June 2024 – Groundbreaking at St. Michaels
Kim and Helen Murch, along with Billy Thompson from the Northland Lodge #2376 attended the groundbreaking for another wing at the St. Michaels Veterans Center.
February 2024 – Salute to Veterans Week
Elks at the Kansas City Veterans Hospital for National Salute to Veterans Week.. Serving popcorn, coffee, granola bars, peanuts, etc to veterans at
the KCVA Hospital. Committee members served 4 days that week and included Darrell Quinley and Lois Cavanaugh from Grandview #2088, Steve and Avan Solomon from Blue Springs #2509, Kim and Helen Murch from Northland #2376, Virginia DeBoard and Lissa Stark from Blue Springs #2509, and Rita Sundermann and Susan Stockenbury from Blue Springs #2509.
February 2024 – Grandview #2088 – Valentines for Fisher House
Valentine’s Day Hearts for Veteran Families staying at our Kansas City VA Fisher House. Jim and Ellen Dougan supplied Hearts for all 17 family suites to brighten their experience while staying at the VA Fisher House. Fisher House is for families, 50 miles or more from the VA Hospital, who have a loved one in the KC VA Hospital. No charge for families to stay, and that includes meals. Pictured with Jim and Ellen are Debby and Mike Peters Fisher House Supervisor.
December 2023 – Kansas City #26 – Gifts for St. Michael’s veterans
The second-grade class made these for the veterans. In the gifts bags are chopsticks, pens, greeting cards, tabletop decorations and notepads. Charlie CAntrell and Jan will take these down this week. The kids are making more items for Christmas. This is a project sponsored by ELKS lodge 26.
December 2023 – Kansas CIty #26 – Donations to St. Michaels
Kansas City #26 Veterans Committee members donations to St. Michael’s. Pictured are Donnie Wilson, Ralph Olson, and Gene Shaal, photojournalist Don Cannafax. Donations: Blankets, Toilet Paper and Socks
November 2023 – Cass County Lodge serving veterans at the VA Hospital
Cass County Lodge serving pulled pork, chips and a drink to veterans at Kansas City VA Hospital
September 2023 – Northland KC#2376 Color Guard Duties
On September 11, 2023 the American Legion Northland Post 626 did Color Guard duties for a benefit to honor all 9/11 victims as well as to support the Dream Factory. The Dream Factoryis the largest all-volunteer driven children’s wish-granting organization that does not limit its mission to children who have life-threatening illness. The organization believes children with chronic illnesses and disorders also suffer from substantial emotional and physical pain. The members of the Color Guard are also members of the Kansas City Northland Lodge 2376. The American Legion Post 626 and the Elks Lodge 2376 regularly join ranks to support each other on community events. The Honor Guard members participating were Nelson Duncan, Billy Thompson, Mike McDonald and Kim Murch.
August 2023 – KC#26 served a taco dinner to resident of St. Michaels
Lodge #26, Kansas City provided a taco dinner for the residents of St. Michaels Veteran Center. This is a facility with 110 apartment units.
August 2023 – Donations to St. Michaels for Beds and Shelves
The Metro West District Veteran’s Committee recently donated $1,400 to assist with new beds and steel shelves for St. Michaels.
June 2023 – Bowling for St. Michaels Veterans
The Blue Springs Lodge hosted a bowling outing for11 veterans from St. Michaels Veterans Home. Blue Springs Bowl donated the lanes for this Sunday outing. Pizza and soft drinks were donated by the lodges along with transportation for the veterans. Everyone had a great time!
May 2023 – PACT Act Event for all Veterans at the Cass County Elks Lodge
Harrisonville, Mo — Monday, May 1, from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm, all Veterans are invited to the Elks Lodge #2791, 2402 N State Route 291, Harrisonville, MO 64701-1155, for a PACT Act Town Hall awareness event for Veterans and their survivors.
The purpose of the event is to educate and assist area Veterans with health care enrollment as part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act expands eligibility for VA healthcare for Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 Veterans with toxic exposures. The law adds 20+ presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures and requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA healthcare.
Veterans will have access to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) representatives, veteran service officer claim support, VA health care eligibility and enrollment assistance, and receive toxic exposure screenings. Please consider pre-registering for this event by clicking here.
For more information about the PACT Act event, please contact Vic Ziliani, Strategic Partnership Officer, at victor.ziliani@va.gov.
February 2023 – Clothing and Supplies Delivery
Cass County Elks Lodge 2791 made a delivery to the VA Hospital and St. Michael’s today.
-127 cans of coffee, which is over 375 pounds.
-92 pairs of sweatpants
-72 winter coats
-7 coffee makers
-36 containers of laundry pods
January 2023 – Fisher House Donation
December 2022 – Veterans Benefit Expo
On December 3rd the Kansas City Northland Elks Lodge #2376 hosted a Veterans Benefit Expo for Veterans and their families at the Lodge. Representatives from the Kansas City Hospital, Volunteer Services, Whole Health, Pact Act, Suicide Prevention and the VFW and American Legion Service officers were on hand to help the families get answers to their questions. Also working with the Vets in attendance were Tricare, VA Loan representatives and Dignity Memorial providing funeral benefit information. American Legion Post 626 and VFW Post 10906 were there providing support and comradery to the veterans and families in attendance. 13 Volunteers from the lodge fed 136 people a fantastic hot lunch.
