My name is Zane Baumchen and I am a recipient of the Elks Legacy Scholarship. This scholarship has helped me immensely in paying for out of state tuition at Montana State University, and it means a lot to me to represent such an adored organization like the Elks Club. I grew up in a small town called Durango Colorado and was introduced to the Elks by my father, who has been an active Elk in Durango for many years. During my childhood, I remember going to the Elks to play pool and watch sports events like basketball games and most memorably the soccer world cup. The Elks Club is where my dad taught me to play pool. We would go on weekends and I would always get shirley temples and lots of popcorn. We would play for hours, and he would usually whoop my butt, but I remember when I finally beat him. From then on it was all I wanted to do when we went to the Elks, which led to lots of late nights and a lot more shirley temples. For these memories I am immensely grateful for the Elks Club, and now as a legacy scholar I feel that I am in a position to give back to this great community. Now that I’m in Bozeman, I have been helping out Lodge #463 with some of their community service activities and projects as part of my service for the legacy award. Most recently, I volunteered as a rebounder for the regional Hoop Shoot competition in Livingston, MT where I got to watch the state’s best kids compete in a free throw competition and a shot at nationals. It was a very fun event, and I was very happy to be a part of such a cool competition for kids. I also helped with some of the grading for the Bill of Rights essay contest held by the Elks. This was very entertaining because it gave me some perspective into what it’s like to be a 5th-8th grader in Montana, and reminded me of what I was like back then. All of the essays were very impressive and I was happy to be of help in such a large competition. I’ve also enjoyed many dinners at the lodge while getting to know some of the members in the area, which has made me feel very welcome in the Elks community. Overall, I am very thankful for the Elks and all that they have done to me and I will keep giving back as much as I can to continue on the legacy of the benevolent Elks foundation.
To learn more about Montana Elks Scholarship Opportunities Click HERE
