On Wednesday, March 13, ESD staff in collaboration with staff from DPS hosted a Mercury Fever Thermometer Exchange and pharmaceutical take back event at the Sunnyvale Senior Center. The event was very successful with 90 pounds of unneeded medications/supplements and 29 mercury-containing thermometers being collected from residents during the two and a half hour event. The items will now be properly disposed of, which assures these pollutants do not end up in our waterways.  

Those participating stated several times how grateful they were for the service being offered at the Senior Center. Staff plan to continue offering this service at the Senior Center, with the next event taking place in September.

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America is one of the oldest and largest fraternal organizations in the country. The Elks disburses cash, goods, and services to the nation's youth, veterans, disadvantaged and handicapped, and to individuals and groups in support of patriotic and civic programs, and the Order ranks as one of the largest private providers of college scholarships in the nation.Of note is the fact that the elected leadership of the BPO Elks--from the leaders of the local Lodges to the national leading body and other decision makers at various levels--serve without salaries.

Elks Lodges help support Boys and Girls Clubs; 4-H programs, youth athletics, debate and speech programs, fine arts programs and contests, scouts and other local youth organizations. One of the Order's most impressive youth programs is the Elks "Hoop Shoot" National Free Throw Contest with more than 3 million annual participants. Lodges contribute to a state association "Major Project", which, in California, benefits the Elks network for children's early health screenings, supplies, doctor visits and therapy. Since 1917, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks has demonstrated its compassion for the veterans of our armed forces through a number of programs and activities and pledges "So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them."

The Elks have created a quiet network of good deeds with little public awareness of the impact of their work. The Elks have rarely seek recognition, solicit from the general public , nor receive monies from any level of government. Indeed, the flow trends in the opposite direction: the Elks donated to the government the first veteran's hospital, they organized the first version of the G.I. Bill, and have always been in the forefront with relief and assistance in times of national crisis and natural disaster.

Sunnyvale Lodge 2128 is a dedicated component of that collaboration. The Lodge and its members participate with family services groups to ensure the welfare of families in need, and offer use our facilities for public and private events. Our members distribute nearly a thousand dictionaries, donated by our Lodge, each year to 3rd graders in a dozen local schools, and the Lodge promotes scholarships to high school seniors in our area. Lodge members and volunteers provide supplies, bingo, holiday dinners and family picnics for hospitalized veterans and their families, and participate in a variety of fundraising endeavors throughout the year to fund Lodge commitments to our community. 

All these efforts mirror and support the programs and the mission of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Sunnyvale Lodge is happy to re-establish our connection with Sunnyvale Public Safety and offer the resources our Lodge may have available. We look forward to this renewed collaboration to expand the service to community of both Sunnyvale Public Safety programs and our Elks organization.