Legal Information

Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using The Elk Journey website (elkjourney.org), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree, please do not use our website.

About This Site

The Elk Journey is a campaign microsite supporting John Kristofzski's Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike to raise awareness and funds for Elks charitable projects, including California-Hawaii Elks Major Project, Oregon Elks E.Y.E.S. Program, Washington State Elks Therapy Program, and Elks National Foundation.

This site is operated by the Washington State Elks Association (WSEA) Online Presence Committee.

Campaign Structure & Organization Relationships

Donations and Pledges

We Do Not Process Payments

Important: This website does not collect or process payment information. When you make a donation, you are redirected to the official donation portal of the respective Elks organization.

Honor System

Our pledge and donation tracking system operates on an honor system:

• We record your pledge/donation information for tracking purposes
• You are redirected to the appropriate Elks organization's donation page
• We trust that you will complete your donation on the external site
• The receiving organization will verify your donation independently

Types of Commitments

• One-Time Donations: A single donation amount to your chosen cause
• Per-Mile Pledges: A commitment to donate for each mile John walks
• Milestone Sponsorships: A commitment to donate when John reaches a specific milestone

No Refunds Through This Site

Since we do not process payments, we cannot issue refunds. For refund requests, contact the Elks organization where you made your donation.

Supporters Wall

When you make a donation or pledge, you choose how your name appears: Full Name, First Name Only, or Anonymous.

GPS Tracking

John's location on the PCT is tracked via Garmin InReach and displayed publicly on our tracker page and Garmin's MapShare service. This is intentional and consented to by John.

Email Communications

You may receive transactional emails (confirmations, invoices) and journal updates (if subscribed). You can unsubscribe from journal updates anytime.

User Conduct

You agree not to submit false information, use inappropriate language, attempt unauthorized access, or interfere with the website's operation.

Intellectual Property

Content on this website is owned by or licensed to The Elk Journey campaign and is protected by copyright law.

Third-Party Links

Our website contains links to external websites. We are not responsible for the content or practices of these external sites.

Disclaimer of Warranties

This website is provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

We do not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure; that GPS tracking data will be accurate or real-time; that donation totals are final or audited; or that external donation portals will be available.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, the following parties shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of this website:

• The WSEA Online Presence Committee and its volunteer members
• John Kristofzski (the hiker)
• The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPO Elks)
• Elks National Foundation (ENF)
• Washington State Elks Association (WSEA)
• Oregon State Elks Association
• California-Hawaii Elks Association (CHEA)
• Any affiliated Elks Lodges

This includes but is not limited to: technical failures, data loss, inaccuracies in tracking or donation totals, issues with external donation processing, and any communications sent through this website.

This is a volunteer-operated charitable campaign. All parties involved are acting in good faith to support Elks charitable causes.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless all parties involved in this campaign, including:

• The WSEA Online Presence Committee and its members
• John Kristofzski
• All Elks organizations (BPO Elks, ENF, WSEA, Oregon, California-Hawaii)
• All affiliated Elks Lodges, their officers, directors, employees, and volunteers

from any claims, liabilities, damages, or expenses arising from your misuse of this website or violation of these Terms.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any legal action or proceeding arising under these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the federal or state courts located in Washington State.

Contact Us

Questions? Email connect@elkjourney.org or visit our contact page.