Our Military & Veterans

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Written by South Southeast District Elks

The lodges of the South Southeast District came together to assist U.S. Navy veteran Kenneth Mueller. Mueller, who served on the destroyer USS Conyngham, uses a wheelchair and had difficulty getting in and out of his home. Boca Raton Lodge member John Allsopp met with him and approached the district for help. The lodges in the district – Boca Raton #2166, Delray Beach #1770, Hollywood West #2365, Oakland Park #2407 and Pompano Beach #1898 – pooled resources to fund and build him a ramp. Boca Raton Lodge members John Allsopp and Tim Hallman built and installed the ramp. Mueller thanks the efforts of the lodge members.

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Written by Mary Yuhas

On May 8, Elks Riders from Delray Beach Elks Lodge #1770 raised $500 for charity from their curbside pickup dinner. The group paid for the food and cooked some of it as well. The proceeds will go to a veterans’ organization of their choosing but they are waiting until the lodge reopens to make the decision. Pictured are Janelle Antoine; Patrick Keegan; Crystal Cirminiello; Jeff Cirminiello; Chris Aielo, Loyal Knight; and Roger Cope, Leading Knight.

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Written by Brandon Elks

Brandon Elks Lodge #2383 came through once again for the veterans living at Liberty Manor for Veterans in Tampa, Florida. Because there are 18 veterans who reside here, only those who wake up at 6 a.m. were lucky enough to get some ice for the day, or they would have to put some in a bag labeled with their name and store it. Because lodge members cook often for the veterans, they saw the need for an electric ice maker and purchased one for them using $856.95 of their Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant. The ice machine was delivered and Dave Lindsay, husband of founder Connie Lindsay, installed it. The veterans can now access ice any time of day. Pictured May 18 with the new machine are veterans Art Gardiner and David “Wolf” Peacock. The mission of Liberty Manor for Veterans Inc. is “to promote the developmental and social needs of disabled and honorably discharged veterans who have fallen victim to homelessness providing transitional supported housing and establishing objectives designed to attribute to self-sufficiency.”

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Written by Becky Wills

Viera Elks Lodge #2817 continued their support of local veterans by providing furniture to six veterans – four in March and two in June – transitioning to permanent housing. The program is VOA/SSVF (Volunteers of America/Supportive Services for Veterans Families) Transitional Housing Program. The $600 was from the lodge’s Elks National Foundation Focus Grant. In addition, the lodge spent $933 from its Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant for crockpots and food for another 25 veterans in the same time period. Additionally, the lodge used funds from its Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to further support local veterans by purchasing a mattress June 4 for $200 and providing rental assistance of $325 June 16.

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Written by May Graci

A group of St. Petersburg Lodge volunteers spent all day May 19 beginning to build a wheelchair ramp at a resident’s home at Heaven on Earth for Veterans (HOEV). Old concrete walkways had to be dug up before they could be framed. Dawn Lieber, PER was instrumental in getting this project organized and gathering volunteers to complete the project Memorial Day weekend. The concrete was poured May 25. This project was funded by the lodge’s Elks National Foundation Freedom Grant. Sharon Literski, Loyal Knight, and Al Literski, Lecturing Knight, worked under the direction of Carol Barkalow, HOEV co-founder and Lodge Esquire, along with the assistance of concrete and block mason, Mark Walsh. A successful home accessibility project requires careful planning to be certain that the ramp meets the occupant's needs, complies with local building requirements and is safe for use in all types of weather. Founded in March 2013, Heaven on Earth for Veterans Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provides quality living spaces for veterans in need. 

St. Petersburg Lodge members Wayne Simpson; Al Literski, Lecturing Knight; Gary Stedham; Sharon Literski, Loyal Knight; and Jan Musgrave begin cleaning and marking the ramp area using stakes and string after clearing the area.

Pictured are St. Petersburg Lodge members Jan Musgrave; Gary Stedham; Sharon Literski, Loyal Knight; Al Literski, Lecturing Knight; and Wayne Simpson.

Before...

...and after

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Written by Bob Erwin

On April 13, Bradenton Lodge donated the $700 remaining balance of the $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant to the veterans’ outreach program of Turning Points, a local charitable organization in Bradenton, Florida, that helps those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The lodge used the first $1,300 in support of a Manatee County veterans’ Stand Down event. Pictured with social distancing are Edwin Robinson, veterans’ caseworker, and Mike Eymann, PER.