Fraternal News Guidelines

The editors of The Elks Magazine appreciate your efforts to make the magazine the best it can possibly be. These guidelines have been developed to give you a better idea about which news items and photographs to submit to The Elks Magazine. Please take a few minutes to study these guidelines.

NEWS ITEMS APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE ELKS MAGAZINE

Charitable Activities                                                       Youth Programs

Civic Involvement Activities                                           Drug Awareness

State Major Projects                                                        Veterans Service Activities

Dedication of New Lodge Homes                                    Elks National Foundation Activities

Institution of New Lodges                                               Visits of the Grand Exalted Ruler

Mortgage Burnings                                                         Obituaries of Grand Lodge Officers

Elks Ladies Auxiliary Activities  (Acceptable only in connection with Lodge projects.)

Keep in Mind:

Submissions must be timely: mail your submission within four weeks of the date of your Lodges event. Information should be clear and complete: answer the Five W’s-- (who, what, where, when, and why). Include a contact person and a daytime phone number should we need more information.

PHOTOGRAPHS APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE ELKS MAGAZINE

The Elks Magazine likes to print your photographs, especially human interest photos. However, it is very important that we receive photographs of relevant subject matter and of good quality. Please do remember that decisions on photographs are made month to month and that we cannot always publish as many photos as we’d like due to space constraints.

Desired Subject Matter Depictions of Service Projects in Action ... NOT Groups Posing for the Camera Depictions of Donated Money at Work ... NEVER Check Presentations ….Photos should always depict people, but... NOT more than 10 persons, NOT of only one. No oversized enlarged check presentations.

Keep in Mind:

Photos of ACCEPTABLE QUALITY are in focus, well lit (be sure they are not dark), well composed, and not grainy. Many photos are unusable simply because they will look bad when reproduced. Note: Polaroids, pre‑screened photographs, and negatives cannot be used. References to ALCOHOL USE in a photo or a news item are NEVER acceptable. Photos of VETERANS activities must depict the veterans being served or it will not be accepted. Photos of DRUG AWARENESS activities must depict the youths involved or it will not be accepted. Photos should be PACKAGED PROPERLY: all individuals should be clearly identified (from left to right) with names properly spelled, there should be no writing on the back (or else it is unusable), it should be protected in cardboard, and it should not be stapled or bound with paper clips.

NEWS ITEMS APPROPRIATE FOR LOCAL PUBLICATION

• Elk of the Year or other membership awards
• State Association Awards to Lodges or individual Elks
• Publicity for Future Events Poems, Eulogies, Editorials & Humor
• Lodge Officer Installations
• Obituaries of Non‑GL Officers
• Old‑Timer Recognition Programs
• Student/Teenager of the Month/Year
• Initiation Classes or Relative Initiations
• Disappearance of an Elk or Members of an Elks Family
• Non‑Elks Activities
• (even if they involve members)
• Advertising for Profit or Fund‑Raising Activities
• (Paid advertising may be submitted to the Advertising Department.)

Note: Elks Hoop Shoot and Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Awards are covered on the national level only and in their own feature articles. It is not necessary to submit information to The Elks Magazine about your local, district, state, or regional competitions.

MANDATORY ACTIVITIES NOT COVERED BY THE ELKS MAGAZINE