North Central District

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Written by Patsy Despain

Eustis Lodge used a $2,500 Elks National Foundation Promise Grant and a $2,500 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to provide more than 1,200 books (all stamped with “Donated by Eustis Elks Lodge”) to three elementary schools. This was the 11th year the lodge gave a dictionary to each of the third-graders at Treadway Elementary and the seventh year they gave a thesaurus to all their fourth-graders. Three years ago, they included Eustis Heights Elementary and at the same time added a novel for all fifth-graders which was written by a local author. A group of about 30 students from each school were chosen to meet the author and discuss her process for writing the book. The lodge also sponsored a writing contest to encourage more writing. For the past three summers, the lodge has used grant money to buy books for leisure reading for all summer-school students to encourage them to share the joy of reading with their parents and siblings. In the fall, they added students from Triangle Elementary to their book-giving program.

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Written by Patsy Despain

On Nov. 16, Eustis Lodge volunteers smoked, wrapped and prepared 181 turkeys for delivery to nine schools for families in need.

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Written by Jan Belland

Students from Lecanto Middle School placed in the Inverness Lodge-sponsored drug awareness essay contest. Pictured are Lodge Drug Awareness Chairman, Jim Manos; Principal of Lecanto Middle School, Inge Frederick; first-place winner, Cassidy Struble; third-place winner, Ava Rueck; and SRD Deputy, Joseph Gentile. Not pictured is second-place winner, Christian Halle.

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Written by Eustis Elks

Eustis Elks Lodge #1578 distributed drug awareness materials to about 1,500 students at Treadway and Triangle elementary schools as part of their Red Ribbon Week program. Elks Norm Hull and his wife, Bobbie, participated in the Treadway Halloween Trunk or Treat activities handing out additional drug awareness materials in drug awareness plastic bags including coloring books and candy. Each child received a sticker to wear as well.

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Written by Jan Belland

The Citrus Youth Educational Symphonic Orchestra (CYESO) is a program dedicated to teaching classical and symphonic music to children ages 5 to 19 in Citrus County and surrounding communities. Its focus is learning music for the development of intellect and character in children.

Inverness Elks Lodge’s Community Activities committee has chosen CYESO as its major project. The program has pledged to raise $4,000 by April 2019, and the lodge is very proud to have presented $1,500 toward that goal as of Nov. 2. Herb Yates, Community Activities chairman, is also the lodge disc jockey and donates his tips to the project. All CYESO donors receive a lapel button created by the lodge.

Inverness Lodge Community Activities chairman, Herb Yates, right, presents $500 to Executive Director of CYESO, Marty Hoffman, at the lodge.