PLUS Co. Clients Find Their Groove

By Cynthia Andreola

PLUS Company

For nearly 20 years Elks Lodge #720 in Nashua has been serving up spaghetti dinners and providing a spacious venue for dances to clients served by The PLUSCompany in Nashua. Each year PLUS holds three dances allowing clients the opportunity to socialize outside of the normal programming space. Thanks to the generosity of the Elks, the dances are able to host the large number of attendees who wish to participate.

“The dances are highly anticipated,” stated Leni Hodgins, Director of Adult Education for The PLUS Company. “The Elks provide an enormous gift by serving as hosts, preparing and serving dinner, and donating use of their lodge. Their facility is spacious and the mirrored disco ball allows the room to take on a club-like feel.” 

The PLUS Company, a 41-year-old non-profit agency, serves adults with intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. The main office of the agency is located in Nashua, and two satellite offices are located in Tewksbury and Lawrence, Massachusetts. The agency provides supports and services allowing each client to become as independent as possible.PLUS provides residential services, vocational programs, transitional services, life skills programs and a full range of opportunities for adults to socialize and learn new skills.   

“The volunteers from The Elks make the dances special. They make everyone feel welcome and make certain the doors are open early, as our folks are so excited they are apt to show up a few minutes early. I cannot thank Bert Faucher enough for his assistance. Bert, a long-time Elk has been organizing the dances for over ten years,” continued Hodgins.

The dances take place around Halloween, Christmas and in early spring. Typically between 150 and 200 adults with developmental disabilities attend. Ten to twelve Elks volunteer to prepare, serve and attend the dances.Local DJ Keith Demanche donates his services as well to make certain everyone has fun.

According to Faucher, “I get so much personal satisfaction from the dances. The attendees all love the music and enjoy dancing. My crew love helping out as well. After dinner is served they will even join the group out on the dance floor. We love knowing that we are providing a chance for the PLUSattendees to have a social life. After so many years of hosting I know many of the attendees, and I have fun joking around with them.”

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America is one of the oldest and largest fraternal organizations in the country. Since its inception in 1868, the Order of Elks has grown to include more than 850,000 men and women in more than 2,000 communities. The BPO Elks is committed to the ideals of charity and patriotism.