Elks Care - Elks Share - Dan Jurka & Ronald McDonald House

Illinois Elks Association

Illinois Elks Join The The Ronald McDonald House

"Thanks A Million Club"

See Latest Update Below - August 24, 2011 - Scroll Down

(Left to Right) Dan Jurka - Lodge Chaplain #1596 presenting John Horkay - IEA State President with certificates of appreciation from the Ronald McDonald House acknowledging membership in the Thanks A Million Club.

Contributed by Brother Dan: In June 2007 our 3rd grandson Jack was born. Within 24 hours he was taken to the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit at Loyola Hospital. The Doctors felt that his lungs were not fully developed. Our son Dan went with Jack and a room at the Ronald McDonald House was made available. A $5.00 donation per day was all that was asked. Jack's mom joined Dan in a couple of days, when she was released from Palos Hospital. That is when my wife Carol and I got involved with the Tab-Tops Program.

It all started with my Lodge, Chicago South 1596, then we went to the East District and now the IEA State Association. Ronald McDonald House at Loyola has 76 Thanks A Million Club members to date which started 6 years ago. I am told there is roughly 70 Ronald McDonald Houses in the U.S.A. and 288 world-wide in 52 countries, located near children’s hospitals. The Illinois Elks Association recently joined the Ronald McDonald House Thanks A Million Club, 1 million Tab-Tops ( 790 pounds ).

We did this in 18 months.

In our Lodge area we had help from my Fire Department, a Senior Center, the V.F.W. and a local library. Jack came home in about 10 days and is fine.
Our grandsons were featured on the front page of the IEA Newsette, Mid-Winter 2008.
(Click Here To See the Newsette Issue)

Fraternally,
Dan Jurka, Chaplain
Chicago South 1596

If you would like to assist Dan, please feel free to email him at Dan.Jurka@illinois-elks.org for more information.

Update - August 24, 2011

I dropped off 100 pounds of TAB-TOPS this morning Aug. 24th, 2011 at the Ronald McDonald House. That brings us to a total of 3 MILLION TABS, (2370#'s), since October of 2007. We started collecting for our 3rd Million in October 2010. Congratulations to all IEA members. I have 50#'s already towards our next goal of 4 Million.

Update - June 27, 2011

On May 11, 2011, I dropped off 190 pounds & today (06-27-11), I took another 190#'s to the Ronald McDonald House, for a total of 690 poundss. Only 100 pounds's to go to reach our next goal of 3 Million Tabs. We started collecting for our 3rd Million in Oct. 2010. It is very clear that the IEA is solidly behind this program. THANK YOU to all the IEA members for assisting in this project.
Fraternally... Dan

Update - December 15, 2010

I dropped off 150#'s of TAB-TOPS this morning. That gives us a total of 310#'s towards our next goal of 3 million (790#'s for 1 million).
Don't Stop Now Dan!

Update - October 26, 2010

I dropped off 160#'s at the Ronald McDonald House this morning. That is the start of our 3rd million. At our East District Meeting last Sunday (10-17-10) I got over 110 pounds.
Dan Jurka
Way to go Dan!

Update - October 5, 2010

I want to let you know I just dropped off 190#'s of TAB-TOPS at the
Ronald McDonald House for a total of 790#'s (our 2nd million).

We brought back over 220#'s from the fall meeting in Springfield.
The Illinois Lodges are doing GREAT.

We turned our 1st million in October of 2009 (22 months) & our 2nd million
in October of 2010 (12 months.)

THANKS TO ALL... Dan Jurka

Update - July 17, 2010

Recently, Dan dropped off an additional 300 pounds of Tab-Tops last week. This make a total 600 pounds since February of 2010. As was shared before, it takes 790 pounds for a million Tabs. It took Dan 18 months to collect the first million. If we could get our second million before or around New Years Dan comments that it would be "GREAT." Dan has also commented "The response from the IEA at the Springfield meetings has been fantastic. THANKS to ALL."

Lets all continue to support Dan and help with this wonderful effort,