill Crozier, and Bro. Russel. Bowles. They were presented by Exalted Ruler Bro. Ray Oesch.

1983 has a picture of the Wylie men. Bro. Don and his two sons, Dale and Bill. All have been Exalted Rulers of our lodge and have been a great asset to this organization.
In 1984, we made a $1000.00 donation to the New Horizon Building Fund. This project has been a great asset to the town and some of our members have played an active role in its success.

In 1985, we hosted the National Seniors Curling Playdowns. It was probably the most successful project we have ever held. Ruthilda Lodge pitched in to help us and it all went very well.

In 1986 we presented the Biggar hospital with a fetal heart monitor which cost around $6,500.00. We did this with the help of the Purple Cross Fund. We made another presentation to the hospital in the form of an Infant Oral Heart Stimulator.

Other Grand Exalted Rulers who have visited our lodge are Bro. Joe Dumontel, Bro. Cliff Blackmuir, whose parents lived in Biggar, Bro. Clem Frechette from B.C., Bro. Joe Calder from Plenty and Bro. Paul Clemdening.
Another family who were very active in our lodge were the Newton family. Howard was secretary, Ken Exalted Ruler, and Ray, Gary and Delmar. Also two of their brother-in-laws were also members, Dick Bentham served as secretary in the first years of the lodge and Bob Anderson a very active early member as Exalted Ruler and District Deputy.

Our lodge has had six District Deputies, Brothers Bob Anderson Vern Mackie, Jim Kerr, Art Dehr, Ray Oesch and Arthur Beadle. One of our members Jim Kerr was elected to the provincial Elks association in 1981 and became provincial president in 1990. He was also elected chairman of the newly formed Saskatchewan Elks Foundation, a position he held for the next three years, 1991-1994.

We have participated in a number of Provincial events through the years including most of the walkathons, conferences, Corby Cup Curling, Provincial Seniors Curling, and Provincial Mixed Curling. We held Provincial Bowling in Biggar hosted by Dennis Sully. We also hosted Provincial Darts with help from Bruce Buxton who also won us a number of awards. We attended the Peace 100 Snowmobile Rally on a number of occasions.

We also regularly attend Legion Remembrance Day. Another popular event is the annual Bike Rodeo held in conjunction with the R.C.M.P. at the schools. Students bikes are checked and they are taught the rules of the road.

Some of the contributions we have made to our community over the years include $2,500.00 to the new swimming pool, donations to the Skating Rink, Theatre Project, Sports Bus, High School Year Book and scholarship, Music Festival, Blazing Saints Sports, Junior Hockey, Pallative Care Unit at the hospital, Cubs and Scouts and benches for Sandra Schmirler Park. Two of the largest donations we made were $10,000.00 towards the purchase of a zamboni for the skating rink as well as $10,000.00 for the new Museum Building Project.

We got into the dance business in 1997 by bringing the Emeralds to Biggar. The community hall was filled to capacity for the event. During the millennium celebration the Elks and Royal Purple hosted a supper one night. Our latest project was hosting a slow pitch tournament in conjunction with Town and Country Fair Days.

We went from two meetings a month to only one as are numbers are down.

Biggar Elks Lodge celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2007. Fifty year pins were presented to Brothers Jim Kerr, Ed Pollock, Arnold Blumer, Bob Anderson, Dick Sully, Howard Newton, Corky McNaught and Jim Loukota. These were fifty successful years. Hopefully the lodge will continue in Biggar for another fifty glorious years.


Contributed by Jim Kerr, Secretary-Treasurer and Dick Sully, Historian Biggar Elks


View of Elks Hall, at the corner of First Ave. and King Street, June 2008.