West Central District

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Written by May Graci

St. Petersburg Lodge covered the $180 cost for 12 year-old Samuel Ramirez to attend the first week of summer camp at the Florida Elks Youth Camp. It was his second year of being sponsored by the lodge and was very excited to be attending again. He really enjoyed his time there and is already looking forward to going back next year. On June 20, Elks VAVS representative and lodge member, Johnny Miller, and his wife, Lucelly, drove Samuel, who happens to be Johnny’s nephew, to the camp. The Millers often transport campers, usually if they are their neighbors’ children, if the family doesn't have a car or if the parents are working. Lucelly Miller, Samuel Ramirez and VAVS Representative and lodge member Johnny Miller who drove Samuel Ramirez to FEYC.

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Written by May Graci

St. Petersburg Lodge donated the use of its lodge June 12 for an Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony and celebration afterward for Jonathan and Sean Kirley, 19-year-old twin brothers. They are members of Troop 413 in Clearwater, Florida, who have been serving the youth of the greater Countryside area. They achieved their Eagle status under previous Scoutmaster David Hamilton Sr. The scouts began their scouting journey together, moving forward through the ranks and supported and encouraged each other. Each earned at least 21 merit badges or more and successfully completed a community, church or synagogue-related service project to earn his Eagle merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank. They also demonstrated scout spirit and leadership within their troop. Jon built four collaboration tables for Leila G. Davis Elementary School, and Sean relocated and rebuilt Ms. Wooly’s memorial at Leila G. Davis Elementary School. The Eagle Scout obligations were presented by Jared Kirley (their brother, Eagle Scout 2018) and Jonathan Basye (Eagle Scout 2014). In attendance were the troop’s scouts and their families, members of the local district and council, public officials, troop alumni, and adults who have had an impact on brothers’ lives. A reception followed the ceremony. Pictured are Jared, Sean and Jonathan Kirley and Scoutmaster Hamilton.

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Written by Rita Smith

Andrew Finn is an International Baccalaureate (IB) student at Robinson High School. According to the school’s website, https://robinsonhighib.com/learn-about-ib/, “Robinson High’s Magnet IB uses the IB Diploma Programme to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge—students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically. The IB Diploma Programme curriculum is a rigorous, pre-university course for the highly motivated student. It offers a comprehensive and integrated academic program and provides the student an opportunity to earn college credits while in high school.” Finn has been to the Florida Elks Youth Camp three times as a camper, and this year he was hired to work as a counselor-in-training. Prior to his employment, he started a project for the camp of collecting toiletry items that were especially important to him when the camp provided him with what he had forgotten to bring. He called his campaign the “Happy Camper Hero.” It was a very personal mission, and when he had not reached his goal after soliciting his friends and family to contribute through a designated Amazon account, he reached out to the Tampa Lodge Secretary, Rick Schneider, to see if his wish list could be distributed to the Tampa Elks Lodge members. Schneider decided that it would be more expeditious to just give him the cash to shop for the items locally. He made the motion at a lodge meeting to donate $250 from charity funds towards this mission. The motion passed, and Andrew received the check from Schneider (left) and Paul DeLand, Exalted Ruler, May 16. To the members’ surprise June 8, Schneider received another email from Andrew, this time asking how to give them a refund since he had met his goal and had money left over. He was instructed to donate it to the camp. This is the kind of character that spending time at the Florida Elks Youth Camp instills in children.

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Written by May Graci

Diane Mercer, blood bank chair of St. Petersburg Lodge, arranged for OneBlood to park their Big Red Bus® at the lodge May 31 during the Memorial Day pool party. Fourteen units were collected from lodge members.

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Written by Rita Smith

Tampa Lodge had plans to celebrate Elks Youth Week with several activities   at a local public elementary school using supplies that had been purchased with the 2019 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant, but at the last minute, the Hillsborough County School Board restricted visitors to the schools again due to a sharp increase in COVID-19-related absences. With all the supplies already on hand, the Elks were thrilled to be able to pivot to a private school that employs one of the lodge’s officers. Sue Moore took the lead and set up an outdoor activity at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The Elks sponsored a free book fair May 5 for students in pre-k, kindergarten and first grade. The second graders each picked out a craft. Sue Moore and Shelagh Gombarcik picked up the car full of supplies Monday evening and Moore delivered them to the school Tuesday. Christien Elkins, Rita Smith and Tommy Moore arrived at the school the morning of the event and were greatly assisted by the Holy Trinity’s preschool administrator, Cathy Douglas, with setting up and organizing what the students would receive. The students came through in small groups as they were leaving church that morning and were excited to pick out a book. All leftover books and craft supplies were donated to the school for its summer camp program.

Pictured are Leading Knight, Rita Smith, and Tommy Moore, trustee.

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Written by May Graci

On April 15, St. Petersburg Elks Lodge #1224 donated the use of its pool to Divecare instructors to do some run-through exercises for the beginning of the dive season, and elements of it will be repeated once a month during the season at the lodge pool through October 2021. Divecare is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Florida corporation founded in 2007. Through scuba diving, Divecare's professionally trained volunteers teach members of the community with mental or physical disabilities and veterans to “fly” underwater. This gives perfect buoyancy to those who would otherwise struggle on land.