Veterans

Barre Elks Loge Fraternal News

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Exalted Ruler Todd Benoit and trustee Frank Hotaling delivered $1750 worth of items to The Veterans Place in Northfield. These household items will replenish a storage room that Veterans shop from when transitioning into their own apartments. This donation was made possible thanks to the Elks National Foundation Beacon grant. This is our 8th year supporting The Veterans’ Place.   

 

News item submitted by Kristin Calcagni.

Barre Elks Lodge Fraternal News – Josh’s House

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Last week, members of Barre Lodge visited Josh’s House in Colchester’s Fort Ethan Allen to present a check for $2500 to Executive Director Val Pallotta.  The donation was made possible from an Elks National Veterans Service Commission Freedom Grant. Only 350 grants were available this year and Barre was the only Lodge in Vermont that received a Freedom grant.  The grants must focus on servicing veterans and active-duty military members in areas of employment, homelessness and housing, military families, health and educational support.  
Josh’s House,  a brand new veteran Wellness and recreation center, focuses on all of the areas.  Newly opened in March 2021, Josh’s House provides meals, classes, recreational opportunities, gym equipment, computers and quiet space for veterans and active-duty military members to gather.  Josh’s House has a very active Facebook page with numerous upcoming events including open house meet and greats, ladies nights, and BBQs.  Executive Development Director Andrea Gagner organizes free massages, educational talks about bee keeping and other activities for veterans.  They are always looking for donations of meals or gift cards to provide and have set up a Meal Train account for this.  
“Josh’s House is a place that service members can come home. It’s a safe place for whatever you may need. From a quiet space to just relax or to enjoy friendly conversations or just to find your own inner calm. A place that allows veterans of all eras to be welcomed and to feel at home,” said veteran Jordan.   
Barre Elks Lodge members are proud to support Josh’s House financially and look forward to actively participating in events there in the future.  
 
 
 
 
L to R: Barre Lodge trustee Frank Hotaling, Exalted Ruler Todd Benoit, Josh’s House Executive Director Val Pallotta and ENF Grant chair Patty Ristau.
 
 
 
 

BARRE ELKS LODGE FRATERNAL NEWS

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Members of Barre Lodge presented a $300 donation to Tylor Bigras representing Tires for Troops.  This non-profit provides Vermont Veterans with new snow tires and state inspections at no charge.  Founded in 2015 by Tylor Bigras, Tires for Troops has donated over $50,000 in tires and services to Veterans.  This donation was made possible with funds from the Elks National Foundation Gratitude Grant. 
 
L to R: Maureen Lawson,  Barre Lodge PER, Patty Ristau,  Barre lodge ENF Chair, Tylor Bigras, Tires for Troops and Karen Bingham,  Barre lodge trustee. 

Members of Barre Lodge visit The Veterans’ Place

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Members of Barre Lodge visited The Veterans’ Place in Northfield, Vermont, last Saturday to deliver items for transitioning Veterans. Over $2000 worth of pots and pans, microwaves, cookie sheets, glasses, bowls, crockpots and Pyrex containers were all purchased with funds from the Elks National Foundation Beacon grant.

Pictured from L to R: VEA Veterans Chair Chip Paine, Barre Lodge Veterans Chair Renee Hotaling, Barre Lodge ENF Chair Patty Ristau, Barre Lodge Exalted Ruler Frank Hotaling, Veteran resident Bob and member Terry Paine.

News item submitted by Kristin Calcagni.

Barre Elks Lodge participate in the 6th Annual Granite City 5K Run/Walk for Veterans

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Members of Barre Elks Lodge participated in the 6th Annual Granite City 5K Run/Walk for Veterans. The event is to celebrate the servicepeople in our armed forces and raise awareness of the many challenges Veterans endure. This event is produced in collaboration with the Sons of the American Legion Squadron #10 and Barre ElksLodge #1535. The registration period is open until the day of the race.  
 
All proceeds benefit The Veterans’ Place, Inc., in Northfield, Vermont, to support transitional housing and other services for our most vulnerable veterans.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SPRINGFIELD ELKS LODGE 1560 SECURES GRANT FOR THE VETERANS PLACE

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 Recently, Springfield Elks Veterans chairperson, Vicki Siliski applied for a Spotlight Grant through Elks National for The Veterans Place in Northfield, Vt.  She received back a sum of $2000 for her efforts. 
 
     The criteria for the grant for homeless veterans at the The Veterans Place home in Northfield is to provide them with useful items to be used by the Veterans.  For this project, the $2000 is going to help the home to purchase new box spring and mattresses for 26 rooms that they have for the Veterans.  This amount won’t buy for all 26 rooms but it will go a long way to help them complete their project. 
 
