E L K S N A T I O N A L F O U N D A T I O N Joy of Giving A Warm Christmas D
The Elks National Foundation awards Gratitude Grants to lodges to directly address local needs. Lodges are eligible to apply for Gratitude Grants after meeting the GER’s per capita goal. To find out more about Gratitude Grants, visit
www.elks.org/enf/community.
Important ENF Dates December 1
Most Valuable Student Scholarship Contest deadline
January 2011
Planned Giving Awareness Month
February 1
Legacy Awards Contest deadline
March 31
Donation deadline for 2010–11 fiscal year
T H E E L K S M A G A Z I N E
ECEMBER 2009 was a happy, busy time of year for many children in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The holidays were right around the corner, Christmas trees were being decorated, presents were being bought, and holiday parties were being planned and attended. But sadly, for eighty-six needy children in Woonsocket who were without winter coats, it was a cold, bleak time of year. Then the Woonsocket Lodge and its second annual Coats for Kids Program came to the rescue. Through various fund-raisers, the lodge had started a fund to buy winter clothing for needy children, but the amount collected wasn’t going to be enough to fund the pro- gram. Luckily, the lodge had money from the Elks National Foundation. By using both the lodge’s $500 ENF Gratitude Grant and its $500 ENF Promise Grant to help fund the Coats for Kids Program, lodge members were able to make up the shortfall and made certain that each child in the program had a warm and happy holiday season.
Getting Started To find children in the community who needed warm clothes for the winter,
lodge members looked to school district officials, who provided them with the names of children in need. Then, with money and names in hand, lodge members went shopping for the children. They came back with coats, hats, scarves, gloves, toys, and restaurant gift cards for each of the children taking part in the pro- gram and then wrapped some of the items so that each of the children would have a personalized present to open at the Christmas party the lodge was planning. Although the ENF grants didn’t cover all the costs associated with the Coats for Kids Program, they certainly helped, and the members of the Woon- socket Lodge were very grateful. As Project Manager Jeanne Fagnant pointed out, the grants the lodge received from the Elks National Foundation made it possible for the lodge to be of significant help to children in the community.
Spreading Christmas Cheer
When the shopping and gift wrapping were finally complete, all of the children in the program and their families were invited to the lodge for a Christmas party featuring visits from Santa and the Shriner clowns. Santa listened to the children’s Christmas wishes and passed out presents, and the Shriner clowns made balloon animals and treated the children to activities like face painting. Following the day’s festivities, lodge members provided the children and their families with an enjoyable lunch. “On behalf of all the students who are dressed a little warmer and who enjoyed such a wonderful day,” said Governor Aram J. Pothier Elementary School Principal Donna Coderre, “I thank you for once again making the holiday season a bit brighter for so many kids.” Although all of the three hundred ENF Promise Grants have already been claimed this year, your lodge can still receive an ENF Gratitude Grant, which is now worth $1,000. As soon as your lodge reaches the GER’s $4.50 per capita goal, an application will be mailed to your lodge. Don’t leave money on the table. Make sure that your lodge reaches the GER’s per capita goal, and apply for a Gratitude Grant. ■
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