While it continues to be a challenge to support and interact with veterans during the pandemic’s health restrictions, Brandon Lodge’s Veterans Chair, Robin Rutzke, who is retired from the U.S. Air Force, continues to come up with creative ways to put their Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant to good use. On March 17, Rutzke along with Glenn Garvey, lodge member and veteran, and Sharon Hammersla, lodge member and Southwest Central District Vice President, visited Liberty Manor for Veterans in Tampa, Florida, with a plethora of goodwill and gifts. The lodge provided a picnic lunch of fried chicken, deli sandwiches, baked beans and a St. Patrick’s Day dessert. In addition, all picnic supplies were supplied including plates, plastic utensils, paper towels, cups and disinfecting wipes. The Veterans also enjoyed and appreciated the visit.
The lodge also provided Liberty Manor $700 in Walmart gift cards. The lodge hosts a monthly dinner for the veterans, but because of the continuing pandemic, the veterans are not able to attend. Connie Lindsay, founder and CEO of Liberty Manor, said the gift cards will be put to good use to purchase dinners for the veterans as needed. One veteran even put in his request for pizza for one of their movie nights. Additionally, the veterans were gifted an abundance of household items for the kitchen as well as bath towel sets. Rutzke said it’s the little things that are really appreciated by veterans and that it was touching to watch each veteran’s appreciation as they picked out their towel set. A lodge member made an anonymous donation of a case of cat food and a container of treats because one of the resident veterans, while struggling with cancer, has adopted a stray cat, which the house has adopted. This veteran was brought close to tears at the thoughtfulness of this gesture. Hammersla said that “our hearts were full.”
A total of $1,364 from the Spotlight Grant was used. While Elks don’t do this for recognition, CEO Lindsay did present the lodge with a certificate of appreciation. Pictured are Garvey, Hammersla and Rutzke with a vehicle full of gifts.