State Elks president from Brainerd is a man on the move
Herman Wisneski didn't join the Brainerd Elks Lodge 34 years ago just to sit around.
In the mid-1970s he met Elks members who invited him to join the service club while he was playing softball for the Log Cabin Bar. By his second meeting the outspoken Wisneski was an officer.
"Doers do and sitters sit and the sitters complain when the doers don't do it fast enough," he said.
This summer, the Fort Ripley Township man joined four other Brainerd men who have served as state president of the Minnesota Elks Association. He was installed as state president June 27 in Eveleth.
Herman Wisneski talked about the various charitable activities of the Brainerd Elks Lodge. The longtime Elks member was installed as the 105th president of the Minnesota Elks Association on June 27. Brainerd Dispatch/Jodie Tweed
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Wisneski, the 105th state president, has served in all officer positions in the Brainerd lodge, including being exalted ruler or lodge president for three different terms. He has been active at the state and district level during his 34 years in the Elks. Wisneski has been involved in the Grand Lodge of the Order of Elks, having served as district deputy to the grand exalted ruler (national president) and has attended 31 Grand Lodge conventions.
Raised on a dairy and beef operation in Little Rock, a small town south of Buckman, Wisneski remembers teachers and FFA and 4-H volunteers who helped him as a youth.
"There's a debt that's owed for the people who came before us," he said.
He attended school in a one-room school house and the older students were expected to help out the younger ones with their studies. Similarly, 4-H and FFA leaders had high expectations for Wisneski and other young people.
"They gave you responsibility," he said.
Whatever debt Wisneski might have incurred has probably been paid back through the Elks' activities such as the Elks Soccer Shoot, Elks Hoop Shoot, Penny-A-Day, Elks scholarship programs and the Elks Youth Camp on Pelican Lake.
"You got to step up," the Elks leader said. "You can't wait for someone else."
State Elks presidents from Brainerd Lodge No. 615
Dr. A.K. Cohen - 1931-1932.
Dr. M.H. Carlson - 1952-53.
Everett Anderson - 1967-68.
Alvin Schlegel - 1983-84.
Herman Wisneski - incumbent president.
Wisneski sees the Elks and other service organization members as "good-deed doers" who want make a difference, particularly in the lives of young people.
Service clubs have struggled to keep their membership numbers up, though. The Brainerd Elks lodge peaked in late 1970s with about 1,300 members, Wisneski said. It now has about 300 members.
"Our best hope is the 23-25-year-olds," Wisneski, stating that they seem to want to leave a mark on their community. "We see growth there."
He said he believed that, given the opportunity to help, most people will do the right thing. However, the Elks have to fight a mentality embodied in a mythical radio station, WII-FM (What's In It For Me), he said.
"Way too many are listening to that station," Wisneski said.
Surprisingly, another challenge seen by Wisneski is the success of pull-tabs. He prefers projects such as the county fair food booth where the public sees Elks working together. While he enjoys celebrations and having fun, Wisneski never wanted to belong to an organization that was merely a social club.
"We don't want to be (only) bars," he said. "Bars don't do anything but sell drinks."
Looking back on his Elks career, Wisneski said he's enjoyed the activities and the people he's met including Bud Burton, Bill Van Essen and Warren Welton.
"They made a difference," he said.
The youth programs and civic projects that get done and the scholarships that are awarded don't happen by accident, Wisneski said. There are hard-working volunteers who make sure the important things get done.
The longtime Minnesota Department of Revenue employee intends to wear a pin inscribed with the acronym "JOM," standing for "just one more" during his term as president. It stands for just one more kid involved in the Elks Hoop Shoot or just one more veteran is involved in Elks Bingo or casino activity.
If Elks activities don't keep him busy enough Wisneski has a variety of other ventures to keep him on the go. He's the national chairman of the Federation of Tax Administrators, Motor Fuel Tax Section. Wisneski also makes use of his white hair and full beard by playing Santa Claus at charitable events. His wife of 39 years, Barb, often escorts him as Mrs. Claus. They have two sons, Jeff and Brian, who are both Elks members.
He said volunteers in service organizations have to be managed just as carefully as work employees. Young members have to be encouraged and given responsibility and care must be taken to not to burn out those volunteers who step forward to help, he said.
As the result of all of his volunteer work Wisneski can't commit to anything without consulting his calendar. He said there was on stretch coming up where he had commitments 47 out of 56 weekends.
With that sort of schedule it's not surprising a friend of his offered a tongue in cheek prediction.
"When you drop dead," Wisneski said, recounting his friend's commentary about him, "you'll be moving so fast you'll leave half-mile skid marks."
MIKE O'ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.