The Elks National Foundation, established in 1928, helps Elks build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work.
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A CIP Pioneer
by Senior Programs Associate Colleen Muszynski
The CIP office, and the world,
has lost a kind, selfless champion. Sharon Kolkhorst, member of Coos Bay, Ore.,
Lodge No. 1160 and Weekend Share Bear
Snack Packs program project manager, passed away last week. With Sharon at
the helm, Coos Bay was one of the first Lodges to receive a $10,000 Impact
Grant for their Weekend Share Bear Snack
Packs program when the grant was introduced in 2008. Sharon’s commitment to
and passion for the program has continued since—in 2017, the Lodge was awarded
its ninth consecutive Impact Grant. Only one other Lodge from the original
Impact Grant class can say the same. In fact, Sharon and her husband Lou have
helped the Lodge secure more than $115,000 in CIP grants since 2006.
However, life is about more
than money. It’s about creating lasting relationships and leaving your
community better than you found it. Sharon did just that. I had the pleasure of
meeting Sharon and Lou on an Impact Grant site visit to Coos Bay in 2015. It’s
a trip I’ll never forget—not because of the crazy beauty of the Oregon coast or
the good food, but because of the welcoming warmth of Sharon and the Coos Bay Elks
family. I got the chance to see the snack pack program in action, meet all the
dedicated volunteers and talk with partners who have directly benefited from
the program. What was clear was that Sharon was the steady, organized,
passionate glue that held it all together. What was also clear was that she
wasn’t in it for recognition—we could hardly get her on camera to talk about
the project!
As with anyone who truly makes
an impact, Sharon’s actions were what spoke volumes. Thanks to her hard work
with the Impact Grant over the years, thousands of elementary school students
experiencing food insecurity in the Coos Bay area did not go hungry over the
weekend. I am grateful for that trip and lucky to have worked with her these
past couple of years. Sharon embodied the true meaning of selfless service, and
she will be missed.
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
by Garrett Schumacher 2011 Legacy Scholar, University of Colorado-Boulder Prior to this trip of service in Chicago, I had always admired the individuals who gave of their time and talents with the purpose of bettering someone else’s life. I wanted to be like them but for the wrong, selfish reasons. After feeling inadequate in this regard for some time, I decided to take the leap and apply for the opportunity that only an incredible organization could provide. My background with the Elks has shown me that they are a communal group that profoundly affects the lives of many people on a national scale every day; being one of those people through scholarships, I felt I owed something to the F oundation and the people they serve. The experience was a revelation for me. I am a proud member of the Elks family and will continue my work and participation in the organization. I did not owe anyone anything other than gratitude, and I could give of myself for the sole purpose of be
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
Sharon is beloved by many. Your words capture who she still is in our hearts.
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