Sanford Elks #1679 lodge meeting on April 12, 2023 was truly a historical moment. Chanda Coomer was installed as the 2023-2024 Exalted Ruler. Chanda is the first female Exalted Ruler to ever be elected at the Sanford Elks Lodge. Chanda was initiated into our lodge on August 27, 2014 and has always been a very active member. She has held the positions of Lodge Esquire, Lecturing Knight, Loyal Knight and Leading Knight. She has chaired several committees and is responsible for the weekly news blast that started this year.

Women of the Sanford Elks – A little history lesson – The Elks in the United States began as a men’s only lodge. That was actually well laid out in our statutes.

In the “olden days” women were only allowed inside the building for special occasions. The back room off of the kitchen is the room that was used for that purpose, and is still known today as the “Ladies Lounge.”

There was, in fact, a side organization called Elks Ladies Auxiliary  that was made up of wives of members who would meet to help the lodge. The truth is, back in those days, the ladies helped by cooking meals.

It was in July of 1995 at the Grand Lodge convention in New Orleans that the national organization introduced a resolution that would change the statutes from “any male US citizen” to “any US citizen” could join the Elks. That paved the way for the future allowing women to join the Elks. At this convention though, the Sanford Elks lodge cast a “no” vote.

For the following 16 years, the Sanford Lodge remained a men’s only lodge and did not adopt the resolution. However, an application did follow. June Gunter applied to be a member of our lodge. Her application was voted down, however at her request, it would remain active and be revisited in the following years.

In 2011 people and times changed. It was decided the time had come to move forward and expand our local membership to include both men and women. At this same time, more lodges in North Carolina were doing the same thing. In December of that year, our ER – Kevin Cleary, announced we would be reading applications from women. June Gunter’s application was read out the following month and on January 25th, 2012 she was elected as a member of our Lodge. On February 22nd 2012 she became the first lady member of the Sanford Elks Lodge 1679. To date, more than 130 other ladies have followed.

Our first lady officer was Karen Rojas. Karen first served as Esquire, then followed the path to be our Lecturing Knight, the Loyal Knight. After Karen, it was Nash Atkins who served as our Esquire. Chanda Coomer, later became Lodge Esquire which started her path to become our first lady Exalted Ruler.

In addition to these successful prominent ladies, we have had countless women members who have served as chairpersons and committee members in what has become our present day lodge.

Mike McGraw, PER
Sanford Elks #1679 Lodge Historian

Front row: Tom Liddy, Chris Setzer, Chanda Coomer, Randall Mattingly, Alex Voytik
Back row: Addison Johnson, Steve Johnson, Brandon Craig, Kym Smith, Jonathan Hackett, Mahayla Coomer, Joe Clancy, Scott Pace