By JESSICA SIEFF
Niles Daily Star

The Niles Elks Lodge got a pleasant surprise Tuesday when students from Southside School showed up to pay it backward.

The lodge is hosting a special prom for the school on Saturday and to show their appreciation, students offered to put their hands to work with a little outdoor spring cleanup.

“It’s the first time we’re doing it with Southside,” Julie Clark, lodge member, said Thursday.

Clark said the school traditionally has a prom every other year and Marty Oleson, a teacher at school, said the event brings together several members of the Southside family.
“We also extend invitations to prior Southside graduates and their guests. Invitations also go out to possibly ex-administrators and some teachers from the past,” Oleson said. “It’s a huge event.”

Clark said the lodge is expecting anywhere between 60 and 100 guests who will use the hall for their Vegas-themed prom.

Dresses have been donated to female students from a drive organized by Ziker Cleaners in South Bend, Oleson said, picked up at the College Football Hall of Fame.

“The girls got to pick from them,” she said. “Isn’t that amazing?”

Those students will also get their hair done at the Michiana Beauty College and light refreshments and finger foods will be served at the Elks Lodge.

“Any fundraising we do is simply on our own,” Oleson said. “And we have the kids take ownership in that. This is an incredible gift. We are so tickled and we are so humbled by this.”

To show their appreciation, more than a dozen students showed up at the Elks Lodge on Tuesday.

“That was just a very pleasant surprise,” Clark said.

“We like to pay back, you know,” Oleson said. “We did some weeding, some gardening, some planting of flowers, some cleaning.”

The Elks did some fundraising of their own to make the prom possible, raising $500 for the event.

“They were amazing,” Clark said. “They did a great job. The Elks has always been – our organization is about helping children.

“A lot of the outside activities that we’re involved in,” she added, “…originated around children because that’s what our organization is about.”

Clark added that it’s important to show support for special needs students and the schools in the community.

“Obviously they could use the community support,” she said. “And in particular Southside, because they are special needs kids. It’s important that the community supports them.”

With the spring-cleaning finished and the big night ahead, Oleson said, “the giving just goes on.

“We are delighted,” she said. “It’s going to be wonderful.”