Tampa Elks Lodge Drug Awareness Chair, Rosann Garcia, is keeping the program active in the community. On June 29, Garcia and member Patty Volpe, along with Elks National Foundation Legacy Scholar, Lucas Dye, a University of Tampa student, took inventory of the Drug Awareness supplies for two upcoming events. On July 27, Garcia provided Drug Awareness bags filled with school supplies and a red ribbon to 69 children attending the lodge’s back-to-school party. On Aug. 2, the lodge participated in the back-to-school block party put on by the nonprofit GainesHope Inc. This organization received the lodge’s leftover school supplies and invited the lodge to set up a station at their Hope on the Block event in West Tampa, a section of town with a high poverty rate. Garcia and Volpe set up a booth with a shade tent, folding table, chairs, some color-me tablecloths, jars of crayons and Drug Awareness bags. They spent four hours sharing the material with more than 100 children and adults. The extra school supplies, brochures and coloring books equipped nearly 70 elementary and teen students.

Pictured are Rosann Garcia and Lucas Dye taking inventory at the lodge. Also pictured are Garcia and Patty Volpe, left, at the block party assisting attendees in the lodge booth.