The New Haven Elks Lodge #25 performed its annual Flag Day Celebration at its North Haven-based house on June 8, honoring those who fought for the United States by holding a ceremony which also involved the North Haven Volunteer Fire Department Color Guard.

According to the lodge’s secretary, Jennifer DeGenaro, this type of celebration is an integral element of the mission for the greater Elks’ organization nationwide as a required form of observance.

“The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks is the first and only fraternal organization to require formal observance of Flag Day,” Jennifer says. “In July of 1908, the Grand Lodge of this order—in Dallas, Texas—then assembled to provide for the annual observance of Flag Day on the 14th of June each year, making it mandatory upon each local lodge of the order.”

As part of the ceremony, the Elks unveiled a glistening black memorial stone dedicated to all veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces, while saluting the American flag.

DeGenaro said the Elks recognize the Stars and Stripes as “emblematic of charity, brotherly love, fidelity, and justice for all.”

“These are also the cardinal virtues of the order of Elks,” she adds.

Jennifer joined the New Haven Elks 18 years ago, learning about the organization through friends of hers. She says it was an opportunity to meet new people and get involved in the community.

“It was always a friendly group of people that was fun. There was always some kind of an event going on,” she says.

As the secretary of the lodge, Jennifer has a hand in components of membership and funds of the Elks. She says her assuming the role was “something that I thought about eventually doing,” adding that “it just happened sooner than I expected.”

Based on Old Broadway Street in North Haven, the Elks regularly do work for the benefit of their community, from food drive fundraisers to supporting youth athletics to honoring public service officers and veterans. Jennifer says the mission to help out those and other groups in North Haven was a draw for her to the Elks, who recently completed several fundraisers.

“In the past few months, we have donated to the North Haven Firefighters Union, the North Haven Police Union, and the veterans,” says Jennifer. “We donated to Animal Haven. We made a donation to the North Haven Police Department that was participating in the Special Olympics torch run.”

Jennifer says the civic work in which she and the other members of the local Elks are involved makes her appreciate the things she has in her life.

“It feels good because I appreciate what I have,” she says.

With the Elks, Jennifer is involved in “doing things in the community where you can see the difference that you're making, as opposed to, you write a check and send it off somewhere.” Jennifer says that “...we're trying to do something as part of the community” by way of the Elks’ organization.

From a personal standpoint, and in alignment with the Elks’ requirement surrounding Flag Day, Jennifer says that honoring veterans in North Haven and elsewhere is an all-too-important form of community involvement.

“They sacrificed so much for our country, and sometimes we take for granted how much they really are sacrificing. I think it's important to give back whatever we can and recognize them,” she says.

Outside of her work with the Elks, Jennifer lives in East Haven and works for Frontier Communications.

To learn more about the Elks, visit www.elks.org/lodges/home.cfm?lodge=25.