Elks National Foundation Blog

By Lois Kundel Davenport, Iowa, Lodge No. 298 An Elks National Foundation recognition night–what a great way to thank and recognize our ENF donors and also highlight the great work of the Foundation! I had heard, more than once, that our Lodge members hear “ENF” all the time, but most of them probably don’t even know what the letters stand for or understand what the Foundation does or is all about. In brainstorming this event, I tried to come up with a way to make the night more memorable and real for our donors, a way for them connect with the who, what, why and how of their donations. About that same time and as scholarship chair, I was notified that one of our Most Valuable Student scholarship applicants was awarded a $4,000 MVS scholarship. The light bulb went on and my brain engaged–invite our scholarship recipient to the recognition event–that would be a great way to help make the connection. I contacted the Foundation and with their help we had four Elks scholars in ...

By ENF Development Coordinator Billy Donnelly I started working at the Elks National Foundation in June of 2014. I spent all of my time here at the ENF hearing about our major milestones. I only could read about the Hoop Shoot National Finals , or the MVS Leadership Weekend . People could only tell me what the Elks National Convention or the end of a fiscal year is like. Recently, that has started to change. I have had a small part in the legwork for some of our major events, and it has been quite the experience. I recently made it through the end of my first fiscal year with the ENF. It was almost as if time sped up. If I blinked, I would have missed two weeks. Everything that I had learned from the past year with the ENF was put to the test. Although it was very busy, it was busy in a good way! I had the opportunity to talk to countless ENF Fundraising Chairs, Secretaries, Treasures and Exalted Rulers from all across the country. Being able to talk to so many people and hearin...

Jon Flaherty Donor Services Associate The Chicago Cubs may have had another losing season, but Jon knows that, thanks to generous donors, the ENF will always have a winning season! How long have you worked at the ENF? I’ve been at the ENF for a little more than 4 years. I started out as the Donor Services Assistant in July of 2009, and since then moved into my current role as the Donor Services Associate.    What projects are you/your department working on right now? The Donor Services Department is working on our end of the month procedures. Once our team processes all of the donations we receive within one month, we work on updating our online reports for ENF chairs like the Lodge Per-Capita totals , the Chair Challenge standings , the online record of donations report , and many others. We also print and mail reports out to ENF Chairs , PGERs, and State Sponsors.      What’s your favorite part of working at the ENF? I work closely...

Lydia Raabe Communications Assistant What's Lydia writing? Check the ENF website and ENF social media pages to find out! How long have you worked at the ENF? I started just over a year ago as a temp in Donor Services and have been the Communications Assistant since March. What projects are you/your department working on right now? We’re celebrating Veterans Remembrance Month by sharing how Elks use Community Investments Program grants to serve veterans year-round. I especially enjoy reading how Elks have helped student vets, since many of them are my age. Their commitment to education and their communities is inspiring! What’s your favorite part of working at the ENF? I enjoy working closely with our Programs Department to share ENF successes through the ENF website , social media pages and mailings. I also work closely with the Development Department to put together ENFrontline , the monthly newsletter for ENF Chairs. Every day, I get to see how hard Elks volunteers...

Erin Rohan Development Manager Erin enjoys the company of her desk plant and the morning sun. How long have you worked at the ENF? About six years. I joined the ENF staff in June 2007. What projects are you/your department working on right now? I am launching a new staff position at full speed! As of October 1st, I’m charged with improving the annual fundraising efforts of the ENF while ensuring best use of the tools and knowledge we have here at the office. Right now among other things, I’m preparing personalized appeal letters for thousands of ENF donors asking for their continued support this season. What are you doing to celebrate ENF Month? I encourage and recognize the hard work of ENF fundraising volunteers! Leadership Pins and contests such as the Leadership Challenge and the Chair Challenge only reveal a fraction of the success these ENF Chairs achieve. We thank them all year long, but ENF Month brings a special opportunity.      ...

By Development Manager Kate Keating Edsey  ENF Chair Carolyn Shupe hands out cookies at Santa Barbara, Calif., Lodge No. 613’s Bring a Veteran to Lunch event. A day in the life of an ENF Chair. That was my original topic when I sat down to blog about our ENF volunteers. However, I quickly realized that there is no typical day for an ENF Chair. As ENF representatives in their Lodge, district and or state, ENF Chairs wear many hats—they are at times promoters, cheerleaders, writers, bookkeepers, event planners or collection agents. No matter what hat they are wearing at any given time, ENF Chairs keep the ENF mission front and center. The work they do, raising funds for the ENF and spreading the word about the good works of the Foundation, helps Elks build stronger communities. That’s a pretty great job to have. Except we all know that this is not a job to ENF Chairs. As volunteers, ENF Chairs dedicate their time, talent and treasure without compensation. They do what they d...

By Christine Wagner, Donor Services Associate While these lyrics come from my favorite musical, they are a little bittersweet to sing right now. After a little more than three years, I am saying “so long” to the Elks National Foundation to pursue a new career opportunity. While I am very excited to embark on new experiences, I regretfully leave behind a special and unique group of people. Working in the Donor Services department for the past three years gave me the wonderful opportunity to see all of the generous donations the ENF receives on a daily basis. Down on the first floor, we definitely appreciate the ENF Chairs who have neat handwriting and alphabetized lists! My job also allowed me to talk to volunteers from all across the country; one of my favorite parts of the job! However, it was always hard to hear from the Florida, Arizona, and California Elks about how warm it was in their area of the country while Chicago was still feet deep in snow! I will look back on my tim...