Montague Elks Lodge brings back Mother’s Day breakfast tradition

Montague Elks Lodge 2561 Exalted Ruler Allie Cooke, pictured in front of the Montague Elks charter that was created in 1974. Cooke enjoyed the lodge’s Mother’s Day breakfasts as a child when her family attended and is bringing the tradition back this weekend. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Staff Writer

Published: 05-07-2025 2:11 PM

MONTAGUE — After falling by the wayside, the Mother’s Day breakfast hosted by Montague Elks Lodge 2521 is returning on Sunday, May 11.

The breakfast, which hasn’t been held since before the pandemic, was a tradition that Montague Elks Exalted Ruler Allie Cooke enjoyed as a child when her family attended. Now, as the newest leader of the lodge, she wanted to bring back this breakfast tradition to honor local mothers.

“The Mother’s Day breakfast is one of those ones that kind of fell by the wayside,” Cooke said, adding that the event is for extending the invitation to the wider community outside of just Montague Elks members. “This is definitely one of the first bigger events that we’re trying to bring back, and then again next month with Father’s Day.”

This year’s breakfast will be a buffet-style breakfast with food cooked in-house at the lodge, and all mothers who attend will eat for free. The breakfast is open to the community for Montague Elks members and non-member families. Meals for adults will be $12, or $6 for children ages 12 and younger. The breakfast will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Montague Elks Lodge, located at 1 Elks Ave.

Cooke explained that because this year is a building year for the Montague Elks to get the community involved in its events, the breakfast will not include the “Mother’s Day Ritual” that entailed a more formal ceremony for Elks lodges to follow. Still, mothers will be honored with the free meal, as well as a flower as they come through the door.

Russ Brown, Cooke’s uncle and Montague Elks Exalted Ruler from 1990 to 1995, said he’s excited to see this tradition being brought back, saying, “It was fantastic to see the mothers come through” and be appreciated for the day.

He recalls in previous years having around 300 people in attendance for Mother’s Day breakfasts hosted by the Montague Elks, and expressed his gratitude for his niece’s goal of looking to the future while also keeping tradition alive at the lodge.

To RSVP for the breakfast, call the Montague Elks Lodge after 3 p.m. at 413-863-2521 or email exaltedruler2521@gmail.com by Friday, May 9.

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