SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) of the United States of America, Lodge 6, relocated from its historic location to a new building in Greenhaven in October 1977: its current address at 6446 Riverside Blvd. 

The BPOE requested that the City of Sacramento assign the street address 6666 to the new lodge. That did not happen, but the lodge did receive a phone number ending in 6666.

Over time, lights burned out, repairs became necessary and maintenance costs grew increasingly expensive. In response, a small group of members formed a volunteer team known as the Preventive Maintenance (PM) Crew to handle repairs and upkeep. 

The founder and first chair was James Harris, who served from 1980 to 1994, retiring after 14 years. The second chair was John Dougherty, who served for 15 years until 2009. 

Dougherty was the 1997 Elk of the Year and served on the PM Crew for over 20 years. The third and current chair is Ray Nielsen, who began in 2009 and continues to serve as of May 2026, totaling nearly 17 years. Nielsen was Elk of the Year in both 2013 and 2025.

Jim Harris was Elks 6’s Exalted Ruler (President) in 1970-71, when the lodge was still located downtown at J and 11th streets. When the new lodge was about three years old, a light went out in the ballroom, and a contractor with an extra-tall ladder was hired to replace it. The bill came to $89. Harris then had the idea to recruit volunteers to handle such tasks.

Today, the PM Crew handles virtually all maintenance, repairs and operational tasks inside and outside the lodge building. The normal workday is Tuesday morning, though responsibilities extend throughout the week. All members are volunteers. On Thursdays, the landscape crew mows lawns, blows and collects leaves, trims trees, tends plants and roses, and applies fertilizer and weed killer.

The pool group maintains the swimming pool, spa, sauna, solar system and heater for the pool. Chemical testing is conducted twice daily, seven days a week. 

The crew frequently responds to emergency calls from the office when systems fail, whether heating or air conditioning issues, electrical outages, roof leaks, burned-out lights, plumbing problems, or pool and spa concerns. The building is aging, and increasing maintenance is required to keep it operating smoothly.

The PM Crew also oversees the RV/boat storage area and provides volunteers each Sunday for the Greenhaven Pocket Farmers Market, assisting with setup in the morning and teardown at closing.

Currently, the crew has 30 volunteers on its roster, including four women. The uniform consists of a blue hat and shirt. While Tuesday mornings are dedicated to routine maintenance, some repairs take several days or longer to complete.

Garbage management from lodge events and rentals is a significant responsibility. Regulations require careful separation of waste into specific categories, and fines may be imposed for noncompliance. One primary PM Crew member is responsible for sorting garbage and separating recyclable materials for redemption.

The following is a summary of maintenance and repair items based on 360 work orders received in 2025. On average, the crew receives 10 to 12 new requests per week, in addition to ongoing projects: Lighting issues – burned-out bulbs or ballast failures; Divider panels/partition doors – malfunctioning, scraping floors; repairs require a four-person crew, tall ladders, and specialty parts; Bathrooms (main and fitness center) – issues with sinks, toilets, urinals, showers, leaks, and clogs; Roof leaks – various areas; temporary containment using buckets; Doors (interior and exterior) – do not close properly, will not lock, or drag; Bar – drain line leaks, sink leaks, mirror replacement, refrigerator leaks, marquee updates; Chairs – repairs, new seat covers, wheel replacements; Locks and keys – repair, replacement and distribution; Painting – main ballroom, rental office, fitness center; Event banners – ordering, grommets, and frame construction; Tables – repairs, leveling, wheel replacement; Fitness center – operation, repair, and maintenance of pool, spa, hot tub, solar, and weight room; Farmers Market – setup and teardown each Sunday; and RV/boat storage – facility monitoring, landscaping, and assistance with office operations and contracts.

The crew also manages several ongoing responsibilities: Zamboni – service and repair as needed; Parking lot sales – typically held twice per year; coordinated and operated by the crew, with all profits going to the general fund (approaching $2,000 per event); Ice machines – serviced every six months; repaired as needed; Lodge meeting setup; and update/maintain audio visual, facilities, and network (wifi) infrastructure.

The PM Crew includes members with a wide range of talents and handyman skills, as well as those who assist where needed. The PM Crew also includes licensed contractors. No specific skills are required; everyone contributes in their own way.

In 2025, the crew donated new freezers at a cost of $6,368.34, including electrical installation and a donation sign. That same year, PM Crew members collectively volunteered thousands of hours for the lodge, with estimated savings exceeding $200,000.