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Northwest District
Pensacola Beach Elks Support the Good Work of Children in Crisis Inc.
- Details
- Written by Harriet Gossett
Pensacola Beach Lodge made a $3,000 donation from its charity account to Children in Crisis Inc. Feb. 15. Children in Crisis is a nonprofit organization of caring people working together to provide homes and keeping brothers and sisters together. Through their program, The Children’s Neighborhood, they provide homes in a residential, home-style environment to community children who have been abused, neglected and abandoned. Their campus, located in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, is now built up of an emergency shelter, five-family foster homes, and Opportunity Home with eight studio apartments for young adults who age out of foster care. Pictured at the Children in Crisis campus are Dan Smith, Exalted Ruler; Ken Hair, President of Children in Crisis; and Darrell Gossett, Lecturing Knight.
Local Nonprofit Receives Gift of $3,000 from Pensacola Beach Lodge
- Details
- Written by Harriet Gossett
On Feb. 18, Pensacola Beach Lodge donated $3,000 from its charity funds to Bethany Christian Services of the Gulf Coast. This nonprofit organization is located in Gulf Breeze, Florida, and offers free life-affirming counseling to women facing unplanned pregnancies, support services for families interested in adoption, and support for survivors of human trafficking. Pictured are Dan Smith, Exalted Ruler; Sheila White, Bethany Branch Director; Cap Pratt, PDD, trustee; and Roy Carlisle, trustee.
Fort Walton Lodge Shares Spotlight Grant with Sharing & Caring Food Bank
- Details
- Written by Fort Walton Elks
Members of Fort Walton Lodge presented their Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant of $2,000 to the Fort Walton Beach-area Sharing & Caring Food Bank. Pictured Feb. 1 are Tom McLaughlin, Esteemed Lecturing Knight; Mike WrightReynolds, Exalted Ruler; Joseph Accardi, Sharing and Caring representative; Jamie Clemons, Lodge Secretary; Sueann Accardi, Sharing and Caring representative; and Paul Eubanks, PER.
Pensacola Beach Elks Donate Spotlight Grant to Weekend Food Program
- Details
- Written by Harriet Gossett
Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge #497 donated its $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant and a matching $2,000 donation from lodge funds to the Gulf Breeze Weekend Food Program. The program provides food to underprivileged schoolchildren in the area for weekend use. Pictured are Dicksie Booker, volunteer; Gary Booker, trustee; Wendy Branden, volunteer; Mike Stahl, member; Dan Smith, Exalted Ruler ;and Shelby Smith, volunteer.
Crestview Lodge Shares Grants with Three Local Organizations
- Details
- Written by Betsy Roy
On Aug. 21, Crestview Elks Lodge #2624 donated $3,500 from its Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant to the First Untied Methodist Church of Crestview for their benevolent fund. The church provides meals every Saturday and has been able to maintain this ministry during the pandemic. Pictured at the check presentation are Bud Tipton, Exalted Ruler; Pastor Ronnie Bearden; and Mike Roy, treasurer.
Crestview Lodge used its Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to present a $3,000 check to the Crestview Area Youth Association (CAYA) which helps enroll more than 235 youths in sports activities. The check was presented Aug. 27 by Steve Piner, PER; Bud Tipton, Exalted Ruler; Mike Roy, treasurer; and Mary Ann Piner, member. The picture was taken at Focus Photography Studio in Crestview, Florida.
2624 Shelter Using its Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant, Crestview Lodge presented $2,000 to Shelter House, an organization in Crestview, Florida, that assists survivors escaping domestic violence. The check was presented Sept. 8 to Shelter House advocates by Bud Tipton, Exalter Ruler, and Mike Roy, treasurer.
Holley-Navarre Lodge Members Volunteer at Pop-up Food Drive-thru
- Details
- Written by Ernest DalleMolle
East River Smokehouse in Navarre, Florida, and the Central Waterside Church combined to provide food via a drive-thru system at the Smokehouse's parking lot. During their third week of providing this service to people who were in need of food in mid-April, four members of Holley-Navarre Elks Lodge #2787 – Thomas "TJ" Carey, Exalted Ruler; Ernest "Skip" DalleMolle, Leading Knight; Stephen Hogan, Lecturing Knight; and Charles Mussari, former lodge officer – volunteered their time to assist in the sorting and delivering food and directing and speaking with those seeking food as they awaited their turn. Two lines of cars five deep went through this line for over 2 1/2 hours. Photos are by Skip DalleMolle.
