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Our Military & Veterans
Retired Army Colonel Carol Barkalow Lays Wreaths for Wreaths Across America
- Details
- Written by May Graci
On Dec. 15, the rain fell at Bay Pines National Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Fla., as hundreds of volunteers took part in the annual holiday wreath-laying tribute to those who served and died in America’s wars known as Wreaths Across America. Volunteers filtered quietly through the cemetery to place a handcrafted balsam wreath with a red velvet bow atop the tombstones of veterans. St. Petersburg Lodge Esquire, retired Army Colonel Carol Barkalow, participated in the day’s ceremonies and had the honor of laying the ceremonial wreath for the Army.
Ocala Elks Place Wreaths at National Cemetery
- Details
- Written by Tracy Stockel
During fall 2018, Ocala Elks Exalted Ruler, Mike Miller, and Veterans chairman, Pam Kinard, set a goal to buy 100 wreaths for Wreaths Across America. On Dec. 15, lodge members more than doubled their goal and placed over 200 wreaths at the national cemetery in Bushnell, Fla.
Ocala Elks Host Christmas Party for Veterans
- Details
- Written by Tracy Stockel
Ocala Elks Lodge #286 hosted a Christmas party for veterans receiving services from the local agency, Vets Helping Vets. Each veteran received presents and a traditional Christmas dinner. Lodge members made desserts for them to take home and enjoy. One lucky veteran won the large stocking full of Christmas cheer.
Veterans from Transitional Facility Spend Thanksgiving with Merritt Island Elks
- Details
- Written by Merritt Island Elks
Every year since 1994, Merritt Island Elks Lodge #2650 has invited the residents of the Melbourne Veterans Transition Facility to the lodge to participate in their traditional Thanksgiving feast. Paul Whitmore is the director of the facility which is a temporary shelter for homeless veterans and their immediate families. The facility provides for the immediate needs of homeless veterans while they search for work and save enough money to acquire permanent housing. This year, 23 guests from the center joined the lodge for dinner. Members John and Marcie Lesko have been instrumental in planning and working this event since the beginning, and they are helped by numerous outstanding volunteers. The Ladies of the Elks put together 18 men’s and six ladies’ bags with the remainder of the supplies donated to the facility for future residents, and they also provided angel tree presents for the five children at the facility. The lodge donated $300-worth of gift cards to augment the needs of the veterans.
South Lake Elks Donate Tournament Proceeds to Veterans Village
- Details
- Written by Larry Patterson
South Lake Elks Lodge #1848 hosted a successful charity golf tournament at the nearby Green Valley Country Club with approximately 80 golfers participating. Following the tournament, a banquet, awards ceremony, auctions and raffles were enjoyed. Half of the proceeds, $2651.38, were donated to the Habitat for Humanity Veterans Village. An additional donation of $2,651.38 was presented to the Harry-Anna Trust Fund.
Pictured at the South Lake Lodge donation presentation to Habitat for Humanity Veterans Village are tournament chairman, Greg Speer; Ann Carter; Danielle Stroud; and Exalted Ruler, Russell Smith.
Inverness Lodge Holds Breakfast for Veterans
- Details
- Written by Jan Belland
On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, Inverness Elks Lodge #2522 served 275 meals at their free breakfast for veterans. This was the last day of a three-day open house at the lodge during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Edgewater-NSB Lodge Holds PER Veterans Day Ceremony
- Details
- Written by Edgewater-NSB Elks
Edgewater-New Smyrna Beach Elks Lodge #1557 held their PER Veterans Day ceremony. Veterans were honored by PER Bobbi Savasuk while PER Gary Sanford paid homage for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Zephyrhills Lodge Holds Veterans Day Tribute
- Details
- Written by Diane Ellison
On Nov. 11, Zephyrhills Lodge hosted a Veterans Day tribute to recognize veterans within their lodge and all veterans who have served our country in every branch of the military. Ken Fabiani, Exalted Ruler, planned and hosted the event. Colonel Jack Van Allen, retired, was the keynote speaker. He has an overwhelming background in the U.S. Army and is a lodge member as well. Trustee Cliff McDuffie closed the program with a poem he dedicated to veterans.
