Our Military & Veterans

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Written by Ken Fabiani

Zephyrhills Elks Lodge #2731 presented a donation of $225 to the Chief of Recreation Therapy at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Fla. Pictured are Ron Ellison, lodge member; Geoff Hopkins, Chief of Recreation Service; and Ken Fabiani, PER.

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Written by May Graci

St. Petersburg Lodge member Ed White recently chaired an event that raised $1,060 for veterans. The lodge presented $500 to the C.W. Bill Young VAMC’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) unit. The lodge will use $100 to purchase hats for veterans and the remaining $460 will be used to purchase and distribute canteen books for visiting veterans used at the BX or canteen at Bay Pines. The Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) was created in 1946 to provide articles of merchandise and services at reasonable prices to veterans enrolled in the VA health-care system, caregivers and visitors. 

Pictured at the St. Petersburg Lodge presentation of $500 to the C.W. Bill Young VAMC’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) unit are Jessica D’Allesio, PRRC recreation therapist; Ed White, lodge event chairman; Johnny Miller, Deputy Representative to C.W. Bill Young VAMC; and Chrissy Agenor, PRRC program manager.

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Written by May Graci

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System hosted a stand down for homeless veterans March 30 in the Veterans Courtyard at the C.W. Bill Young VAMC campus. Hundreds of veterans were provided with a broad range of necessities including food; clothing; medical, legal and mental health assistance; job counseling and referrals; and companionship and camaraderie. As in years past, St. Petersburg Lodge hosted a table and handed out 500 double-layered fleece blankets. The blankets were made during the course of the 2018-2019 lodge year by Kat Chaplin and other lodge members. The lodge held multiple fundraisers throughout the year and received donations from members and the lodge’s Ladies of Elks organization to purchase fleece material at a cost of $19,200.

Pictured at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s veterans stand down March 30 are St. Petersburg Lodge members Debbie Rase, Kat Chaplin and Cathy Sosa.

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Written by May Graci

St. Petersburg Elks Lodge #1224 donated their hall and hosted seven veterans graduating from C. W. Bill Young VAMC’s Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center (PRRC) program along with 75 of their relatives, friends and staff in attendance. Graduation from PRRC is a milestone and an outward demonstration of each veteran’s commitment to the recovery process as evidenced by their achievement of goals and acquisition of considerable knowledge, skills and abilities. St. Petersburg Lodge is proud to host and take part in this event twice a year.

St. Petersburg Lodge hosts PRRC graduates (back row) James Sollars, Jack Northrop, Dan MacDonald, Gail Leonard, Craig Brodeur, Juan Collazo and Joel Scully. Pictured in the front row are Chrissy Agenor, PRRC program manager, and Stacey Delong and Jessica D’Allesio, PRRC recreation therapists.

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Written by Deborah McCabe Reedy

Jacksonville Elks Lodge #221 used its Elks National Foundation Anniversary Grant to help military members while lessening the burdens of government by providing useful and necessary items to military members serving in Afghanistan. They worked closely with Anne Parker, president of Blue Star Mothers of America Inc., and obtained a list of those serving overseas from northeast Florida, and with the assistance of anysoldier.com, they had a list of several units whose members requested needed items. Requested items included snacks, socks and personal items. The lodge members then purchased items using the grant and sent care packages to the units. The packages included items for 720 military personnel.

The Jacksonville Elks Veterans Committee and members prepare 17 care packages to send to Afghanistan for a Cortland County resident and his troop.

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Written by Diane Ellison

A veteran arrived at Zephyrhills Lodge in dire need of financial assistance to return to his home base of Bay Pines VA Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., so on March 19, Ken Fabiani, Exalted Ruler, presented him with a gift card for $100.