Kalispell Moose Lodge serves the community

The door on the Kalispell Moose Lodge says it’s for members only, but those on the inside insist that people who are curious can always knock.

“Stop in and ask, or come to a meeting,” advised President Arnie Hammer. “Someone will sign you in.”

The local lodge was set up in 1974, according to longtime members, and has been at its Evergreen location ever since.

The national fraternal organization was founded in 1888 in Louisville, Kentucky and now boasts over 1,500 lodges and a million members across the United States, Canada and Great Britain, according to its website.

Although many of the club’s perks, such as access to the restaurant and social quarters, are only for members, the organization stays active in the wider community in line with their charitable mission and to attract new members.

In addition to weekly public dinner and bingo nights, the group welcomes first responders and community organizations to use their space for events and celebrations. They host Red Cross blood drives, and in August will be organizing a kids fair and donating backpacks full of school supplies to children entering kindergarten through fourth grade in advance of the upcoming school year.

Members also donate stuffed animals, called “Tommy Moose,” to first responders to pass on to children going through traumatic experiences that they meet in their line of work.

The lodge’s nearly 400 members also gain access to the full network of local chapters, including the lodge in Whitefish, which has operated for over 110 years.

Member Mike Larkey, who also serves as statewide secretary for the organization, has visited all 13 of Montana’s lodges, and over 40 nationwide. He attends annual conventions and enjoys visiting nearby lodges as part of his trip.

Many members stay involved for decades, with Larkey’s membership extending back 30 years, and administrator Carol Ott’s membership going back almost 20 years. Tammy Noel said she’s been a member for 40 years.

The members are quick to speak about the main two beneficiaries of the organization’s yearly dues and donations: the Mooseheart Child City and School, a 1,000-acre campus outside Chicago for underprivileged youth and Moosehaven, a retirement community in Florida for Moose members aged 65 or older.

Members who have been paying dues for at least 15 years have access to a secure retirement through Moosehaven and peace of mind about their financial stability in their later years, said Noel.

To attract younger members, the organization recently sponsored NASCAR driver Ross Chastain, and Hammer said that events like camping trips are geared toward young families.

The national organization has grown in ranks the last two years, according to the website.

For many members, the Moose is about having a place to hang out and get a drink with familiar faces. Sitting around a table in the lodge’s meeting space, members describe the local lodge as a dysfunctional but happy family.

“It’s all walks of life here and everyone is comfortable,” Hammer said.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.