Members of the Cedar Hill Elks have put themselves on the map as the first Elks lodge in the state to design and manufacture a commemorative veterans coin.
The idea for a coin came from Don Mattingly, chairman of the lodge’s veterans committee. He recruited fellow member Miky Balta to help design some ideas and present them to the Missouri Elks’ East Central District, which includes nine area lodges.
Once approved by the district, the project was approved by the Missouri Elks Association Board of Directors during the March 16-17 state convention in Jefferson City.
“We’re one tiny lodge on the map, but this coin will spread all over and that’s why we’re proud of it,” Balta said.
Balta said the coins will be purchased in bulk by lodges across the state and sold to members and to the general public this fall.
The price of the coin will be set by each lodge, with all proceeds going to programs benefiting veterans. She said the coins will take about two months to manufacture.
Members of the Cedar Hill Elks Lodge designed the state Elks commemorative coin.
John Devous, exalted ruler of the Cedar Hill Elks, said he is proud of his members’ work.
“(Mattingly and Balta) have worked their tails off on this,” Devous said. “I announced to our members (at a recent meeting) that this coin has been accepted and it’s going into production. Everybody gave them a round of applause.”
Creating the coin
Mattingly said he brought the idea of a commemorative coin to a conference in Potosi about two and a half years ago. After receiving positive feedback, conference members directed Mattingly to go before the district’s veterans committee.
The committee is made up of representatives from the Cedar Hill, High Ridge, Festus-Crystal City, De Soto, Meramec-Arnold, Ste. Genevieve, Potosi, Eureka-Pacific and Oakville lodges.
“It took me a few months to even bring (a motion) to them because I wanted to give them an idea of what I was thinking about before we even came to them,” Mattingly said. “We came up with several ideas and presented them to them, let them vote on what they liked and didn’t like. Overall, we had 20 or 30 different revisions.”
Balta said she created the coin’s design entirely on her phone. The coin includes important symbols to the Elks, Mattingly said, including an American flag, the silhouette of a soldier and the Missouri Elks Association logo. Around the edge of the coin is the Elks’ motto, “So long as there are veterans the Elks will never forget them.”
Mattingly said it was about time the Elks distributed a coin in appreciation of veterans. The Cedar Hill lodge organizes a Veterans Day dinner for veterans and their spouses and places wreaths on veterans’ gravestones at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Devous said proceeds from the coin sales will go toward the Cedar Hill Elks’ annual veterans projects.
“I was thinking to myself, we do so much else for the veterans, how come we don’t have a coin?” Mattingly said. “Personally as a vet, I very rarely give up a coin that was given to me. It was given to me for a purpose. Some people want to buy them and give them to somebody for whatever they did. It could be because they’re just a good friend and they wanted them to have a veterans coin.”
State recognition
After the coin was approved by the state board, Missouri Elks veterans chair Darrell Quinley sent a letter to members on the importance of the coin.
“The state veterans coin represents a symbol; an award to be given and received much the same as our lodge Elk of the Year award and lodge Officer of the Year award,” Quinley said. “It symbolizes the extraordinary work done on behalf of our veterans.”
Balta said she met Jim Ross, the Elks state president, at the state convention. She said Ross commended her and Mattingly for their work in bringing the commemorative coin from an idea to reality.
“For her to be congratulated, and Don too, by this man, in my eyes it’s an honor,” Devous said.
Devous said those interested in buying a coin may call the Cedar Hill lodge for more information at 636-285-3074, or stop by in person, at 8430 Industrial Drive.
Balta said if the coin is well-received, the lodge may turn the design into a pin as well.
“I was jumping for joy when I found out the coin was approved,” Mattingly said. “This (coin) came from little bitty Cedar Hill Elks lodge, the little bitty hole in the wall, the smallest lodge with the biggest heart.”