This year, South Miami/Coral Gables Elks Lodge #1676 is teaming with the University of Miami Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD) program. With a $10,000 Elks National Foundation Impact Grant, the lodge will host four quarterly events for CARD clients on the autism spectrum, along with their families and caregivers. They also have nine one-day talent development events planned. The lodge will work with the CARD staff to offer resume training seminars, a job fair, bingo, a concert and a Christmas party. Beginning in April, and on every third Saturday thereafter, the lodge will also host TOTS — Talent of the Spectrum, an open mic talent show where members on the spectrum can showcase their talents to family, friends and Elk members. The first quarterly event, a family barbecue, was hosted Feb. 25 by 25 Elks, using $1,500 from the grant. Members cooked up hundreds of hamburgers and hot dogs to feed the more than 100 in attendance. After lunch, folks enjoyed a magic show by members and professional magicians from IBM Ring 45. Magicians Jeff Silver and Rick Alan amazed the audience with illusions and sleight of hand, while mentalist Alexander Beresford amazed with demonstrations of the mind. Following the show, attendees were able to attend several events. The athletic attendees were invited to compete in a Soccer Shoot and Hoop Shoot. For others, the lodge game room offered board games such as Monopoly, Yahtzee, Connect 4, UNO and Scrabble. CARD staff member Jennifer Feinstein said all the attendees thoroughly enjoyed themselves. CARD clients and their families and caregivers all got to participate and enjoy the festivities. Exalted Ruler and grant co-writer, Ramon Matos, was thrilled that so many lodge members volunteered to help. Matos is also a client of the CARD program and is the first autistic Exalted Ruler in Florida.

Pictured are lodge members Barry Wake, Pam Wake and Manny Perez serving food; mentalist Alex Beresford with an attendee; magician Jeff Silver; and UM student volunteer Gillian Perez.