Central District

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Written by Susan Slater

On Nov. 12, Zephyrhills Elks Lodge members hosted their Hoop Shoot at the Zephyrhills YMCA. Each contestant gets five practice shots. Then they throw 10 shots and then 15 shots. The contestant with the most baskets advances to the District Hoop Shoot for a chance at state and nationals. Channing Garcia, 8, from Zephyrhills RIP City travel team placed first in the 8-9-year-old category, scoring nine baskets. He plays offensive and defensive positions. For the first time in lodge history, there was a tense tiebreaker in the 12-13-year-old category. Jaymen Keeling and Joshua Oates competed to break their tie of nine baskets each. Jaymen Keeling, 12, from Dade City, plays on the Centennial Middle School Basketball Team as a power forward. Joshua Oates, 13, from Ridge Manor, plays center position for the RIP City travel team. Jaymen Keeling took first place, scoring three baskets in the tiebreaker with Joshua coming in second place. The kids and their families were invited to the lodge afterward for hot dogs, pizza, soda and cupcakes. The trophies were awarded and each participant received frisbees. Lodge volunteers included Bill Moorehouse, Hoop Shoot Lodge Chair; Ed DeBerri, referee; Aaden Moorehouse, ball retriever; Alice Perry, head scorekeeper; Barbara Conklin and Susan Slater, scorekeepers; and the ladies in the kitchen. Channing Garcia and Jaymen Keeling will compete in the District Hoop Shoot in Kissimmee Jan. 7.

Pictured are Joshua Oates, Jaymen Keeling and Channing Garcia.

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Written by Susan Slater

As Zephyrhills Lodge Veterans Services Committee Chair, Ken Fabiani, PER receives food donations in addition to furnishings. Some of these he gives to the veterans, but he also shares some with a local ministry called Healing Hearts Café in Zephyrhills, Florida. The cafe feeds those who are food insecure, including those who are homeless, seniors, construction workers, workers who earn minimum wage and others. The facility is climate-controlled to avoid the heat or cold outside. There is a TV room with futons and recliners for a safe place to catch up on some sleep, and the TV broadcasts Christian programming. Any of the food that Fabiani donates or that the facility receives is served for the meals or is used in blessing boxes around Zephyrhills to help feed anyone who needs it.

Pictured are Ken Fabiani, PER and Donna Nelson, co-director of Healing Hearts Café.

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Written by Brian Estus, PER

On May 25 the packing crew from West Citrus Elks Lodge #2693 arrived at Citrus County Blessings in Lecanto, Florida, to pack 178 bags of weekend food for children. The crew also brought a donation for $2,000 from the lodge’s Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant. The donation was accepted by Christina Reed, executive director, and Rachelle Garret-Butler, program coordinator. The lodge has two groups of volunteers to pack food. The food is sent home with the children on Friday to be sure that they have enough to eat over the weekend.

Pictured are Beth Tarnowski, Shirley Gamache, Donna Hayes, Rick Jeroski, Bev Kelly and Jill Jerowki.

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Written by Zephyrhills Elks

On May 3, John DeLorenzo, president of the Zephyrhills Lions Club and a member of Zephyrhills Elks Lodge, presented a $2,500 check to the lodge before the Lions’ bingo games began. Every Tuesday the Lions Club bingo players hold a 50/50 raffle and donate half of the proceeds to local charities. The bingo players raised this money for Zephyrhills Lodge’s Feed the Kids summer program. The Elks received a grant for three years to feed the kids every summer, but this year the grant is no longer available to the program, so this donation could not have come at a better time. Anyone with children can participate in the program. This year’s program began June 6 and will end Aug. 5. To-go meals are provided at the lodge Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11-1. Every other Wednesday, craft packages are distributed, which consist of projects for various holidays, like Father's Day and Fourth of July, as well as crafts for anti-bullying and drug awareness. The other Wednesdays will feature a new part of the program called Park & Play, held in the parking lot. There are games for the kids to play and books to read, and dictionaries and schools supplies in backpacks are given out before the school year begins.

Pictured with the check are Gwen Klamer, Elk volunteer; David Moyer, Leading Knight; Donna Moyer, Elks program chair; John DiLorenzo, Lions president; Jay Klamer, Exalted Ruler; Anne MacDonald, Elk volunteer; and Wayne Page, Elks trustee. Not pictured is Christine Malone, Lions Club treasurer.

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Written by Carmen Rivera

On April 3, Donna Hoffman, Exalted of Orlando Elks Lodge #1079, presented the Mental Health Association of Central Florida with a donation of $2,500 from its Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant. The donation is to better serve the community to provide mental health services, especially to those affected by COVID and dealing with trauma. Pictured are Kim Holdridge, Mental Health Association Board chair; Mami Stahiman, Mental Health Association president/CEO; and Donna Hoffman, Exalted Ruler.