Lake Okeechobee Elks Lodge #2871 utilized an Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to purchase new equipment for the Brahman Battalion JROTC including mannequins to display proper attire and decorations of a cadet, new flag equipment for the Honor Guard, a new canopy for shade, a new ruck sack and a length of special rope called a kernmantle.
Using the Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant, Lake Okeechobee Lodge provided each student in second grade at all five elementary schools in the district the beautifully illustrated book “B is for Buckaroo.” Each letter of the alphabet portrays an informational subject about cowboys and the western way of life. The Elks attended the presentation with the court of the Miss Rodeo Okeechobee queens. This ties into the 78th annual speckled perch festival and spring rodeo. The Elks returned in a few weeks and rewarded each child who read the book and took the accelerated reader quiz with an ice cream social and talked about the book.