North Central District

Details

Written by Eustis Elks

Hits: 717

On Dec. 15, Eustis Lodge held a Christmas party for Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services patients and others. Children made crafts and had fun on wooden horses. Bill Hall read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Santa Claus and his elf came to hand out gifts, and characters from the Star Wars movies took pictures with the guests.

Details

Written by Tracy Stockel

Hits: 887

At Ocala Lodge’s monthly first responders appreciation dinner, Exalted Ruler, Mike Miller, and Loyal Knight, Captain Mike Rolls, presented Belleview officers Stephan Michaelides and Casey Polidori with awards. These officers responded to a call and were fired upon. They immediately took up tactical positions to engage the shooter. The shooter took his own life as the officers approached him. It is said that courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to act in the face of it.

Officers Stephan Michaelides, with his wife, Lupe, and Casey Polidori, with his fiancé, Amy, receive awards from Ocala Lodge for their courage under fire.

Details

Written by Tracy Stockel

Hits: 732

Ocala Lodge used their Elks National Foundation Promise Grant to host a Christmas party for 25 children who are not living with their families. These children live at a group home called the Arnett House. Each child received a stocking, several gifts, had a delicious dinner, and enjoyed Christmas music and karaoke with a DJ. Pictured at the party are Santa and Mrs. Claus (PER George Cooke and his wife, Agnes). The reindeer and elf are the lodge Esquire’s children, Amelia and Byron.

Details

Written by Patsy Despain

Hits: 787

Eustis Lodge used a $2,500 Elks National Foundation Promise Grant and a $2,500 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to provide more than 1,200 books (all stamped with “Donated by Eustis Elks Lodge”) to three elementary schools. This was the 11th year the lodge gave a dictionary to each of the third-graders at Treadway Elementary and the seventh year they gave a thesaurus to all their fourth-graders. Three years ago, they included Eustis Heights Elementary and at the same time added a novel for all fifth-graders which was written by a local author. A group of about 30 students from each school were chosen to meet the author and discuss her process for writing the book. The lodge also sponsored a writing contest to encourage more writing. For the past three summers, the lodge has used grant money to buy books for leisure reading for all summer-school students to encourage them to share the joy of reading with their parents and siblings. In the fall, they added students from Triangle Elementary to their book-giving program.

Details

Written by Patsy Despain

Hits: 818

On Nov. 16, Eustis Lodge volunteers smoked, wrapped and prepared 181 turkeys for delivery to nine schools for families in need.