Elks are proud Americans who have always been proud to display and honor the Flag of our Country. This is especially important as we move forward after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and as some of our own citizens seeks to have the words “Under God” stricken from our Pledge of Allegiance to that emblem of freedom and symbol of unity.
Showing our Patriotism as Elks is easy. Wear a pin of our Country’s Flag on your lapel. Salute our Flag as it passes in parades or when the Star Spangled Banner is played. Exhibit your love of Country and share our understanding of the great sacrifices that have been made by the men and women of our Armed Forces. The Elks have always been there to support our Flag and those who defend it. We must continue to take every opportunity to inform the public about our Americanism Program that we put forth into our communities.
The Grand Lodge Program is outlined in the Americanism Committee Manual. It outlines many programs for our Lodges, schools and communities, such as presenting classroom Flags to our schools, Americanism Essay Contest, Law and Order Night, Media Night, and Citizen and Volunteer-of-the-Year Awards.
When we honor the Flag of our Country, we not only honor the principles for which it stands, but also those who sacrificed in its defense. We honor the generations who ensured our liberty with the Declaration of Independence, those who forged the Constitution, the generations who fought tyranny at home and on foreign soil and, in our own time, here and now, those who are fighting in the Middle East to secure freedom for those less fortunate than us. We honor the memory of heroes — of common men and women, patriots one and all.
Lodge Members should be encouraged to fly the Flag at home with the same pride and patriotism. Make Flag Day special in your community by sponsoring a Flag service for all organizations to attend. Present awards to those local businesses that fly the Flag every day.
Exalted Rulers can guarantee a successful Americanism Program by appointing a dedicated Chairperson and seeking out enthusiastic Committee Members. The Flag
that flies over your Lodge should be displayed day and night in a well-lit, properly maintained fashion.
Most importantly, record your efforts, publicize them, and submit an “Americanism” Brochure describing what you do as Elks. Take credit for being a proud American
Led by our Elks National Veterans Service Commission, the Order has long enjoyed a rewarding relationship with our Nation’s Veterans. Since 1946, our promise to all our Veterans and their families has been and continues to be “So long as there are Veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.” We have faithfully kept this promise and continue to do so.
The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Our young people are subjected to many influences, some of which are negative and unwholesome. An important contribution to communities is to provide positive experiences for our youth. 
Elks are proud Americans who have always been proud to display and honor the Flag of our Country.