Highlights from the Santa Monica Elks Lodge 906 Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Awards Dinner on Thursday, January 31, 2019. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868 originally as a social club in New York City. The Elks invest in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, meet the needs of today’s veterans, and improve the quality of life.