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Written by Cathy Walsh

On Sept. 11, St. Augustine Lodge presented checks, food and other items to Veterans Village Home for Heroes. The Veterans Council of St. Johns County and Home Again St. Johns collaborated in procuring funding to purchase the Old Town Motel on Anastasia Island. The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs provided a $3 million grant to purchase the motel and refurbish it. It has 22 units and will serve as transitional or permanent housing, depending on the veteran. Since opening, the facility has housed 35 veterans. Sarah McLevy, Lodge Grant Coordinator, recognized a need to stock the on-site food pantry and utilized the $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant. Brian Welliver, Exalted Ruler, worked with her to organize the donations. Cathy Walsh, charity chair, asked members to donate items such as food, hygienic supplies, paper products and water. They responded by donating approximately $2,000 worth of goods. Jessica Littlefield, Elk and Navy Seabee veteran, acquired a used freezer from her employer, loaded it into her vehicle and delivered it to the village. This will increase the type of food that can be provided for the veterans. As this motel was older, it needed major renovations, so McLevy applied for the $4,000 Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant and received a matching $4,000 grant from the Harry-Anna Trust Fund. They purchased new air conditioners for failing units, a multitude of power tools and other items needed to repair and maintain the village. Retired LTC Sarah McLevy, president of the Military Officers  Association of America – Ancient City Chapter, led her organization in throwing a barbecue, attended by eight veterans and 12 volunteers.

Pictured are Janet Barrett, Leading Knight; Cathy Walsh, charity chair; Kyle Payne and Rachel Fulghum, Home Again St. Johns; Paul Beachem, MOAA-ACC; Jim Bellamy, Veterans Chair; Gayle Cargilo, MOAA-ACC; James Cargilo, member and MOAA-ACC; Steve Muskett, MOAA-ACC; Brian Welliver, Exalted Ruler; Sarah McLevy, Lodge Grant Coordinator and MOAA-ACC; and Kevin Walsh and Jessica Littlefield, members. Also pictured is Jessica Littlefield with the donated freezer.

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Written by Gainesville Elks

Gainesville Elks #990 donated $792 worth of school supplies to the assisted living community The Gables of Gainesville Aug. 5. The residents put together 30 backpacks, which included paper, notebooks, crayons, erasers, binders and more. These backpacks were then delivered to local families in need for their children.

Pictured is staff member Jimmy McFall on his way to deliver two backpacks.

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Written by Tallahassee Elks

Tallahassee Elks Lodge #937 used its $4,000 Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant for the Tallahassee Veterans Outreach to organize the annual veterans Stand Down, held July 12-13. The outreach focuses on at-risk veterans and veterans who are homeless. The event included breakfast and lunch at an indoor facility as well as city, county and federal offices/agencies offering support and direction for those needing help. There was a strong presence of the VA Administration and the local VA clinic, North Florida Legal Services, the Red Cross and other agencies. A dentist and veterinarian were present for consultations for veterans and their pets.

Lodge members Anna Kenney, Leading Knight; Lee Fish, past trustee; Bob Thorburn, PER, North District Vice President; and Tom Walden, PDD, Lodge Secretary (red shirt), served several hours on the Saturday breakfast food line.

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Written by Karen Tracy

Jacksonville Elks Lodge members delivered Elks National Veterans Service Commission Welcome Home Kits of household items, food and furniture to two women veterans. U.S. Navy veteran Brandi, who completed the transitioning program through Five Star Veterans Center, received her kit July 28. Donations from members and Our Father’s Housewares included an end table, dressers, nightstands, a kitchen table and chairs, a twin bed and frame, and household items. A patriotic sofa throw was also donated by a local quilting group. The lodge used $434.90 from the ENVSC Welcome Home Kit program, which included $44.10 for food and a new queen bed. The donated household items and furniture amounted to an estimated $847. The members also brought her 9-year-old son a backpack filled with supplies. He was so excited to receive the backpack. He thanked the members and immediately put it on and didn’t take it off the whole time they were unloading items. Pictured are Brandi; Donnie Rowand, House Committee Chair; and David Graham, PER, trustee. The 15th Welcome Home Kit was delivered Aug.11 to a U.S. Air Force veteran and respiratory therapist who was transitioning from Northeast Florida Women Veterans Center. She had already received some household supplies from other agencies the center works with and just needed a few items to fill in the gaps. She was extremely grateful for the lodge’s donations, including food, a nightstand, and a queen bed and frame. She had been sleeping on a thin pallet on the floor, so the bed was greatly appreciated. Donations were estimated at $217, with an additional $372.17 from the Welcome Home Kit program for the food, bed and various household items. Pictured are items from her kit.

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Written by Rita Smith, PER

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.

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Written by Virginia Warfield

Members of St. Petersburg Elks Lodge #1224 donated school supplies worth approximately $800 during a back-to-school drive held in August.

On Aug. 19, Brian Haverfield, Exalted Ruler, right, presented these supplies to Tyrone Middle School's Family & Community Liaison, Brittany O’Brien.