Inverness Elks Lodge #2522 used an Elks National Foundation grant in August when their volunteers met to pack 170 backpacks for their Backpacks for Success program which is in its sixth year. They not only supply backpacks for children in foster care but they also deliver them to five other area schools so that children in the community are well prepared for their first day of school.
The Eustis Elks held an appreciation breakfast along with prizes and school supplies for teachers and principals in 11 local elementary schools a week before school started. They are also cooking spaghetti once a week for the Eustis High School junior varsity team to feed the football players before their games.
The Anna Miller Ladies of Eustis Elks donated $2,500 to Florida Elks Children's Therapy Services, sent 23 children to camp and gave school supplies to a local school.
The Winter Garden Ladies Auxiliary held a breakfast with the Easter Bunny. More than 30 children participated in this event.
Inverness Lodge used its $2,500 Elks National Foundation Promise Grant to support Citrus County Blessings, a hunger-relief program that provides food during the summer months to impoverished children and participates in local food recovery efforts. They have been battling food insecurity since 1999. The "Feed the Kids" program will provide fresh produce weekly to struggling families throughout the summer school vacation. The Elks will also provide volunteers for unloading, processing, packaging and delivering the produce to distribution sites throughout the county.
Inverness Lodge Exalted Ruler, Richard Grosnick, presents their Promise Grant to Connie Storm, executive director of Citrus County Blessing.
Citrus High School held its senior awards ceremony May 9, and Keith Posta, Inverness Lodge Scholarship Chairman, presented Emmalee Nadler, Kaycee Nichols and Jamie Stephen each with a $500 scholarship. Pictured with Posta and the scholarship recipients is Exalted Ruler, Richard Grosnick.