The Elks National Foundation, established in 1928, helps Elks build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work.
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A CIP Pioneer
by Senior Programs Associate Colleen Muszynski
The CIP office, and the world,
has lost a kind, selfless champion. Sharon Kolkhorst, member of Coos Bay, Ore.,
Lodge No. 1160 and Weekend Share Bear
Snack Packs program project manager, passed away last week. With Sharon at
the helm, Coos Bay was one of the first Lodges to receive a $10,000 Impact
Grant for their Weekend Share Bear Snack
Packs program when the grant was introduced in 2008. Sharon’s commitment to
and passion for the program has continued since—in 2017, the Lodge was awarded
its ninth consecutive Impact Grant. Only one other Lodge from the original
Impact Grant class can say the same. In fact, Sharon and her husband Lou have
helped the Lodge secure more than $115,000 in CIP grants since 2006.
However, life is about more
than money. It’s about creating lasting relationships and leaving your
community better than you found it. Sharon did just that. I had the pleasure of
meeting Sharon and Lou on an Impact Grant site visit to Coos Bay in 2015. It’s
a trip I’ll never forget—not because of the crazy beauty of the Oregon coast or
the good food, but because of the welcoming warmth of Sharon and the Coos Bay Elks
family. I got the chance to see the snack pack program in action, meet all the
dedicated volunteers and talk with partners who have directly benefited from
the program. What was clear was that Sharon was the steady, organized,
passionate glue that held it all together. What was also clear was that she
wasn’t in it for recognition—we could hardly get her on camera to talk about
the project!
As with anyone who truly makes
an impact, Sharon’s actions were what spoke volumes. Thanks to her hard work
with the Impact Grant over the years, thousands of elementary school students
experiencing food insecurity in the Coos Bay area did not go hungry over the
weekend. I am grateful for that trip and lucky to have worked with her these
past couple of years. Sharon embodied the true meaning of selfless service, and
she will be missed.
by Jim O'Kelley Director, Elks National Foundation Zoom--It's like the Brady Bunch , but without Jan. (This is the first in a series of articles about the need for Lodges to be relevant during the pandemic. To find all posts in the series, click here: #StaySafeBeRelevant .) Every crisis seems to have its breakout star. This one has two, so far—Dr. Fauci and Zoom. If you’re not familiar, Zoom is a remote video-conferencing tool with a free basic package. In these days of social distancing and sheltering in place, Zoom is also a godsend. At the O’Kelley household today, we had three concurrent Zoom meetings going on at one point—Meghan, me, and Jane with her Panda Room preschool pals. In our new teleworking reality, the ENF staff has been using Zoom through Microsoft Teams for check-ins, standing meetings and impromptu discussions. These conferences have helped us stay connected and feel like we’re part of a team despite our isolation. A couple of we
by Jim O'Kelley Director, Elks National Foundation What a difference a few weeks make. As I’m sure is the case with you, COVID-19 has upended things around here. I’d like to take a few minutes to update you on how the pandemic has affected our staff and programs. I’ll start with the staff. On Monday, there were 18 of us in the office. Yesterday, only five. Everyone else is working remotely from home. We’re all communicating with one another using wonderful technology. And the people at home have access to the network via work-issued laptops, as well as their work phones and email. Contacting us should be seamless for you. Normally, the second floor at the ENF is a hub. The skeleton crew in the office should shrink to four at some point this week. We are here to deal with the aspects of our work that do not lend themselves to working remotely. You can help us further reduce our numbers. If you are a Lodge officer or ENF Fundraising Chair who has been sitting on a sta
by Jim O'Kelley Director, Elks National Foundation (Earlier this week, I started a series of posts on the need for Lodges to stay relevant during this time of isolation. This is the second post in the series—technically, the series became a series when I posted this. Anyway, read the first post here . To find all posts in the series, click here: #StaySafeBeRelevant .) Humans have a fundamental need to connect. Scientists, psychologists, therapists, they’ll all tell you the same thing. Our culture may celebrate individualism, but we are wired to be around other people. How else can you explain the existence of organizations like the Elks? It’s certainly not the dated titles or the jewels of office that go along with them. It’s not the many meetings that demand so much of our time if we want to rise through the ranks. It’s not even the desire to serve our communities. The Elks have been around for 152 years because people need other people in our lives. Local Lodges s
Sharon is beloved by many. Your words capture who she still is in our hearts.
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