The exhalted ruler of the suspended Fond du Lac Elks Lodge says his biggest fear is that the historic building is sold and the Elks are forced to move. Joe Leventhal says he was notified last week that the local Lodge was suspended for six months and the Elks Grand Lodge had taken possession of the Fond du Lac Lodge. Levanthal says the suspension was handed down because the Fond du Lac Lodge is struggling to be financially solvent. “We have that giant building and as anyone can appreciate the overhead is terrible,” Leventhal told WFDL news. “It would be sustainable if we had 600 active members. Currently we’re hovering around 380.” Levanthal says his concern is the local Elks Club is forced to move from its location at the corner of Sheboygan and Portland Streets. “Its not what we want to do. Hopefully there’s a member out there interested in buying the building, running the operation for the restaurant and leasing the space to the Elks, or a member comes up with some sort of miraculous business plan to keep us in the building because its the oldest original lodge home left in the country.” He says the building is a piece of history and everybody is fighting to hang on to stay in that location. “Worse case scenario is the Grand Lodge sells the building and the Elks move to a different location,” Leventhal said. “But the benevolent side of the organization and those us that are constantly doing things for the community of Fond du Lac aren’t going anywhere. The lodge is truly the members, not the building.”
