For the fifth year in a row, the Howell Elks Club is collecting deer hides to be made into gloves for wheelchair-bound veterans. Spokesman Ed Perez says the hides are collected and stored behind the lodge and are shipped out once a week during the hunting season to be processed. Perez tells WHMI that so far this year, they’ve collected 42 deer hides donated by area hunters, and their goal is to top last year’s total of about 60 hides.

Perez says this is the fifth year the Howell Elks Club has been involved in the national program. The deer hides are used to provide professionally-crafted gloves for veterans in wheelchairs, and are distributed at veterans’ adaptive sports clinics and gatherings throughout the country. The program begins with the start of the bow and arrow season on the first of November, continues during the firearm deer season through Nov. 30 and the second archery season from Dec 1 to Jan. 1. Perez says they also accept cowhide.

The Howell Elks Lodge is located on East Grand River between Latson Road and Chilson Road. For more information on the program or to donate a hide, call 546-4941 or e-mail to elks2168@gmail.com. (TT)