Dixie Elks Charitable Foundation makes substantial donation to St. George nonprofits

Garry Gauthier, Dixie Elks Charitable Foundation board member (far right), presents a $2,000 check to Blue Butterfly House founders Susan Abbott and Debbie Heisler, with her granddaughter Mariah Heisler, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Bob Matteson, Dixie Elks, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A charitable organization formed decades ago is beginning to bear fruit for various charities in the St. George area.

Dixie Elks member Gary Gautheir presents a $2,000 check to the St. George Bicycle Collective for its Goodwill Program, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Bob Matteson, Dixie Elks, St. George News

The St. George Dixie Elks Charitable Foundation was created in 1999 by a group of Dixie Elks Lodge members who wanted to give back to the community. According to a press release from Dixie Elks, the intent of those founders was to donate to the foundation in order to finance charitable works. Those investments have finally paid off. Within the last two months, the charitable foundation has donated $8,000 to various nonprofits.

After conducting research on charities, board members of the foundation meet to decide which nonprofits need additional funding, said Bob Matteson, public relations chair for the Dixie Elks.

“We look for the smaller, struggling 501(c)(3)s,” Matteson told St. George News.

Since the foundation started giving back to the community, it has donated to the Stage Door Theater Company for its 2018 “School of Rock” camp, the Washington County Juvenile Justice Center for a new examining room monitor and Dixie Technical College to form a needs-based scholarship for students who are unable to financially finalize their technical training.

Between October and February, the foundation donated to Neighborhood Connection, Blue Butterfly House and St. George Bicycle Collective.

We, the current board, are able to take care of what it is that they had as a vision,” Matteson said, referring to the founders of the charitable foundation.

Nonprofit organizations interesting in pursuing aid from the Dixie Elks Charitable Foundation can contact the foundation at [email protected].

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews | @markeekaenews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

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