The Connection

This wife, mother, grandmother, entrepreneur and First Lady of the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World, Inc. (IBPOEW) is always on the move in fundraising and helping her communities in Sterling and Vienna.

Cynthia C. Polk is a multi-talented person who keeps giving and helping the communities. Her professional careers are paralegal for a general practice law firm in Sterling, Va. and an entrepreneur licensed nail technician, sole proprietor. She was also appointed as the third serving Grand Organizer (First Lady) of the organization for the Grand Temple Daughters of Elks in 2018. As an organizer, she developed the Grand Organizer’s Department, “Wings of Hope,” whose primary purpose is to assist families in crisis, regardless of their social-economic background. Because of COVID-19, many families in her communities needed help because they lost their jobs. By donating her own money, and with the help of the Elks members, they raised the needed funds for the Wings of Hope.

THE WINGS OF HOPE under the leadership of Mrs. Polk has assisted families in getting their children school supplies, medical expenses, rents, groceries and household supplies. In addition, she has sponsored many community service projects in Virginia, District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kentucky and Indiana since 2019. Some of the community service projects included free dinners for furloughed workers, free food for families in need, annual diaper-bag-drive and meals-on-wheels. Her community services were expanded to include an Easter-Egg-Scavenger-Hunt for the children, food pantry, women and children clothes (closet).

Cynthia and Mr. Prentece Booker are the Directors of the Beauty & Talent Pageant Program for the State of Virginia Elks.

Cynthia brings her organizational and managerial skills in her role as First Lady. Mr. Lawrence Robinson of the IBPOEW says this about Mrs. Polk, “A strong attribute to Cynthia’s success is her ability to get along with people, young or old regardless of race, color or religion.”

Cynthia was born in Athens, Ala. and moved with her family at the age of six to Louisville, Ky. She attended Doss High School in Kentucky. She married Leonard J. Polk, Jr of Vienna. Leonard is the son of Leonard J. Polk, Sr and Thelma Polk. Cynthia and her husband have four children: Leonard III, Gregory, Leniesha, and Tanja. Cynthia and Leonard have three grandchildren. Her husband, Leonard attended James Madison High School in Vienna and he graduated from George Mason University. He then graduated from David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington, D.C. and he earned his Juris Doctor Degree. Mr. Polk is a practicing lawyer and a counsellor for the Supreme Court of the United States of America since 2008. He is also the 14th Grand Exalted Ruler/Grand Patriarch and Chief Executive Officer of the IBPOEW of Jacksonville, Fla.

WHEN CYNTHIA WAS EIGHT years old, her mother told her that she could do anything she sets her mind on. Well, Cynthia took her mom’s advice and pursued her passion in helping others. She firmly believes that, if you help one person, then, that is one less person struggling in the world.

Mrs. Cynthia C. Polk keeps giving and giving. She is truly a woman on the move.

Char McCargo Bah is a published author, freelance writer, independent historian, genealogist and a Living Legend of Alexandria. She maintains two blogs, https://theotheralexandria.com/ and https://findingthingsforu.com/.