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Our Military & Veterans
Trivia Event at St. Petersburg Lodge Raises Funds for Veterans' Projects
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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.
Southeastern Guide Dogs Receives Donation from Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks
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- Written by Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks
In May, Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Lodge #2855 and its Veterans Committee raised $10,000 for Southeastern Guide Dogs with a fundraiser dance. The fundraiser dollars were matched by the Heroes Council of Southeastern Guide Dogs, bringing the total donation to $20,000. The Heroes Council provides their trained dogs to veterans at no charge. This includes guide dogs, service dogs, facility therapy dogs, emotional support dogs and gold star family dogs. The check presentation was made at the Southeastern Guide Dogs facility in Palmetto, Fla., May 14.
Pictured at the Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge donation presentation to Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, Fla., May 14 are (back row) members Frank Iannello, Dennis Dobbratz and Tom Sweeney. In the front row are Sean Brown of the Heroes Council of Southeastern Guide Dogs and guide dog, Pella; members Sue Iannello, Ken Latham, Charlotte Madar, Mary Bilkie, and Chuck Stolteben; and Chad Bouton of the Heroes Council of Southeastern Guide Dogs and his guide dog, Andros.
Crestview Lodge Participates in Memorial Day Event
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- Written by Crestview Elks
The Crestview Kiwanis Club hosted a Memorial Day ceremony May 27 at Live Oak Cemetery in Crestview, Fla. Crestview Elks Lodge Lecturing Knight, Shirley Johnson, and Exalted Ruler, Steven Piner, laid a wreath along with other community and veterans organizations.