South District

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Written by Ruth Huenniger

Child Safety Day was held at Florida Keys Elks Lodge #1872 Jan. 12. The Masons prepared child ID kits to take home which included fingerprint, DNA and additional information about each child. Free bicycles were given along with fitted helmets and drug awareness pamphlets. There was an educational display about various drugs for parents. Free hot dogs, chips and cookies were enjoyed by all. Pictured are Allyson and her brother Matthew with their bikes and helmets.

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Written by Key West Elks

Key West Lodge members promoted the Hoop Shoot and drug awareness programs Oct. 28 at Children's Day held at Key West Park. Filled with bounce houses, rides, snacks and more, The annual event raises money for local children’s organizations and every penny raised goes to the organizations.

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Written by Ruth Huenniger

Florida Keys Lodge held their annual children’s Christmas party Dec. 8 for 92 children. Along with visiting and taking pictures with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their elf, the kids decorated cookies, saw the fantastic magic of Michael Trixx, enjoyed lunch, made Christmas crafts, and went home with a goodie bag. This annual event is put on using an Elks National Foundation grant.

Landon and Coral have their picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus (Tim and Patty Hartnett) and Santa’s elf, Hollis Krutulis.

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Written by Kathleen Delores

On Oct. 18, Miami Elks Lodge #948 held a presentation for Wheelchairs 4 Kids. Lonnie and Madeline Robinson, the founders of this organization, work in conjunction with Florida Elks Children's Therapy Services therapists who visit children in their homes and administer treatment. They are aware of kids who are in need of wheelchairs and ask for the lodge's help in securing them because their parents cannot afford them. The Elks presented a wheelchair to 15-year-old Julian who has cerebral palsy with spastic diplegia and a gait trainer to 15-year-old Jose who has cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia. Their faces and their parents' faces lit up at the presentation. Julian immediately looked comfortable in his up-to-date custom-made wheelchair. Jose, who can only stand with support on both sides, has been wheelchair-bound. The gait trainer enabled him to move his legs and walk with the support of his new apparatus. He smiled and moved around the lodge dining room with ease, and when asked if he was happy, he said "yes, now I can walk with my friends at school." Through members' time and effort volunteering at lodge charity events, members are able to change people's lives for the better.

Pictured at Miami Lodge’s Wheelchairs 4 Kids presentation Oct. 18 are Scott McGowan, Custom Mobility rep; Jose Ricardo Sanchez in his new gait trainer; Patricia Avila; Julian Lopez in his new wheelchair; Daniel Heidenreich, Julian's father; Mallerly Romero, Julian's mother; and Lonnie Robinson, Wheelchairs 4 Kids board member. Lodge officers Will Garzitz, Nancy Carr, Al Reker, Kathy Held and Frank Reynolds are pictured in the back row.

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Written by Ruth Huenniger

Florida Keys Elks Lodge #1872 held their soccer shoot Nov. 10. First-place winners were Chloe Kessler, U-8 girls; Wyatt Meyers, U-8 boys; Sophia Barry, U-10 girls; Jacob Pickering, U-10 boys; Xol Placencia, U-12 boys; and Jackson Harrington, U-14 boys. These six winners advanced to the regional soccer shoot.