News Features
P.O. Box 49
Umatilla, FL 32784-0049
Share Your Story
We'd love to see & share your Lodge & District Events!
Let's promote what our Florida Elks are doing to support your community
Preserve any person, event, or memory with a personalized brick at your Florida Elks Youth Camp in Umatilla, Florida.
Learn More
Our Military & Veterans
Zephyrhills Lodge Provides Veteran with Household Goods
- Details
- Written by Ken Fabiani, PER
Zachary Scott is the tenth veteran who has been helped by Zephyrhills Lodge and the Veterans Committee with moving into his own place and starting a new life. On Aug. 6, the lodge provided Scott with a laptop, a dish set for four, silverware, towels, bedding, pillows and personal hygiene items.
Bay Pines Veterans Hospital Receives Supplies and Treats from Zephyrhills Lodge
- Details
- Written by Zephyrhills Elks
On Aug. 1, Zephyrhills Elks Lodge #2731 and the Veterans Committee donated clothing to Bay Pines Veterans Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla. The donation included Men’s and women’s undergarments, shirts, pants, shoes and pajamas as well as a large backpack and travel duffle bag. The Elks also donated some sweet treats including chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate-covered mints and chocolate-covered caramels. Accepting the donation from PER Ken Fabiani, Veterans chairman, is Edgardo Solivan of Bay Pines Volunteer Services.
Trivia Event at St. Petersburg Lodge Raises Funds for Veterans' Projects
- Details
- Written by May Graci
The Bronco Babes (Lyn Dexter; “Bronco” Exalted Ruler; Dawn Elaine Lieber; and Penny Rase and Debbie Rase, co-chairmen, put St. Petersburg Lodge brains to the test Aug. 10 with a fun night of trivia, camaraderie and friendly competition which resulted in raising over $600 for lodge veterans’ projects.
Winter Park Lodge Donates Backpacks for Veterans who are Homeless
- Details
- Written by Winter Park Elks
Winter Park Lodge ember Kevin Robeson presented Elks National Veterans Service Commission representative Ron Goluba, PER with 50 adult backpacks for veterans who are homeless at the Lake Baldwin VA facility in Orlando, Fla. The Orlando area often has veterans, both men and women, who migrate from other cities but are not residents. The lodge is very supportive of the two local VA facilities (Lake Baldwin and Lake Nona) with donations exceeding $6,000 for necessary items such as toiletries.
West Citrus Lodge Veterans Committee Donates for Veteran's Honor Flight
- Details
- Written by West Citrus Elks
On Aug. 5, the West Citrus Lodge Veterans Committee presented a $400 check to Barbara Mills, an Honor Flight representative, to assist with the cost of an Honor Flight for a former lodge member and World War II veteran and his son to Washington, D.C., Oct. 22. Pictured at the donation presentation are Charlie Mattingly, veteran; Joanne Hepner, lodge chairman of the Veterans Committee; Barbara Mills, Honor Flight representative; and Jack McKowen and Bill Dennington, veterans. These three veterans are previous Honor Flight recipients.
West Citrus Elks Donate to Mission of Citrus Inc. Homeless Shelter
- Details
- Written by West Citrus Elks
On July 15, West Citrus Elks Lodge #2693 presented a $1,000 check to the Mission of Citrus Inc. Homeless Shelter in Inverness, Fla., using the Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant. The donation was very appreciated; the organization does so much for homeless veterans and their families. Pictured at the presentation are Harry Morris and Paul Kissig, veterans; Joanne Hepner, lodge Veterans Committee chairman; Cindy Green, Exalted Ruler; and Katherine Romanowski, Mission Director in Crystal River, Fla.
Handmade Afghan Donated to Aripeka Lodge's Parade of Heroes Fundraiser
- Details
- Written by Aripeka Elks
Polly Nichols knitted and donated an afghan depicting the U.S. flag that was auctioned off July 4 at a lodge celebration. The proceeds from the auction were for the Elks Parade of Heroes project. Her husband, Roy, will be on the next flight to Washington, D.C., in November 2019. Cathy Schmidt attends bingo at the lodge nearly every week and won the raffle. Pictured with Schmidt is Jim Warren, bingo chairman. Nichols and Schmidt are not lodge members.
St. Petersburg Lodge Hosts Dinners and Bowling for Veterans
- Details
- Written by May Graci
On the first Tuesday of the month at Seminole Lanes, St. Petersburg Elks Lodge #1224 continues to treat 10-13 veterans to bowling from 5-7:30 p.m. The lodge also takes care of the shoe rental and they give the veterans a $10 voucher for food while they enjoy bowling.
St. Petersburg Lodge also continues to treat veterans and VMC staff members from the Community Living Center and from Bay Pines Domiciliary to dinner on alternating Thursdays. They enjoy singing karaoke, too. The veterans also enjoy fellowship with lodge members who spend time not only tending to the veterans’ needs during mealtime but also take the time to have lively conversation.
Girls Run Iced Tea and Cookie Stand for Veterans
- Details
- Written by Cheryl Shaw
During the week of the Fourth of July, Lexi Kuczkowski and Arial Minor set up an iced tea and cookie stand to raise money for veterans. PER Frank Kuczkowski of Port Orange Elks Lodge #2723 accepted their donation on behalf of the Homeless Veterans Organization.
VA Hospital Veterans Join Florida Keys for Lunch and Bingo
- Details
- Written by Ruth Huenniger
Florida Keys Elks Lodge #1872 hosted 19 VA hospital veterans from Miami for lunch and several games of bingo July 8. The lodge volunteers for the day were Tom Quilter, Linda Sullivan, Pat Ferguson, Angela Sayre, Tracy Fraum, and Lee and Ruth Huenniger (not all are pictured).
Viera Lodge uses ENVSC Grants to Help Veterans Move to Permanent Housing
- Details
- Written by Becky Wills
Viera Elks Lodge #2817 partners with the VOA/SSVF (Volunteers of America/Supportive Services for Veterans Families) transitional housing program. They team the lodge with the veterans who are in need and who qualify for assistance. When the veteran is ready for permanent housing, the lodge provides the furniture needed to turn the new housing into a home using funds from the Focus Grant. The Focus Grant is funded by the Elks National Veterans Service Commission (ENVSC) and this year was for $10,000. It is specifically designed to address veterans’ homelessness. Since April 1, the lodge has provided 11 veterans with furnishings to complete their transition into permanent housing. In addition, they have provided emergency assistance to eight veterans. This support has included a week’s hotel rental for a veteran who lost his home in a fire, purchasing bicycles for two veterans so they could get to work, purchasing tools for a veteran so he could secure a job and paying for fumigation costs for a single mother with three children. These efforts were all made possible by the Focus Grant. They have also shopped for seven veterans for the Welcome Home Kit program which is also funded through the ENVSC and enables a lodge to take a veteran shopping for necessary household needs who is moving into permanent housing. The maximum per veteran is $300, and the lodge is reimbursed by the ENVSC.
Veteran Greg Kellogg shops for tools using an ENVSC grant provided to Viera Lodge so he can maintain his new apartment.
Winter Park Lodge Donates $3,000 for Veterans' Needed Items
- Details
- Written by Winter Park Elks
Elks National Veterans Service Commission (ENVSC) Representative Ron Goluba poses with Walmart employees Daisy, Dorothy and Joemary. They helped Goluba gather items needed by the veterans at Lake Baldwin VA Center and Lake Nona VA Center. A total of $3,000 was given to the ENVSC by Winter Park Elks Lodge #1830 for the purchase of items requested by each center. So many items were requested that it took two days, June 26-27, to shop for both VA centers.