When the government reopened in November 2025, Tampa Elks Lodge #708 learned of an opportunity to use its $6,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant. Suzanne Malloy, president of Blue Star Families at MacDill AFB, was trying to give 350 military families the ingredients needed for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Her plan was to do a drive-through event on a weekday, so the service members or their spouses could pull up in their vehicle, receive the food and move on without the need to park, walk in and shop in a store with their children. On Nov. 16, lodge members presented Malloy with the grant check, and Malloy explained to members that while it may not appear that active-duty military would need assistance, those in the lower ranks who arrived with a family were struggling in the high-cost area. The sign-up sheet was rank restricted for the first few hours. After all the lower ranked members were served, the base notified veterans who had gone unpaid that they could participate. The drive-through took place Nov. 19 and included help from 10 lodge member volunteers. The first several hours were spent sorting and packing boxes. At noon, the vehicles arrived, first a trickle, then a swarm. Each vehicle was loaded with dry goods, produce, refrigerated items, a turkey and a pumpkin pie. The last half hour was spent cleaning up. A total of 382 families received Thanksgiving meal items.

Pictured stuffing Thanksgiving cards into envelopes to be added to each bag is member Bill French. Also pictured are Kim Benzing, Treasurer; Robert Maloney Jr., Inner Guard; and Shelagh Gombarcik, PER, trustee.