Our Military & Veterans
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- Written by: gre
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On Sept. 12, Green Cove Springs Elks Lodge welcomed K9s for Warriors representatives and the Green Cove Springs Police Department as dinner guests. Using a portion of the Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant, the lodge presented $1,600 to K9s for Warriors to support their programs of training service dogs for veterans and $1,000 to Green Cove Springs PD for the care of their station therapy dog, Princess Leia, who was obtained through K9s for Warriors. Members learned about the therapy dogs and their support of the community and viewed a commercial starring puppy raiser Carol Thorsen-Hood and puppy Rosie.
Pictured are Officer Shawn Green; Officer Jacob Gann; Chief of Police Shaun Hines; Jennifer Parker, PER, Exalted Ruler; Brandi Acres, police dispatch supervisor; Princess Leia, GCSPD station dog; Carol Thorsen-Hood, K9s for Warriors puppy raiser; Rosie, K9s for Warriors service dog in training; and Tara Engel, K9s for Warriors grants manager.
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- Written by: Tallahassee Elks
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Tallahassee Elks Lodge #937 donated $500 to the local Honor Flight program. Pictured Aug. 19 are lodge member and Honor Flight vice chair, Tom Napier, presenting an award of appreciation to PER Jeff Dorband to thank the lodge for its donation and continued support. Honor Flight provides veterans with a no-cost, one-day charter flight to Washington, D.C., where they tour national memorials in their honor.
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- Written by: Pattie Cloud
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From July 26 through Aug. 9, Holiday Isles Elks Lodge #1912 held Christmas in July with a collection drive for veterans, which netted over $6,000 worth of supplies. On Aug. 11, members delivered a truckload full of hygiene items, food and new clothing to the Bay Pines VA Volunteer Service Center to be given to veterans in need at no charge.
Pictured at the delivery are VA center volunteers Shanel Kelly and Bryson Boulay and members Frank and Shirly Bingham.
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- Written by: Lee Hale
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Lee Hale, who is the Rotonda Elks Lodge Veterans Chair and the Elks Deputy Representative to Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans’ Nursing Home, has entertained at the nursing home for over four years with his DJ business. Since June, he has provided his DJ services at the semimonthly patio parties for the home’s residents and some of their family members. A few of the residents dance to the slow music and during the fast music they move around in their seats and wheelchairs. Staff members dance and interact with the residents as well. Hale provides maracas and tambourines for the residents so they can be active and involved. The lodge’s Elks National Veterans Service Commission Freedom Grant covers the cost of the first visit’s DJ service and the VAVS account covers the second visit, which includes the DJ service and refreshments.
Pictured Aug. 28 at the patio party are Lee Hale and attendees.
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- Written by: Green Cove Springs Elks
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On Aug. 8, Green Cove Springs Elks Lodge #1892 donated its $1,000 Elks National Veterans Service Commission Freedom Grant to Operation Barnabas, along with over 550 household and toiletry items donated by members and guests during the lodge's Christmas-in-July collection. This organization provides a variety of services to local veterans, including counseling, mentoring and housing assistance.
Pictured in the back row are Eddie Thompson, member; John Green, Operation Barnabas CEO; Barbara Thompson, House Committee secretary; Sally Thorsen, lodge volunteer; and Eric Thorsen, House Committee chair. In the front row are Jackson Green, Operation Barnabas communications director; Christopher Riendeau, Operation Barnabas materials coordinator and lodge member; and Richard Swain, Operation Barnabas housing coordinator.
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- Written by: Taz WrightReynolds, PER
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On Aug. 8, the Pensacola Beach Lodge Veterans Committee members hosted a coffee and doughnuts table at the Pensacola VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care Clinic for visiting veterans attending medical appointments.
Pictured are Carey Seigle, District Veterans Chair, and Michelle Poole, Vice Chair.
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- Written by: Taz WrightReynolds, PER
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On June 24, Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge #497 donated $1,000 to the VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System to support the HUD-VASH (Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) program through CDCE (Center for Development and Civic Engagement). This contribution will provide approximately 125 canteen meals to local veterans in need.
Pictured are Ken Branch, District Deputy and U.S. Navy veteran, and Angela Heflin, CDCE service specialist.
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- Written by: West Citrus Elks
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On July 3, the West Citrus Elks Lodge Veterans Committee donated 30 bags and three tents for veterans living in the woods to B.A.S.I.C.S. United Inc. (Brothers and Sisters in Christ Service United), a Florida nonprofit outreach striving to help transform the lives of those experiencing homelessness living in the woods in Citrus County. The bags included water, ramen noodles, hygiene items, emergency blanket, mosquito bands, mini flashlights and disposable poncho. A representative from B.A.S.I.C.S. gives these bags to the veterans when they first meet them in the woods. Funds for this project came from the Florida State Elks Association’s matching Beacon Grant.
Pictured are members Susan Adams, Kristy Jocelyn and Eve Emmerling.
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- Written by: West Citrus Elks
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On June 26, the West Citrus Elks Lodge Veterans Committee donated eight Welcome Home Kits to the St. Vincent DePaul mission, using funds from the Elks National Veterans Service Commission. St. Vincent de Paul works to help unhoused veterans regain employment and a permeant home. Most of these veterans were living in the woods or in their cars or from place to place with friends. The kits include basic cleaning items, dishes, pots and pans, towels, washcloths, cooking items, and a lap quilt made by the West Citrus Elks Sewing for Veterans group.
Pictured in the back are James Swanson, accepting on behalf of St. Vincent De Paul, and members Rick Jeroski, Jill Jeroski and Darlene Hall. In the front are members Eve Emmerling, Sandy Koval, Susan Adams and Pat Leham.
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- Written by: Stuart-Jensen Elks
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On July 8, Stuart-Jensen Elks Lodge #1870 hosted lunch for six veterans who traveled from the VA hospital long-term care unit in West Palm Beach. They enjoyed a lunch prepared by Veterans committee member Linda Elliott. Afterward, they enjoyed five games of cash bingo. One of the veterans was a woman over 100 years old, who joined the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II and later transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps.
Pictured are Don Nilsson, Veterans Chair; Steven Elliott; Linda Elliott; and Kathy Russell, all who assisted with the event.
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- Written by: Lakeland Elks
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At Lakeland Elks Lodge’s July 4 celebration, members held a fundraiser for unhoused veterans moving to a permanent home of their own. The event raised $1,700 from the sale of tickets for various family games, raffled items, 50/50 raffle tickets and the cost of the meal. Members also donated pantry staples.
Pictured are Steve Masterton, PER, who prepared the dinner, and Char Fisher, Veterans Chair, who chaired the event. Also pictured are donated items.
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- Written by: Diane Hendrick
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On Aug. 7, Fort Myers Elks Lodge #1288 donated its $1,000 Elks National Veterans Service Commission Freedom Grant to Hearts & Homes for Veterans Inc.
Pictured are District Deputy Roger Spencer and Dale Spain, Hearts & Homes CEO.