Who is the Pahrump Moose, what do they do and how can I help?

Anyone who has called the valley home for a few years is likely to have heard of the Pahrump Moose Lodge, a nonprofit with a strong reputation as a community-forward organization that has been bolstering local causes for decades. Now, the community has a chance to give back to the Moose Lodge, which needs some substantial work after serving the club since the 1980s.

“The Moose Lodge’s next donation dinner on Oct. 12 will be to support our Moose Home,” the organization told the Pahrump Valley Times this month. “Our current building was originally constructed in 1987 and is in need of some major repairs. We are asking our fellow nonprofits and our Pahrump community to support this dinner so that we can continue to support all of you.”

So, just what exactly is the Moose and what does this organization do?

Started in 1888 as a simple social club, the Moose is a fraternal organization that has ballooned to include towns and cities all over the country and evolved into one focused on supporting the youngest and oldest of America’s populations.

“Your brother is a Moose and so is the neighbor down the street. Anyone can join our fraternal organization,” Pahrump Moose representative Chanda Weiland explained. “We are dedicated to helping children and seniors in need at both of our campuses in Illinois and Florida as well as supporting our local community. The Moose has been helping our Pahrump community for over 40 years.”

On a national level, the Moose operates a 1,000-acre campus in Illinois dubbed Mooseheart, where over 12,500 children who were without a stable or safe home environment have been able to find security and happiness. The organization also runs a 63-acre Moosehaven campus in Florida, which provides services to seniors in need.

“At both of these locations, everything from beds to clothing to education to health care and recreation is provided,” Weiland reported. “The youngest child ever taken into Mooseheart was three weeks old and if necessary they can stay at Mooseheart all through high school and even earn college scholarships. Our senior members at Moosehaven enjoy a very active lifestyle and, should their retirement accounts ever become depleted, they may stay at Moosehaven for as long as they live. The oldest resident is 102 and has lived at Moosehaven for over 20 years.”

Locally, the Pahrump Moose Lodge is well-known for its donation dinner events, which are held on a regular basis in support of all sorts of its fellow nonprofits. From Southern Nye County Search and Rescue and the Pahrump Senior Center’s Meals on Wheels program to the Disabled American Veterans Chapter #15, Pahrump Lions Club’s Letters to Santa program, Nye County Sleep in Heavenly Peace and many, many more, the philanthropic efforts of the Moose have been spread far and wide in the aim of bettering the community for all.

“Since COVID, we had to cut back on our donation dinners but, for the past five or six years, we have given a check for $750 to each of eight different organizations here in our community, which equates to $6,000,” Weiland detailed. “We collect toys at Christmas, ring the bells for Salvation Army, collect school supplies for Nye County School District, eyeglasses for the Lions Club and help at bed-building events. Every year we give cases of Tommy Moose Dolls to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office and Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue to give to children that they encounter in traumatic situations. Now, we are asking for your help.”

The Donation Spaghetti Dinner to benefit our the Pahrump Moose Lodge #808 will take place Sunday, Oct. 12 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the lodge, 1100 E. Second Street. Dinner will include entertainment, a 50/50 drawing, a bake sale and a large array of raffle drawings, too.

For more information contact the Moose Lodge at 775-727-6577 or drop by the lodge.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com