Southwest Central District

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Written by Ronna Mason

Sebring Elks Lodge #1529 continued to support its local food bank, Highlands Food Bank. Since July when the lodge donated its $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant along with 265 pounds of food to help fill their emptying shelves, they have collected an additional 414 pounds of food. Dedicated to supporting the community, the lodge will continue collecting food from their members as well as from non-Elks. This community project gets the community involved. As a result, two of the lodge’s faithful non-Elk charity bingo players volunteered to help with this project—Joyce Fifield and Marilyn Glazier.

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Written by Mary Lou Scribner

Robin Rutzke, Brandon Lodge’s Inner Guard, and Sharon Hammersla, District Vice President and Brandon Lodge member, chaired another beneficial food drive for their community. Members were asked to drop off food donations at the lodge Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 25 Elks and nine non-Elks did just that. Food donations totaled more than 1,800 pounds with a value of more than $2,600. In addition, members donated a total of $230 with instructions to purchase more food. “The success of the food drive is due to Elk members uniting for a common cause. It begins with Robin Rutzke and Sharon Hammersla sparking an idea, then PER Rick Weigand’s commitment to be there to open the lodge early on a Saturday morning, then member Beth Benham blitzing the members with electronic announcements about the food drive…and ends with DVP Sharon delivering the food to the Nativity Church local food bank,” says Mary Lou Scribner, lodge member. Scribner helps organize the loading of Hammersla’s vehicle with the food donations. Lodge members remain dedicated to community involvement despite dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured with the packed vehicle are Scribner, Hammersla and Rutzke. Member Kathy Brogli shows the amount of donations received.

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Written by Char Fisher

Lakeland Elks Lodge #1291 used the sizable sum of $7,000 it received from the $3,500 Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant and the state’s matching funds to work with kidsPACK in Lakeland, Florida, to feed children in Polk County who are homeless. With $3,600, the lodge sponsored 600 meals, and with the balance of the funds, they sponsored a year’s worth of weekend meals for 12 children. On Oct. 3, approximately 30 lodge members along with several of their spouses, children or grandchildren packed, wrapped and boxed the 600 meals at the lodge which would be delivered by kidsPACK to local schools. The assembly line and wrapping stations were distanced for social distancing guidelines, and gloves and hand sanitizer were available for use. Pictured are 27 lodge members, two member spouses, two children of members and one grandchild of a member.

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Written by Brandon Elks

The members of Brandon Lodge #2383 always welcome any opportunity to support the military, police, firefighters and first responders, so when Mark Vargo, Exalted Ruler, was contacted by Jeff Morse, Brotherhood Ride founder, lodge members were thrilled to be asked to host an evening and overnight stay at their lodge. The Brotherhood Riders were escorted into the lodge property by city, county and state law enforcement agencies. Vargo felt fortunate to have a large blue thin line U.S. flag hanging over the lodge drive entrance to welcome the riders along with the Elks and guests who came to greet the riders. The lodge was opened and ready for the riders to bunk down, and members came early the next morning to cook and feed them a hearty breakfast before sending them off toward Kissimmee Lodge. Approximately 60 riders were fed dinner and breakfast and bedded down at the lodge. This year’s ride was dedicated to 25 fallen heroes from Florida who died in the line of duty during 2019 and honored them by riding through the Florida for seven days, covering 556 miles.

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Written by Ronna Mason

On Sept. 8, Sebring Lodge donated its $3,500 Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant to Nu-Hope, a private not-for-profit organization that provides services to those over 60 years of age. The services come in many forms including nutritional (home-delivered meals, etc.), in-home (personal care, etc.), caregiver services (education and training, etc.), exercise/health and transportation. Their goal is "to promote the well-being of seniors and to reduce nursing home placement.” This year more than any other year, the needs of seniors have greatly increased due to the pandemic. One of Nu-Hope's sources of income is its annual golf tournament which has been cancelled, so the Sebring Elks are proud to assist them in this dire time. Pictured are Wainetta Holmes, Exalted Ruler; Ingra Gardner, executive director of Nu-Hope; and Tony Faverio, Loyal Knight.