Our Military & Veterans

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Written by Ken Fabiani

Zephyrhills Lodge members donated clothing to James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Fla. Pictured at the delivery are Ken Fabiani, PER; Tammi Clarke, Chief of Voluntary Services; and Steve Czerneski, member. 

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Written by Ken Fabiani

On May 3, members of Zephyrhills Elks Lodge #2731 donated and delivered necessities for a veteran’s new home including pots and pans, dishes, personal hygiene items, towels, sheets, lamps, a television and a television stand, a bedroom set, a recliner, and a microwave. A member also donated $100 to help him with food purchases. Pictured are Tom Pete, lodge volunteer; Joe Rowbashaw, veteran; and Ken Fabiani, PER.

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Written by Patti Lydon

On May 11, 58 Vietnam veterans, 16 Korean War veterans and seven World War II veterans were welcomed home from an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., which is sponsored by the nonprofit organization Southeast Florida Honor Flight based in Stuart, Fla. These flights are four times a year and the Delray Beach Elks Lodge Veterans Committee (Chairman, Laurie Rogers, and members Phyllis Baxter, Bonnie Permenter and Patti Lydon) goes to Palm Beach International Airport to welcome home these veterans.

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Written by Ken Fabiani

Zephyrhills Elks Lodge #2731 presented a donation of $225 to the Chief of Recreation Therapy at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Fla. Pictured are Ron Ellison, lodge member; Geoff Hopkins, Chief of Recreation Service; and Ken Fabiani, PER.

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Written by May Graci

St. Petersburg Lodge member Ed White recently chaired an event that raised $1,060 for veterans. The lodge presented $500 to the C.W. Bill Young VAMC’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) unit. The lodge will use $100 to purchase hats for veterans and the remaining $460 will be used to purchase and distribute canteen books for visiting veterans used at the BX or canteen at Bay Pines. The Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) was created in 1946 to provide articles of merchandise and services at reasonable prices to veterans enrolled in the VA health-care system, caregivers and visitors. 

Pictured at the St. Petersburg Lodge presentation of $500 to the C.W. Bill Young VAMC’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) unit are Jessica D’Allesio, PRRC recreation therapist; Ed White, lodge event chairman; Johnny Miller, Deputy Representative to C.W. Bill Young VAMC; and Chrissy Agenor, PRRC program manager.

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Written by May Graci

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System hosted a stand down for homeless veterans March 30 in the Veterans Courtyard at the C.W. Bill Young VAMC campus. Hundreds of veterans were provided with a broad range of necessities including food; clothing; medical, legal and mental health assistance; job counseling and referrals; and companionship and camaraderie. As in years past, St. Petersburg Lodge hosted a table and handed out 500 double-layered fleece blankets. The blankets were made during the course of the 2018-2019 lodge year by Kat Chaplin and other lodge members. The lodge held multiple fundraisers throughout the year and received donations from members and the lodge’s Ladies of Elks organization to purchase fleece material at a cost of $19,200.

Pictured at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s veterans stand down March 30 are St. Petersburg Lodge members Debbie Rase, Kat Chaplin and Cathy Sosa.