1st female head of Madera Elks Lodge elected

Madera Elks Lodge #1918 has elected its first female exalted ruler.

Denise Ann Holdcroft, for most of her life a Madera resident, was born May 23, 1974, in Fresno. Her father, Ronald Holdcroft, had been a member of the Elks Lodge before his passing in 2009. He was also a police corporal with City of Madera.

Her mother, Lynn Renee Holdcroft, is the retired city clerk of Kerman.

Other family members include daughter Haeley, 13, who is an eighth-grader at Thomas Jefferson; son Jeff, 11, a 6th grader at Pershing Elementary; her sister Carrie, her husband Wade, nieces Lauren, Paige, and Malorie, and her father’s mother Shirley.

Holdcroft became familiar with the Elks during her childhood due to her father’s having been an active member.

“My earliest experience with the Madera Elks Lodge was when my father was a member and how he was really active there, up until his passing,” she said. “In 2010, felt it was important to put my efforts to work towards helping the community. Therefore, I applied for membership with the Elks that year to help me accomplish this.”

Since 2013, Holdcroft has consecutively held four elective offices in the lodge, including lecturing knight, loyal knight, leading knight, and currently exalted ruler.

“My Lecturing term involved chairing our Americanism committee, then loyal and leading terms involved chairing the Youth Committee,” Holdcroft said.

Holdcroft said she is very dedicated when it comes to her membership with the lodge. “My philosophy has been to be readily available if any help is ever needed in any area of our organization; I have been a part of our Relay for Life Team, Golf Committee, Dictionary Project, as well as serving on the House and Auditing committees,” she said.

The Lodge played a big part in Holdcroft’s son’s life as well, and she is grateful for all they have done:

“Being involved as a member/officer has been a way for me to give back for the services our organization offered to help with my son’s autism. Without the Purple Pig/CHEA and therapist Judy Linda at the Oakhurst Lodge, I’m sure he wouldn’t have progressed so much in the past two years.”

Holdcroft, whose outside interests are swimming, being outdoors, and spending time with her family going for pizza and having family get-togethers, is honored to have been elected first female president of the Elks Lodge.

“I’m glad that the members had enough confidence in me to help me advance to this chair,” Holdcroft said.