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Southwest District
Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Deliver Cookies to 11 Firehouses
- Details
- Written by JoAnn Reddy
On Dec. 23, Elk members Danny and Darlene Cacchiotti from Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge #2855 bought cookie trays for 11 firehouses in Manatee County and delivered them to many happy firefighters.
Pictured are Danny Cacchiotti, second from left, with firefighters Brandon Hiott,Trevor Garofalo and Jerry Grover from East Manatee Fire Rescue Station #12.
Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Host Lodge Hoop Shoot
- Details
- Written by Brett Davis, PDD
Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Lodge #2855 held its Hoop Shoot Dec. 9 at Haile Middle School. After being on hiatus for years, the Hoot Shoot Chair, Randy Volkart, PER, partnered with Wave Basketball Academy three years ago to revive the contest. What started at five participants then grew to 21 this year.
Pictured is Randy Volkart, PER announcing scores and explaining the district competition to the winners.
Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Host Christmas Party for Local Children
- Details
- Written by Brett Davis, PDD
Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Lodge #2855 held a Christmas party Dec. 21 for members’ children and grandchildren and the children from Miracle League of Manasota. The lodge provided gifts to the children from Miracle League and food and drink for all. Santa and Mrs. Claus gave out gifts to the children.
Pictured are Santa (member Ron Lee); member Sarah Davis and her grandchildren, Cameron and Peyton; and Mrs. Claus (member Barbara Lee).
Venice-Nokomis Elks Help Serve Thanksgiving Meal to those in Need
- Details
- Written by Venice-Nokomis Elks
On Nov. 26, Venice-Nokomis Lodge provided a Thanksgiving meal for those facing food insecurity. More than 30 people were served. This was a collaborative effort among All Faiths Food Bank, Laura and Steven Wood, Laurel Civic Center, Mothers Helping Mothers, and the lodge.
Pictured are Jenny Stupak, volunteer; David Vinsh, lodge trustee; and Sherry DeVries, Mothers Helping Mothers director.
Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Provide Weekend Meals to Local Students
- Details
- Written by JoAnn Reddy
EFELT (Elks Feeding Empty Little Tummies) is the corroboration between Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota lodges. Their mission is to provide weekend meals during the school year to children who are disadvantaged. Combined, they feed 494 children from 13 schools. Funds from the Elks National Foundation $2,000 Spotlight Grant, $2,500 Gratitude Grant and $4,000 Beacon Grant are used to purchase food and supplies. Each week, volunteers from both lodges buy food, stock two EFELT pantry sites, bag food items and deliver them to the schools for children to take them home. They provide two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners. Additional money is collected from lodge fundraisers and numerous donors.
Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge volunteers are pictured Nov. 15 at their storage site in a room donated by the local YMCA.
Bradenton Lodge volunteers are pictured Dec. 6 at their storage site in a room donated by the lodge.
Parrish Elks Lodge Member Vincent Como Jr. Completes Honolulu Marathon
- Details
- Written by Rachael King
Parrish Elks Lodge #2889 member Vincent Como Jr., son of PSP Vincent and Lisa Como, participated and completed the Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii Dec. 8. His wife, Tracy, found the race on the internet and because it was in Hawaii, they thought it would be a fun idea for their 10th wedding anniversary. He ran it in 5:04. His wife and two older children Jordan and Jadyn all ran a 10K simultaneously with the marathon. He trained for several months, running five days a week, but found the terrain to be very different in Hawaii than in Florida.
Venice-Nokomis Elks Donate Beacon Grant to Saint Mary's Academy
- Details
- Written by JoAnn Reddy
On Oct. 28, Venice-Nokomis Elks Lodge #1854 donated $2,000 from its Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant to Saint Mary's Academy. The donation is to help feed the students. Bruce Shelley, Exalted Ruler, and first lady, Cathy Ferney, toured the school and learned about the students with special needs.
Pictured are Shelley and Ferney with Connie Taft of Saint Mary's Academy.
Parrish Elks Host Annual Hoop Shoot
- Details
- Written by Parrish Elks
On Nov. 2, Parrish Elks Lodge #2889 held its second Hoop Shoot at the New Hope Baptist Church in Parrish. They had nine children participate, with four moving on to the district Hoop Shoot in Sarasota.
Pictured in the back are Mike Carter, Lodge Secretary; Anthony D'Abbraccio, Exalted Ruler; Dave McCarthy, Hoop Shoot Chair; and Matt Carter, Leading Knight. The winners holding trophies are Caleb Bailey, 8-9 boys; Justus Riddle, 10-11 boys, Caleb Riddle, runner-up 10-11 boys; Lucca Tuccy, runner-up 12-13 boys; Jaxsen Jimenez, 12-13 boys; and Isabella Saboya, 10-11 girls. Additional participants were Daniel Ramirez, Ryan Alvarado and Levi Riddle.
Manasota Elks Support Cereal Drive for The Food Bank of Manatee
- Details
- Written by Manasota Elks
Manasota Lodge donated cereal June 24 to The Food Bank of Manatee for their summer’s cereal drive. On Fridays during the summer months, the food bank provides Food 4 Families bags at break spots to families in need of vital nutrition. These bags contain breakfast, lunch and dinner to feed a family of four two or more days, keeping these families fed through the weekend during the nine-week summer break. The lodge placed the food bank’s yellow barrel in the lodge for collecting the boxes. To date, the barrel has been filled three times and they’re still donating.
Pictured are Wanda Burke, Activities Committee Chair, and Justin Eveland, Exalted Ruler.
Manasota Elks Recognize Americanism Essay Contest Winners
- Details
- Written by Manasota Elks
Fifth grade students from Abel Elementary School participated in the Americanism essay contest, with 32 essays submitted to Ken Davis, Manasota Elks Lodge Americanism Chair. The top three essays were written by Khloe, Aylin and Jahmeiyer, and Khloe’s was forwarded by the district to the state level. On April 5, Justin Eveland, Exalted Ruler, and Diane Davis, trustee, presented awards and gift cards to the three students.
Pictured are Diane Davis, trustee; Jahmeiyer; Justin Eveland, Exalted Ruler; Khloe; Mary Dalton, fifth grade teacher; and Samantha Webb, principal.
Bradenton Elks Lodge Sponsors Bayshore Elementary Field Trip
- Details
- Written by Robert Erwin, PDD
On April 19, Bradenton Lodge bingo players donated $1,000 for two gold sponsorships for the Bayshore Elementary School fifth and sixth grade field trip to Busch Gardens in Tampa.
Pictured are Melanie Ambrose, lodge member and chaperone; Charolette Richardson, student; Elsha Duquet, PER; Danny Tabor, PSP; Ariana Kennedy, assistant principal; and Dr. Melinda Lundy, principal.
Manasota Elks Support Manatee High School Girls Lacrosse Team
- Details
- Written by Manasota Elks
On March 6, Manasota Elks Lodge #3734 donated $1,000 from the 2023 golf tournament charity fund to the Manatee High School girls lacrosse team, which will help with their coaches, referees and transportation costs.
Lodge member Sherman Patton is pictured with members of the team.