Keynote speaker, Colonel Jack Van Allen, retired, speaks at Zephyrhills Lodge’s Veterans Day tribute Nov. 11.
Quilts of Valor Presentation Held at St. Augustine Lodge
- Details
- Written by Connie Sarnowski
On Nov. 7, St. Augustine Elks Lodge #829 held a special ceremony honoring three World War II veterans and one Korean War veteran with quilts from Quilts of Valor. Honored were William Pruitt, Herbert Naumann, Michael Romano and Joseph Papilia. Quilts of Valor Foundation, which began in 2003, awards quilts to U.S. military service members and veterans who have been touched by war. The quilts are made throughout the country by quilting groups who volunteer their time and materials to make the quilts. Since inception, over 200,000 quilts have been awarded.
WWII veteran Mike Romano, Korean War veteran Joseph Papilia, WWII veteran Herbert Naumann and WWII veteran Colonel William Pruitt are awarded quilts from Quilts of Valor at St. Augustine Lodge Nov. 7.
Vero Beach Elk Earns Award for Cookies for Soldiers Program
- Details
- Written by Vero Beach Elks
At the president’s visit to Vero Beach Lodge, President Frank Malatesta presented Rose Tufano with a plaque as Southeast Central District Elk of the Year for her work with the Cookies for Soldiers lodge program which has been providing cookies and other treats to troops in southwest Asia for over 10 years. On the third Thursday of every month, Tufano and a dedicated group of volunteers meet at the lodge to receive donations from members of homemade or store-bought cookies for soldiers. The group carefully wraps the cookies to withstand shipment and mails them to designated locations.
St. Petersburg Elks Donate to Two Veterans Causes
- Details
- Written by May Graci
On Nov. 15, St. Petersburg Lodge presented $6,575.48 to veterans causes. The money was raised from three lodge events: a jerky/chili cook-off, a trivia dinner and game night, and the USA Show and veterans appreciation dinner. The first donation was for $4,500 and it was presented to Nathan Witt, Chief of Voluntary Services, and D’Onna Lee from the Army’s Auxiliary at C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines, Fla. Witt said the money would be used to help sponsor veterans from the facility to the upcoming National Golden Age Games, the premier senior adaptive rehabilitation program in the United States and the only national multi-event sports and recreational seniors’ competition program designed to improve the quality of life of all older veterans including those with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. The games are open to veterans ages 55 or older who receive health care from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The games will be held June 5-10, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. The second donation of $2,075.48 was given to the Florida State Elks Association Historical Commemorative Projects and it was accepted by their liaison, Rudy Masi Sr., PDD. The funds will assist with expenses that were incurred during the Parade of Heroes which took WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans to a celebration Nov. 8-10 in Washington, D.C. All expenses were paid for the veterans and their companions by FSEA Historical Commemorative Projects.
Johnny Miller, Grand Lodge Deputy Representative to C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center; Dolly Masi, PER; Nathan Witt, Chief of Voluntary Services at C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center; Cathy Shriver, Exalted Ruler; and Ken Peel, veteran.
1224 vet 2: Albert Wiggins, veteran; Dolly Masi, PER; Rudy Masi, PDD, FSEA Historical Commemorative Projects liaison; D’Onna Lee, veteran and Army auxiliary member; Cathy Shriver, Exalted Ruler; and Ken Peel, veteran.
Cape Coral Lodge Veterans Ride in Veterans Day Parade
- Details
- Written by Richard Kampf
Cape Coral Elks Lodge #2596 participated in the city's Veterans Day parade. Pictured riding in the parade are lodge members and veterans Ignazio Fragione (World War II) and Joe Talamo (Korean War). Not pictured is Vietnam veteran John Nugent, the lodge’s representative at the Vietnam Veterans memorial ceremony in Washington, D.C., Nov. 10.