Elks National Foundation Blog

by Katie Graves
Lodge Grants Programs Coordinator
Hello! My name is Katie Graves, and I am excited to be one of the new Programs Coordinators in the Community Investments Program office.

I graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in English and Secondary Education with a minor in Social Work in December 2018. I spent the next six months building and growing my small online vintage clothing business, working retail at a Swedish furniture store (any guesses?), and searching for a purposeful job that I could fall in love with that would also allow me to move from southeastern Wisconsin to Chicago. When I landed the Programs Coordinator position at the Elks National Foundation, I was ecstatic to begin this journey both professionally and personally. I was moving to my dream city, and I was going to be doing a job with purpose focused on helping passionate groups of wonderful Elks do good in their communities with CIP grants.

I became a part of the ENF family at an exciting time of…

by Ashley Hart
Donor Services Coordinator
My first visit to St. Louis was full of firsts. It was the first time I was persuaded to ride to the top of the Arch, where I experienced extreme nausea and claustrophobia as I peered out of a tiny window to view the expansive Mississippi River and St. Louis landscape. It was the first time I rode a Bird electric scooter, flying 13 MPH down Washington Avenue trying to catch a breeze with 90 percent humidity. It was my first time inside Busch Stadium where we had our Donor Event; the only thing missing was the Cardinals! And best of all, it was my first time at the Elks National Convention, where I was proud to celebrate the Elks’ first membership gain in 39 years.

If you were anywhere near the ENF Booth, you may have heard a bell toll. Over the weekend, we went #FullOnFidelityClub and signed up more than 60 Elks for our monthly giving program—honoring those who made their commitment by ringing the bell (as seen in the photo to the left) and pa…

by Meaghan Morris
Lodge Grants Programs Coordinator
Since my first day working at the Elks National Foundation, St. Louis was on everyone’s minds, conversations and agendas. The buzz was palpable– it was as if St. Louis itself was our coworker, an integral part of our organization that sat in on our meetings, that joined us for lunch, that brandished a braggadocious air while describing the myriad of possibilities under its arch. “We have the best museum in the country!” St. Louis itself would tempt, “We have a National Park! We won the Stanley Cup! And all within a half mile of the downtown that will host the thousands of eager Elks who will convene for the 155th National Elks Convention.”

So, when I found out I would be joining this Elks-capade, I was beyond excited. A tad timorous – sure – but definitely excited.

After arriving in St. Louis (finally!), my jittery enthusiasm only grew. My colleagues and I shared a taxi from the airport to downtown, where we were greeted by red flags …

by John Kavula
Elks Scholar Fellow
Less than a month after I started working at the ENF, I was in San Antonio with 150 of our scholars for the 150 for 150 Service and Celebration Weekend. That was my first time at a national convention. With all the excitement of the celebration, I knew that it was a unique event and not something to expect every year. This year, I was looking forward to going to St. Louis to see a different side of convention with a much smaller group of people: the members of our Scholar Advisory Board. After being a part of the SAB’s annual meeting, I can say one thing for sure: grab your shades because the future for Elks scholars is bright!
All of our scholars are obviously amazing, not only for their academic prowess, but their service to their communities. The members of the SAB stand out among the thousands of Elks scholars for one important reason: their dedication to engaging other Elks scholars. Staffing the Board’s meeting in St. Louis, I heard their ideas …

by Jennifer Rice
Donor Services Coordinator 
Hello! My name is Jennifer Rice, and I’m delighted to introduce myself via blog as one of the Elk National Foundation’s new staff members. Ever since starting my role as a Donor Services Coordinator mid-April, walking into the incredibly ornate Elks National Memorial and Headquarters each morning has been a joy itself. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history, and the gorgeous structure built to honor US service men and women following the Great War always leaves me awestruck. Inside the building, I’m constantly learning computer procedures that the Donor Services team uses as we receive and record the gifts given by the ENF’s generous donors. Previously, I was in front-end/direct service, so it’s been an interesting transition learning to run the behind-the-scenes tasks of an organization.
Much of my work experience prior to joining the ENF involved serving youth and young adults, including youth ministry, childcare, and behavioral hea…