The Reno Elks will sponsor a Poker Run for Motorcycles and Classic Cars on Saturday, June 20th that will benefit the Elks State Major Project - Safe Haven.
For those of you who don't know about Safe Haven, it is a statewide emergency shelter program for abused and neglected children. It was initiated as a joint project between the Nevada State Elks Association and the State of Nevada, Department of Human Resources - Division of Child and Family Services. Its sole purpose is to provide the funding for a statewide emergency shelter care program for abused and neglected children.
The money we donate is used to support about 150 Safe Haven Homes for the care that these abused and neglected kids need when they are removed from harms way and placed into Safe Haven foster care homes. Not a one penny is used for salaries or administration. All of the safe Haven Emergency Shelter Care Homes are nonprofit foster homes and are required to be licensed by Nevada Revised Statute and that means they undergo very stringent inspections and investigation before being licensed. Often the Safe Haven Homes are called upon in the middle of the night, weekend and holidays to provide a nurturing and supportive home for children, who are traumatized as a result of abuse and neglect.
The Nevada Child protection Services agencies now annually receive in excess of 22,000 reports of child abuse and neglect that they must investigate. Fortunately about 40% of these turn out to be unsubstantiated, but you do the math – some 60% of the cases are substantiated. There are no counties that have a zero case rate although Eureka County certainly has the lowest case rate.
The Elks ongoing commitment to this project has been vital to the State of Nevada Child and Family Services Division efforts to serve abused and neglected children in Nevada. The financial support for the program has been outstanding. With annual donations of $52,000, the total donated has now exceeded ¾ of a million dollars since the program’s inception in 1990; however, it is the spirit of the Elks commitment that has made the program successful. The same spirit of dedication and commitment is continued in those families who serve as Safe haven Homes. Together we have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the youngest and most vulnerable members of our community.
The run will start at the Reno Elks Lodge at 597 Kumle Lane in Reno, directly west of the Reno/Sparks Convention Center, one block north of the intersection of South Virginia Street and Kietzke Lane. Registrations will be taken at the lodge between 9AM and 11AM on the day of the run at a cost of $25 per vehicle and $15 for passengers.
Pre-registration is available until 6PM on Saturday May 30th, at a reduced price of $20/$10. Registration forms are available here or at the Reno Elks Lodge bar. The lodge is open from noon until 6PM Tuesday through Saturday.
If you have any questions, or need some additional information, please contact Tom Messina either by EMAIL or by phone - 775-425-4879