To start the week, members of the Scholar Advisory Board and Hoop Shoot Alumni Advisory Board (a.k.a. the BackBoard) volunteered at Star Farm, a nonprofit urban farm and landscaping service located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. The student leaders spread mulch and weeded garden beds that provide vegetables for the community. Then, they enjoyed a lunch made with produce that is grown on the farm.
“The day we spent at Star Farm was really special,” says Program Relations Associate Libby Willkomm. “Seeing all the ways they help the community with their farm, even in the middle of such a big city, is so inspiring. Our student leaders loved lending a hand, especially when it came with such a delicious lunch afterward!”
The difference the ENF makes is possible because of the generous support from its donors, which is why the ENF held two different thank-you events at Convention. ENF donors who gave more than $1,000 last fiscal year or who’ve planned a gift to the Foundation were invited to Skyline Picnic, where they enjoyed breathtaking views, played lawn games, were sketched by a caricature artist, and enjoyed cookout food—complete with ice cream!
The following morning, the ENF hosted the fourth annual Bagels with the Board reception. Open to members of the ENF’s monthly giving program, the Fidelity Club, the open-house event gave more than 800 donors the chance to grab a bite to eat while mingling with the SAB, BackBoard, and ENF Board of Trustees. During a short program, the Hoop Shoot’s Getty Powell Award winners, Duncan Walker and Logyn Parkinson, received their trophies for being the top overall scoring National Finalists.
At the Convention’s Opening Ceremony, the ENF showcased the impact of its work. Past National President and ENF Board of Trustees Vice Chair Jim Nichelson kicked off the program by describing Past National President John F. Malley’s vision for what would become the ENF.
“Inspired by the grandeur of the newly constructed Elks National Memorial, then-National President John F. Malley wanted to construct a different kind of dome,” said Nichelson. “Not a tangible building like the one that stands a few miles north of here in Lincoln Park, but a metaphorical dome that would span the entire length of the United States and, in his words, ‘unite the forces of the Order into a mighty army for the service of mankind.’”
Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the Elks National Memorial stands as a distinctively American interpretation of classical greatness and honors those whose sacrifices for the nation can never be captured in words. Following a moving re-dedication ceremony of the building on Independence Day, Nichelson made a special announcement during his portion of the Opening Ceremony speech.
“Thanks to you, we can invest in the monument that inspired Malley’s dream,” said Nichelson. “I’m proud to announce that in honor of the magnificent Memorial’s centennial, the Elks National Foundation will grant over five years a total of $10 million to the Elks National Memorial Restoration Trust.”
Following a hearty round of applause, Programs Associate Nathan Springberg and Assistant Director Debbie Doles highlighted some of the year’s best moments from the Elks Hoop Shoot and Community Investments Program. Then, it was time for Elijah Borjon to speak. A 2026 Top 20 Most Valuable Student scholar sponsored by Petaluma, Calif., Lodge No. 901, Elijah shared his story like only an Elks scholar can.
“For much of my family’s history, choice was not something people had the luxury to discuss,” said Elijah, who will receive a $30,000 scholarship over his four years of college. “My family did not always have the choice to access healthcare. Many in my family did not have the choice to continue their education past middle school. They did not have the choice to work jobs they loved, because survival came first. The Elks have given me the freedom to choose. To study. To think. To explore. To become. To say yes to opportunities without every decision being dictated by fear or money or survival.”
You can read his full speech online here.
Stories like these are only the beginning of the differences Elks and the ENF have made over the past year, but at the Convention, the ENF also looked toward the future. They hosted three seminars—about the best practices for CIP grant use, unleashing gritty kids through the Hoop Shoot, and soliciting ENF donations—that equipped Elks to continue serving their communities.
Helping Elks build stronger communities is the mission of the ENF, and in Chicago, they did exactly that—but the mission doesn’t stop there. No matter the time of year, no matter the place, Elks and the ENF will continue working tirelessly to build stronger communities.
A 501(c)(3) public charity, the Elks National Foundation helps Elks build stronger communities through programs that support youth, serve veterans, and meet needs in areas where Elks live and work. For more information on the ENF, visit elks.org/enf.