Elks National Foundation Blog

by Christine Robinson Senior Associate, Communications Rehearsal for Opening Ceremonies at Convention. I work in the Communications Department at the Elks National Foundation, and I get this question a lot—“so what exactly do you do—what is communication?” Well to me, communication is story telling. We’re sharing the stories of real events. It’s inspirational. The facts, the names, the impact, the awards, the hard work, the volunteerism, the efforts—everything is real. It’s inspiration! And the story we’re sharing? How you—a powerful network of Elks—are building stronger communities with our funds. How are we sharing the story? Through our website, news articles, brochures, letters, social media, infographics, Heartbeat , Midday , and my favorite—films. You, a powerful network of volunteers, bring the stories to life. And this year, the films that we created, are so moving and so powerful, that I have to grab tissues every time I watch them.  Th

by Jyotsna Bitra Most Valuable Student Scholar My name is Jyotsna Bitra and I attend the University of Illinois at Chicago. I am studying Economics on the pre-medicine track. I love to play tennis, bake, write, teach, and listen to other’s stories. Growing up in Illinois and attending college in Chicago, I did not think participating in service in Chicago would be anything special. I’m used to the city and I was familiar with the area. But I was so glad to be mistaken.   Serving with my fellow scholars. The first day of the Elks Scholar Service Trip, we served at a shelter known as Breakthrough Urban Ministries. We prepared and shared a meal with those experiencing homelessness. I knew there were many individuals in this situation throughout Chicago, and I often pass many of them on the way to the grocery store or mall. But I’ve never stopped to talk to them, other than muttering a hello. At Breakthrough, I heard some of their stories and witnessed their interact

by Samantha Johnson Most Valuable Student Scholar My name is Samantha and I am from Annawan, Illinois. I was a 2017 Top 20 Most Valuable Student Finalist and I will be starting school at Loyola University Chicago in the fall. I plan to major in Biology on a pre-health track. Sam Politano (Left) and I (Right). Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a week in Chicago with 15 of my fellow Elks scholars. When I first arrived, I was a little nervous. I had never met any of these people and I wasn't sure what it was going to be like to live with strangers for the next week.  However, they weren't strangers for long. By the time we were ready for bed that night, we had become friends who had more in common than we could've imagined. We all fit together wonderfully, and throughout the week the relationships continued to build off of the foundations that were established right away. We learned from each other's experiences and we shared our thoughts and feeli