Skip to main content

See You Later Decatur

by Youth Programs Associate Billy Donnelly

To read more posts about the Hoop Shoot, click here. 
 
My last blog post was about my experience at my very first Hoop Shoot contest at my Lodge, Chicago North Shore, Ill, Lodge No. 1316. I had such an amazing experience at my Lodge contest that I decided to keep the ball rolling (pun intended) all the way down to the Illinois State Hoop Shoot Contest in Decatur, Illinois. Who knew I would have to leave Chicago in order to get back on the road to the 2016 Hoop Shoot National Finals in Chicago.

The very first thing that I need to talk about when discussing my time in Decatur was the incredible team effort made by Illinois State Hoop Shoot Director Jim Swisher and the Illinois Elks Hoop Shoot volunteers. I was in great company. Illinois Elks Association representatives, Lodge and District Hoop Shoot Directors, ENF staff members, Lodge Secretaries, and Elks from all across Illinois brought their talents to Decatur. Together they put on a magnificent event for all of those involved.

From my very first encounter with Director Swisher and his volunteer “Dream Team”, I knew that I was in the big leagues. This contest was one to remember for the contestants and their families. It certainly was for me.

There were 48 families that attended the Illinois State Hoop Shoot contest. Only six contestants and their families advanced to the North Central Region 3 Contest. All 48 families however, were treated like champions. From the moment these families walked into the room for registration there was something to do. Meals were being provided, volunteers were engaging, the Drug Awareness activities were out for all to see, and of course, the pool was open.

During registration, some kids were more outgoing than others. By the time the awards banquet started, you could see all of the friendships that had developed over the weekend. The contestants, their families and the Elk volunteers—old friendships from previous contestants had been rekindled and new ones had formed. It was a wonderful sight to see.

The contest may take place on one Saturday in February, but attending the Illinois State Hoop Shoot in Decatur really helped me remember that the Elks Hoop Shoot is more than just a day. It is an opportunity to build and strengthen relationships and that can last a lifetime. It is with this in mind that I leave Decatur and continue on the road to Chicago, both literally and figuratively. My next literal stop will be a gas station, my next figurative stop will be in Iowa City, Iowa for the North Central Region 3 Hoop Shoot on Saturday, March 19, 2016. I was live tweeting the Illinois State Contest in Decatur and will be tweeting throughout my trip to the regional contest Iowa City. If you would like to follow along on Twitter, my handle is @ElksBilly. If you’re attending a contest, remember to post about it on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #hoopshoot.

Billy Donnelly
Youth Programs Associate

The Elks have been developing gritty kids through the Hoop Shoot program for more than 40 years. In 2015-16, the Elks National Foundation allocated $924,070 to fund the program. For videos, news from the court, and more information about the Hoop Shoot, visit www.elks.org/hoopshoot.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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
Post a Comment
Read more

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
3 comments
Read more

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
2 comments
Read more