“Both of our dads are Past Exalted Rulers, so we spent a lot of time growing up together in our local Lodge,” says Dakota. “Cameryn and I are lifelong best friends, and I have to owe some of that to the Elks for bringing our fathers closer together, which ultimately brought us together.”
Dakota and Cameryn’s bond continued to grow as they attended the Lodge’s father-daughter dance together and formed a team for the Lodge’s cornhole tournament. They weren’t always on the same side though: Dakota and Cameryn competed against each other in the Elks Hoop Shoot every year they were eligible. In the end, neither could claim bragging rights—they both won the Lodge competition once.
“One of my favorite memories from the Elks Hoop Shoot was getting to compete against all of my friends from school,” says Dakota. “It was always a great time and an even better learning experience.”
Cameryn enjoyed her time in the program so much that she went on to volunteer as a scorekeeper.
“I remember wanting to cheer the competitors on so badly, but I didn’t want to distract them,” says Cameryn. “It really hit me how big of a stage the Elks Hoop Shoot is for kids that young, and I found myself feeling even prouder of the competitors than I ever had as a participant.”
As seniors in high school, Dakota and Cameryn’s involvement with the Elks took on a new dynamic. They both received 2023 Legacy Awards from the Elks National Foundation—$4,000 scholarships exclusive to the children or grandchildren of Elks—and began their journeys as Elks scholars.
Cameryn fully embraced this role from the start, attending the 2024 Spring Elks Scholar Service Trip to Philadelphia.
“When I was younger, kindness seemed like all that I had to give, but as I got older my ability to help others grew,” says Cameryn. “Now, as a college student, I have more resources, more support, and more platforms, whether it’s going on service trips or organizing food drives, to make a bigger impact.”
The trip, which gave attendees the opportunity to develop a stronger understanding of food insecurity, explore Philadelphia, and create lifelong connections with other Elks scholars, inspired Cameryn so much that she encouraged Dakota to attend one. Dakota took this encouragement to heart and attended two Elks Scholar Service Trips in 2025—to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Chicago.
“While on my service trip to Chattanooga, I quickly could tell how much service meant to my fellow Elks scholars,” says Dakota. “On the Chicago trip, I was able to spend time with scholars who had a deep personal connection to the service we were doing. Being able to see the positive impact of our work on the communities we’re in also heavily inspires me to want to do more.”
Service is at the heart of what it means to be an Elks scholar, and by attending these Elks Scholar Service Trips, Dakota and Cameryn have embodied that value in communities across the country. But for the dynamic duo who grew up together at the Ainsworth Lodge, it all goes back to where they began.
“Being a part of the Elks family means more to us than just a scholarship—the Elks are a foundational part of who we are,” says Dakota. “The Elks have given me so much in my life, and I am so grateful that I now have the opportunity to give it right back to others.”
For 2025-26, the Elks National Foundation allocated $1.6 million to fund 350 Legacy Awards scholarships for the children and grandchildren of Elks. For more information, including eligibility and deadlines, visit elks.org/scholars.