Our Non Cash donations have reached $106,784 Cash donations total $18,312 and we have $22,654 in Welcome Home Kits for our Homeless Veterans. This brings our total Veteran donations to $147,750 for this lodge year ending on March 31, 2026. 

I realized, when reading some of my earlier reports, I don’t always report all the donations and activities our committee contribute to our veterans. Below is an incomplete list of what we have supplied our veterans this year: 

1. We delivered 50 Welcome Home Kits valued at $22,654. 

2. We delivered $106,784 in used clothing, shoes, books & misc. items. 

3. We provided $1,700 to help Escalante En Esperanza to meet VA requirements for up to date medical cabinets. 

4. We contributed $720 for music for our Arizona Veterans Home. 

5. Our Sewing It Forward group donated $800 in Christmas toys, stuffed animals, pillowcases, soccer balls and clothing to Esperanza en Escalante. They also provided $1,350 of new baby baskets for pregnant service personal or their spouses. 

6. We contributed $160 for Wreaths Across America at the Arizona Veterans Cemetery in Marana. 

7. We contributed $1,000 for counseling homeless veterans. 

8. We contributed $1,000 to Arizona Heroes Memorial. 

9. We donated $7,098 of food and clothing for Homeless Veterans. 

10. Our lodge membership has jointly sent over 250 Christmas cards to veterans in the Arizona Veterans home and to Recovering Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in NW Washington DC. 

11. We spent $1,000 to help two vet families into their apartments. 

12. We spent over $1,000 for 19 Christmas gifts for our Arizona Veterans Home patients. 

None of this is possible without our members help and generosity! Your participation in our two fundraisers helps tremendously, as well as the money you place in the Vet Jar on the bar. Your donations of guns has brought in many dollars for us!

You can help our homeless veterans by contributing new Undershorts and T-shirts (Med, Lg, XL), Jeans ( W 33, 34, 36) and Socks. Please place any NEW items in the White barrel in the lounge and USED items in the Pod in the front of the lodge. Do not place new items in the vet pod outside! The weather is turning cool, so any warm clothing you can donate, new or used, would be very helpful. Again, please place new items in the white barrel in the lounge. As always, a big thank you for your continued support for our veterans! Happy New Year to all our lodge members and their families!

Bob

The Veterans Committee has established a Memorial to Honor our Veterans, First Responders, Fire and Police. Immediately outside our front door there are four enclosed cases that will hold 200 plaques where a veterans name, rank, years of service and military branch may be inscribed. This is a very visual way to honor our veteran and first responders, and is a fund raiser for our committee. Glass plaques will be sold for $75 for any member who wishes one for their service, for a friend or family members. We have one member who plans to obtain a plaque for his father, father-in-law and himself. Signup sheets are at the bar or can be obtained by emailing bobkielsa@gmail.com, lisahensley88@gmail.com or kayleenborah@gmail.com for application forms. An application is also included as an insert in the Bugle. All plaques will be placed on the wall in the order the application and payment are received.

Sponsored by Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge #2815

By Bob Kielsa

I’m excited to announce that our lodge has two more programs designed to support our military and veterans.

The first program is Recycle Cell Phones for our troops. Since 2004 this organization has recycled over 30 million devices, and have provided over 400 million free minutes by sending more than 5 million

calling cards to our service personnel overseas.

You can donate by dropping your used cell phones at the lodge or providing cash or a check (made out to Catalina Mountain Elks Lodge #2815) in an envelope marked for veterans committee in the Cell

Phone box in the lounge.

Our second program is through an organization called Intrepid Hospice. They are looking for volunteers willing to spend 30 to 45 minutes with those who have a short time left here on earth. One of the worst fears everyone experiences during this dying process is dying alone. You can make a difference.

Veterans are welcome! You know what’s in the heart of those who have served our country and seen others give their lives in this service. If you would like more information, or to sign up, please give

Lee Swengel, Intrepid House Chaplain a call at 682-777-5559.

My name is David Sides and I'm a member of the Outreach Department for The Pleural Mesothelioma Center.

Countless veterans are currently suffering from life-threatening illnesses that are a result of exposure to asbestos, a material that was commonly used in hundreds of military applications, products, and ships because of its resistance to fire. Veterans who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma even qualify for special benefits from the U.S Department of Veteran Affairs.

We recently published an educational guide about pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of mesothelioma.

For More Information, Click  Here