November 2022 – Food Donations
On November 17th members of the Kansas City Northland Elks Lodge #2376 Veterans Committee delivered approximately 150 individual packages of Lays potato chips, 50 packages of Cheetos and various face shields to St. Michaels. The donation was made possible thanks to a generous donation from PER Lisa Brotherton and Trustee Joe Brotherton.
November 2022 – Backpacks for Homeless Vets
Ed Rieke and the Veterans Committee of Blue Springs Lodge #2509 packed 50 backpacks full of clothing and personal products for homeless vets on November 16th. The backpacks were delivered to the Veterans Community Project to be distributed to homeless veterans in the Kansas City area.
November 2022 – Items and Donation for Veterans Home
Attached are two pictures of items and a check for a banner. The donations came from kc 26 and Grandview 2088. The check is from the money we get from the grand lodge each month. I delivered the items and the lady is the volunteer coordinate at the home.
November 2022 – Items for St. Michaels Residents
Lodge 26 Kansas City sponsored a second-grade class that does pictures, doorknob hangers, key chains for the Veterans at St Michael’s. Attached is an example of the items we took down to the apartments for veterans day. At each holiday the kids make some type of items for the Veterans. It’s always fun to see how excited the kids get making these items. Also the Veterans are always happy to receive the items
October 2022 – Bowling for St. Michaels Veterans
The Blue Springs Lodge and KC Lodge hosted a bowling outing for12 veterans from St. Michaels Veterans Home. Blue Springs Bowl donated the lanes for this Sunday outing. Pizza and soft drinks were donated by the lodges, along with transportation for the veterans. Everyone had a great time!
October 2022 – Quarterly Birthday Party – St Michaels
Quarterly Birthday Party at St. Michael’s Veterans Center, hosted by Kansas City #26 and Blue Springs #2509. This is an event that is normally done quarterly, but this time was for the last two quarters. It provides cake, ice cream and $20 cash for residents who have had their birthday in the previous quarters.
September, 2022 – St. Michael’s BBQ lunch
Northland Lodge provided a BBQ lunch for residents of St. Michaels on Sunday, 9-11. Larry King (Exalted Ruler for Northland) was the Pit Master for the event, and he was supported by members of his lodge and other Elks from the District. The weather was excellent, and the residents had a terrific time.
September, 2022 – Donation of Refrigerator to St. Michaels
The District Veterans Committee donated a replacement refrigerator for an older model that no longer worked in the Coffee Room at St Michaels. The older refrigerator also provided chilled soft drinks, ice and cold water for the residents. The refrigerator was purchased, installed, and water line secured the same day.
June, 2022 – All Vets Picnic
This annual picnic is hosted by the American Legion #499 with support from Blue Springs Lodge #2509. The picnic was held at the Legion Farm just off 40 Hwy in Blue Springs. It was open to “All Who Honorably Served in the Armed Forces both past and present”. Free food was provided from 2 to 6pm. Activities included music and games, and a flag retirement ceremony.
June, 2022 – Quarterly Birthday Party – St Michaels
Quarterly Birthday Party at St. Michael’s Veterans Center, hosted by Metro West District #4790 Veterans Committee. This is an event that is done quarterly, and it provides cake and $20 cash for residents who have had their birthday in the previous quarter. In the past, the cake has been purchased with VAVS funds, and a Lodge has volunteered to provide the cash and conduct the event.
Warrensburg Veterans Home Donation
Latisha Koetting, Warrensburg Veterans Home, Director of Voluntary Services accepting this BBQ grill from PER Bill Moore Northland Lodge 2376. Even though covid has kept us from entering the building food can be prepared outside and served inside. Another way to help sequestered veterans.
Northland Lodge 2376 Donation to KCVA Hospital
Kansas City Northland Lodge #2376 Veterans Committee donating socks, t-shirts, and skivvies to our KCVA Hospital, Larry King, Melissa Jacobson Director of Voluntary Service, and Kim Murch. These donations were the results of a lodge dinner whereby the price of the meal was a package of socks, t-shirts, or skivvies. These types of dinners/donations have worked very successfully for our lodge.
Fisher House Donations
Kansas City Northland Lodge # 2376 Elks and Veterans donated two Weber Gills to KCVA Fisher House. These grills, on their back deck, can be used by veteran’s families staying at Fisher House while their loved one is hospitalized These grills are the result of Northland lodge veteran’s fundraisers.
April 28th, 2022 – Bowling Outing
Metro West District officers hosted a bowling night for several veteran residents of St. Michael’s Veterans Center. We were all a little out of shape but a trip to Freddies for burgers, fries, and shakes eased the pain. The veterans liked the experience so much this will be a recurring event sponsored by our district.
