The Ballard Elks Lodge No. 827 has started a fundraising campaign to pay for a new deck overlooking Shilshole Bay at their Seaview Avenue headquarters.

The club needs to raise $40,000 to build the 470-square foot deck. It will have room for five tables and feature a southwest view. A wheelchair ramp will be included in the design along with a stairway that serves as an emergency exit for the club.

Bill Chandler, a member of the club's deck committee said no other Elks Club in the country except Hawaii, has a deck along the water.

"You can see the canal, the Olympic Mountains and the boat traffic. It will allow us to take advantage of the view," said Chandler.

It has been a 26-month process to get the project approved by the city's Department of Construction and Land Use. A shoreline and other permits have cost the club $8,000.

Donations are now coming in from individual members. The Third Annual Car Show on Sept. 4 is the first of several events planned to bring in donations. A Deck Fund Fish Fry on Sept. 22 will feature a salmon buffet. Dinner is open to members and guests at $10 per person.

Donations can be sent to: Ballard Elks #827, Deck Fund, Acct. 24145, 6411 Seaview Ave. N.W., Seattle, WA 98107.