Of everything that the Florida Elks do, perhaps nothing is more important than our work with the state’s youth. Sowing the seeds of accomplishment and commitment through our Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services and Florida Elks Youth Camp programs, children are given the opportunity to grow and learn beyond their wildest imaginations.
The Florida Elks Children’s Hospital was conceived in 1931 by the imaginative minds of the late David Sholtz, Past Grand Exalted Ruler, and Harry R.P. Miller, a retired financier of Eustis, FL. Through the generosity of Harry and Anna Miller, the idea became reality, when their compassion and love for handicapped children led them to offer to the Florida State Elks Association, Inc., a three-story hotel and several orange groves in Umatilla, Florida.
The Elks accepted, and the Harry-Anna Home for crippled children was born. Even though the Florida Elks Children’s Hospital is closed the Harry-Anna Trust Fund continues to fund the two main charity projects of Florida Elks. The Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services and the Florida Elks Youth Camp.
A trust fund started in 1951, was named after Harry and Anna Miller. Its purpose was, and continues to be, the collection of donations and the acceptance of endowed gifts.
The trust fund is restricted, which means that only the income derived from it may be used to support our major projects: the Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services and Florida Elks Youth Camp programs.
In this fiscal year which ends March 31, 2021 the Trust produced about $7.5mm in expendable income net of Investment Fees. Per the approved budget for March 31, 2022, that income will be spent as follows:
- Grants to Therapy Services – $4.054mm
- Grants to Youth Camp – $3.088mm operating + $115k Capital Expenditures
- Grants to FL ELKs Properties – $104K operating + $600k Capital Expenditures
- Grants to FL ELKs Charities – $429k
- Matching Lodge Beacon Grants – $263k
- Trust Operating Expenditures – $798k
The Trust receives $500k annually from Wills and Bequests; and another $750k annually from individual and Lodge donations. The Trust must gain about $6mm to provide additional income for one new Therapist or to treat 16 more children/week. That’s $375,000 per child. The Trust must gain about $10,000 to send one more child to summer camp.
Our Lodge’s donation quota to the Harry-Anna Trust Fund for the year is $8,580.54. That amounts to $12.53 per capita. To date our Lodge donations are $7,628; or 89.5% of our quota. On Feb 1, 2022 the Lodge approved another $1,000 donation to the Harry-Anna Trust Fund that will be presented shortly. With this donation we have exceeded our quota. We are currently ranked 39th among 94 Lodges in Florida.
Our Lodge supports this trust fund through donations collected with our annual dues, various fundraisers and our Annual Harry-Anna Valentine’s Ball. You may donate to our Lodge’s Harry-Anna fund here or directly through the Florida State Elks Association payment gateway.
