“It was great knowing I had family there,” says Elks National Foundation Emergency Educational Grant recipient Mark, who roams the same fraternity’s hallways as his older brother, Robert. Both brothers chose to attend their parents’ alma mater, Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.
Lauren, the youngest child, swapped the cold New Jersey winters for the sticky heat of Boca Raton, Fla., but thinks of her family often. “My brothers and I would not be able to attend college without this grant,” says the Lynn University freshman. “The Elks have always come through for my family and for that I’m truly grateful.”
The Harris children receive Emergency Education grants from the Elks National Foundation to help cover college expenses. Their father, an Elk from the Manasquan, NJ, Lodge, died six years ago.
“With two working parents down to one, it’s difficult to make ends meet,” says their mother, Ruth. “The grants make it possible for my children to go to college.” The Harris kids benefit from the Elks generosity, and Elkdom soaks up their enthusiasm in return. For years, the family dished out flapjacks at the Lodge’s monthly pancake breakfast and volunteered at other Elks fundraisers. “The Elks are always helping people in need,” says Lauren. “I am proud to contribute as much as I can.”
Every time Ruth goes to the post office, she still pictures her children pruning the rose garden out front. The Elks donated the garden, and the Harris kids got their hands dirty maintaining its beauty. “Volunteerism is a big part of our family,” says Ruth. “It builds character.”
Giving back to their community followed the kids to college. Through the Big Brother program, Mark mentors an inner-city elementary student in Cincinnati. Robert acted as the Philanthropy Chair of his fraternity and as Morale Captain of BW’s Dance Marathon, cheering on dancers raising money for children with cancer. Both brothers served as Orientation Leaders for incoming freshman, and university faculty picked them to attend the Emerging Leaders leadership retreat.
Lauren’s career path will make her philanthropic mark. Despite her reservations about college, Lauren is determined to succeed. Now in her second semester as an education major, her first semester report card hangs in the center of her mother’s fridge.
“Everyone has a different way of learning, and I feel I know every trick in the book,” says Lauren, who wants to teach kids with learning disabilities. “My goal is to help the lives of children who need it the most.”
Robert accomplished his goal of finding a job before graduation when he secured a job in sales with Ryan Homes in Cincinnati. His internship and study abroad adventure in Australia set him apart from other applicants.
“College is a stepping stone,” says Robert. “Knowing I had the Elks grant money to fall back on helped me tremendously.”
Even with grants, Robert and his siblings work and have student loans, doing everything they can to put less burden on their mother. They never ask her for money. Even Mark, whose schedule includes a 22-week varsity-swimming season, balances time between lifeguarding, school and training.
“The grant helps a lot in paying for tuition,” says Mark who studies sports management. “It helps knowing the Elks are behind me financially.”
For Ruth, the Elks Emergency Educational grant is more than money: It’s a second chance. Ruth knows that college will help her children make the most out of life, though she aches for them when they’re away.
“I love it when they come home,” she says. “I treat them like royalty.” The Harris kids deserve nothing less.