Ability Picnic for Special Needs Children Kicks Off at Kirby Park

This morning, from 10 a.m. to noon, BPOE San Angelo Elks Lodge 1880 will hold an "Ability Picnic" at Kirby Park, located at 1401 Edmund Blvd.  

Chris Stansbury, secretary and Elk member, said, "There will be games, activities and a hot dog lunch for special needs children and their families; [it's] funded by a grant."

Stansbury added that members of the organization are excited because it's their first event, and will be an annual one.

"There will be around 25-30 Elks volunteering from our lodge to help out, and we anticipate a crowd of around 200," Stansbury said. "We posted notifications at the Alliance for Autism, West Texas Rehab Center, GAFB and various other places, so it's kind of hard to tell just how many will come out."

The San Angelo Elks Lodge is a fraternal organization concentrating their efforts on youth, veterans, and special needs in our community, said Stansbury. The lodge is located at 2121 S. Chadbourne Street, and their motto is "Elks Care - Elks Share!" 

"We welcome newcomers to our organization, and for anyone interested, there is an application process to complete," said Stansbury.

Stansbury also said, "Many of the Elks' charitable programs are funded in part by the Elks National Foundation." Besides hosting events such as this, the group helps out local school-aged children with back pack donations, and members are involved with the Texas Elks Summer Camp for Special Needs children as well.

For more information about San Angelo's Elks, contact Chris Stansbury at 325-227-6920, check out their Facebook page or [email protected].