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Northwest District
Pensacola Beach Elks Donate Funds to Loaves & Fishes
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
Pensacola Beach Lodge donated $2,500 from lodge charity funds March 22 to Loaves & Fishes of Pensacola, which operates a thrift store, and the proceeds help their soup kitchen continue to serve those who are hungry and provide for families in need. Loaves & Fishes has been serving the Pensacola area for more than 40 years. They also maintain an emergency shelter.
Pictured are Ken “KB” Branch, PER, endorsed District Vice President, and LaFaye Hill of Loaves & Fishes.
Manna Food Bank Receives $2,500 from Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
On March 22, Pensacola Beach Lodge donated $2,500 from lodge charity funds to Manna Food Bank Inc., a local grassroots organization fighting hunger in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. They provide groceries directly to individuals and families in need at no charge. Most of the funding comes from individuals, foundations, faith-based organizations, corporations and businesses. Manna is nonsectarian, community-focused and volunteer-supported. They believe every person has a right to live free of hunger and to be treated with respect and dignity.
Pictured are Ken “KB” Branch, PER, endorsed District Vice President, and Milissa Blanton, Manna Food Bank marketing and events manager.
Fort Walton Elks Support Local Food Backpack Program
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
On March 6, Fort Walton Lodge donated its $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for the backpack program, which assists Annette P. Edwins Elementary School, located in Fort Walton Beach. The program provides food to help families that may be forced to sacrifice nutritional meals because they have to pay for medicine, utilities, gas and other supplies for the household due to their financial situation. This school averages 45 students per week who need and qualify for the food assistance program.
Pictured are Joe Reames, trustee; Tom McLaughlin, Exalted Ruler; Bernie Coalt, member; Mary Ann Coalt, Treasurer; Jamie Clemons, Secretary; Paul Eubanks, PER, trustee; church members Waldi Anguiano, Sandy See, Candy Rains, Janet Eblen, Shirley Bow, Bill Bow, and Betsy Stein; and Mark Wynn, Lecturing Knight.
Fort Walton Elks Lodge Shares Grant with Sharing & Caring Food Bank
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
Fort Walton Lodge donated $4,000 from its Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant March 8 to Sharing & Caring of Okaloosa County Inc., located in Fort Walton Beach, Niceville and Crestview, Florida. Sharing & Caring is an emergency food source for those in need who qualify within guidelines. It is available to anyone who resides within the area of Hurlburt Field on the west, to Destin on the east and to Eglin Air Force Base on the north. Their clients include families, children, seniors, the unhoused and the unemployed. Area churches, civic organizations, individuals, businesses and the United Way fund the all-volunteer organizations.
Pictured are Joe Reames, trustee; Paul Eubanks, PER, trustee; Tom McLaughlin, Exalted Ruler; Ken Winzeler, board president; Sharon McLaughlin, pantry volunteer; Andi Crawford, volunteer; Penny Eubanks, manager; Rob Parks, Leading Knight; Mark Wynn, Lecturing Knight; and Michael “Taz” WrightReynolds, PER.
Gulf Breeze Camping World Receives Recognition from Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
Pensacola Beach Lodge presented a certificate of honor Feb. 2 to Gulf Breeze Camping World for flying the United States flag. This is part of the Elks Grand Lodge recognition program. This certificate is presented to businesses and merchants around the area of the lodge for proper display of flying the flag during the day and at night with proper illumination.
Anthony Waight, general manager, is pictured with the certificate.
Fort Walton Elks Make Donation to Saving with Soul Pet Rescue of Northwest Florida
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
On Dec. 15, Fort Walton Elks Lodge #1795 presented a $500 check to Saving with Soul Pet Rescue of Northwest Florida. Saving with Soul is a local foster-based pet rescue which, in 2023, found new homes and provided medical care for more than 1,500 dogs and cats. This donation will help SWS in its latest challenge of establishing a much-needed low-cost spay and neuter clinic option for the local community. Their motto is “Help Us Help Shelter Animals Find Their Way HOME!”
Pictured are Jeff Mullins, member; Jennifer Allen Hagedorn, SWS director; and Tammie Mullins, member.