     The home was formally the Northfield Hospital which was turned into a home for homeless Veterans trying to get back on their feet.  The Veterans may stay there for two years then the home will help them by donating things for their next home or apartment. They supply them with kitchen utensils, furniture and goods to set up their home.  This program is helped by the VA Hospital in White River Jct., Vt. who screens the applicants from their patients in White River.
 
Caption for pic: L to r; Elks member Eugene Siliski, Administrative manager Karen Boyce, Elks Vet’s chairperson PER Vicki Siliski, Elks member Gloria Gunn and Vet resident at the home Bill Carrier.
 
News item submitted by Michael Gunn
 
 

Fraternal News – Barre Elks Lodge

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Barre Lodge #1535 was the site for the Barre Area Veteran’s Council Veteran’s appreciation dinner on November 7th.  Over 200 people attended the Roast Turkey Dinner, served by volunteers and students from Spaulding High School.  Veterans were the guests of the Council.   Proceeds of the evening were donated to   Fowler’s R&R Ranch Corp provides assistance to returning soldiers in their transition to civilian life by providing a low-stress working and living environment with mentoring in technical skill building. Specifically, we specialize in agriculture, farming, and gardening as well as other hands-on activities and learning opportunities surrounding farm work and local business. As an organization we are largely self-sustaining and our contributions to the community through an array of value-added products enrich Vermont’s locally based food market.
 
The Barre Area Veteran’s council is comprised of volunteers from Barre Legion Post 10,  Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 790,  Barre Lodge of Elks #1535, American Legion Auxiliary Post 10 and Sons of Union Veterans of Civil War. 
 
Photo Credits Kristin Calcagni
 
Ron Talman, Maureen Lawson and Chuck Barney
 
Veterans Renee Hotaling and Paul Gagne
 
Amy and Brian White, Brenda Clark  and Leo Fortier at the booth for the  VERMONT (SSN 792).  The submarine, (SSN 792), is the 19th nuclear attack submarine of the Virginia-Class, and is the third U.S. warship named “VERMONT.”   VERMONT is expected to be commissioned in late spring/early summer of 2020.  This volunteer committee’s mission is to provide a memorable Commissioning for the ship’s officers, crew, and sponsor; the U.S. Navy; the State of Vermont and its people; and the men and women who built the ship.
 
News item submitted by Kristin Calcagni 

Fraternal News – Barre Elks Lodge

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Barre Lodge #1535 recognized Veterans attending the November Senior Dinner.  The Veterans lead attendees reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and were  presented  a complimentary ticket for the January Senior Dinner. 

News item submitted by Barb Watters

SPRINGFIELD ELKS LODGE 1560 PRESENTS ELKS BEACON GRANT TO VA HOSPITAL

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  Recently, Springfield Elks Lodge 1560 presented a National Elks Beacon Grant to the VA Hospital in White River Jct., Vermont, in the amount of $1000.
 
    The Beacon Grant awarded to Springfield Elks Lodge was for $2000.  The Lodge elected to present the other half of the Beacon Grant to the Veterans Home in Bennington, Vt., in March. 
 
     Usually the Elks get a check and present it to the recipient.  This year, Springfield Elks did something different, they went out and bought toiletries in lieu of a check.  Items that the Elks presented them with were like, Men’s razors, shaving cream, deodorant.  Unisex toiletries, chap-stick, denture cream and hair brushes.  Reading glasses, men’s sweat pants, sweat shirts, briefs and t-shirts.  Also Arts & Crafts Supplies, fine point art markers, watercolor dual tip art markers, acrylic paint sets, wood burning kits, embroidery for cross stich kits, jewelry making supplies (beads, cords, etc.).  Wooden plaques, birdhouses, wood stain of any color and wood burning kits.
 
    With the above awards, Springfield Elks Lodge continues to show they are very vested in our Veteran’s, locally and state wide.  Springfield Elks Lodge Veteran’s chairman Vicki Siliski, has given much her time and efforts to get awards for them over the past few years.   The chairman of this latest Beacon Grant was treasurer Karen Whitney.   The contacts at the VA Hospital was Karen Campbell the Chief Voluntary Service Officer.  Also, Trevor McCants is the Logistics Supply Chain Officer and an Elks member of Bellows Falls Lodge #1619.
 
 
Caption: Shown is the National Elks Beacon Grant presentation at the VA Hospital by the Springfield Elks Lodge #1560 recently.  Shown L to r; Karen Whitney, Beacon Grant Chairman, Trevor McCants, VA Logistics Supply Chain Officer, Vicki Siliski, Veterans Chairman of Springfield Elks Lodge and Karen Campbell, VA Chief Voluntary Service Officer
 
News item submitted by Mike Gunn