Elks National Foundation Blog

Anne Stretz Programs Relationship Associate Scholarships Anne stays calm and collected even as the MVS scholarship application deadline nears! How long have you worked at the ENF? I’ve worked at the ENF for just over four years. What projects are you/your department working on right now? The Most Valuable Student scholarship application deadline is fast approaching on December 6, so Ashley and I are very busy fielding calls and emails from applicants. When the phone stops ringing, we are spending time educating Scholarship Chairs about our new MVS Judging Dashboard. I’ve also been connecting Elks scholars with their local Lodges and communicating with scholars in Bloomington, Indiana, Corvallis, Oregon, and right here in Chicago about volunteer opportunities and meet-ups happening at their local Elks Lodge. What’s your favorite part of working at the ENF? Every day I continue to be more and more impressed by Elks scholars . As I read their applications when they ...

Paula Lukos Donor Services Coordinator Did Paula's Donald Duck impressions inspire her desk decor, or did her desk decor inspire her Donald Duck impressions? How long have you worked at the ENF? Going on 14 years this January 2014. What projects are you/your department working on right now? Processing donations in a timely and accurate manner, and working on mailings. What’s your favorite part of working at the ENF? Working with wonderful and hardworking co-workers. Describe your average day at the ENF. Most of the day is spent processing donations that come in. From creating and researching accounts to posting the money to the accounts and having it all balance. What are you thankful for this month? To have a job that I truly enjoy. What’s one thing about you that might surprise people? I can do impressions—Donald Duck and James Cagney are a couple. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? The person I would like to meet most would be Abrah...

Newport, Vt., Lodge No. 2155 This year, community members in need from Orleans, Vt. have so much to be thankful for. They’re thankful for support from friends and family, food and fellowship on holidays, and—because of the Elks—a stronger community. Using an Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant , Newport, Vt., Lodge No. 2155 partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Derby, Vt. and the Area Agency on Aging to hold a Thanksgiving dinner at the Lodge for more than 500 people in need. Elks invited local groups to come together and ensure a successful dinner. Local businesses grew or donated most of the food. This included potatoes—farmed in Stanstead, Quebec—and pies, baked by the culinary class at North Country High School. Elks cooked the Thanksgiving meal for their guests and delivered more than 175 meals to homebound community members. Boy Scouts served the turkey dinner, local bands entertained the crowd, and guests enjoyed the company of the Elks and the community....

By 2011 Most Valuable Student scholar Dunae Crenwelge Dunae Crenwelge, a 2011 Most Valuable Student scholar sponsored by Kerrville, Texas, Lodge No. 2081, had the opportunity to connect with Elks members at the Texas State Elks Convention on October 19, 2013. Dunae attended the convention with her MVS Named Scholarship Donors Shan and Mike Clark. Read her recap of the experience. Last weekend, I found myself speaking in front of a crowd of Elks about how my Most Valuable Student scholarship has helped me throughout my collegiate career. I’m a 2011 recipient of the Emma Whaley Byars Memorial Most Valuable Student Scholarship sponsored by Michael and Shan Clark. Over the course of five semesters at Texas A&M University, this scholarship has really proved its value. Dunae speaks on her experience as an Elks scholar. I was asked to speak at the 2013 Texas Elks State Convention by Danny Holman, TESA Youth Activities Chairman, who said that the Elks don’t often have t...

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...

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...

Kristen Scaletta Communications Manager Have you received an ENF brochure? Kristen's eye for design ensures all ENF media is engaging and informative!  How long have you worked at the ENF? I started in August 2008, so I’ve worked here for just more than five years. What projects are you/your department working on right now? We just finished tweeting the funded Impact Grant projects during the selection meetings this week. With ENF month promotion well under way, we are also already preparing for Veterans Remembrance Month. Stay tuned for more fun ways to stay connected throughout November! What are you doing to celebrate ENF Month? I am following all of the ENF’s Facebook updates, especially the daily trivia . Every morning, I look forward to reading comments and seeing photos posted by our supporters and volunteers. What’s your favorite part of working at the ENF? The people! As part of the Communications Department, I have the privilege of working closely...

By 2013 Most Valuable Student scholar and Elks Scholar Advisory Board member Nate Baker  Nate Baker, 2013 MVS scholar sponsored by Tyrone, Pa., Lodge No. 212, is the freshman representative on the Elks Scholar Advisory Board and new to college life. Throughout his first year of college, we’ll be following Nate through monthly blog posts . Check back each month to see what new adventures Nate encounters during this first year at Cornell! Une Rue de Montreal While just about everyone else fled campus this October to head home, I headed up to the “True North Strong and Free.” That’s right, O Canada! Montreal, to be exact. Equipped with my weak understanding of the French language, passport and bookbag, I boarded the bus for a seven hour international journey out of the infamous “Cornell bubble” and into the real world. The Big Red Marching Band was going to Canada! After crossing the border, several sessions of mad-libs, watching the worst movie that anyone can fin...