The Elks National Home                
              1-800-552-4140

 

              APARTMENT LIVING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Applicants, including the spouse in the case of couples, must be members in good standing of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks for at least five consecutive years at the time of application to the Elks National Home.  (This tenure requirement may be waived for qualified members by unanimous vote of the Board of Grand Trustees.)

  Applicants must be retired from full-time employment.

  Each prospective resident must submit a completed Application for Apartment Residency, Medical Doctor's Certificate, a copy of your current Elks membership card, and Confidential Financial Statement.

  Prospective residents must undergo a physical examination to demonstrate they are physically and mentally capable of caring for themselves without assistance or supervision.

  Prospective residents must provide financial information to demonstrate they have sufficient assets and income to be financially self-supporting.

  Incomplete forms will delay processing and approval of your application.

 

Of the apartments that are occupied, here is what some of the residents have to say:

" My primary reason for moving into an apartment was the security it offered -- but the rewards have exceeded my expectations.  Having spent the past twenty-five years living alone, it is most pleasant to share the evening meal with newly-made friends.  I like the activities offered while still being able to continue enjoying my former circle of friends.  The apartment itself meets my needs - is spacious and comfortable. I feel at home since I could use my own furnishings.  All in all, I think I made a wise move."

- Belle English

Ms. Belle English is a member of Lynchburg, VA #321.  She was one of the very first apartment residents, moving in on November 22, 1999.

 

 

Anne and I have lived here at the Elks National Home since December 1999.  Whatever we need at our age, it is here!  We are both overwhelmed at the Country Club atmosphere at this 200 acre complex.
There is no reason ever to be lonely or bored when you live here.  Some of the things we do are:
    °  Play golf on a fine executive golf course
    °  Make trips to places in this beautiful state of Virginia
    °  Shop in the great small community of Bedford or travel by the Home bus to Lynchburg or Roanoke
    °  Should the need arise, visit the medical staff of nurses and doctors right here in the main building
    °  Enjoy parties in the recreation center and dances in the newly decorated dining hall
    °  Attend our Home Lodge and continue ELKDOM or go to Lynchburg #321
    °  Conduct tours of visitors to the Home
    °  "Rest Easy" knowing there is twenty-four hour security and medical attention if needed
This retirement home is second to none

- John Santamaria

John and Anne Santamaria moved to the Home from Cape Porpoise, Maine.  John is a member of Natick, MA #1425, and Anne belongs to Biddeford-Saco, ME #1597.  These are excerpts from a letter John wrote to his lodge.

"Moving into the Elks Retirement Home in Bedford, Virginia was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Friendly, loving and caring atmosphere pervades throughout these living quarters.

Thoughtful attention is given to the comfort, happiness, and well-being for each person, whether he or she lives in an apartment, a residential room or in the special care facility. You have your privacy, too, if you wish, or can enter into the many extra-curricular activities that have been planned.

The interaction with the community also gives one a feeling of being at home in the beautiful surroundings of this delightful, small city of Bedford.

New friends are made, too, for many of the retirees are from other areas of our country. All are members of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks; therefore, the ideals and goals of this organization are always before them creating this feeling of being family."

 -Frances Owen

Ms. Frances Owen is a member of Lynchburg, VA #321.  A retired teacher, Frances contributes occasionally to the local newspaper, The Bedford Bulletin.

Anna Mae and Phil Thienel, "With a nostalgia for the likes of Bedford at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, place of quietness, tree-lined streets, absence of hustle and bustle brought us separately to the Elks National Home in the autumn of our lives.

Fortunately, we became acquainted with one another. We shared a history of events from the 1930s to the present. We discovered much more about ourselves, our memories, and how circumstances brought us to the Elks National Home.

We developed a rapport; enjoyed one another’s friendship. In the course of events, we fell in love. We answered one another’s yearnings. We married knowing well its responsibilities.

We had fulfilled our responsibilities of providing for our children, the upkeep of a home, with the benefits of retirement; we were free to enjoy sharing our life together.

The Elks National Home gave us the opportunity to participate in social, recreational and cultural events, and the opportunity to live a free and happy life.

The home provides us with our household needs, all at a reasonable fee, in a secure environment. We are free to enjoy life with our fellow residents or go our own way.

We are fulfilling our lives’ desires. We are thankful for the Elks National Home in its satisfying and inspiring environment."

 - Phil & Anna Mae Thienel

Phil and Anna Mae met shortly after Anna Mae moved into the Home in 2001. They married in November of 2002. Phil is a member of Warrington, FL #2108, and Anna Mae belongs to Lynchburg, VA #321. 

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