Paul Colicci Jr., Englewood Elks Lodge #2378 Veterans Committee Chair, and member Joyce Sousa have been busy since the beginning of the year rounding up and delivering donations for veterans. To date, Colicci and Sousa have collected and delivered 73 crocheted blankets, 37 bags of clothing, five boxes of personal items, three boxes of kitchen items, one small appliance and a grill to the Port Charlotte Florida Homeless Coalition to assist individuals and families in need of food and shelter. They have also been collecting shoeboxes for the lodge’s adopt-a-box veterans program. The shoeboxes are all wrapped, mostly by Sousa, and are ready to be “adopted” by lodge members and friends of the Elks and filled with supplies of their choosing for veterans with items such as shampoos, conditioners, razors, soaps, lotions, socks, candies, books, magazines, cards and any small personal items the veterans might enjoy having.
Pictured by a car full of donations are Paul Colicci Jr. and Joyce Sousa. Also pictured are all the shoeboxes wrapped by Sousa.