The Manitoba Elks Association has elected a new President.

Don Piett was chosen as the new leader at the provincial service club's conference last weekend in Gladstone.

"The Manitoba Elks Association, this is it's 89th conference," said Piett.  "We are a long standing body and I have been on the executive working my way up through second vice, first vice so it wasn't a shock."

Piet talked about what challenges the position will bring with it.

"You know other communities, Altona Elks are actually very active and in the public's face.  You go to pretty much anybody in Altona and they know there is a Elks lodge there.  That's my challenge to get other places to that point so when you walk into town and  say 'what service clubs do you have here?' they say Elks."

Piett noted that he plans to visit the majority of the 22 local lodges across Manitoba this year.

"We have some that are doing well and we have other that are doing not so well when it comes to membership," stated Piett.  "Our job is to encourage those guys to take some lessons.  Everything that happens in the Elks happens in the local lodges."

He added, although both the Grand Lodge and Association act as an umbrella for the local lodges, the local lodges keep the order going.