The Washington Elks Lodge is seeking Warren County’s help with its deer hide collection this hunting season. The lodge hopes to collect 950 deer and elk hides as part of the National Elks’ …
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The Washington Elks Lodge is seeking Warren County’s help with its deer hide collection this hunting season. The lodge hopes to collect 950 deer and elk hides as part of the National Elks’ Veterans Leather Project.After hides are donated, they are tanned, cut and sewn into gloves, which are distributed to veterans in wheelchairs to help protect their hands.Some of the leather also is given to veterans homes, where veterans can make crafts and pouches to sell and raise money for personal items.“We’re hoping we can step up donations again this year and help even more than we have in years past,” said Nicholas Mueller, Veterans Leather chairman.Nationwide, the Leather Program collected 17,103 hides during the 2015-16 Lodge year. From that, 2,843 pairs of gloves were distributed to veterans.The gloves are valued at $25 each, totaling $70,570 in donations.In addition to the gloves, 11,882 square feet of elk and 2,960 square feet of deer hides were donated as crafting leather. The craft leather is valued at $4.50 per square foot, totaling $66,789 in donations.Another 26,928 square feet of crafting leather was donated to the Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) organization, a $121,176 donation which allowed HHV to make 28,248 crafting kits.Missouri was the top donation state, with 4,729 hides donates, followed by Iowa, 3,006 hides, and Wyoming, 1,711 hides.The Washington Lodge began collecting hides in 2013 and collected 119 hides that first year. In 2014, 592 hides were donated and last year, 831 deer and elk hides were donated. To DonateMueller doesn’t want to take away hides from those who plan on using them for something else. He encouraged those who don’t have anything to do with their hides to consider the donation.Deer and elk hides will be accepted. To donate, people should place the hide in a trash bag and freeze it to prevent spoiling.The frozen hides can be dropped off at the Washington Elks Lodge, 1459 W. Fifth St., Infield Sports Bar and Grill in Marthasville or Harvey’s Body Shop in Hermann. Hides will be collected through the end of January.For more information, people may call Nicholas Mueller, 636-584-3974.Elks Lodge
