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Our Military & Veterans
Two St. Petersburg Lodge Officers Donate Mountain Bikes to VAMC
- Details
- Written by May Graci
On May 24, St. Petersburg Lodge Leading Knight, Sharon Literski, and Loyal Knight, Al Literski, donated two mountain bicycles for the veterans’ use at the C.W. Young Bay Pines VAMC. Frank Jones, a voluntary service specialist at Bay Pines, received the donation. The combined value of the donated bicycles was $700.
St. Petersburg Lodge Supports VAMC Women Veterans Baby Shower
- Details
- Written by May Graci
On May 8, Bay Pines VAMC hosted a drive-thru baby shower for women veterans. St Petersburg Lodge in partnership with the American Legion Post 273 riders did a poker run and presented $2,000 to Bay Pines VAMC in addition to $1,800 worth of baby products. The riders also did a ride-through to salute, honor and support veterans welcoming babies into their families. Pictured are Johnny Miller, lodge member and Elks VAVS representative to Bay Pines, and Penny Rase, lodge member and Post 273 member.
Zephyrhills Lodge Donates Blankets, Puzzles and Painting Sets to Veterans Nursing Home
- Details
- Written by Diane Ellison
The Zephyrhills Elks Lodge Veterans Committee with help from lodge members Don Falaas and Ken Fabiani, PER, Veterans Committee Chair, donated lap blankets, jigsaw puzzles, and paint-by-numbers sets complete with brushes, paints and canvases and were delivered to Baldomero Lopez Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, April 9.
Fort Myers Elks Gift Gratitude Grant to Hearts & Homes for Veterans
- Details
- Written by Diane Hendrick
Fort Myers Elks Lodge #1288 presented its $2,500 Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant to Hearts & Homes for Veterans Inc. in Fort Myers May 6. Hearts and Homes is a Florida nonprofit corporation created to support homeless veterans and their families who find themselves without the necessities of everyday life. The veterans are provided with transitional and permanent housing and food and support they need in finding employment as well as transportation to VA clinics and job interviews and when applying for benefits. Pictured are Dick Conley, PDD; David Lake, PSP; and Roger Spencer, PER, Exalted Ruler, presenting the check to David Santini from Hearts and Homes.
Tampa Elks Use Freedom Grant for James A. Haley VAMC Projects
- Details
- Written by Rita Smith
Tampa Elks Lodge #708 used its $2,500 Elks National Foundation Freedom Grant to offer community support for two programs at the James A. Haley VAMC. One project is the creation of a lactation room for new mothers, and the other project is the annual Make a Difference Day, which provides gifts and comfort items to veterans being housed in licensed private homes. Usually this event is run like an angel tree, but with the VA being on COVID lockdown, they requested financial assistance only at this time. Pictured at the check presentation April 14 are Angela Reinhardt, program support; Tammy Tennace, Women’s Maternity Care coordinator; Brian Brantley, PER; Diane Meleen, Elks Deputy VAVS Representative; and Janeth Lopez, Voluntary Service specialist.
Holiday Isles Elks Collect Items for Veterans at Bay Pines VA
- Details
- Written by Kim Debois
Holiday Isles Elks Lodge members Nick Babich, left, and Ron De Luca, right, have overseen collections and delivery of donations for veterans since September 2020. They continuously gather and deliver donations from the lodge wishing well to the Bay Pines VA. These donations are items specifically requested by the Bay Pines Veterans Outreach program. Currently needed are items for its male veterans, so during March and April, Babich and De Luca have gathered and delivered clothing items such as sweat pants and gym shorts valued at $850.
Kissimmee Elks Use Spotlight Grant to Provide Welcome Home Gifts to Veterans in New Housing
- Details
- Written by Bob Barry, PDD
Kissimmee Elks Lodge #1873 used its $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant to provide welcome home gifts to veterans experiencing homelessness and who have been approved for subsidized housing by the VA. Approval was obtained after interviews and examination of their fiscal and physical ability to maintain a residence. They will be given startup items to furnish their new homes. The grant plus generous donations from lodge members provided goods such as dishes, coffee pots, bedding, microwaves and bath towels. The items were delivered to the Lake Nona VA April 7.
