Our Military & Veterans

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Written by Alise Taylor-Sindab

Orange Park Elks Lodge member Angela Myles volunteered to participate in the Ortega Elementary Career Day Nov. 21. She was a yeoman in the U.S. Navy for more than 20 years and retired as an E-7/YNC. She spoke to approximately 25 students in first through fifth grades. When they found out that she used to be in the Navy, they shared with her who served in their families, which included the Army, Marines and Navy. They discussed Iraq, what it looked like overseas, what the Purple Heart medal stood for and what it looked like. She brought several visual aids with her, which included rope, so they could tie a knot, and she brought examples of what knots the ships use. She showed them a statue of a female sailor and a lighthouse and explained the significance of a lighthouse. The students thoroughly enjoyed her presentation and had plenty of questions. Afterward, all 377 students at the school received a Drug Awareness red ribbon from the lodge.

Pictured is Angela Myles during her presentation to the students.

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Written by Alise Taylor-Sindab

Orange Park Elks Lodge #2605 used a portion of its Elks National Veterans Service Commission Freedom Grant to purchase food for 100 Thanksgiving baskets for U.S. Navy active-duty families at the Naval Air Station in need of assistance. Alise Taylor-Sindab, Exalted Ruler, met with the Navy Wives Club of America, which oversees the food pantry, to take inventory of what was needed for the baskets. The lodge used a portion of the Elks National Veterans Service Commission Freedom Grant to purchase food. Members also donated food items for the baskets and helped restock the pantry. Lisa Green, Lecturing Knight, and Alise Taylor-Sindab shopped for the items, and several members assisted with organizing and packing the donations. The items were delivered to the Navy Wives Club at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville. Winn-Dixie donated 100 turkeys for the families. The families picked up their baskets the week before Thanksgiving.

Pictured are Alise Taylor-Sindab, Exalted Ruler, and Lisa Green, Lecturing Knight.

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Written by Deborah Reedy, PER

Throughout November, Jacksonville Elks Lodge members collected nonperishable food items and personal hygiene products for the food drive for the 5 Star Veterans organization.

Pictured are Suzie Loving, 5 Star Veterans; Carole Shapley, lodge chaplain; Karen Tracy, Lodge Veterans Services Chair; and Colonel Len Loving, USMC (Ret.), 5 Star Veterans.

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Written by Jacksonville Elks

Jacksonville Elks Lodge #221 participated volunteered at the Wreaths Across America event Dec. 16 at the Jacksonville National Cemetery. Lodge volunteers arrived early and helped unbox the wreaths and stage them in front of each row of headstones before the event and attended the ceremony conducted by the local WAA chapter before placing wreaths at gravesites. Jacksonville Elks also raised $684 for this cause.

Pictured are members John Pipkins, Robin Pipkins, Lois Price, Deborah Reedy and Brent Reedy.

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Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER

Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge #497 hosted its 34th annual Veterans Day parade Nov. 11. The parade chair was Pam McGinty and the co-chair was Frank Papasavas. The Grand Marshall was Colonel Allison Black, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. The lodge hosted a cookout before the parade for all veterans and their spouses, parade drivers, golf cart participants, and volunteers, with assistance from the American Legion Gulf Breeze Post 387. The Ladies of Elks prepared and served side dishes. Each of the approximately 55 parade cars had a banner affixed to it naming the veteran rider and their service. There were more than 60 veterans participating, including a group of veterans from The Blake at Pensacola, an assisted living facility. Numerous groups participated in the parade, including the Gulf Breeze High School band and Air Force JR ROTC, Girl Scouts, MacGuire’s Pipe Band, Patriot Guard, and the Blue Wahoos minor league baseball mascot. A choral group from Pensacola Choral Society and Gulf Breeze Methodist sang the national anthem and “God Bless America.”

Pictured in one of the parade’s cars in Leonard Halseth, retired U.S. Army Special Forces.

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Written by Taz WrightReynolds, PER

On Dec. 16, Fort Walton Elks Lodge #1795 donated $2,500 to the local Wreaths Across America organization and participated in distributing and laying 2,000 remembrance wreaths at veterans’ graves at Beal Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach, while saying each veteran’s name aloud. This annual endeavor aims to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach children the value of freedom.

Pictured in the front row are Donna Silva, kitchen manager; Tom Rice, community coordinator; Tom McLaughlin, Exalted Ruler; Linda Mayfield, chaplain; and Mark Wynn, Inner Guard. In the back row are Marcia WrightReynolds, Loyal Knight; trustees Paul Eubanks, PER and Kathy Pacheco; Kathy Houchins, lodge manager; Kevin Clemons, PDD, District Leader; Rob Parks, Leading Knight; Paul Willey, PER, trustee; and Tom Knowles, PER, Lecturing Knight. Also pictured presenting a wreath on a veteran’s grave is Marcia WrightReynolds.