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Umatilla, FL 32784-0049
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Our Military & Veterans
Gainesville Elks Provide Welcome Home Kits for Veterans Transitioning from Homelessness
- Details
- Written by Linda Califf
On Dec. 15, Nancy Maas and Annie Stephenson, social workers with the local VA Honor Center in Gainesville, Florida, visited Gainesville Elks Lodge #990 to retrieve the lodge’s “Welcome Home” housewarming gifts for 20 veterans who are transitioning from homelessness to independent living. With the help from the state’s matching grant of the Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant, the lodge provided pots and pans, dishes, silverware, linens, cleaning supplies, floor lamps, glasses, laundry baskets, trash cans, personal hygiene products and many more items to ease their burdens in the transition to independent living. With the assistance of lodge members, two vans were packed full of items for the veterans. In January, approximately 12-15 more veterans were assisted with the remaining funds of the state-matched grant. Pictured are Nancy Maas and Annie Stephenson from the VA Honor Center. Also pictured with Annie Stephenson from the Honor Center (middle) are lodge members Michael Evans, Becky Spence, Linda Califf, Margie Baumann, Julie Baker and Maryann Davis.
Veterans Receive Christmas Gifts from Englewood Elks
- Details
- Written by Englewood Elks
From Dec. 7 through Dec. 14, Englewood Elks Lodge #2378 distributed 222 shoe boxes to veterans in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Englewood and North Port, Florida. These boxes contained books, toiletries, socks, candy, writing paper and other items the lodge members purchased to fill these boxes. For many veterans, this is the only gift they receive at Christmas.
Lakeland Elks Hold Fundraiser for Veterans
- Details
- Written by Lakeland Elks
To honor Veterans’ month in November, Lakeland Elks Lodge #1291 held a dinner and silent auction fundraiser that raised $11,035! Some of these funds were given to James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and the rest were used to purchase clothing and necessities for veterans who are experiencing homelessness.
Venice-Nokomis Lodge Provides 300 T-Shirts for Troops on Front Lines
- Details
- Written by Laura Wood
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.
Hand Sanitizer and Snack Kits Delivered to C.W. Bill Young VAMC by St. Petersburg Lodge
- Details
- Written by May Graci
A donation of 100 bottles of hand sanitizer and 100 snack kits were given to St. Petersburg Lodge by Charity Works Inc. of Clearwater, Florida, with the request that they be distributed to veterans. Charity Works has been active in numerous philanthropic activities since 1996, including fundraising events that have benefited thousands of disadvantaged and underprivileged children and adults. On Nov. 11, lodge members delivered these items to C.W. Bill Young VAMC. The snack kits contained snack bars, fruits, crackers, microwavable popcorn and more.
Tampa Lodge Members Give Gift Cards and Holiday Socks to Hospitalized Veterans upon Discharge
- Details
- Written by Diane Meleen
Tampa Lodge, using funds donated by lodge members, purchased $390 in gift cards and holiday-themed socks for veterans being discharged in December from James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida. The gifts were presented Dec. 3 by Diane Meleen, lodge Veterans Committee member and VAVS Deputy, to Mitra Gobin, Director of Volunteer Services at the hospital.
Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Lodge Raises $5,000 for Homes for our Troops
- Details
- Written by Tom Sweeney and Randy Volkart
On Nov. 20, Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Lodge #2855 presented $5,000 to Homes for our Troops, an organization based in Taunton, Massachusetts, that assists veterans who are disabled with housing that accommodates their needs. They have built 22 homes in Florida and more than 250 in the country. The money was raised through a lodge raffle. Pictured are John Skelton, Jim Kehoe, and Tom Sweeney, Lodge Veteran's Committee Chair.
Bradenton Elks Present Donation for Turning Points' Yellow Ribbon Program
- Details
- Written by Bob Erwin, PDD
Bradenton Elks Lodge #1511 presented its $2,000 Elks National Foundation Spotlight Grant to Turning Points’ Yellow Ribbon Program which focuses on veterans in the community. The Yellow Ribbon Program is part of Turning Points’ Supportive Services for Veterans’ Families (SSVF) initiative to provide outreach services such as housing, utilities, child care and other assistance to local veterans in need. The presentation was made Nov. 14 as part of the 2020 Manatee County Stand Down. The 12th Circuit Court and their staffs were also opened this day to hear veterans’ applications for relief from minor offenses, partial or full reduction of fines, parking violations, and other outstanding issues. Pictured are Edwin Robinson, Yellow Ribbon Program Director; Mike Eymann, PER; Bill Rauh, Lodge Veterans Chair; Dave Manning, PDD, Exalted Ruler; and Kathleen Cramer, Turning Points Executive Director.
Venice-Nokomis Lodge Exalted Ruler Shares Poem and Song with Veterans
- Details
- Written by Mary Vinsh
On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 65 veterans at Venice Gardens, an assisted living facility in Venice, Florida, received a visit from Mary Vinsh, Exalted Ruler of Venice-Nokomis Elks Lodge #1854. Vinsh read a patriotic poem she wrote titled “I Wear the Red” and signed the song “God Bless the USA” in American Sign Language at the end of the event. Pictured with Vinsh is veteran Irving Lyons who was turning 100 years old the following week.
Lakeland Elks Use Freedom Grant to Assist Local Veterans
- Details
- Written by Char Fisher
Lakeland Elks Lodge #1291 used its Elks National Foundation Freedom Grant to help patients at the James A. Haley VA Hospital and veterans who are experiencing homelessness who are assisted through a hospital program. The lodge donated numerous toiletries, hygiene products and blankets as well as 46 T-shirts, 75 undershirts, 31 pairs of shoes, 37 pairs of pants, 171 pairs of underwear and 174 pairs of socks. They also provided the homeless veteran program with 50 weatherproof draw-string backpacks that were filled with a blanket, rain poncho, cleansing cloths, toothpaste, toothbrush and toothbrush holder, soap, deodorant, and socks. Members also sent signed cards and notes to the hospital for delivery to the inpatient veterans to show that Elks care and are always thinking of them. Everything was delivered to a hospital representative Oct. 16 by members Steve Masterton, PER (left) and John McArthur (right). Also pictured are members who packed the backpacks — Alice Murray; Char Fisher, Veterans Committee Chair; Vickie Crosby, member spouse; Christy Frady; and Sandy Fuschetti.
Veteran Receives Payment for Electric Bill from St. Petersburg Lodge
- Details
- Written by May Graci
On Oct. 16, a home health care nurse called a St. Petersburg Lodge member about a Vietnam veteran whose power was disconnected Oct. 10 for nonpayment. After a few phone calls that same day, Doc Cook, Exalted Ruler, went to veteran Chester Hill’s home and presented him with a $180 check from the lodge so that his electricity could be turned back on that same day. Pictured are Cook and Hill.
St. Petersburg Lodge Gives VAMC $1,500 in Gift Cards
- Details
- Written by May Graci
On Oct. 15, St. Petersburg Lodge used $1,500 from its Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant to help C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center. They purchased 75 $10 debit cards to be distributed to veterans to purchase items they may need from the onsite canteen/PX. Another $750 was used to purchase grocery gift cards to Walmart for the purchase of food pantry items. The VAMC uses these donated gifts for veterans staying at their various facilities in Bay Pines, Florida. Accepting the donation of cards at the lodge is Nathan Witt, Chief of VA Voluntary Service at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, and Johnny Miller, VAVS representative and lodge member.