Southwest District

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Written by Manasota Elks

On Sept. 18, Craig Abbott, PER of Manasota Elks Lodge #2734 presented Marie Mueller, N.U.B.S. community service co-advisor of Oneco Elementary School, the Elks distinguished citizenship award for her outstanding leadership and dedication to N.U.B.S. (Never Underestimate Brave Students), a community service group of students who volunteer their time to help their school, community and country. The lodge has been supporting the program since the 2014-2015 school year. Years ago, lodge member Pat Gallagher went to Marie Mueller with his vision and she and the students jumped right on the idea. As they were too young to join the Antlers junior Elks program, they put on their thinking caps and started their research. They soon learned that antlers start from a pair of nubs on a buck’s head. This was it – the group had a name and their amazing journey began. Their mission statement is, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Manasota Lodge supports N.U.B.S. throughout the school year. They donated vests for each member to wear during their activities, they donated to rebuild their vegetable garden, they promote the Red Ribbon poster contest, they collect and donate box tops for their playground equipment, they sponsor breakfast with Santa, they read at the school on Literacy Day, and they donated 528 pencils to their school supplies.

Craig Abbott, PER of Manasota Lodge presents Marie Mueller with a distinguished citizenship award Sept. 18. Also pictured is Pam McDowell, Exalted Ruler.

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Written by Andrice Nelson

On Aug. 1st, members of Venice-Nokomis Elks Lodge #1854 prepared 50 backpacks filled with school supplies for children in need from local schools and the community center. The supplies were donated by members and using a portion of their Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant.

Pictured are Sandy Nick, Cathy Grippi, Barbara Jasper, Laura Wood, Sherie Gillum, Mario Grippi, Pat Mazzola, Sue Bucanis, Janet Sasso, Steve Schaefer, Shirley Yawn, Debra Ciccone, Sharon Paganelli, Lori LaBoe, Audrey Riggs, Tony Varone, Suzette Curry.

Doreen Budetti took the group photo. 

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Written by Jim Hoey

Palmetto Elks Lodge #2449 has been providing community service to children in the local (soon to be statewide) Dive into Reading program. The program is designed to help children in Title I schools from first through third grade raise their reading skills. Sadly, 51% of Manatee County, Fla., children in the third grade cannot read at the third-grade level. These statistics are similar throughout the south Florida Title I school system.

The Anna Maria Oyster Bar piloted this program after they heard the statistics above from school employees and realized that from birth to third grade, we learn to read, and from third grade on, we read to learn. Children who cannot read at grade level after third grade usually do not make it through high school.

In its third year, Dive into Reading has proven to be successful at raising the reading levels of children who participate. The local school system brings children to the restaurant for breakfast with a mentor. The mentors assist the children by reading with and to them from grade level books and having the children read back from the same book. The program runs for one month in June. Children are tested by the school system at the end of the school year and then again at the beginning of the next school year. After attending the program, the results show positive improvement, or at least no loss of reading skills throughout the summer months. Statistically, these children would normally lose up to three months of reading skills during summer break.

Palmetto Elks involvement started at the mentor level. In the second year, the lodge donated over 200 backpacks with school supplies to the attending children. This year, over 400 children attended. The program is growing and other local restaurants are now participating. The Sarasota County school system has also joined the program. Palmetto Lodge has committed to providing an adequate number of backpacks for the program. The lodge is working with other lodges in the district to expand participation.

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Written by South Hillsborough Elks

South Hillsborough Lodge sponsored Samiyah Singleton, a fourth-grade student at Ruskin Elementary School who won the category for girls ages 8-9 in the Florida state Hoop Shoot. Singleton competed at the regional level held in Georgia March 16 and finished in third place.

Pictured with Samiyah Singleton, regional Hoop Shoot third-place winner, are Rebecca Salgado, principal; Izabella Maxwell, coach and teacher; and Roy Gardner, lodge Hoop Shoot chairman.

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Written by South Hillsborough Elks

On March 9, South Hillsborough Elks Lodge #2672 used their Elks National Foundation Promise Grant to host a prom for students with special needs at the lodge. The students were from Earl L. Lennard High School in Ruskin, Fla. Pizza, wings, cupcakes and soft drinks were served. Over 30 students danced all evening to a DJ with the principal, teachers, family and Elks all joining in the fun.

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Written by Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks

The Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge Community Affairs Committee read “Let’s B Safe” books to 173 first-graders in both Gene Witt and Freedom elementary schools in February. In March, they presented a program to fourth-graders at both schools called Kids on the Block, a puppet show about bullying and stereotypes.