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Umatilla, FL 32784-0049
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Our Military & Veterans
Sanford Elks Lodge Sponsors Veterans at Orlando Magic's Seats for Soldiers Night
- Details
- Written by Cristin Rumler
On Nov. 13, Sanford Elks Lodge #1241 sponsored 52 seats at a total of $500 for veterans and their families at the Seats for Soldiers Night presented by Orlando Magic, Mission Zero Actual and L3Harris at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Seats for Soldiers honors and hosts military members and their families at an Orlando Magic game and features several activities and entertainment. Prior to the game, fallen soldiers are honored by the team holding their jerseys with each soldier’s name listed on the back.
Pictured are the jerseys, each signed by the team players.
Bay Pines VA Chemotherapy Patients Receive Digital Thermometers from St. Petersburg Elks
- Details
- Written by Johnny Miller
On Jan. 25, St. Petersburg Elks Lodge #1224 donated 400 digital oral thermometers to the chemotherapy unit at the Bay Pines VA Hospital. Each chemotherapy patient takes one home and can check their temperature at home, making sure they do not have a fever. This saves them a trip if they do, because they cannot get the treatment needed at that time. The value of the thermometers is $400.
Pictured are some of the thermometers.
Orlando Elks Lodge Supports Soldiers' Angels
- Details
- Written by Mike McClay, PER
Orlando Elks Lodge #1079 shared its $3,500 Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant with Soldiers’ Angels (SA) in the Orlando area. Soldiers’ Angels is a national organization that assists service members and veterans and their families. The lodge earmarked $2,500 for food, which will cover about 75 pounds of food for 230 veterans’ families in January. The additional $1,000 will be used to purchase housing packs for veterans who are homeless.
Pictured Dec. 19 at the lodge for the check presentation are Christina Atkinson, SA volunteer and lodge treasurer; Denise Johns, lodge member, SA volunteer and administers the bingo program; Carol Adams, lodge member, lodge chef and SA female volunteer of the year; Judy Erickson, SA Orlando chair; and Past Exalted Rulers Mike McClay and Tony Schiappa.
Brandon Elks and Ladies Team with New Channel 10 Tampa Bay to Support Troops Overseas
- Details
- Written by Robin Rutzke
In partnership with news channel 10 Tampa Bay, Brandon Elks Lodge #2383 collected $2,800 worth of toiletries and other items for the nonprofit Support the Troops. Marionette Sexton, Leading Knight, organized the collection and asked lodge members to donate some of the five most requested items by military members serving overseas in remote areas. Lodge members and Brandon Ladies of the Elks generously donated white tube socks, toothpaste, beef jerky, gum and hard candy during December. In the first week of January, a representative from 10 Tampa Bay stopped by the lodge to pick up the donations and deliver them to Support the Troops. These donations were packed in care packages and sent overseas.
Tampa Elks Deliver Dinner to VA Domiciliary
- Details
- Written by Rita Smith
On Jan. 21, veterans from the James A. Haley Domiciliary were scheduled to attend dinner at Tampa Elks Lodge #708 for the first time in almost two years. When the Omicron variant surged, the VA reinstated the quarantine, and the dinner was canceled. Rather than give up, the lodge Veterans Committee voted to provide the veterans with a pizza party as a welcome break from hospital food. Blackjack Pizza, salad and soft drinks for 18 were delivered for the veterans.
Pictured are Ryan Nitzsche, recreation director, and José Ramon, Lodge Veterans Chair.
Largo Elks Team with Local News Channel to Collect Items for Service Members
- Details
- Written by Largo Elks
Pictured Jan. 4 at Largo Elks Lodge #2159 are Kathryn Bursch from local news channel 10 Tampa Bay and Kathy Pollard, lodge member, with the lodge’s donations for 10 for the Troops. The lodge collected socks, candy, gum and other similar items for military members, 115 items in all.
West Palm Beach Elks Donate Canteen Booklets to 90 Local Veterans at VA Hospital
- Details
- Written by West Palm Beach Elks
With member donations, West Palm Beach Elks Lodge #1352 donated a $25 canteen booklet to all 90 live-in patients at the Palm Beach County Veterans Hospital Dec. 21 for the holidays.
Pictured are Mary Sassone, lodge member, presenting the gifts to Heather Murphy, chief of volunteer services.
Lake Okeechobee Elks Deliver Snacks to West Palm Beach VAMC Veterans
- Details
- Written by Lake Okeechobee Elks
On Dec. 10, Irene Smith and Cheryl Gumz of Lake Okeechobee Elks Lodge #2871 passed out snack packs to the veterans at the West Palm Beach VAMC.
Lakeland Elks Lodge Donates Gift Cards to Lakeland Veteran Center
- Details
- Written by Lakeland Elks
In early December, Kristen Francks, co-chair of Lakeland Lodge’s Veterans Committee, presented $4,000 in Walmart and Publix gift cards donated by members to Mark Martin, Lakeland Veteran Center Director. The center will distribute them to their veterans in the most need.
Veterans Receive Thanksgiving Meals from Perry Elks
- Details
- Written by Perry Elks
On Nov. 18, Perry Elks Lodge #1851 used lodge funds and member donations to give Thanksgiving bags full of food donations to local veterans’ families.
Pictured with the donations is Clayton Huff, Exalted Ruler.
Fort Walton Elks Assist Wreaths Across America in Placing More than 1,200 Wreaths at Beale Memorial Cemetery
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
Fort Walton Elks Lodge #1795 purchased 10 wreaths for the Wreaths Across America program, but they also helped a large team of volunteers lay wreaths at 1,254 veterans’ graves at Beale Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Dec. 18. This was the second annual event held in Fort Walton Beach and it was heavily supported by many community groups. The presentation of the wreath is a special procedure. After laying a wreath on a veteran’s grave, the volunteer will take one step back, come to attention, present a slow-hand salute, mention the veteran’s rank and branch of service (if known), and thank the veteran for his or her service.
Pictured are Taz WrightReynolds, PER, Exalted Ruler; Kevin Clemons, PDD, Northwest District Leader; Rob Parks, member; Tom McLaughlin, Loyal Knight; Colette Willey, member; Mark Wynn, Inner Guard; Marcie Tingler, trustee; and Paul Willey, PER.
Also pictured is Tom McLaughlin giving a slow-hand salute to a veteran.
St. Petersburg Elks Lodge Hosts USA Show to Benefit Bay Pines VA
- Details
- Written by Toni Goodrich, PDD
On Dec. 16 at St. Petersburg Elks Lodge #1224, the Ladies of Elks Auxiliary presented a check to the Bay Pines Elks Hospital Fund for $4,035. The donation was from the proceeds from the Nov. 6 USA Show put on by lodge members and Ladies members of the lodge. It was a sold-out event chaired by Dolly Masi, PER to raise funds for the Florida Elks Hospital Fund to replenish needed clothing and toiletries at the Bay Pines VA.
Pictured are Rudy Masi, PSP; Jan Giallourakis, Ladies of Elks President; Dolly Masi, PER, USA Show chair; Frank Jones, Bay Pines VA Director of Volunteer Services; Jan Gens; and Johnny Miller, Elks VAVS Representative.