Pictured are lodge members Janice Kirsch, Lorraine Barker, Judy Schmidt, Laurie Fabick, Exalted Ruler Theresa Hebior, Jeannie Platt, Cindy Lee, Marianne Tithof, Steve Hebior and James Platt. In the front are Karen Roper and Joe Waskelis.
Port Orange Elks Makes Donation to Emory Bennett Veterans Nursing Home
- Details
- Written by Frank Kuczkowski, PER
On April 16, Port Orange Elks Lodge #2723 presented a check for $554.42 to the Emory Bennett Veterans Nursing Home in Daytona, Florida, to support activities for the home’s residents. In addition to the check, the lodge provides monthly birthday cakes, ice cream and sodas as well as an annual cookout for residents and staff. The lodge also provides technology to support programs needed for the residents. Funds are provided by a Gratitude Grant from the Elks National Foundation. Pictured are Frank Tamberelli, PSP; Dee Glover, Emory Bennett State Veterans Nursing Home representative; and Frank Kuczkowski, PER. Not pictured is Jerry Peterson, Exalted Ruler and Veterans Services District Chair.
Veteran Receives Bicycle from St. Petersburg Lodge for Transportation
- Details
- Written by May Graci
St. Petersburg Elks Lodge member Penny Rase donated a Bianchi Grizzly mountain bike valued at $700 for an Army veteran at Bay Pines VAMC. On April 7, Johnny Miller, lodge member and Grand Lodge VAVS Representative to C.W. Bill Young VAMC, presented it to the veteran who was in need of a bicycle for transportation purposes. St. Petersburg has many streets with lanes that specifically accommodate bicyclists.
Winter Park Lodge Hosts K9s for Veterans Trainer and Dog in Training
- Details
- Written by Dick Bardsley, PDD
Ron Goluba, PER, Elks representative to Orlando VA Medical Center, welcomed Deanna Fisher and her family to Winter Park Elks Lodge’s dinner and dance April 2. With her was Captain, a 7-month-old English Lab who is in training to be a mental and mobility service dog for a veteran. Fisher is a volunteer with K9s for Veterans, whose mission is to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder transition to civilian life once their military service has ended with the help of trained service dogs. Fisher’s family members are members of the lodge and she applied to be a member during the visit. Pictured are Fisher and Captain at the lodge.
Zephyrhills Elks Supply Needed Items to VA Domiciliary
- Details
- Written by Zephyrhills Elks
On Feb. 25, Zephyrhills Elks Lodge #2731 donated T-shirts, underwear and socks to the James A. Haley VA Domiciliary using more than $500 of its Florida State Elks Association matching Beacon Grant funds. Pictured are Don Falaas; Shirley Crawford; Ken Fabiani, PER, Veterans Chair; Judy Osgood, Elks National Foundation Fundraising Chair; Paul Nutting, PER; Mark Ruiz, Program Manager/Chief; and Ryan Natzsche, Recreation Director, VA Domiciliary.
Zephyrhills Lodge Disperses State Matching Grant to James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital
- Details
- Written by Zephyrhills Elks
On March 18, Zephyrhills Lodge gave monetary donations totaling $2,937.98 from their Florida State Elks Association matching Beacon Grant to five James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital (JaHVH) programs — Comfort Closet, Canteen Books, Patient Advocate Office, Inpatient Chronic Rehabilitation Program and Outpatient Rehabilitation Services. Pictured are Mitra Gobin, Chief Volunteer Services of JAHVH; Frederica O'Donnell, Supervisor IPCR; Judy Osgood, Elks National Foundation Lodge Chair; Ken Fabiani, PER, Lodge Veterans Chair; and Janett Lopez, JAHVH volunteer.