Help the Elks!

Help Kankakee Elks Country Club
Recover from Tornado Damage

On March 10, 2026, an EF-3 tornado struck around Kankakee, Illinois.  It caused major damage and 3 deaths along its path.

Located about four miles southeast of Kankakee, Kankakee Elks Country Club was directly in the path of the tornado.  While thankfully nobody was injured, the storm caused major damage to the club's facilities, toppled many trees, and left the golf course strewn with debris.  The north end of the property suffered the most extensive damage.  The cart barn and maintenance shop buildings were totally destroyed (equipment conditions are still being evaluated with insurance), the pump house was damaged (full extent unknown due to lack of power), and the main lodge building will need a new roof and water damage repair. The golf course was closed while the entire team worked hard to assess the damage and clean up as much as possible.

The Elks are extremely grateful for the massive community response to a request for volunteer help to clean up small debris from the course on the weekend of March 21-22, but the large fallen trees must be removed by professionals for safety reasons.  The course reopened for play on April 10, exactly one month after the tornado, with large standing stumps and downed trees with root balls still attached.  Most of the major tree damage is concentrated along holes 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 18.

While insurance is expected to cover most of the building and infrastructure damage, it does not cover the cost of tree removal from the golf course itself.  The original estimate to remove the fallen trees was a staggering $421,000 plus another $120,000 for stump removal, although some progress has already been made.

This fundraiser will help Kankakee Elks pay for tree and stump removal from the golf course and to repair damage caused to the turf by the fallen trees and exposed root balls. All contributions will go directly to Kankakee Elks.

The Langford & Moreau Society is proud to sponsor this fundraiser. Kankakee Elks was designed by Langford & Moreau and opened in 1927.  It is among the best publicly accessible examples of their work.  Kankakee Elks is a proud Club Member of the Langford & Moreau Society, and they have been working especially hard recently to embrace their heritage including returning the original 5th green to playable condition.

Thank you for your contribution to help Kankakee Elks recover from this devastating event!

All photos courtesy of Kankakee Elks Country Club