South Miami/Coral Gables Elks Lodge members Fred Jaca Jr., PDD, District Veterans Services Chair, and Rick Del Vecchio, lodge grant writer, met via Zoom with four Miami VA representatives Dec. 22 and were informed of a need for various items to assist the veterans at their facility. The lodge applied for and received the Elks National Foundation Beacon and Spotlight grants to purchase the items. On Feb. 26, lodge members and guests gathered to fill and pack 175 gift packs for distribution to the veterans in the Miami area who are homeless. There were 100 bags for females that included toiletries from Bath and Body Works, protein bars, dried fruit packs, laundry detergent, and a $15 food gift card. There were 75 bags for males that included an Elks canvas backpack filled with bottles of water, laundry detergent, protein bars, dried fruit packs and a $15 food gift card. On March 1, lodge members Frank Sullivan, Mike Poller, and Rick Del Vecchio delivered the packages to staff members at the VA Healthcare facility in Miami. The VA staff members then delivered the packages to each of the veterans. The total value of the items was more than $6,000, as Bath and Body Works donated approximately $600 in toiletries, enabling the lodge to help an additional 25 female veterans.
Pictured are lodge members packing the items. Also pictured are Mernie Williams of the VA Healthcare and members Rick Del Vecchio, Frank Sullivan, and Mike Poller.