Volunteers including TJ Carey and Stephen Hogan sort and prepare food for delivery.
Charles Mussari directs traffic.
TJ Carey is pictured at the end of the morning after unloading food from trucks, sorting it, assisting in delivery to families, and helping with the breakdown of the facility.
Holley-Navarre Lodge Hosts Children's Christmas Party
- Details
- Written by Ernest DalleMolle
Holley-Navarre Lodge’s Activities Committee sponsored lunch with Santa Dec. 21 for children from local families. One young boy felt that Santa needed a hug but was hesitant to go alone, so members Donny Eubanks and Jerry Riley got down to his height and went with him to give Santa a hug.
Holley-Navarre Lodge Holds Hoop Shoot
- Details
- Written by Ernest DalleMolle
Holley-Navarre Lodge sponsored their lodge Hoop Shoot Dec. 14. The three winners moved on to the district competition held Jan. 4. Pictured are Exalted Ruler, Allen Van Dyk, presenting a winning certificate to Max Howard of the 10-11-year-old boys category.
Caring and Sharing Holley-Navarre Elks Support "Caring and Sharing" Organization
- Details
- Written by Ernest DalleMolle
Holley-Navarre Elks Lodge #2787 presented a check in the amount of $1,500 Dec. 9 to Caring and Sharing of South Santa Rosa County. The donation was raised from the lodge’s weekly bingo evenings as well as lodge fundraisers. Caring and Sharing performs many services for the community including the distribution of Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, toys for children, gift certificates for teens, and clothing and household items.
Holley-Navarre Lodge Exalted Ruler, Allen Van Dyk, presents a $1,500 donation to Chuck Howard of Caring & Sharing of South Santa Rosa County Dec. 9 at the lodge.
Northwest District Hosts Annual Kids on the Water/Military Appreciation Day
- Details
- Written by Carole Burger
The seven lodges of the Northwest District held its seventh annual Kids on the Water/Military Appreciation Day Sept. 21 at Fort Walton Lodge #1795. In attendance were 124 guests, 75 military guests, 20 non-Elk volunteers and 80 members of the district lodges. This event brings military families together with area children including the patients and families of the district’s Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services therapist, Elizabeth Maina; kids from Children in Crisis and Children Without Beds; and children in the foster care system. Children in Crisis is a nonprofit organization that finds homes for abused, neglected or abandoned children while keeping siblings together. Children Without Beds is an organization that provides new beds and pillows to children, offering them solace and something that is their own. The event included pontoon boat rides, lots of food, arts and crafts, the Capt. Davy pirate show, face painting, snow cones, and a toy for every child. The eight pontoon boats were donated by member Danny Bilger and his wife, Karen, for the seventh year. Target, Frito Lay and members in the district donated a snow cone machine and supplies, painted pet rocks, and arts and crafts to the event.
Ellen Randle, wife of PDD Robert Randle, and Joann Warren, wife of PDD Mike Warren, set up their craft table at the Northwest District’s annual Kids on the Water/Military Appreciation Day Sept. 21 at Fort Walton Lodge.
Flag Day Ceremony held at Crestview Lodge with Youth Involvement
- Details
- Written by Crestview Elks
On June 15, Crestview Elks Lodge #2624 held its Flag Day ceremony at the lodge with Crestview Area Youth Activities (CAYA), the youth sporting association, assisting with the flags. Lodge member Bud Tipton is the president of CAYA. The public was invited and about 40 people attended. Refreshments were served after the ceremony.
Twin Cities Elks Donate to Niceville Little League Football
- Details
- Written by Al Eakle
Twin Cities Elks Lodge # 2747 Exalted Ruler, Rick Woelfl, presented the lodge’s Elks National Foundation Anniversary Grant of $1,500 to Cornell Tinner, president of the Niceville Little League Football organization. Also present were city manager, Lannie Corbin, and Lodge Secretary, Gary Pelham. The donation will assist in funding lighting improvements at the City of Niceville Sports Complex.