Tampa Elk Shirley Menendez purchased 15 tickets to the low country boil that the Ladies of the Elks put on July 19. The tickets were given to the Lodge Veterans Committee so they could invite 15 veterans in temporary housing at the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has partnered with the Veterans Administration and recently built a separate facility for veterans experiencing homelessness, and they have 50 beds dedicated to veterans. They have also purchased a 15-person van, so now they can include more of their clients in lodge excursions. The inclusion of female veterans is also recent, and three females came to the dinner, which consisted of crawfish, shrimp, clams, sausage, potatoes, corn and a roll. Dessert was a lemon crunch cake. It was a successful merging of the Elks, Ladies of the Elks and Salvation Army. The Ladies of the Elks did the cooking, Veterans Committee members worked as servers and the committee picked up the drinks tab. One of the Salvation Army staff members from another city was so impressed that he made a generous donation to the Veterans Committee.

Pictured are Shirley Menendez and some of the veterans.