North Central District

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Written by Ocala Elks

Ocala Elks Lodge #286 hosted a Marion County Sheriff’s appreciation night. Sheriff Billy Woods and Exalted Ruler, Mike Miller, honored two deputies for outstanding community service. Off-duty K-9 Deputy Jeremie Nix was flagged down by the mother of an unresponsive three-month-old baby. He performed several lifesaving measures and then rushed him to the hospital, and the baby, Kingston, made a full recovery. Corp. Jim Long responded to and took control of the school shooting at Forest High after a student brought a sawed-off shotgun in a guitar case. Thankfully, there was only one student injured.

Recently, Deputy Ryan Owens was involved in a serious accident after a truck crossed the center line and hit his patrol car head on. After several surgeries, he faces many months of rehab before he can return to duty. Ocala Exalted Ruler, Mike Miller, encouraged members to donate money to help Deputy Owens, and in one night, the lodge raised $2,500.

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Written by Inverness Elks

Inverness Lodge used their Elks National Foundation Anniversary Grant to help fund a new project for the Citrus County Education Foundation, Supplies 4 Success. This program is designed to provide a central location for county teachers to pick up school and special project supplies for their students. The $1,500 grant was presented to the CCEF at their new facility located at the Withlacoochee Technical College in Inverness.

Pictured are Anthony Kopka, Inverness Lodge board chairman; Paula Pombier, lodge grant coordinator; Richard Grosnick, Leading Knight; Shaunda Burdett, CCEF Executive Director; and Susan Franmpton, CCEF Associate Director.

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Written by Eustis Elks

Eustis Lodge hosted a breakfast the Saturday before school started to honor 40 teachers and principals from nine area elementary schools. The lodge used the Anniversary Grant to provide 750 lbs. of school supplies to the schools. Lake County Sheriff, Peyton Grinnell, was the keynote speaker. Mark Cunningham made their drug awareness table available, and Trustee Ron Locke and Exalted Ruler, Patsy Despain, made presentations to the group. The lodge also cooks dinner to feed the Eustis High School junior varsity football team and their coaches before each game.

The Eustis Anna Miller Ladies donated $2,000 to Florida Elks Children's Therapy Services and donated $500 in school supplies to a local school.

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Written by Eustis Elks

On Aug. 4, Eustis Lodge Exalted Ruler, Patsy Despain, presented the Tri-City Ballers with a check for $1,500. Leader/Coach Walt Canady accepted the check and in turn gave the lodge a beautiful thank-you trophy.

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Written by Suzanne Cunningham

Ten Eustis Anna Miller members and seven Eustis Elks met Sunday, Sept. 23, to pack $5,619-worth of donations for The Haven of Lake and Sumter Counties. This included 332 welcome kits of travel-sized toiletries, 10 birthday cake kits, a child's bike, children's books, toys, children’s and adult clothes, and many more items. This trip filled three SUVs. This collection put their combined contributions to The Haven at over $66,000.  

Domestic violence is a serious problem.  It affects millions of people and their children every year. The Haven of Lake and Sumter Counties has served 3,070 survivors/children in 2017-2018 via shelter and hotline services. The Eustis Anna Miller members are honored to continue to be of service to them.