South Sound Elks Yacht Club

33 YEARS IN THE MAKING – 1971-2004

Section 10.
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The Auburn Elks Yacht Club was formed on January 19, 1971. There were a total of 27 members at that time.  Louis Hitchcock was Exalted Ruler at that time and it was his desire to establish as many Auburn Elks clubs that year as possible.  The elective officers of the club are Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Fleet Captain, Yeoman and Purser.  This is our 32-year celebration.  Our first woman Commodore was Audrey Damery in 1986.  The year 2000 marked our 6th female Commodore, Kay Provstgaard.

In the mid-1990’s, we changed our name from Auburn Elks Yacht Club to South Sound Elks Yacht Club.  This was to encourage members of other Elk Lodges to join our club.  The purpose of the club is to create and sustain family participation in safe boating activities and cruising, to foster good fellowship among boating organizations through friendly competition and inter-club activities, to further the interests of boating in general and to participate in improving safe boating through legislation and publicity.

Each year we participate in a number of different activities and community projects which have included the following: The Daffodil Festival Marine Parade held in Tacoma, work party clean-ups at both Blake Island State Park and Jarrell’s Cove State Park, NW Boating Council Annual picnic, Elks Veteran’s Day Parade, Kid’s Special Christmas Cruise, and Christmas Lighted Boat Parades, and a number of other boating related activities.  South Sound Elks Yacht Club has also given support to other organizations such as Children’s Hospital, the Terry Home, local food banks, and have given generously to special families in need during the holiday season.

Our club is open to any boater with a Class I or greater boat (has lights, a horn, is licensed and at least 16ft in length).  There is an initiation fee and yearly dues thereafter.  We have many valuable attributes to offer our members.  Our meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of odd-numbered months (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov).

2004   Commodore Marsha Hopkins,             360-956-3435
2004   Vice Commodre  Russ Bednorz          253-535-5233