Using the Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant, Venice-Nokomis Lodge purchased 300 plain khaki T-shirts for the Support Our Troops care package program. This organization located in Tampa, Florida, works to improve the morale and welfare of deployed troops worldwide by requesting, receiving and shipping care packages to the front lines with items specifically requested by the troops. The lodge committee for this project consisted of Laura Wood, Nick Rosato and Tom Campbell. Rosato was a member of the U.S. Army and Campbell was a member of the U.S. Navy for six years and a member of the U.S. Air Force for 27 years. Wood organized the purchasing and researched shipping cost options and Rosato and Campbell dropped off the boxes at Support Our Troops. The organization works with nearby MacDill Air Force Base to transport the packages from the area to the front lines. Including the shipping costs, the lodge used approximately $1,038 of their Gratitude Grant. Pictured in mid-November with the T-shirts are Campbell and Rosato.