On Oct. 15, Tampa Elks Lodge #708 held its Hoop Shoot and Soccer Shoot at SLAM! Tampa, a K-12 charter school in Citrus Park. Member Roshaun Gendrett is the Dean of Students and arranged for the competitions to be held in their indoor gym. Hoop Shoot contestants get 25 shots. Soccer Shoot contestants get 15 shots to hit the goal. The goal was sectioned out in point value. The higher the kick into the net, the higher the points they received. There were first and second place medals for the winning boys and girls in each of the three age divisions. The winners move on to the district competition. The Hoop and Soccer Shoot Committee provided drinks, snacks and Halloween candy during both events. All the volunteers and participants and their families also had a fried chicken dinner from Publix, which included green beans and mac & cheese with cookies for dessert. The adults were all entered into a raffle for a $50 gift card, which Tampa member Kim Benzing won. Drug Awareness bags with coloring books and crayons were also distributed to participants. There were 26 volunteers for this event, including eight non-Elks. The rest were members of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Holiday Isles and Eustis lodges.
Pictured are Patricia Volpe, Tampa Hoop and Soccer Shoot Chair; Aubriyanna Soffer, champion; and Bryan Sullins, Tampa Elks volunteer spouse; Hoop Shoot warmup with volunteer Yaitza Blasini and participants Aubriyanna Soffer, Selena Soffer and Kenner Reeves; and the Soccer Shoot warmup.