Elks National Foundation Blog

Telluride, Colo., Lodge No. 692 After a long winter, we’re looking forward to summer activities like gardening, swimming and biking. But kids from Telluride, Colorado have a different activity on their minds—sledding! Using an Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant , Telluride, Colo., Lodge No. 692 partnered with the local organization One To One to hold a cardboard sled derby. One To One helps keep at-risk youth on the right path by pairing them with adult mentors. Each year, they hold the cardboard sled derby to teach kids about creativity, critical thinking and good sportsmanship. This year, the Elks were there to share their support. After cheering on the contestants, Elks prepared and served a barbeque lunch to the sledders and their families. “Thanks to the Gratitude Grant, we were able to continue forging a relationship with One To One,” says Community Investments Program Project Manager Cynthia Wyszynski. “We’re also working on cultivating new members because of ...

By Debbie Doles, Assistant Director As Jim mentioned in his February 18 post, we’ve been trying to work in side visits to our Community Investments Program grant recipients whenever we’re out in the field. We had another opportunity to do so last week during a planned trip to the Region 7 Hoop Shoot contest in Las Vegas, Nev. Our Programs Associate Mary Morgan and I left the cold confines of Chicago on Wednesday, February 16, and flew to a much warmer Las Vegas. We rented a car and drove two hours northeast to visit with one of our superstar Impact Grant Lodges—St. George ‘Dixie’ Lodge No. 1743 and its “Pantry Partners for Success” project. Thanks to the ENF Impact Grant, this Millcreek student can focus on school without worrying about funding her next meal. Mary arranged all the details with the Impact Grant “Pantry Partners for Success” project managers Wayne Preston and Betty Archambault. Before we headed to the high school to see the pantry in action, our first...