On Sept. 2, St. Augustine Lodge members Kevin and Cathy Walsh met Amanda Mills of Five Star Veterans Center at the Epic-Cure warehouse to donate items for ENVSC Welcome Home Kits for two veterans who were transferring to permanent housing. Epic-Cure’s mission is to prevent discarding of items that can be used to fight hunger and poverty. They partner with the Steven Cohen Military Clinic and the Five Star Veterans Center to provide cooking lessons to veterans.
On July 19, St. Augustine Elks Lodge #829 donated $2,000 to Epic-Cure Inc., whose mission is to eliminate food waste; rescue food to help eliminate hunger; and teach life skills to seniors, students and veterans. The donation was used to purchase knives for veterans for personal use and for new kitchen items for veterans transitioning into housing.
Pictured is lodge member Maria Crann giving a cooking demonstration at Epic-Cure.
On Sept. 12, the Veterans Committee of Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge donated supplies and canned goods to Veterans Village to assist in the transitioning of veterans to permanent housing.
Pictured are Sylvia Imer, director, and veteran Dennis Bellow.
On Aug. 14, Fort Pierce Lodge delivered snacks, games and more to the Ardie R. Copas State Veterans’ Nursing Home, at a total value of $435 donated by members.
Pictured are Beverly Dally, Lodge Veterans Co-chair, and Valerio DaSilva, nursing assistant/activities.
Twin Cities Elks Lodge #2747 donated its $1,000 Elks National Foundation Freedom Grant to the Eglin Air Force Base Fisher House. The Fisher House provides lodging, at no cost, for families of veterans receiving medical care at the Eglin AFB Hospital. The funds will be used for housing costs, including bedding, toiletries and air travel, for families who have a military service member or military dependent in the Eglin Hospital. Usually, these patients are long-term care patients.
Pictured are Robert Campbell, Fisher House manager, and Don Dowdy, Exalted Ruler.
On Aug. 31, Donald Soderblom, Sanford Lodge Veterans Chair, delivered various planters with water saucers and potting soil, which were donated by the lodge, to the Lake Baldwin VA HUD-VASH. The items were donated to prevent a recently homeless veteran from being in breach of their lease with possible eviction for having their plants outside. The supplies donated will allow the veteran to move their plants inside their home.
Pictured is David Madeux, voluntary service specialist at the VA, with the potting supplies.
On July 13, Port St. Lucie Elks Lodge #2658 received a certificate of appreciation for its donation of $610, raised by Lodge Veterans Co-chair, Kathy Borrelli, to benefit the veterans of the Navy Seabees. The lodge collects funds for veterans in tin cans that are placed on tabletops. The funds were used to purchase food gift cards.
Pictured are Harry Fava, Veterans Co-chair; Paul Wilson, Commander of the Seabees Veterans of America Island X-10; Tom Randazzo, Exalted Ruler; and Kathy Borrelli, Veterans Co-chair.
Using the $3,000 Elks National Foundation Freedom Grant, Sanford Elks Lodge #1241 hosted a game day July 16 for veterans from the Lake Baldwin VA Domiciliary in Orlando, Florida. Veterans enjoyed a full-service homecooked meal and a game of bingo with members.
Pictured are lodge volunteers; veterans playing bingo; and Kathy Soderblom, spouse, and Jeff Rumler, PDD, plating meals.
On Aug 22, the Lakewood Ranch Sarasota Lodge Veterans Committee hosted a luncheon at Veterans Village in appreciation for service and sacrifice of veterans.
Pictured in the front are veterans Herbert Brown and George McKay. Veterans Committee servers behind the table are Tom Sweeney, Barbara Christopher, Melissa Hickey and Deb Kehoe.
On Aug 22, the Lakewood Ranch Sarasota Lodge Veterans Committee hosted a luncheon at Veterans Village in appreciation for service and sacrifice of veterans.
Pictured in the front are veterans Herbert Brown and George McKay. Veterans Committee servers behind the table are Tom Sweeney, Barbara Christopher, Melissa Hickey and Deb Kehoe.
On Aug. 15, Army veteran John Keel moved in to his new home in Tampa with the help from the Zephyrhills Elks Lodge Veterans Committee. In addition to the furniture he received, he also received an Elks National Foundation Welcome Home kit. Lodge Veterans Chair, Ken Fabiani, PER, says, “Our homeless veterans are so overwhelmed and afraid that they are asking for too much, but we tell them to ask and if we have it, you are more than welcome to have it.”
Fort Pierce Elks Lodge #1520 made its monthly donation to Ardie R. Copas State Veterans' Nursing Home July 21. Members donated supplies valued at $468 for the home’s snack cart.
Pictured are Rod Dally, Lodge Veterans Chair; Bev Dally; and Donna Rogers, home administrator.
Also on July 21, Rod Dally delivered items valued at $426 to the West Palm Beach Veterans Services.
He is pictured with staff member Paulette Blockson.