On Dec. 4, members and volunteers of Green Cove Springs Lodge provided gift bags to 392 children ranging in age from infants to teens at the city's Christmas on Walnut Street event. The items were purchased with lodge funds and included books, toys and candy canes. Members organized and packaged the bags the weekend before.
Pictured are Elks members as well as members greeting families.
St. Augustine Lodge delivered 15 bags and five boxes of food Oct. 4 valued at $520 to the Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County in St. Augustine, Florida. This organization provides transitional housing for families as well as job training and continuing education to enable clients to move into permanent housing.
Pictured are Elizabeth Bastedo, co- chair; Rich Bastedo, member; Cathy Walsh co-chair; and Kevin Walsh, trustee.
On Oct. 4, St. Augustine Elks Lodge #829 presented its $2,000 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to Wildflower Healthcare. This clinic, located in St. Augustine, Florida, began in 1995 serving the dental and medical needs of uninsured and underinsured residents of St. Johns County. They also partner with other St. Augustine nonprofits to reach out to even more members of the community. Along with the grant, members donated $800 worth of goods. Pictured are Liz Bastedo, Outreach Committee co-chair; Joe Smith Sr., Exalted Ruler; Christina Simon, clinic coordinator; Cathy Walsh, Outreach Committee co-chair; and Kevin Walsh, lodge trustee.
Using its Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant, Gainesville Elks Lodge #990 donated 38 full Thanksgiving dinners for foster families, which was a total of 195 people. The lodge partnered with One More Child, an agency in Gainesville, Florida, that helps with fostering children in 13 counties. Families received a turkey, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, yams, macaroni and cheese, and rolls.
Pictured Nov. 22 at the office of One More Child are Amanda Bush, licensing specialist at One More Child; Louis Mallory, lodge chaplain and secretary of Elk Riders 990; Dave Kaufman, president of Elk Riders 990; Anne Chastain, senior director of foster care at One More Child; Najwa Liscombe, Loyal Knight; Kristie Kaufman, lodge member; and Dina Atalig, lodge grant coordinator.
On Sept. 7, the Green Cove Springs Elks Lodge #1892 PER Association’s charity bingo donated $500 to the Green Cove Springs Senior Center, which is located in Green Cove Springs, Florida. They offer games, activities, presentations and meals to local seniors throughout the week. The donation will assist the center with providing supplies and prizes for their free bingo games to enhance the enjoyment of the community residents. Pictured are Tracy Carroll, PER; Lucie Barnette, PER, bingo chair; Bob Russell, senior center volunteer; Ed Weston, PER, Exalted Ruler; Kathie Thompson, PER; and Paul Orvosh, PDD.