Veterans

Brattleboro Lodge #1499 donates $18,000 to Shields & Stripes Organization

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Brattleboro, VT Lodge #1499 donated $18,000 to Shields & Stripes Organization.  The $18,000 will be used to fully fund a Veteran in their 6-month all-inclusive program which aids veterans in rejoining their families and communities as contributing and healthy members.  ChasingZERO project created fund rising events all year long with the mission to raise funds for Veterans and First Responders to decrease the suicide rate to ZERO.
 
 
Pictured L to R:  Lodge Member, ChasingZERO founder, and Army Veteran: Steven “Chase” Stanley, Chase’s Mom:  Penny Peterson and Adison’s Aunt: Kathleen Clark at the 22-mild walk to raise funds for Veteran and First Responder Suicide Awareness.  (Adison Clark, a Marine Veteran lost his battle to post-traumatic stress on American Soil on Jan 18, 2023)
 
News item submitted by Jil MacMenamin.

Brattleboro Lodge #1499 Veterans Breakfast

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Brattleboro Lodge #1499 had a successful Veterans Breakfast on Nov 12th serving over 100 Veterans and their families.  

Pictured is a Veteran Family enjoying their buffet breakfast with the table decorated with Thank-You letters and colorful drawings created by area school children.  The children’s work will be distributed to Veterans Centers, where they can be enjoyed again. 

News item submitted by Jil MacMenamin.

Saturday, September 9, 2023 come join Chasing Zero at the Brattleboro High School

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Saturday, September 9, 2023 come join Chasing Zero at the Brattleboro High School. The Brattleboro Elks #1499 is incredibly proud of the work Chase has done to get our Veteran & Suicide Awareness fundraiser where it is. Our goal is higher and the event is bigger! Please support if you can! Chasing ZERO
 
 
News item submitted by Jil MacMenamin.
 

Barre Elks Lodge #1535 Presented Items To Veterans, Inc.

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Barre Elks Lodge #1535 Exalted Ruler presented items to Veterans, Inc. Case Manager, Joyce Cloutier on July 25, 2023. Household items purchased from the Freedom grant were donated to veterans transitioning into permanent housing. Veterans Inc. is a national leader in ending homelessness among veterans and is located in Bradford, Vermont.

 

l-r: Joyce Cloutier, Case Manager, Cindy Whooley, Exalted Ruler Barre Elks Lodge #1535.

News item submitted by Cindy Whooley, ER Barre Elks Lodge.

SPRINGFIELD ELKS LODGE #1560 AWARDS GRANT TO VETERAN’S PLACE

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 Recently, Springfield Elks Lodge applied for a Freedom Grant through Elks National Foundation and were awarded $1000 to be given to The Veterans’ Place in Northfield, Vt.
 
     On Wednesday, June 21st, three Elk members traveled to Northfield to present a check to the Veterans’ Place Inc.  On their brochure the question is, If America is the home of the brave, why are so many of the brave homeless?   
 
     The Veterans’ Place, Inc., (TVPI) consists of transitional housing for homeless Veterans in Vermont.  The mission of the The Veteran’s Place is dedicated to providing unhoused veterans with the environment, tools and support they need to transition to independant, sustainable, substance-free and productive lives.  Also, their vision is to see an end to veteran homelessness through a statewide, coordinated, accessible network of supports and services, as modeled by TVPI.
 
     The Place consists of (18) single bedrooms and currently they have (17) occupants in the house.  The tenants may come and go as they please by signing the register at the entrance.  If possible they can hold down jobs and they have to sign back in each night unless they are on a weekend leave with family.  When they return they are tested to make sure they have not broken the rules, whether it be drugs or alcohol.   In some cases they are given 2nd chances but only one time.  
 
     The Veteran’s Place accepts donations and in-kind gifts like the Elks Grant.   Also, they apply for grants from the VA and other revenues.   The tenants at the Veteran’s Place come from recomendations by the VA Hospital in White River Jct., Vt.   Donations may be made to The Veterans’ Place, 220 Vine St., Northfield, Vt. 05663
 
Caption for attached pic;  Shown at the entrance of the Veterans’ Home is L to r; Mike Gunn, PR chairman for Spr. Elks,  Carolee Murchie current Exalted Ruler of the Spr. Elks, Diana Weggler Pres. of the Board at The Veteran’s Place and Karen Boyce, Director of The Veteran’s Place.
 
News item submitted by Mike Gunn.

NEWPORT ELKS LODGE #2155 FLAG DAY CEREMONY

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On June 13th community members joined the Newport Vermont Elks Lodge BPOE #2155 for the annual Flag Day Ceremony.  Members conducted the traditional Elks Flag Day ceremony with the help of local veterans and JROTC members.  
 
l-r: Dan Martin- Veteran, James Chatterton- Veteran, Kevin Jewer- Veteran, Mykenzie Tuller- JROTC, Christopher Chittamber- JROTC, Maggie Vincent- JROTC, Evan Calloway, Major Dan Bartlett- ROTC & Veteran
 

News item provided by Renee Barrup.

THE VERMONT VETERANS HOME ACTIVITIES PROGRAM RECEIVES DONATION FROM THE JULIA SHEA BAND

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  The Vermont Veteran’s Home Activities program is the recipient of a donation from The Julie Shea Band. 
Julie’s band held their farewell concert at the Bennington Elks Lodge 567 on April 14th.
 Julie Shea wished to donate 1/2 of the door sale proceeds to our Veteran’s, that will benefit from this great program.
The Check was presented at the semi-annual Veteran’s steak dinner that the Elk’s Veteran’s committee hosts for Veteran’s and their families at the Elks lodge.  
 
From left to right are Mike Kinney and Gary Lewis, Bennington Elk’s Veteran’s committee co-chairs, presenting the check to Michele Burgess, Veteran’s Home Activities Director, also Greg Pinsonneault, Exalted Ruler at the Bennington Elks #567. 
 
News item submitted by Kitty Lewis.

SPRINGFIELD ELKS LODGE #1560 AWARDS GRANT TO VA MEDICAL CENTER WHITE RIVER JCT., VT.

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Recdently, Karen Whitney Veterans Chairman for the Springfield Elks Lodge presented a $3000 worth of supplies and a check to the Veterans Medical Center in White River Jct., Vt. 
     This was from a $6000 Beacon/Spotlight Grant given to the Lodge by Elks National Foundation.  The purpose of the Grant was to supply the VA with needed materials that the VA Center specified they needed.  These Grants are submitted for annually to ENF and fortunately the Springfield Lodge has been the recipient for many years now.
 
Shown are Karen Campbell, Director at the VA Medical Center with Karen Whitney of Springfield Elks Lodge presenting the VA Medical with a special Beacon/Spotlight Grant from Elks National Foundation.   
 
News item submitted by Mike Gunn.