Elks National Foundation Blog

Mountain Home, Ark., Lodge No. 1714 Mountain Home, Ark., Lodge No. 1714 used its Gratitude Grant to help kids in need. Elks contacted teachers, counselors and nurses at local schools to see what students lacked. They then shopped for everything from school supplies to clothes and shoes, so the schools could distribute the materials to any child who could use them. The ENF awards Gratitude Grants to Lodges to directly address local needs. Lodges are eligible to apply for Gratitude Grants after meeting the GER’s per-capita goal. To find out more about Gratitude Grants, visit www.elks.org/enf/community .

By Communications Specialist Kristen Scaletta It’s summertime at the Elks National Foundation, which can only mean one thing. Convention is coming! Each year, the Elks hold a national convention where members from across the country gather and attend seminars and meetings, check out one another’s booths, and connect with other members. The Elks National Foundation participates by holding different seminars to share our work and by maintaining a booth in the Convention Center, where visitors can come to learn more about our programs. Check out our website for a list of our Convention events. This year, the Elks National Convention will be in Phoenix, Ariz., from July 17 to 21. You may think that’s a while from now, but under the guidance of Development Manager Kate Keating Edsey , we’ve been planning for this year’s Convention since last fall. Each year before Convention, a truck leaves from the Elks headquarters, where our offices are housed, carrying all the items we’ll need

Sand Springs, Okla., Lodge No. 2553  Sand Springs, Okla., Lodge No. 2553 used its Gratitude Grant to help a local therapeutic riding center. Here, Matthew, a child with disabilities, is learning to ride thanks to the Lodge’s donation. Elks keep in touch with the center, which reports that Matthew’s horsemanship and confidence have improved greatly since he began a few months ago. The ENF awards $2,000 Gratitude Grants to Lodges to directly address local needs. Lodges are eligible to apply for Gratitude Grants after meeting the GER’s per-capita goal. To find out more about Gratitude Grants, visit www.elks.org/enf/community .

Rancho Cordova, Calif., Lodge No. 2484 As part of the Catch the Spirit Impact Grant Project, Rancho Cordova, Calif., Lodge No. 2484 recently hosted a Welcome Home spaghetti dinner for about 200 California National Guard soldiers and their families. These soldiers recently returned from Afghanistan, where they spent the past year performing Medical Evacuation duties for wounded soldiers. Here, Project Manager Bob Burns Sr. (left) and ER Dave Ferguson (right) pose with a few of their guests. The ENF awards Impact Grants to help Lodges significantly address unmet needs in Elks communities. Impact Grants are competitive grants worth up to $10,000 and are open to all Lodges. To find out more about Impact Grants, visit www.elks.org/enf/community .

Santa Cruz, Calif., Lodge No. 824 Summer is in full swing for Santa Cruz, Calif., Lodge No. 824! The Lodge used its Promise Grant to hold a youth golf camp. Watch this video to see photos of the happy golfers. The ENF awards Promise Grants worth up to $2,000 to the first 500 Lodges that pledge to host an event that helps build the character and competence of youth in their community. To find out more about Promise Grants, visit www.elks.org/enf/community .