The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

Willamette Valley Miniature Hereford Lease Program
Through her family’s farm, Alyssa started a program to provide high school students with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the agricultural industry through Miniature Hereford cattle ranching. The high school participants are not able to purchase their own livestock, so the lease program allows participants to work with a leased animal and exhibit the animal at the Oregon State Fair. Already, Alyssa has 10 participants signed up for the coming year. The Cornerstone Grant funds will go toward grooming supplies, show equipment, professional showmanship clinics, and competitions throughout Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho.

Music4Us Community Outreach
Grace, a concert pianist, is pairing with Music4Us, which teaches free music lessons to underprivileged children in the Atlanta area. The volunteers are all musicians who provide free music lessons and train participants for talent shows. They also visit hospitals and nursing homes where they share their musical talents. Cornerstone Grant funds will go towards purchasing instruments, travelling to hospitals and camps, and establishing more performance opportunities.

Stirring up the First Ingredient for Healthy Kids: Nutritious Cooking
During the summer of 2012, Kimber will put on healthy cooking classes for kids in the Central Oregon community. The classes will educate kids about nutrition and health, by providing them with tools to improve their own health and the health of their families. Kimber will pair with Healthy Beginnings, Campfire USA and Kids at Heart to recruit children for the classes and she will pair with the local high school culinary program to use their facilities. Cornerstone Grant funds will be used to purchase ingredients for cooking lessons and promotional materials. She will also send each child home with ingredients to make healthy recipes at home with their parents.

My Children’s Day
Samita started a program called “My Children’s Day” that celebrates children by educating and inspiring them. She is planning the Boston area’s My Children’s Day on October 13, 2012. On that day, Boston area children will participate in educational activities at local colleges like Boston University, Harvard University and Northeastern University. Samita hopes to involve all the Elks scholars in the Boston area as volunteers during the event. Cornerstone Grant funds will go towards posters, paints, markers, crayons, and certificates for participating children.