Rupert residents can gear up for a musical night of dancing and goodwill to ring in 2025 and contribute to the charitable work of one of Prince Rupert's oldest service groups.
The Prince Rupert Moose Lodge, a fraternal non-profit organization, will host a New Year's Dance on Dec. 31 at its hall, traditionally one of the lodge's biggest fundraisers of the year.
The local chapter of the Loyal Order of Moose was incorporated in 1926. Darsen Skaar, the organization's president, reports that in 2024 alone, they have invested between $60,000 and $80,000 into projects, groups and individuals in Prince Rupert.
"We give back to the community to support families, children and seniors. Many service organizations are not around much anymore, so it's nice that we're able to help," said Skaar.
They plan to decorate the hall in festive spirit and kick off the evening at 8 p.m. Refreshments will be served, and the highlight of the event will be a live band called The Craft. Dancing is expected to continue until 2 a.m.
The organization is approximately 130 people and hosts several fundraising events throughout the year. They also rent out their hall for weddings and other parties.
Skaar was happy to report that last week, the Moose Lodge donated $8,500 to the Charles Hays Senior Secondary School's junior and senior girls' volleyball teams, which advanced to the provincial championship. Additionally, the lodge offered scholarships to several students for their post-secondary education.
Some of the other causes they supported this year include the Prince Rupert Wildlife Shelter, the Make-A-Wish children's program, and Prince Rupert Special Events, which hosts activities such as Seafest, Halloween Fest and last weekend's Winterfest.
"We will support and provide gifts for those who do not have families," said Skaar. During Christmas time, they are helping the Acropolis Manor, an assisted living facility in Prince Rupert.
Moose Lodge was also proud to contribute toward the neonatal facility at the new Ksyen Regional Hospital in Terrace.
"So that families having babies do not have to travel to Vancouver to receive assistance. They can go to Terrace now instead of going south," said Skaar.
The Loyal Order of Moose was established in 1888 in Kentucky, USA, and currently has more than 1,500 local chapters or lodges. The organization initially aimed to provide men with opportunities for social gatherings. However, it rapidly expanded to focus on valuable community services, particularly for children, teens, and seniors.
Today, the Moose organization boasts approximately a million members across all 50 states, four Canadian provinces, and the U.K. They report contributing between $75 million and $100 million in community service annually, which includes monetary donations, volunteer hours, and mileage driven.
