June 12,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog with a little help from our friends
Ridgewood NJ, The Elks has been under probation for many years. As with other Elks clubs closing, it is for a lack of memberships. Many are combining.My Elks in Florida has a thriving membership, but as the years went on, it dwindled and was merged with another lodge.Per the bylines of the Elks, they do have the right to take all assets under that Lodge.But, and this is a big but, the leadership in Ridgewood may have the rights to the building. As many know, our town hall was the original Elks. Ridgewood gave the the Elks and one stipulation. I think was that it would not be a private club. I believe the Ridgewood Elks is 1 of only 2 lodges in Jersey that is open for non-members. July 4th was always great there to see the parade.
According to a member, Ridgewood Elks grew membership 43% in the last 3 years and closing the lodge was a “done deal” no matter how well they were doing. The trumped-up charges are being appealed by members in an Elks Grand Forum case and the building ownership is being contested in a Superior Court litigation. The property is owned by a separate Holding Corporation. There is recent legal precedence fighting the Elks Grand Lodge successfully in a similar case – Elks Building Corp. of Norwood vs. BPOE. Austin TX Elks, now “The High Road”, is also successfully suing Grand Lodge for their property.
