North Central District

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Written by Winter Park Elks

Winter Park Lodge Exalted Ruler, Ron Goluba, and member Sue Jovi were once again invited to play Santa and Mrs. Claus for the children of over 300 families in need at the annual HOPE Christmas in the City event. HOPE Helps Inc. is is a local charity whose mission is to prevent and reduce homelessness in central Florida by helping individuals and families become self-sufficient through housing, outreach, prevention and education.

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Written by South Lake Elks

South Lake Elks Lodge #1848 kicked off their Christmas for Kids program with Elroy the Elk and his helpers marching in the downtown Clermont Christmas parade on Main Street Dec. 7. Over 1,200 drug-free red ribbons were passed out. That evening, residents of Clermont enjoyed the Elks Christmas for Kids boat parade with over 80 boats participating. All money raised went to help over 250 children in the community.

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Written by Eustis Elks

Eustis Lodge received a $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant that was used to sponsor the first Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Lake County, Fla. The goal of the library is to provide books for reading to preschoolers (infants up to five years old) at Eustis Ridge Elementary School.

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Written by Sue Locke

Eustis Lodge members Bill Hall, Ron Locke and TJ Platt smoked 197 turkeys the week before Thanksgiving and packaged them along with groceries to make a complete dinner and delivered the meals to 11 elementary schools for families in need Nov. 22. Charity funds from lodge fundraisers made this possible. Pictured are members Bill Hall and Adam Dufresne and Fufresne’s mother. Nancy Massingale and Sharon Myers also helped pack the meals.

On Nov. 21 at the Eustis Anna Miller Circle meeting, members packed 25 Thanksgiving dinner packages to be delivered Nov. 22 to Triangle Elementary School with 25 smoked turkeys that the Elks smoked for them. The ladies also sent additional food that was collected for these families. The ladies also used their charity fundraising funds for this project. Packing the dinners are Jean Campbell, Rita Manley, Kathy Mitchell, Carolyn Small, Anna Boykin, Shearon Jones and Bonnie Scott.

Loading the turkeys and dinners for delivery are Joyce Collier, Judy McCarroll, Tom McCarroll, Donna Scott, Bonnie Smith, Bill Scott and Ron Smith.

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Written by Suzanne Cunningham and Sherry Piskadlo

On Oct. 14, six Elks and 10 Anna Miller volunteers met at Eustis Elks Lodge #1578 to pack a donation totaling $5,001.29 worth of in-kind gifts to The Haven of Lake and Sumter Counties. The donation included 350 adult/teen welcome kits, 118 children's welcome kits, 14 birthday kits (cake mix, frosting and candles for children who celebrate their birthday at the shelter), 15 stuffed toys, baby dolls, 87 full-sized toiletries, and children's clothes. Adult/teen welcome kits are one quart-sized bag bags containing soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant and a disposable shaver. Children’s kits also include hand sanitizer, a handheld toy, lip balm and various items for children. The kits are given to each person as they arrive at the shelter to make them feel special. The Haven of Lake and Sumter Counties is a safe house for women, teens and children who have been abused as well as survivors of rape. The Haven offers many services to women and their children to help them on the road to a new safe and healthy life.