Skip to main content

It Made a Difference for That One

by Maryann Slater
Programs Relationship Associate

Elks scholars now have the opportunity to come together in service with their Elks scholar peers. These trips will offer the opportunity to learn about societal issues, serve those in need in the name of the Elks, and the chance for Elks scholars and Elks to connect with their Elks Family across the country. To read more posts about the service trips, click here.

I live for the light bulb moments. You know, when you can see someone’s perspective change, or they are finally able to understand something they haven’t been able to understand. While I am honored to serve alongside my fellow Elks scholars on the Elks Scholar Service Trips, my favorite part of the trips is observing and facilitating the scholars’ light bulb moments throughout the week.

For example, scholars share things such as, “The person I met today who is experiencing homelessness has a college degree–I never realized that homelessness can happen to anyone.” Or, “I never thought about how important it is to just make eye contact with people who are on the streets. I never really understood how experiencing homelessness can make someone feel invisible.” These lessons stay with the scholars long after the service trip ends.

The Elks Scholar Service Trips exist to offer Elks scholars the opportunity to learn about societal issues, serve in the name of the Elks, and to connect with their Elks family. Today’s Elks scholars can be tomorrow’s Elks if they are able to see the benefits of membership by engaging with Elks members in service.

Programming and reflections are a big part of an Elks Scholar Service Trip and are based on the premise of “The Active Citizen Continuum” which is a part of the Break Away: the Alternative Break Connection, Inc. resources. This continuum categorizes citizens into different categories based upon one’s level of concern for community and societal issues ranging from the least engaged citizen, a member, to the most engaged who prioritizes community in his/her values and life choices, an active citizen.

The Active Citizen Continuum
While it is my hope that all of the students will leave the trip as active citizens, so touched by their experience that they simply can’t continue to stand by and allow those around them to suffer, I understand that each person will manifest this in his/her own way beyond the trip. I always hope to hear about at least one scholar who becomes actively involved within the Elks or his/her community beyond the trip.

Have you ever heard The Starfish Story? It tells the story of a young man who is picking up starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean so that they won’t die. An observer comments that he will never be able save all of the starfish and that he can’t possibly make a difference, to which the young man replies, “It made a difference for that one.”

The Starfish Story

The Starfish Story has taken on a new meaning for me since I started working at the Elks National Foundation. I used to look at its message in terms of the individuals I was serving, but now I look at in terms of our scholars’ perspectives and involvement in their communities beyond the Elks Scholar Service Trips.
Because the Elks National Foundation invests so intentionally in its scholars through initiatives like the Elks Scholar Service Trips, the ENF is able to multiply the “one,” by allowing up to 20 scholars, three times per year to take part in an immersive service experience. Scholars not only become transformed through their service experiences, but they also become invested in the Order, as they truly feel welcomed into the Elks Family through meeting local Elks members.

Since returning from the Winter 2016 Trip, I’ve been so thankful to hear about many of our scholars’ changed perspectives and renewed dedication to their communities. Patrick Clerkin will be joining us on the Spring 2016 Elks Scholar Service Trip and using his experience from the Winter 2016 Trip to lead as the Elks Scholar Leader in Washington, D.C. Timothy Diovanni is volunteering with a homeless shelter in Midtown Manhattan this weekend, an opportunity he has pursued because of his experience on the trip. Jessica Phan is getting involved with Pomona College’s Alternative Service Break program this semester. Van Truong volunteered at her sponsoring Lodge, Port Orange, Fla. Lodge No. 2723 just a few days after returning from the Winter 2016 Trip.
Van with members of the Port Orange, Fla., Lodge No. 2723
serving together on Martin Luther King Jr., Day
But I didn’t have to wait until after the trip to see our scholars stepping up to live out what they learned during the trip.

The last day of the Winter Trip, we got to see the Golden Gate Bridge and explore San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. The scholars had packed their lunches, but many of them returned at the end of the two hours of free time at Fisherman’s Wharf and shared that they had gotten to hand their lunches out to people experiencing homelessness after choosing to buy their own meals. I think it’s safe to say, they’re already making a difference “for that one.”

Game Faces–our scholars are serious about service!
Maryann Slater
Programs Relationship Associate 

We know Elks scholars are dedicated to service. Elks scholars now have the opportunity to come together in service with their Elks scholar peers. In 2015-16, the Elks National Foundation will offer three Elks Scholar Service Trips for up to 20 Elks scholars each. They are scheduled for the summer, winter and spring in locations from coast to coast. These trips provide scholars the opportunity to learn about societal issues, serve those in need in the name of the Elks, and connect with their Elks Family from across the country. For more information about the trips, click here.

Comments

Labels

Show more

Popular posts from this blog

Seizing Every Opportunity

Reflections from the SAB President By Kat Nakamura 2019 MVS Scholar Hi, Elks Family! I’m Kat Nakamura, a 2019 MVS Scholar currently serving as the president of the Scholar Advisory Board. My time with the Elks has been a transformative experience, not only providing me with financial support for my education but opening the door to a nurturing community of like-minded individuals and remarkable opportunities. My journey began when I applied for the Elks Most Valuable Student scholarship, and little did I know it was just the beginning of a life-changing adventure. Months later, my mom encouraged me to apply to join the Scholar Advisory Board. Initially hesitant, I thought there was no chance of being accepted. Little did I realize that this decision would lead me to one of my most cherished experiences throughout college. The Scholar Advisory Board are the representatives that advise the ENF on scholar relations. Apart from being on the board, members attend the Elks National Conve

A Boatload of Scholars, a Busload of Clothes

By: Aditi V. Patel,  2019 Most Valuable Student scholar Last week, I had the pleasure of serving alongside 20 other amazing Elks scholars as a part of the Tampa Elks Scholar Service Trip. I did my research before the trip and found that Hurricane Ian had displaced more than 40,000 Floridians in September 2022—I wanted to do something to help! After landing in Tampa, we got right to work by sorting a busload (literally) of clothing that Tampa, Fla., Lodge No. 708 collected from the community for Greater Pine Island. We organized each item of clothing by size, made sure each item was in good condition, and placed them into bags. Whenever there weren’t clothes at my table, I would shift to another station to help others, and I saw other scholars doing the same. It was amazing to see everyone laboriously working for hours without any complaints, learning names and fun facts as we went. We had dinner at the Tampa Elks Lodge, which is where I had my first genuine conversations with the s

Finding a Place in the #ElksFamily

by Aleah Hahn, Most Valuable Student Scholar Aleah Hahn received a second place Most Valuable Student scholarship in 2018. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2021 with degrees in Biosystem Engineering and German. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Marine Resource Management at Oregon State. In her free time, she likes to cycle, forage and hike. Over my spring break I was able to partake in the 2022 Spring Elks Scholar Service Trip in Chicago! In 2018, I attended the 150 for 150 Service Trip in San Antonio, where we celebrated the Elks 150th anniversary through service. Both were amazing experiences to serve in the name of the Elks. They were alike but also different in many ways.  In San Antonio, I connected with Elks state leadership from my home state of Michigan since the trip was at the Elks National Convention!  I served with 149 other scholars and met many of them. It was a great opportunity to connect with other scholars. The majority of our service was at Haven