It is very hard to believe that our year is almost over! Sally and I have enjoyed traveling around our great state to see all the wonderful things our lodges are doing for our children, veterans and the communities.

Since our last message we traveled to the North Central District where our hosts were DVP Bill Hall and Nancy. Dinner Friday evening at Winter Garden lodge was wonderful and the hospitality was great. Saturday we had an interesting and enjoyable tour of the Lakeside Winery and a delicious lunch at South Lake Lodge. The dinner Saturday at Eustis Lodge was outstanding and the decorations were awesome.

Next we had the privilege of attending the Alabama Elks Association winter meeting and helping them welcome GER Michael Luhr and Barbara. We had a tremendous weekend and enjoyed the hospitality of great Elks.

Our next visit was to the Northeast District where we were hosted by DVP Phyllis Bonser. Friday evening we enjoyed a fabulous meal at Green Cove Springs Lodge. After a terrific breakfast at Jacksonville Lodge, we helped pack snacks for our deployed troops. Then we had a very interesting and informative tour of Safariland, a U.S. company that makes body protection for the military and first responders. We were also provided a delicious lunch at Safariland. Saturday night we enjoyed the hospitality and delicious dinner at Orange Park Lodge.

We kicked off the February state quarterly meeting with a group of dignitaries welcoming GER Mike and Barbara Luhr at the Jacksonville airport. We toured the city of St. Augustine before we arrived at the camp for a great Florida reception. The attendees at the quarterly enjoyed visiting with Barbara Luhr at the Friday lunch and with Mike and Barbara that evening. Re-Creation presented a fabulous program! They are an outstanding group traveling to engage Elks everywhere. Mike’s keynote address was inspiring.

The next weekend, Sally and I were privileged to attend the state Hoop Shoot in Umatilla, Fla. It was my honor to present the winners with their trophies, ribbons and my pin to each of the participants. Thank you, Eric Johnson, for chairing a great contest.

Our next stop was to the North District where we were hosted by Susan and Mike Lynn. Friday night we had a wonderful dinner at Perry Lodge.  After breakfast we toured the Big Top Structures, another U.S. company that sends its products all over the world. We then went to the Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Taylor County. Before going to Perry Lodge for a lasagna lunch, we visited the Historical Society of Taylor County and heard more about the city of Perry and Taylor County. Perry Lodge hosted dinner and a lua, and the decorations were fantastic. The officers, members and volunteers did a super job of entertaining us all weekend.

Next we visited the Georgia Elks Association midwinter meeting in Savannah, Ga. After breakfast on Friday we toured the Bethesda Orphan House and Academy, the Wormsloe Estate and the Pin Point Heritage Museum. Savannah Lodge hosted delicious meals all weekend. The Saturday evening banquet gave us an opportunity to meet and greet many Georgia Elks. Our many thanks go to the officers and members of the Georgia Elks Association for a wonderful weekend.  

Our final visit was our homecoming to the Southwest District. Our sincere thanks go to DVP Joe and Allie Cooper for executing a fabulous weekend. The dinner Friday night at Venice-Nokomis Lodge was awesome. Saturday we took a tour of the Southeastern Guide Dog facility. The changes that have been made since our last visit are unbelievable. South Hillsborough Lodge hosted a wonderful lunch. The welcome on Saturday night at the Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota lodge was spectacular! The friendly faces of so many friends and the baseball decorations were awesome. The dinner and efforts of so many were terrific. It was indeed great to have such a memorable homecoming.

It was an honor and a privilege to participate in the institution of a new lodge in Florida. East Polk Lodge #2882 was instituted March 24, 2019, in the Southwest Central District. The officers and members are committed and enthusiastic about their new roles and will be a great addition to the Florida State Elks Association. They will grow and prosper! With the addition of this new lodge and the help of all the lodges in Florida, we will have a membership gain of 456 new members. This is quite an accomplishment! I thank all who made this lofty goal possible. Once again, we took the best and with a lot of effort we were able to Make the Best Better. Florida stands tall and proud!

Sally and I would like to thank all the lodges and members of our great Florida State Association and especially the Southwest District for the support shown to us this year. Special thanks go to the officers and members of Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge, our home lodge, for the cooperation and encouragement throughout this year.

Again, it is a privilege and honor to represent you as the president of the Florida State Elks Association. Thank you for your confidence and the kindness shown to us this year. Each of you indeed has demonstrated “Make the Best Better.”

May God bless our troops, the Florida State Elks Association and America.

Fraternally,

Frank Malatesta

State President
Florida State Elks Association

Joyce and I have really enjoyed our visitations to the various districts this winter. It has been fun traveling with Rudy and Dolly Masi and our endorsed VPAL, Suzi Simonelli, and her husband, Joey. We celebrated New Year’s Eve at the Florida Elks Youth Camp with a great group of Elks. Our first visitation of the new year was to the North Central District where we were greeted by District Vice President, Russ Smith; his wife, Denise; and a group of wonderful Elks. Friday night we enjoyed a great dinner at South Lake Lodge and some fancy dancing. Saturday we visited Matthew’s Hope where they rehabilitate people who are homeless by training them in new skills and finding them jobs. It was an amazing experience to see all the good they do. That evening we had dinner at Winter Garden Lodge where the award-winning Mount Dora ROTC cadets did an amazing job performing the POW/MIA Table of Honor presentation.

