By Stephanie Vaccaro, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — The Princeton Elks held a formal chartering ceremony for the formation of its Antlers Youth Service Organization Monday evening.
”An organization like this gives kids our age the opportunity to be involved in something big,” said Devon Fitzgerald, a freshman at Stuart Country Day School. “We have so many great ideas, it gives us a chance to do something more in our communities. This is an organization that gives us the foundation to continue this kind of work later on in life, as well.”
”I can’t wait to host fundraisers, and start new community service projects,” Devon said. “I am president of my freshman class, and I can’t wait to incorporate some of my ideas. This organization has so much potential. We are the ‘pioneers’, and we can be as creative and original as we want.”
”Some of the most effective service programs are those that have been started and led by the youths themselves,” said Robert Church, exalted ruler of the Princeton Elks Lodge. “Programs that captured the attention and imagination of their communities and prospered. I believe that this Antler Youth-led service program that was formally begun by these young pioneers on Jan. 3 has the potential, because of this dynamic group of young adults, to make a great impact, not only within our community, but well beyond.”
One of the avenues of service the youth have taken is to raise funds and collect clothing and other household items for a family who lost its home to a fire in Trenton, he said. Members of the youth organization will be involved in fundraisers to establish a community youth center, a Cooley’s Anemia fund drive in February and a troop wish-list drive in the near future. The youth will establish youth concerts, dances and other wholesome activities that will be open to other youths and the community. They will also be involved in drug and alcohol awareness and education efforts, he said.
”Their participation offers them the opportunity to take the values that they have learned at home into the communities where they live, to help other youths as well as other community members,” Mr. Church said. “The initiative to form and lead a youth center is something that our community presently does not offer. As they are in control of their own efforts, they will be able to speak to their needs and desires and become a positive voice for youth within Montgomery and the surrounding townships.”
”I hope that they will become the adult leaders of tomorrow within our communities and set an example for all youth by showing them what can be achieved by their collective efforts,” Mr. Church said.
Nineteen of the 50 people in attendance were young people from Hopewell, Princeton and Montgomery. But the applications are still coming in, said Mr. Church. More than half of those involved do not have parents who are Elks members, he said.