Fort Walton Elks Lodge Donates Travel Funds to Choctawhatchee High School Cheerleader Squad
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
On Nov. 15, Fort Walton Lodge donated $500 for travel costs of the award-winning Choctawhatchee High School Cheerleader Squad as they traveled with the football team to the state playoffs. Unfortunately, the football team was not in the finals.
Pictured are cheerleading squad members Mallory Mendoza, Hailey Davis, Sofia Ulloa, Haley Hartranft, Claire Ennis, Adri Heckaman, Rayleigh Scheiber, Jazlyn Jackomis, Kylianne Courtney and Andre Bridgewater.
Emerald Coast Science Center Receives Donation from Fort Walton Elks Lodge
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
Fort Walton Elks Lodge #1795 donated $1,000 to the Emerald Coast Science Center Nov. 13. The center provides hands-on experience in science for the Okaloosa County School District as well as people of all ages. The center's mission is to inspire and grow a scientifically engaged community, with workshops, exhibits and opportunities for a wide range of interests.
Pictured are Tom McLaughlin, Exalted Ruler; Rob Parks, Leading Knight; Tom Knowles, PER, Lecturing Knight; Paul Eubanks, PER, trustee; Mary Ann Coalt, Treasurer; Diane Fraser, ECSC director; Jamie Clemons, Secretary; Dusty Austin, trustee; Marcia WrightReynolds, Loyal Knight; Denny Abair, Tiler; Taz WrightReynolds, PER, board of directors chair and trustee.
Fort Walton Elks Lodge Donates Grant to Food for Thought
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
On Sept. 14, Fort Walton Lodge donated $5,000 from its Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant to the Food for Thought organization in Destin, Florida. For 11 years, the organization has fought childhood hunger in Walton and Okaloosa counties. Currently they provide weekly access to food to more than 3,000 food-insecure students across 32 school locations.
Pictured are Terri Griffin, PER; Tiffanie Nelson, Food for Thought founder and executive director; Rob Parks, Leading Knight; and Carole Burger, PER.
Fort Walton Elks Lodge Sponsors Bring Hope Now Dragon Boat Race and Festival
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
On Sept. 10, Fort Walton Elks Lodge #1795 donated $1,000 as a sponsor and participated in the dragon boat race and festival for the Bring Hope Now organization. The group is known as the Hope Squad, with a mission statement that says, “By bringing ‘Hope Squads’ to the schools, we seek to reduce self-destructive behavior and youth suicide by training, building, and creating change in our schools and communities.” These programs are for local elementary, middle and high schools. Their vision is TARGET ZERO to change schools’ culture to more connectedness and kindness, leading to zero suicides. These programs are peer-to-peer suicide prevention for schools & military.
Pictured are lodge members at the event.
Food Pantry Receives $3,000 Grant from Holley-Navarre Elks Lodge
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
Holley-Navarre Elks Lodge #2787 donated its $3,000 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant Aug. 30 to the Bread of Life Food Pantry and Clothing Closet at the Billory Baptist Church in Navarre, Florida. These monies will provide support in delivering canned goods, clothing and food to families in the surrounding community. Some lodge members are regular volunteers in support of the food pantry operations.
Pictured are Beth Baker and Rina Longmire, pantry volunteers; James Burke, Exalted Ruler; Heather White, pantry manager; and Skip Dalle Molle, lodge grant coordinator.
Blue Door Ministry Receives $3,000 from Destin Elks Lodge to Help Community Members
- Details
- Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER
On Aug. 2, Destin Elks Lodge #2688 donated $3,000 to the Blue Door Ministry, run by St. Andrews by the Sea Episcopal Church in Destin. The ministry provides hot lunches twice a week in coordination with other congregations in the area, sack lunches, a clothes closet, a food pantry, showers, food stamp application services, local bus passes and Harvest-House vouchers. They also run, support and operate a bike shop, which receives donations from individuals and businesses in the area who are replacing their fleets of beach bikes. The shop repairs and services hundreds of bikes each year. The bikes are given free of charge to anyone who is homeless and children in need.
Pictured are Terri Griffin, lodge member; Ann Harmuth, ministry volunteer; and Robert Griffin, Lodge Treasurer.