Elks National Foundation Blog

Henriette Pruger Donor Services Coordinator If you've sent in a donation to the ENF , Henri's processed it! How long have you been working at the ENF? I am an oldie. I have been here for close to 32 years. I have never been someone who likes change. I like stability. It may not be an active position. As long as contributions come in, we will continue to process them. The funds we receive help pay for college scholarships , veteran projects and drug awareness . They not only help fellow Elk members, but they also help the community. What projects are you/your department working on right now? At the moment, we are just trying to keep up. Donor Services’ work demand has increased lately and we need to keep on top of it. The new thing I am doing is submitting gift batches. We are short a person and I am helping out. I am the person you call on in times of emergency. I have always been reliable. In addition to these duties, we will be shortly doing weekly recognitio...

Debbie Kahler Doles Assistant Director Debbie (right) joins Colleen, Quin and Nikyla on the sidelines before the Mavericks' game. How long have you worked at the ENF? I celebrated my ninth anniversary on October 18. What projects are you/your department working on right now? The Programs Department is always a hotbed of activity! The Hoop Shoot season is in full swing! Youth Programs Associate Colleen Muszynski and I just returned from Dallas where we got to witness two of our 2013 Hoop Shoot National Finalists go pro for the night . Nikyla Green and Quin Anderson showed off their free throw shooting prowess during the Dallas Mavericks’ halftime show on October 25. How many 11 year olds can say they’ve shot baskets center court at an NBA game?! Thanks to the passion and determination of a few Texas Elks, two kids have a lot to brag about at school today. And, nearly 18,000 people know more about the Elks and the Elks Hoop Shoot . Priceless. For the seve...

By 2011 Legacy Awards Recipient and Elks Scholar Advisory Board Member Maryann Slater Though Elks may know about all the great work Lodges do across the country, Elks scholars are not as familiar with the Order. We asked Elks Scholar Advisory Board member and Legacy Awards recipient Maryann Slater to share a few facts about the Elks that scholars might be surprised to know!  My name is Maryann Slater and I’m the President and Junior Representative of the Elks National Foundation Scholar Advisory Board , a board comprised of Elks scholars charged with sharing ideas to shape the future of the Elks scholar experience. I’m a Junior at Rutgers, majoring in Spanish and Communication. I’m a Legacy Awards scholarship recipient and both of my parents are Elks! Since I’ve grown up in the organization I’d love to share some of my knowledge with you to hopefully give you a better understanding of the organization that gave you your scholarship. Ten things you didn’t know about ...

Ellisville, Mo., Lodge No. 2664   With the Elks on their side, youth in Ellisville, Mo. are sure to have bright futures. Using an Elks National Foundation Promise Grant , Ellisville, Mo., Lodge No. 2664 held a fun and educational youth picnic. To promote living a drug free life, Elks invited Elroy the Elk to help teach kids how to say “no” to drugs and alcohol. Picnic guests became friends with the Elks and local firefighters. The Ellisville Fire Department opened the firehouse doors to the youth and their families to demonstrate fire safety techniques. Elks supported healthy lifestyles with games that encouraged eating nutritious meals. After learning how to stay safe and live well, Elks treated their guests to lunch, pony rides, face painting and prizes. “The Promise Grant allowed us to promote drug awareness and community involvement,” says Project Manager Michael Polson. “The picnic provided local youth with a fun, safe environment for the day.”   ...

Kearney, Nebr., Lodge No. 984 Thanks to the members of Kearney, Nebr., Lodge No. 984, Buffalo County is covered in red ribbons! Elks made sure all students observed Red Ribbon Week by wearing red ribbons, learning the dangers of drug and alcohol use and abuse, and committing to drug-free lives. With their $2,000 Promise Grant , Elks partnered with Positive Pressure, a workgroup of Buffalo County Community Partners, to spread the drug-free message to all local schools by distributing Elks drug awareness materials and empowering students to make healthy choices. “The Kearney Elks are honored to participate in Red Ribbon Week, and encourage everyone to pledge to say no to drugs,” said Doug Kramer, Lodge Drug Awareness Chair.  In 2011-12, the Elks National Foundation allocated $715,350 to fund the Elks National Drug Awareness Program. For more information on the Drug Awareness Program and Red Ribbon Week, visit www.elks.org/dap . 

By Communications Specialist Kristen Scaletta Today, our office is busy with last minute preparations for the Hoop Shoot National Finals , which take place this Saturday in Springfield, Mass. I’m looking forward to leaving for my third National Hoop Shoot competition tomorrow morning. This year, I’m anticipating the contest even more, since I had the privilege to attend the Southwest Regional Hoop Shoot contest last month, so I already know some of the finalists. Thanks to Regional Director Jud Good and his wife Deb, Development Manager Kate Keating Edsey and I were able to travel to Dallas, Texas, to experience the regional contest in person. From the moment we arrived at the hotel for registration, we knew the contest would be big. When we pulled up, flags representing each state in the region greeted us at the doorway. Upon entering, we saw a table lined with trophies that were taller than most of the contestants. All of the Elks on Jud’s Hoop Shoot team gave us a warm welcom...