Elks National Foundation Blog

by Fox Maikovich BackBoard Member Hi! My name is Fox Maikovich, and I was a 2010 Hoop Shoot National Finalist. When I was in sixth grade, my basketball team practiced at a local elementary school, which had a flyer on the school message board announcing the Elks’ Hoop Shoot contest! Who would have ever imagined that this competition would provide me with so many great memories? Making it to the National Finals is anything but easy. In my first two years of competition, I only made it to the State contest. I finally had my breakthrough year in my final year of eligibility! Making it to the National Finals was a dream come true. At the time, the Finals were held in Springfield, Massachusetts—the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame. The Elks rented the Hall of Fame just for Finalists and family members the night before the contest. Being able to take my family was an experience I will never forget. At the National Finals, I made 21 of 25 free throws, tying for fifth...

by Katlyn Geldert Donor Services Assistant Happy June from Donor Services! I cannot believe that it is already June. Spring seemed to zoom by, and what a few months it was. With the close of the fiscal year, the MVS Leadership Weekend, and the Hoop Shoot National Finals all happening within weeks of one another, the excitement was infectious among the Elks National Foundation staff. We all pulled together when it was needed. It created a fantastic sense of comradery. I loved getting a glimpse into what the other departments in the ENF have been working on. With the fiscal year ending March 31, everyone in the Donor Services Department was extremely busy. At the beginning of April, we finished up processing the generous donations from Elks across the country to officially close the 2016-17 Fiscal Year. During the last few weeks of March we had a significant surge in the number of online remittances being sent in, my fellow Donor Services Assistant, Hannah, and I were hard at wo...

by Hannah Jones Donor Services Assistant Along with many of the finalists and their families, this year’s Hoop Shoot was my very first Hoop Shoot, and, frankly, I had no clue what to expect. In the months and weeks leading up to the event, I helped with the preparation in a variety of small ways, while others played a much bigger role in the planning and execution of the weekend. I helped choose the bucket list items, stuffed Hoop Shoot badges for attendees, and even helped with preparations for the volunteer dinner. From badges to bucket list items, I didn’t yet understand how it would all come together and what my own Hoop Shoot experience would be like. Kate (Left) and Hannah (Right) My first real Hoop Shoot role came on Thursday, as an airport greeter. On that morning I found myself sitting on the train, heading to O’Hare instead of in my car pulling into the Elks Veterans Memorial parking lot. I sidled up to the Airport Express counter in the Terminal One bagg...

by Blaire Shaffer Communications Assistant My feet pounded the sidewalk as I thought about the fresh day before me. For those of you who don’t know me, my dog, Bruno (Border Collie and German Shepherd Mix), and I go for runs in the morning before work. Besides being a terrific way to wear off his 19-month-old puppy energy, I use this time to reset and focus on a new day I have been blessed with.  Today, I felt excited and a little nervous. It was the kick-off day for an event the ENF has been tirelessly tolling on for months. I heard stories from my fellow staff members describing the Hoop Shoot National Finals, but there is something to be said about actually experiencing it for yourself. For the National Finals, I was put in charge of managing the Social Media for the weekend. In fact, many of you probably saw me, carrying the iPad pro and using it to take pictures or videos.  From the first moment I walked into the Holiday Inn, aka the Hoop Shoot ...