The Ashland Elks Lodge celebrated the spirit of community service, volunteerism, and philanthropy during its 2026 Awards Banquet on Saturday June 13, recognizing members and local leaders whose dedication has made a lasting impact on the Ashland community.
Held under the Elks' longtime motto, "Elks Care, Elks Share," the banquet highlighted both the accomplishments of individual members and the organization's continued commitment to serving local residents through charitable programs and community partnerships.
The Ashland lodge, which has approximately 200 members, also emphasized its ongoing effort to recruit new members to ensure the organization's legacy of service continues for future generations.
Elk of the Year
The lodge presented its 2026 Elk of the Year Award to Tim McCord in recognition of years of dedicated service behind the scenes.
McCord, who joined the Elks in 2012 and currently serves as Loyal Knight, was praised for handling many of the lodge's maintenance needs, including repairs to the furnace, bowling machines, plumbing, and electrical systems. He is also a familiar face in the kitchen, volunteering his time to prepare meals for lodge events.
While presenting the award, officials noted that much of McCord's work happens outside the spotlight.
"He basically does a lot behind the doors, behind the scenes rather, and this is why it gives me great pleasure to present him with the National Elks 2026 Elk of the Year Award," presenter Joseph Groody said.
Officer of the Year
Leading Knight Robert Steiff was named the lodge's Officer of the Year.
A member since 2023, Steiff has quickly become one of the lodge's most active volunteers. In addition to sponsoring numerous new members and earning recognition for membership recruitment, he has assisted with building repairs and completed bartending certification to support lodge events.
Accepting the award, Steiff stressed the importance of teamwork and attracting new members.
"There's a core group of people help the Elks stay alive," he said. "There's power in numbers."
He also highlighted the organization's impact throughout the community.
"We do a lot of good things for our community," Steiff said. "A little bit can help us go farther."
Citizen of the Year
The evening's Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Ashland Fire Chief Charles "Charlie" Orth, recognizing more than five decades of service to the community through the fire service and emergency medical services.
Orth has served for over 50 years in local fire and ambulance organizations and is also a state fire instructor.
During his remarks, Orth praised the lodge for its commitment to the community.
"I consider you to be the biggest attraction as far as the Ashland Community Night event," Orth said. "No matter what, the Elks are there for everything they can do for this community."
Reflecting on the return of Community Night Out, Orth credited a collaborative effort among community leaders.
Giving Back to the Community
Treasurer Vicky Kauffman outlined the financial impact the Elks continue to make both locally and nationally.
She reported that the Ashland lodge received $11,500 in grants this year through the Elks National Foundation. Those funds are used to support local veterans, food banks, and fire safety initiatives, including smoke alarms, fire blankets, and upcoming carbon monoxide alarm distribution.
Kauffman explained that the grants are made possible through member donations.
"If we have 183 members, we need a minimum of $1,830 in donations to get this grant money," she said. "So for that little bit, we get $11,500 to give back."
Nationally, the Elks National Foundation distributed $53.8 million in charitable funding this year, including $3 million in scholarships for students and $7.3 million dedicated to veteran services.