Due to the pandemic, the Grand Lodge granted permission to Plant City Elks Lodge #1727 to use their 2019-2020 Freedom Grant in February 2021. The lodge was unable to complete their original plans for the veterans due to COVID-19. It has been the lodge’s custom for the last five years to take valentines to the hospitalized veterans. This year they decided to use their Freedom Grant to expand their Valentine's Day weekend by contracting with Mission BBQ Restaurant to provide 60 hospital-approved meals and 60 bags of useful personal items. They also added $20 worth of canteen cards to each of the bags. These cards are highly coveted by the veterans because they can be used to buy needed or wanted items from the hospital-run canteen/store. The lodge made Feb. 13 a very nice day for the Poly Trauma, General Rehab, Chronic Pain/Post Deployment and Brain Injury Units. Lodge members contributed most of the items that were in the goody bags. While the members were not able to interact with the veterans because of the pandemic, they were told that the veterans were so happy and grateful for what turned out to be a big party for them. The lodge also included Valentine’s Day cards in each bag from lodge members and students from Plant City Advantage Academy.

Pictured are Judy Wise, Lodge Veterans Chair; Alyssa Kociba, recreational specialist at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital; and Ed Wise, Americanism Chair.