How did the ENVSC/Wounded Warrior program get started?
In 2007, Jan Jonker, the incoming State President of the Alaska State Elks Association, was searching for a program that the state’s Members would get behind and support. Veterans always held a tender place in his heart, so he was looking for something to help these deserving members of our society as well as to revitalize their Veterans Program. He heard about the Wounded Warrior Project and the good work they were doing. After contacting representatives from the organization, he made a pledge to the Wounded Warrior Project that the Alaska Elks Association would seek to raise $3.00 per Member to support their organization. The response from the Alaska Elks was overwhelming, and within a year they almost doubled what was asked. The money was sent to the Wounded Warrior Project to offset the costs of air travel and housing for veterans participating in what was, at that time, called the Wounded Warriors Outdoors program. Several groups of these veterans came to Alaska, and Elks Lodges v
