Oneida Elks Club donates to police department, Recreation Center
By John Brewer, Oneida Dispatch, July 29, 2017
From left to right, Elise Allen, Chief Paul Thompson, Sgt John Little, Matt Malinowski and Kathy Malinowski, Elks Treasurer. Submitted photo.
Oneida, N.Y. -- The Oneida Elks Lodge is investing in its local community.
Recent recipients of a $2,000 grant from the Elks National Foundation, the Elks secured a new, Trek Mountain Bike for the Oneida City Police Department and several sets of bows and arrows for the City of Oneida Parks and Recreation Department to begin a new community archery program.
This week, Oneida Elks Exalted Ruler Matt Malinowski, Kathy Malinowski, and Elise Allen visited with the city departments and presented each with their donations.
“If allowed to, we want to do more of this,” Matt said. “Try to use as much grant funding as possible.”
“There seems to be more money available,” Allen added.
The OPD maintains bike patrols as weather and staffing allow, and OPD Chief Paul Thompson says the donation brings the department’s total number of bikes for patrol up to three. The other two bikes are 15 years old and wearing down, so a new bike made sense.
“We’re very appreciative,” Thompson said.
With the donation of compound bows and arrow sets, Oneida Parks and Recreation will be able to offer a new type of program.
The Oneida Elks Lodge applied for the grant, available on a yearly basis, to benefit the Oneida Police Department and the Oneida Parks & Recreation Department.
The Elks National Foundation is the charitable giving arm of The Elks, with a mission to help Elks build stronger communities, investing in communities where Elks live and work.