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Written by Parrish Elks

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On Nov. 11, Parrish Elks Lodge members marched in the first Parrish Veterans Day Parade and carried the American flag, POW flag and the six branch of service flags. Member veterans Wayne Masters and Ken Terry rode the parade route in a Sahara Jeep.

Pictured are Kara Cormier, granddaughter of member Mitch Loiselle; members Frank Loviglio, Mitch Loiselle, Joe Kline, and Ken Knight; Mariah Cormier, granddaughter of Mitch Loiselle; and members Jeff Egelston and Sandy Reinhartz. 

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Written by Lynn Monahan

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On Oct. 22, members from Sarasota South Elks Lodge #2495 met students from Robert E. Willis Elementary School as they entered the school and provided them with 800 Drug Awareness packets filled with coloring books, crayons, Drug Awareness bookmarks and Red Ribbons. Teachers and parents were excited to see Elroy the Elk (member Colin Murphy) and Elroy received many hugs and high fives!

Pictured are Paul Garcia, Exalted Ruler; a father and his two children; Elroy the Elk; Christopher Keim, Inner Guard; Dee Pico-Keim, PER, Drug Awareness State Chair; and Phyllis Morales, Willis Elementary certified school counselor and Elk.

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Written by Brandon Elks

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Each year, Emergency Care Help Organization requests help and donations from the community so they can continue to provide a hot Thanksgiving meal along with a Blessing Bag to families living in local motels. The bags are full of groceries and toiletries. In October, Terri Ciesla, Brandon Ladies of Elks President, went shopping with $1,760 from the lodge charity account to purchase shampoo and conditioner, baby wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bars of soap, peanut butter and jelly, crackers, beef jerky, granola bars, and fruit snacks. On Oct. 28, 10 Brandon Ladies of Elks gathered at the lodge to fill 100 Blessing Bags. On Oct. 29, Brandon Ladies Gayle Cook, Charlene Hart and Terri Ciesla delivered the bags to ECHO.

Pictured in the front with the bags are Charlene Hart; Ann Fox, PLP; Kathy Bilinski; and Terri Ciesla, President. In the back are Ann Marie Florentino; Jane Moon, PSP-FLOE; Janice Jacobson; Barbara O’Brien; Judy Kilchenstein and Beverly Lowe.

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Written by Green Cove Springs Elks

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On Sept. 30, Green Cove Springs Elks Lodge #1892 made presentations to support two community services. The lodge donated $1,000 from charity bingo to The Way Free Medical Clinic, whose mission is to improve access to health care and provide free medical services to uninsured, low-income residents of Clay County. The lodge also used a portion of the Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to provide 25 tote bags filled with household items, snacks and a grocery store gift card to Aging True Green Cove Springs Senior Center. 

Pictured are Andrea Crowder, The Way executive director; Jennifer Parker, PER, Exalted Ruler; Jacqueline Bennett, senior center supervisor; Barbara Jimenez, senior center assistant supervisor; and Dianne Schaub, senior center volunteer.

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Written by Jacksonville Elks

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On Oct. 31, Jacksonville Elks Lodge #221donated $2,000 to help students at Alden Road Exception Student Center with their school lunches for the remainder of the school year. ARESC is one of the 37 non-Community Eligibility Provision schools in Duval County that had their school lunch program canceled, and staff members and teachers at the school were paying for the students’ lunches out of their own pockets. Principal Joey Blitch expressed how grateful they all are for the donation. During a visit to ARESC, lodge members participated in the school’s open house, where they had the opportunity to purchase items made by the students.

Pictured are Cynthia Pearson, Duval County Public Schools Board member; Deborah Reedy, PER, Lodge Secretary; Joey Blitch, principal; Pam Haley, member; Donna Blaine, vice principal; and Robin Pipkins, trustee.

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Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER

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Fort Walton Elks Lodge #1795 recently raised $12,432 from member donations as well as activities such as the lodge’s fourth annual Oktoberfest, held Sept. 20, and other lodge social events. The public was welcome at Oktoberfest, which was held on the lodge patio by the bay water. There were performances by The Polka Dots, The Good Lookings and DJ Tizzy Totten. German bratwursts and sides and German beers were available for purchase. There were feats of strength competitions, such as keg tosses and beer stein challenges. In lieu of admission tickets, the lodge asked for a donation at the door for the Elks National Foundation and children’s charities. The donations from these recent events were presented Sept. 27 at the State President's district visit — $2,616 to Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services, $9,216 to the Harry-Anna Trust Fund and $600 to the Army of Hope.

Pictured at Oktoberfest are The Polka Dots with Regina Scott, Oktoberfest Chair, and Marcia WrightReynolds, Exalted Ruler and board chair, and Michael “Taz” WrightReynolds, PER, emcee. Pictured at the donation presentation are Jeff Rumler, PDD, Harry-Anna Trust Fund State Chair; Jamie Clemons, Lodge Secretary; Marcia WrightReynolds; and Mike Chandler, State President.

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Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER

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On Oct. 9, Crestview Elks Lodge #2624 donated $10,000 from the Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant to Dinner at Dad's Compassionate Ministries. These funds will directly support the upcoming Remote Area Medical clinic, which is coming to Crestview for the first time. The RAM clinic, scheduled for late November, will provide free medical, dental and vision care to individuals and families in need throughout the community. Each dollar donated to the RAM clinic equals approximately $3 in medical services, meaning this grant will deliver nearly $30,000 worth of essential care to residents.

Pictured are Traci Medlock, trustee; Pastor Joe Bennett of the Crestview Church of the Nazarene; Ed Mitchell Jr., DAD’s president; Deb McMullen, Exalted Ruler; and Larry Medlock, chaplain.

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Written by West Citrus Elks

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On Sept. 6, West Citrus Elks Lodge #2693 held a sock hop and collected 534 pairs of socks donated by members for The Path, a rescue mission in Beverly Hills, offering shelter and other services.

Pictured are Mike Floch, Exalted Ruler; Debbie Lawrence and Jill Jeroski, House Committee members; Susie Radigan from The Path; and Roxanne Bartosek, House Committee member.