Eureka Elks Lodge No.652 honored Bene’t Frame as the Premier Recipient on the 75th anniversary of the Purple Pig Project.
In 1950, the Eureka Elks Lodge began helping developmentally disabled children in a program called the Major Project Mobile Unit. Bene’t Frame was their very first patient from five to 21 years old. She was born with cerebral palsy and seizures. Bene’t received OT, PT and speech therapy through the project. She has had many fond memories and has given back to the children in the program by organizing the Christmas celebration, which they received stockings full of goodies from the Elks. Bene’t has attended five Elks conventions. The first in 1950, where she received red bike and then becoming a keynote speaker as a young adult. She said, “The Elks were so nice. They made me feel special. Meeting the Elks
was a whole new world, knowing they cared about people like me.” Pictured from left to right: Lodge Esquire, Pat Gillmore; Leading Knight, Nina Strang; Honoree, Bene’t Frame; Inner Guard, Dana Harris; Chaplain, Jerry Stewart and Lecturing Knight, Brian Smith.
