On March 6, Fort Myers Elks Lodge #1288 held a chili cook-off fundraiser to benefit the Florida Elks’ Army of Hope. The contest raised $580. The membership voted at the March 17 meeting to add $520 from the charity account to the profits from the cook-off, and the Ladies of Elks contributed $500, making the total donation to the Army of Hope $1,600. This fund allows the Florida Elks to provide assistance to the families of military members in the state.