Next we had a great time attending the Alabama Elks Association midwinter meeting in Perdido Beach where they welcomed Grand Exalted Ruler, Bob Duitsman, and First Lady, Beth Duitsman. Alabama Elks are dedicated to helping others, especially kids and veterans, and are very friendly and treated Joyce and me as if we were one of them.

At the end of January, we visited the Northeast District where we were entertained by District Vice President, Gene Rittenhouse, and his wife, Linda. We had dinner with many district Elks at the hotel Friday night followed by a busy Saturday. Following lunch at the Caddy Shack, we toured the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum. Rudy and I tried to make a hole in one over a 140-yard lake, which we did not! That night, a 1943 Chevy police car delivered us to Green Cove Springs Lodge with the sirens screaming for another great evening of food and fellowship. After dinner and the meeting, Mayor Kelley presented me with a certificate of honor and a key to the city.

Our next visitation was to the North District where we were greeted by District Vice President, Chris Lydick; his wife, Dawn; and a large group of Elks. Friday evening included a wonderful hospitality room on the second floor of the famous 118-year-old newly-restored Hotel Blanche and dinner at Lake City Lodge. On Saturday morning, we had breakfast across the street from the hotel at Halpatter Brewing Company. That afternoon, Chris took us to the Olustee Battlefield where they have a reenactment every year of a famous Civil War battle. We fired 1850 and 1860 Springfield and Enfield black powder rifles in a straight military firing line. Dinner Saturday evening was served in the Hotel Blanche. Mayor Stephen Witt presented me with a key to the city. Next on our schedule, we greeted Grand Exalted Ruler, Bob Duitsman, and First Lady, Beth Duitsman, with a welcoming committee at Jacksonville Airport. We had a nice lunch and toured some shops in St. Augustine. Later we took off for the Elks quarterly meetings where the Grand Exalted Ruler traveling party was greeted at the Florida Elks Youth Camp front gates by a very large group of excited Elks. On Friday evening we were entertained with a wonderful patriotic performance by Re-Creation. GER Duitsman gave an inspiring speech to finish the meeting Saturday.

The next weekend, Joyce and I had the privilege of attending the state Hoop Shoot at the Florida Elks Youth Camp. We saw some outstanding foul shooting from the boys and girls. After lunch, our State Hoop Shoot Chair, Eric Johnson, and I gave out ribbons and trophies. This was a very rewarding experience for us.

Our final visitation of the year was in Arcadia for our homecoming to the Southwest Central District. District Vice President, Nancy Higginbotham, and her husband, Alfred, hosted a phenomenal weekend for us. We started the weekend by checking in to the newly remodeled Oakpark Inn in downtown Arcadia; our room was awesome. We had a huge bed shaped like a boat and a beautiful suite with a balcony overlooking downtown. To welcome us back to the district, Brian and Mary Kay Burns hosted a great barbecue and bonfire in their barn and backyard. On Saturday morning we ate breakfast in the grand living room outside our rooms. Everyone loved the hotel and being able to sit and visit in the evening. Saturday morning we attended the Arcadia Youth Rodeo. After a warm welcome and introduction over the loud speaker, we watched the little kids do some mutton busting. We really enjoyed watching the young cowboys and cowgirls compete in the various events. The taco bar lunch at the lodge was perfect and enjoyed by everyone. After lunch, Alfred took the guys to the Arcadia Stockyard. We learned how to buy and sell cows and steers; it was a good time. Mary Kay took the ladies on a fun shopping trip. Saturday evening started with a warm welcome to Arcadia Lodge with a beautifully decorated dining room and incredible appetizer table. The evening and the dinner was unbelievable. Thank you, Southwest Central District and all the Elks and guests, for being there for us. We can’t thank the Arcadia Elks enough for all they did to make our homecoming so special for everyone.

The next week we traveled to Valdosta for the Georgia Elks Association spring meeting. Friday we had lunch at the Georgia Elks special project, Elks Aidmore. They help children and their families in times of crisis by providing them with resources to rebuild their lives. On Saturday, Valdosta Lodge hosted a dinner for guests and GER Duitsman and First Lady Beth.

As of March 31, our preliminary end-of-year membership results are in. Congratulations! We had a gain!  We still have work to do. We have until the end of May to reinstate members who were dropped in March.

As I write this message, our nation and our Elks members are facing the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 virus. As the saying goes, “Let our faith be bigger than our fear.” We will get through this! God bless you and your families, God bless our troops and those in harm’s way, God bless our Florida State Elks Association, and God bless America!

