West Central District

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Written by Rita Smith

Tampa Elks Lodge #708 has adopted 1.1 miles of Himes Avenue from Gandy Boulevard to Bay Avenue as part of the Mayor’s Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful program. This participation was initiated by Melissa Bertoch, lodge chaplain. Their first cleanup was held Aug. 15; nine members each collect an average of 1.5 bags of trash. Firefighters at the station on this route and neighbors were thankful for the cleanup. Bertoch is pictured with Rita Smith and Theresa Seibert, PDD.

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Written by May Graci

St. Petersburg Lodge member Kat Chaplain made 64 cloth face masks that were distributed to Pinellas Park Middle School (PPMS) teachers Sept. 4. Michael “Doc” Cook, Exalted Ruler, one of the recipients of the masks, delivered the rest of them to PPMS teachers on Chaplain’s behalf. Cook teaches seventh grade science at PPMS and he has five classes that are taught simultaneously, which means that he is teaching students that are present in his classroom as well as teaching students who have chosen to do online learning. He also has one class that's only face to face in a classroom. Masks are now a necessary tool in teachers’ daily routines and represent the most recent efforts by the lodge to support the school district and its teachers as the new school year begins. Cook is pictured wearing his new mask Sept. 4 at PPMS.

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Written by May Graci

On Sept. 5, St. Petersburg Lodge member Penny Rase delivered 50 hand-sewn face masks to help protect Music Sweet Music’s (MSM Inc.) board-certified music therapists and their clients from COVID-19. The face masks are made from a new tight-weave cotton fabric and are double sided; they have an elastic cord for comfort around the ears. The masks range in sizes, for children 3 years old to adults and are stored in an unscented, new plastic bag. The therapists are currently seeing their clients via ZOOM, one on one in the client’s home or at their MSM music therapy studio in South Pasadena, Florida. For in-person interactions, MSM follows state, local and facility safety guidelines such as temperature checks, symptom checks and screenings, use of face masks, social distancing, etc. The therapists’ ultimate goal is to support skill development in areas such as communication, academic learning, daily living skills, motor functioning, social skills, behavior and mental health. Pictured are May Graci, lodge member and liaison to MSM, and Rase.

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Written by Rita Smith

On Sept. 2, Tampa Lodge delivered school supplies valued at approximately $400 to West Shore Elementary School in Port Tampa, Florida. Due to the pandemic, lodge members were unable to hold a back-to-school party this year, so the Youth Activities Chair, Patty Volpe, asked members to donate school supplies for local students instead. West Shore Elementary was chosen based on their high percentage of students who receive Title 1 funding in the form of free lunches. The school was also chosen because a survey of other south Tampa fraternal organizations indicated that the school was not on any of their lists. Visitors are not allowed inside any school at the present time; there is not even a volunteer screening page on the school board’s website. Linda Drawdy, principal, was very appreciative and she took time out her busy day to come outside to thank the members who delivered the supplies. Because foot traffic at the lodge is low due to the pandemic and the donations were down considerably from previous years, Volpe set up an Amazon wish list that will allow anyone to purchase supplies online and choose to have them delivered directly to the school under the lodge’s name. The need is pretty high at this school that has so many students from families with low incomes and there is not any nearby shopping for families without transportation. Pictured with the supplies are Volpe; Shannon Wheatley, Lecturing Knight; and Marilyn Rivera, school custodian.

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Written by Tampa Elks

Using social media, Mary Win Wilson Proudfoot asked the community to help her teach her art classes at Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida. The county has a new hybrid virtual or classroom teaching platform and she felt a big-screen television would facilitate her teaching. Tampa Elks Lodge member Shelagh Gombarcik, PER saw the social media post and presented the project to the board of directors and  the membership who agreed to use the lodge’s charity fund to make the purchase which totaled $400. Gombarcik delivered the television and a wall mount to the school Aug. 27. Pictured are Gombarcik and Proudfoot.

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Written by May Graci

 While many people have had to stay home to avoid exposure to the coronavirus, police officers, firefighters and paramedics are on the frontlines of this pandemic putting their own health at risk to serve the community. On Aug. 7, St. Petersburg Lodge provided 30 pizzas to additional police and fire departments. The extra-large pepperoni and meat pizzas were made by the lodge’s chef, John Bauer. Three teams delivered 16 pizzas to St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD), 12 pizzas to St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue Station (SPFR) and 2 pizzas to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Station No. 9. The value of the donation was $315.  Pictured at SPPD are Al Literski, Lecturing Knight; Sharon Literski, Loyal Knight; Officer Gabriella Burger; Officer Rick McKee; H. Tom Shriver, PDD; Cathy Shriver, PER; Officer Michael Schade; and Officer April Grasso. Pictured at SPFR are Joanne Matos, PER, West Central District Vice President; Eric Matos, lodge member; Lt. Steve Lawrence; and Mimi Reich, lodge member. Pictured at Station No. 9 are LT Adras; Kirk Martin, Inner Guard; Probie Wright; David Walker; Hope Jagodzinski; and Justin Woodard.