Tampa Lodge uses Impact Grant to Purchase Laptops for Students
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Written by Rita Smith
For the fourth year, Tampa Lodge received a $5,000 Elks National Foundation Impact Grant. This year, they used this grant to provide 20 new laptops to be utilized in Ms. Chowning’s classroom by the members of Club Chivalry for Success who don’t have technology available at home. These computers will be used for the mandatory online class requirement and to research and apply for scholarships as well as for everyday schoolwork.
Tampa Lodge members Tony Marino, Patty Jankiewicz, Rita Smith (program director), Christopher Ragusa, Bonnie Atwood, Nikki Murphy, Bob Suhrheinrich, and Jacqui LoCicero (front left) present laptops to Club Chivalry school sponsor, Kristina Chowning.
Tampa Lodge Treats Teens to Fun-filled Day Out
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Written by Tampa Elks
Using part of the Elks National Foundation Promise Grant, Tampa Elks Lodge #708 treated 16 teens to a day of fun that included a boat trip around Tampa Bay, lunch at a restaurant and playing video games. Inner Guard Taylor Taylor planned the day and the teens were invited to help found Tampa's Antler Club. The event was open to all the kids the lodge had a connection with and the lodge was able to take all who were interested. The teens were from local Tampa Bay middle and high schools including homeschooled students. They included campers that the lodge had sponsored and kids who had attended lodge events such as the back-to-school party and Christmas party.
Seminole Elks Holds Instrument Drive for SOHF
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Written by Seminole Elks
Seminole Elks Lodge #2519 held their first West Central Florida Spirit of Harmony Foundation instrument drive at the lodge. Their mission is to provide opportunities for personal development and self-expression through the support of music and music education. The event brought in approximately 60 attendees and a multitude of instruments were donated.
St. Petersburg Lodge Donates to Optimist Club
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Written by May Graci
On March 2, the St. Petersburg Ladies of Elks brought back the 1950s for a midwinter sock hop featuring the 1950s group the Impacs who were Florida’s No. 1 rock & roll band in the era and represented the Tampa Bay area all over the U.S. on the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars. The servers for this occasion were members of St. Petersburg’s Optimist Club who are dedicated to aiding those less fortunate than themselves in the community by assisting community programs and providing guest speakers to give members the opportunity to learn, grow and improve themselves. Members and attendees were proud to present to them $300 to assist them with their various community projects.
St. Petersburg Lodge Donates to Softball Team that had Equipment Stolen
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Written by May Graci
During the 108th anniversary celebration at St. Petersburg Lodge and its variety show event Feb. 16, the Dixie Hollins Rebels softball team members acted as servers. The lodge offers high school clubs, teams and other nonprofits the ability to earn community service hours, learn life skills and have the opportunity to interact with a diverse demographic. The Rebels’ team swapped places with other schools in the lodge’s volunteer lineup because of the team’s immediate need. The Rebels’ softball team was in fundraising mode because they recently discovered that their field maintenance equipment had been stolen from their secured concrete storage unit during their off-season. It cost them $500 to replace the stolen equipment and they had to borrow from money raised for their other needs such as travel and sports equipment. Exalted Ruler, Cathy Shriver, presented Coach Robin Brady with $406 received in donations from lodge and family members attending the evening’s event.
Pictured at the St. Petersburg Lodge donation presentation Feb. 16 to the Dixie Hollins Rebels softball team to help defray costs of stolen equipment are Alecia Buanisky; Alyson Lucas; Hawaii Grimes Layner, parent; Braelyn Grimes; Cathy Shriver, Exalted Ruler; and Robin Brady, Rebels softball coach.
Tampa Lodge Christmas Party Attendees Give Back with Cards
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Written by Rita Smith
A children's Christmas party took place Dec. 22 at Tampa Lodge. There was pizza, cookie-decorating, entertainment by Miz Daisy and lots of presents donated by very generous south Tampa residents at their local Walgreens. The children also made cards for the Paradise Elks Lodge that was recently destroyed by the California fires.
Tampa Lodge's Club Chivalry Spends Day at Florida Elks Youth Camp
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Written by Rita Smith
On Dec. 6, Tampa Lodge’s Club Chivalry took their annual teambuilding field trip to the Florida Elks Youth Camp. The students were offered pastries and breakfast beverages to enjoy as they left Tampa. When they arrived at the camp, the students were each given a long-sleeve T-shirt as their Christmas present. After a game of kickball and lunch, they went to the ropes course. The camp provided activity directors for the afternoon, and they started the teambuilding with low exercises. Eventually the students added helmets to their gear and took to the air. They did the high swing, climbed a challenging tower and catapulted down, and climbed the rock wall. The group left the camp around 5 p.m., had dinner on the way home and sang Christmas carols on the bus.
St. Petersburg Lodge Provides Christmas Dinners to 300 Families
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Written by May Graci
On Dec. 21, St. Petersburg Lodge’s team of volunteers spearheaded by Christmas food drive chairman, Rudy Masi Sr., PDD, put together 300 Christmas dinner boxes which contained a complete Christmas dinner for a family of four to six people. Also included in each box was a $20 gift card from Publix for a ham or turkey. The lodge used the $2,500 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant, the $2,000 Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant and the $1,500 Elks National Foundation Anniversary Grant to purchase the food. Members donated an additional $630-worth of food. With the cost of the gift cards, a total donation of $8,203.74 was made to the 300 families in their community. The volunteers delivered some of the boxes to families in need whose names had been submitted to the lodge and to Heaven on Earth for Veterans whose mission is to alleviate Pinellas County veteran homelessness by providing quality, low-cost, safe living spaces. The remaining boxes went to 38th Avenue Baptist Church to be delivered through their indigent family care list.
