Elks National Foundation Blog

Lake Sammamish, Wash., Lodge No. 1843 From Sochi to Washington, the world is focused on winter sports and Elks from Lake Sammamish, Wash., Lodge No. 1843 are going for the gold! Using an Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant , the Lodge partnered with the Cascade Snow Drifters Snowmobile Club to take local Wounded Warrior veterans on a snowmobiling trip through the mountains. To warm up after the trip, Elks invited the vets to the Lodge for an evening of food and fellowship. Thanks to the Beacon Grant, the community is rooting for Team Elks! “Our partnership with the Cascade Drifters has grown thanks to the Beacon Grant,” says Community Investments Program Project Manager Erica Sargeant. “Our Lodge plans to continue this project on a yearly basis.” Don’t miss the opportunity to serve your community with $2,000! Beacon Grants, available to every Lodge, help Lodges like Lake Sammamish hold ongoing, Elks-led charitable projects. Don’t wait! Applications for 2013-14 Beacon Grants ...

Rancho Cordova, Calif., Lodge No. 2484 As part of the Catch the Spirit Impact Grant Project, Rancho Cordova, Calif., Lodge No. 2484 recently hosted a Welcome Home spaghetti dinner for about 200 California National Guard soldiers and their families. These soldiers recently returned from Afghanistan, where they spent the past year performing Medical Evacuation duties for wounded soldiers. Here, Project Manager Bob Burns Sr. (left) and ER Dave Ferguson (right) pose with a few of their guests. The ENF awards Impact Grants to help Lodges significantly address unmet needs in Elks communities. Impact Grants are competitive grants worth up to $10,000 and are open to all Lodges. To find out more about Impact Grants, visit www.elks.org/enf/community .