Community Activities

Elks Lodge # 829 provides support to the following local organizations:

Use of our facilities to:

  • Flagler College
  • The St. Johns Country Veterans Service Council
  • The Ancient City Chapter of the Marine Corps League
  • The United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots
  • St. Johns County Redevelopment Division
  • St. Johns County Schools
  • St. Johns County Sheriff Office

Donations of Goods and Financial Contributions:

  • Betty Griffin Center
  • Council on Aging
  • Home Again, St. Johns
  • St. Johns County Schools
  • St. Gerard Campus
  • Saint Augustine Community Choir (SACC)
  • Saint Augustine Youth Services (SAYS)
  • Saint Augustine Little League (SALL)
  • S.A.F.E.
  • Veterans Village, Home for Heros
  • Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County
  • Wildflower Healthcare
  • Michael J. Fox Foundation
  • Friends of Anastasia Park
  • Ancient City Kids Day
  • Signal 34 Foundation
  • Epic-Cure
  • Various Contributions to Community Members in Need
  • 10 Scholarships per year to high school graduating seniors

St. Augustine Lodge #829 held a Christmas party for clients of The ARC of SaintAugustine.The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual anddevelopmental disabilities. There were approximately 150 participants, each of whomreceived pizza, cookies and a present from Santa. Music was provided so there was lots of dancing. This party was funded by Lodge charity funds.

The St. Augustine Elks Lodge #829 donated their kitchen to be the site for Epic-Cure’s Sustain U to use to mentor two Title 1 school children in a cooking/plating/serving  lesson.  Wings and sweet potato fries were on the menu.  The Lodge supports Epic-Cure in many ways. This past November the Gratitude Grant was awarded to them to help fund the Sustain U program.  We also collect plastic grocery bags for them to use in their food distribution efforts.

Every December in Saint Augustine, the city has a Christmas Parade and this day is designated PAL Day.  It is to show appreciation for our active military members and first responders.  Elks Lodge # 829 participates by providing lunch.  Approximately 50 meals were served.  The Lodge also delivered 17 meals to veterans living in Veterans Village.

St. Augustine Elks Lodge #829 presented the ENF Gratitude Grant of $2500.  to Epic-Cure’s Sustain U Cooking Classes.  Epic-Cure is a 501 C 3 organization that rescues good food from many sources such as grocery stores and farms to win the battle against food insecurity by distributing this food to those in need.  Their cooking program utilizes local chefs and senior volunteers to mentor Title-1 school children and US military Veterans, teaching them cooking skills to help build their resumes and feed their families.  The Lodge also collects used plastic grocery bags to be used when this food is being distributed.

Our Lodge celebrated our Veterans on November 8th with a Fish and Chicken Fry.  To show our appreciation, they were treated to dinner!

Our Lodge donated $250.00 to both Crookshank and Webster Elementary Schools for the purchase of healthy snacks.  Both these schools are Title One schools.  Pictured are PDDGER Elizabeth West, ER Brian Welliver and Crookshank Guidance Counselor Bailey Benoit.

St. Augustine Lodge #829 hosted The Patriot Guard Riders with a Pizza Party in our Pavilion.  The riders accompanied the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall for display at a local church on November 11th, Veteran’s Day.  We were honored to welcome them to our Lodge.

The Jeep Show/Trunk or Treat was a fundraiser for St. Johns County Elementary Schools.

The Veterans Council of St. Johns County and Home Again St. John collaborated in procuring funding to purchase the Old Town Motel on Anastasia Island. The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs provided a $3 million grant to purchase the motel and refurbish it. It has twenty-two units and will serve as transitional or permanent housing, depending on the individual needs of the Veteran. The motel was renamed Veterans Village, Home for Heroes.  Our Lodge joined the effort and procured approximately $10K worth of ENF National Grants to provide needed items.  The Lodge also has an ongoing collection of items for the onsite Food Pantry.

The Low Country Boil was a fundraiser for our Lodge Scholarship Fund.

St. Augustine Elks Lodge # 829.  The Lodge donated 30 backpacks filled with various school supplies including laptop chargers, composition books, notebook paper, crayons, scissors and zipper bags to The Webster School, a Title 1 school in West St. Augustine.  The value of the donation was approximately $2300.  This effort was led by Elks #829 member Heather Craig.

The first Wednesday of the month for approximately the last three years, a group of St. Augustine Elks have thrown a birthday party for the veterans living in the Clyde E. Lassen Veterans Nursing Home.  They arrive with cake, balloons and smiles.  The veterans especially enjoy the conversations that take place.  This group is led by PER and Leading Knight, Randy Cook and Elk Dianne Cook, FLOE Treasurer.