Tallahassee Elks Lodge #937 delivered a box containing 60 Elks Drug Awareness bags, each with a variety of materials for kids, to Astoria Park Elementary School Oct. 22. Red ribbons had been provided earlier to the school's media center. Pictured are Tom Walden, Lodge Secretary; Karla Jones, Lodge Drug Awareness Chair; and, David Solz, principal.
Also in October, Tallahassee Lodge delivered a variety of school supplies to Astoria Park Elementary School including numerous backpacks, paper, pencils, erasers and composition books that were donated by lodge members. Dictionaries for third graders were delivered as well. Pictured in the school’s media center showing the school supplies and dictionaries are Katrina Bradwell, assistant principal, and Beth Freeman, media specialist and lodge member.
On Aug. 1, Perry Lodge members volunteered to help at the First United Methodist food distribution and donated their $2,000 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to help replenish the storehouse. Pictured in the front are Richard Cruce; Carol Cruce, PDD; Earline Neeley, Secretary; Nancy Taylor; and Pastor James Taylor. In the back are Kevin Cruce, Exalted Ruler; and Leslee Sunderland, John Fish, Dan Anderson, and Kristie Anderson, food bank participants.
Perry Elks Lodge #1851 hosted a Christmas-in-July craft bazaar July 25 which was open to the public and raised funds for the Elks National Foundation. The event was well attended and followed mandated social distancing and mask requirements. Organizer Nikki Anderson enlisted a group of member volunteers to set up the banquet room with necessary spacing to accommodate participating vendors Thursday night. Vendors set up their displays Friday night and the doors opened Saturday at 10 a.m. to shoppers. There was a steady flow of shoppers and happy drawing winners and the vendors had a good day for business as well. The bazaar raised $440 from raffle tickets and vendor fees. PDD Carol Cruce and her sister, Jackie, took their masks off for a photo.
A charity poker run sponsored by Live Oak Elks Lodge #1165 Sept. 12 brought together Elks in the North District to raise over $900 in entry fees for the Nixon School Nurse Fund (a scholarship given by the lodge), Adopt a Veteran Fund and the Brotherhood Ride. The ride started at Live Oak Lodge with stops along the way in Lake City at Lake City Elks Lodge, The Keg Room, and American Legion Post #107 for a round trip of approximately 95 miles. Pictured are Chris Williams, PER, Lake City #893; Audie Towles, Perry #1851; John Dill, PDD, Live Oak #1165; Chuck Nicolson, Exalted Ruler, Lake City #893; Christopher Lynn, Perry #1851; Steve Rockford, Lake City #893; Susan Lynn, PDD, Perry #1851; Shelly Dill, spouse of John Dill; Cheryl Cowan, spouse of John Cowan; John Cowan, PER, Live Oak #1165; and Stanley Cox, PDD, Lake City #893. Also pictured are bikers at Lake City Lodge.
Susan Lynn, North District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler, presided over Perry Lodge’s scholarship awards banquet held at the lodge June 24. At least 40 members including lodge officers and guests enjoyed a meal prior to the awards. Kevin Cruce, Exalted Ruler, made the scholarship presentations to high school seniors Jordan Pyke, Robert Glanton, Ansley English and Bradley LaValle. Each senior received a $500 scholarship.