Thank you, Elks, for all you do to make our association so great. You make us “Proud to be an Elk!”

Stay healthy and safe.

State President
Florida State Elks Association

It is a great honor to be the Florida State Elks Association State President. Joyce and I are so excited that we get to represent our state organization. We are going to meet many wonderful Elks and hear what their lodges are doing and the programs they are supporting. Thank you for this opportunity.

The state convention was an unbelievable experience. My sister and her husband came from Ohio. Our two sons and daughter from Plant City, Fla., and Lakeland, Fla., and our other daughter and her husband with our two granddaughters from Fort Myers, Fla., came to be with us for the weekend. They were there Saturday to hear my acceptance speech and to enjoy the awards ceremony. The setup that afternoon was fantastic and I appreciate Carl Seibert and his team for all the wonderful arrangements.

Membership is still one of our greatest concerns. We just came off a positive growth year of nearly 500 members, which is fantastic. Kudos go to our Membership Chairman, Rod O’Connor. We need to keep working hard to bring in new members. Our lodges will lose some, so we need to keep working on our elevator speeches, host membership drives, and seek opportunities in our communities to let people know who we are and learn about our charitable works. Let’s bring back those members who haven’t been around in a while and show them why you are “Proud to be an Elk.”

We have attended two visitations so far this year. One week after the state convention, we attended our first visitation at the Southwest District. We were met by District Vice President, Steve Carruthers, and his fiancé, Christine, and many wonderful district volunteers. The hospitality room was decorated to the hilt. They had our pictures and 12” versions of our Harry-Anna Trust Fund pin with the kids on a teeter-totter displayed on the walls. They had personalized M&Ms© with a variety of sayings printed on them such as “It’s for the Kids” and “Proud to be an Elk.” The most amazing decoration was a handmade wooden teeter-totter made by Cub Dickerson. Bradenton Lodge #1511 hosted dinner Friday. They served a great pork roast and fish dinner. Exalted Ruler, Mike Eymann, and his wife, Sheri, had the band play the Purdue fight song for me and “Unchained Melody” honoring our VPAL, Rudy Masi, and Dolly’s 29th wedding anniversary. On Saturday morning, member Kemper Slidell drove our party to the Ringling Museum. It was our first visit to the museum – what a place! Exalted Ruler, Pam McDowell, hosted us for a fantastic lunch at Manasota Lodge #2734 featuring homemade beef noodle soup and Waldorf salad. Saturday evening was hosted by Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge #2855 and Exalted Ruler, John Piper. The reception and dinner were great and I met and introduced the Bradenton Lodge #1511 ritual team state champions who went on to compete at the Grand Lodge convention in St. Louis and placed third in the east.

Our next visitation was to the South District where District Vice President, Milton Muller, hosted a great weekend. After a grand reception at the hotel and enjoying a wonderful hospitality room filled with lots of district Elks, we spent Friday evening at South Miami/Coral Gables Lodge #1676. Exalted Ruler, Reggie Hernandez; his wife, Becky; and lots of volunteers hosted us for a western-themed barbecue dinner with phenomenal meats with homemade sauces and delicious desserts. On Saturday morning, we were driven by Fred Jaca, PDD to the Viscaya Museum & Gardens overlooking beautiful Biscayne Bay. Next we traveled to Havana Harry’s for some great Cuban food. We had at least 20 Elks eating and there were at least 15 different meals on the table. The dishes were delicious with huge portions. We could have fed 10 more! The Saturday dinner was hosted by Miami Lodge #948 and Exalted Ruler, Frank Reynolds. A jazz musician kept us entertained while we ate and were served an Elks state presidential carrot cake. It was a great evening in a beautiful lodge!

This year I am continuing the State President’s grant program. The FSEA is allowing me to award $2,000 to each district at their visitation. A first, second and third place will be awarded based on a point system lodges will obtain by meeting certain goals. I also ask them to report their community accomplishments which can give them more points and be used as tiebreakers. At both district visitations, the lodges were awarded grants to spend on community projects.

The Harry-Anna Trust Fund started with a bang at the gala for autism in St. Petersburg, Fla. Development Director, Dan Masi, hosted a large crowd for a fantastic evening. We raised more than $40,000 for the Harry-Anna Trust Fund at this event. Our Harry-Anna State Chairman, Mark Daniels, collected close to $100,000 at our state convention in Orlando, Fla. Elks, keep up the good work!

I congratulate St. Petersburg Lodge #1224 for receiving the All-American Lodge award. Florida proud!

We have a great event coming at the end of summer – Elks Day at the Rays – Sept. 8. JJ D’Angelo, our five-year-old new FECTS CHAMP of the Year, will be at this event and get to say, “Play Ball!” Get a bus or load up your cars and let’s have fun. Support this event!

Thank you, Elks, for all you do to make our association so great. You make us “Proud to be an Elk!”

State President
Florida State Elks Association