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Northwest District
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.
Warrington Lodge Donates Smoke Alarms and Hosts Drug Awareness Event
- Details
- Written by Toni Palmer
Warrington Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler, Rick Wright, secured a grant that allowed the lodge to donate 150 smoke alarms to the fire department which planned to install them in the homes of those who needed them. Also, in conjunction with this program, the lodge had officers and the drug dogs at the lodge and gave away drug awareness literature and items to children.
Pensacola Beach Lodge Raises Funds for Hurricane Michael Relief
- Details
- Written by Don Padget
Recently, the Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge #497 Board of Directors challenged the 1,200 lodge members to raise funds to donate to Hurricane Michael relief by offering to match cash donations from the membership up to $3,000. As Exalted Ruler, Rick Reynolds, said, “Charity is the centerpiece of our work. Our members have helped in many ways, from volunteering to feed first responders to hosting a wedding for two evacuees who lost their home. We began collecting cash donations around the lodge and it didn’t take long for us to reach our goal. We knew the coast received the brunt of the storm and the media attention. We were also aware that areas north of the coast in the Panhandle were also greatly impacted but didn’t have the focus and support that areas along the water did.”
With that in mind, lodge trustee Phil Gambrell was charged with finding a charity that could quickly get the funds in the hands of those families and individuals most affected by the storm. Gambrell contacted Rodney Anderson, EMS Director in Jackson County, who highly recommended the Chipola Family Ministries in Marianna, Fla., that was doing a lot for the people of the surrounding communities to get back on their feet.
On Dec. 18, Gambrell presented a check from the lodge to Coba Beasley, Director of the Chipola Family Ministries. The total donation was over $6,000. Beasley said, “Initially, we will use some of the money to repair electrical service to homes, replace appliances and purchase roofing supplies to those who are in dire need of those items.”
It should be noted that New Lexington Elks Lodge #509 from Ohio gave $1,000 to Pensacola Beach Lodge to help with the relief effort. Such cooperation between lodges is very common as Elks across the U.S. practice their motto, “Elks Care – Elks Share.”
Pensacola Beach Lodge trustee Phil Gambrell, right, presents a check for over $6,000 to Coba Beasley, Director of Chipola Family Ministries, for Hurricane Michael relief.
Warrington Lodge Collects Toys for Children in Foster Care
- Details
- Written by Toni Palmer
On Dec. 15 with the help of Elwood Banks and Eric Long, Warrington Lodge #2108 held a party with admission being an unwrapped toy. Over 275 toys were collected and $230 was received and used to buy gift cards for the older children. Everyone enjoyed good music and good food. The toys were given to children in the foster care system.
Holley-Navarre Elks Support Caring and Sharing Organization
- Details
- Written by Holley-Navarre Elks
On Dec. 14, Holley-Navarre Elks Lodge #2787 presented a check for $1,500 to Caring and Sharing of South Santa Rosa County, a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that provides food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as other assistance to South Santa Rosa families. The total included $500 from an Elks National Foundation Anniversary Grant and $1,000 from the lodge charity account which is sourced predominately from the lodge’s weekly bingo that is open to the local community. The lodge held the check presentation prior to bingo to thank the public for their continued support throughout the year and give them an opportunity to see how proceeds from their patronage are used.
Chuck Howard, Caring and Sharing representative, accepts a donation from Holley-Navarre Lodge presented by Kris Kane, Exalted Ruler, Dec. 14 at the lodge.
Twin Cities Elks Deliver Dictionaries to Students
- Details
- Written by Katharine Casey
Rick Woelfl (pictured), Twin Cities Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler, and Joe Arthur, Leading Knight, deliver dictionaries to third-graders at Eglin School Oct. 26. The first batch of dictionaries for third-grade students in six schools were delivered Oct. 26. In all, the lodge will distribute about 600 dictionaries; the lodge does this every year. Tom Casey, Trustee, and Kathy Casey, Tiler, delivered dictionaries to other schools.
Pensacola Beach Elks Gift Lodge Use for Wedding
- Details
- Written by Rick Reynolds
Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge #497 hosted an impromptu wedding for two Hurricane Michael evacuees Oct. 22. The lodge use was gifted to the couple at no cost to them and everything was donated by members. To view the article that appeared in Pensacola News Journal, click here: https://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/2018/10/22/panama-city-couple-marries-gulf-breeze-after-michael-destroys-home/1728097002/.
Fort Walton Elks Support Emerald Coast Autism Center
- Details
- Written by Jamie Clemons
Fort Walton Elks Lodge #1795 presented a $1,500 Elks National Foundation Anniversary Grant to Emerald Coast Autism Center to help with much needed school supplies. Michelle Knowles; Tom Knowles, PER; Jamie Clemons, Lodge Secretary; Kevin Clemons, PDD; Lauren Cooper, ECAC Community Relations Coordinator; Colette Willey, Chaplain; and Paul Willey, Exalted Ruler, take part in the check presentation Oct. 18.