BRADENTON BEACH – Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge 2188 gave the city a $10,000 donation to purchase eight mini ballistic shields for the city’s police officers.
During the July 16 city commission meeting, Police Chief John Cosby thanked the Moose lodge for its latest police department-related donation.
“Our public-private partnership with the Moose Lodge is something that the department itself and the Moose Lodge has put together over the years,” Cosby said.
Cosby said he and Sgt. Steven Masi recently had a conversation with members of the Moose lodge’s leadership team about the possibility of the officers having to respond to an active shooter situation and having no way to protect themselves.
According to Slate Solutions, a company that specializes in the sale of police safety equipment, a ballistic shield is a handheld, bullet-resistant barrier designed to stop gunfire and provide mobile cover for law enforcement officers.
“Sergeant Masi found these mini shields that we can put in each car,” Cosby told the commission. “We used to have a full-size SWAT shield, but it’s very heavy and it had to be left at the station. We couldn’t buy one for every car because the expense was just ridiculous.”
Cosby said that one shield was destroyed by saltwater intrusion during the 2024 hurricanes.
“These are designed to take the place of that,” Cosby said. “I was planning on buying half of them out of this year’s budget and half out of next year’s budget. When I talked to Moose representatives, they were more than happy to donate the money to pay for them.”
The commission then unanimously approved the acceptance of the $10,000 donation, with no Moose lodge representatives in attendance.
BRADENTON BEACH – Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge 2188 awarded six $2,500 scholarships to local students whose family members are lodge members.
The inaugural Ernie J. Casali Jr. Memorial Scholarship Program is named named in honor of the late, and legendary, Lodge #2188 lodge administrator Ernie Casali. Casali was succeeded by current lodge administrator Byron Dalton.
Ernie Casali Jr. was the previous AMI Moose Lodge 2188 adminstrator. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The scholarships were awarded on Tuesday, April 28. The six inaugural recipients were Guinevere Casali, Kale Rumrill, Fiona McCarthy, Paulina Whyte, Abigail Frint and Luke Winsper.
Guinevere is Ernie Casali’s granddaughter and her father is Ernie’s son, EJ Casali III. Guinevere attends the Manatee School of the Arts and plans to attend the University of Central Florida.
Scholarship recipient Guinevere Casali and her dad, EJ Casali. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Rumrill is a Manatee High School student and he plans to attend the University of Alabama.
McCarthy is a Manatee High School student and she plans to attend Florida State University.
Whyte is a Manatee High School student and she plans to attend Florida State University.
Frint is a Lakewood Ranch High School student and she plans to attend the University of Florida.
Winsper is a Manatee High School student and he plans to attend The Pilot Place flight school in Sarasota.
OFFICERS ELECTED
After the scholarships were presented, the results of that day’s lodge officer elections were announced. Kip Altman was elected lodge president, Terry Fitzgerald was elected lodge vice president, EJ Casali III was elected lodge chaplain, Jack Hale was elected lodge treasurer and Carl Spradlin was elected as the three-year trustee.
The newly elected Moose lodge officers are EJ Casali III, Kip Altman, Terry Fitzgerald, Jack Hale and Carl Spradlin. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
BRADENTON BEACH – Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge 2188 held its annual children’s Easter party on Saturday, March 28.
The highlight of the party was the climactic Easter egg hunt that took place in the beach sand between the beachfront lodge and the Gulf. The festivities also included a visit from the Easter Bunny, games and activities, French toast sticks and an Easter cookie for breakfast and candy-filled Easter baskets as parting gifts.
Off we go, on the hunt for Easter eggs. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Moose Lodge 2188’s annual children’s Easter party was limited to local and visiting Moose members’ children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other family members. The party began at 10 a.m. and ended around noon.
Longtime member Sandra Zenzel and Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton helped organize the Easter party. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Today’s our annual Easter Bunny visit,” Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton said as he watched the children enter. “We’ve got about a hundred children signed up to see the Easter Bunny this year.”
Longtime lodge member Sandra Zenzel is the chairperson for the lodge’s annual children’s Halloween, Christmas and Easter parties.
“Sandra has been running this program for a very long time. She and her committee did a great job of getting things ready,” Dalton said.
“There’s 200 eggs in the small pit for the little kids – that’s the two-to-five-year-olds – and 200 eggs in the pit for the older kids, six-through 12. Each egg has 35 cents in it,” Zenzel said of the eggs several volunteers partially buried in the beach sand earlier that morning.
“We had a bunch of people helping out,” Zenzel said.
The plastic Easter eggs were partially buried earlier that morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As they entered the lodge, each youngster was asked to guess the number of gummies contained in a reusable plastic water bottle that hung around the neck of the Moose mascot placed on one of the entryway tables. The children received activity sheets, stickers, crayons and a raffle ticket. Ten raffle ticket holders later won a crocheted bunny made by lodge member Janet Curran.
When announcing the winner of the gummy-guessing contest, Zenzel said a half-dozen or so kids correctly guessed there were 25 gummies in the water bottle. For the tiebreaker, each of the correct guessers were called forward and asked to pick a number between one and 10. Alex Czajkowski chose the number 7 and he won the tiebreaker and the water bottle filled with gummies. The other children who participated in the tiebreaker received Tommy the Moose stuffed animals.
Alex Czajkowski won the gummy-filled water bottle. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When asked why the Moose lodge hosts its annual children’s holiday parties, Dalton said, “Our main job is to support the community and raise money for children and seniors at both Mooseheart and Moose Haven. This is one of our ways of reaching out to the community and serving our dues-paying members.”
Dalton was referring to the Mooseheart Child City & School residential childcare community, in Mooseheart, Illinois, that provides a safe and nurturing home for children in need; and to Moosehaven, the private membership retirement community in Orange Park, Florida, that provides seniors 65 and older with a comfortable and secure retirement option.
While making some announcements during the party, Dalton said the AMI Moose Lodge has 20,000 members and that’s the largest membership of any Moose lodge in the world.
Vivi and Lulu Akers met the Easter Bunny. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When it was time for the Easter egg hunt, the children were asked to come outside and line up around the two designated areas where the Easter eggs were partially hidden in the sand.
The kids in the older age group set off in search of Easter eggs. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When the Easter Bunny gave the command, the children raced to brightly colored plastic eggs and grabbed as many as they could during the five minutes or so the hunt lasted.
As they exited the party from the Gulf-front porch area, the children retrieved an Easter basket on their way out.
MORE MOOSE NEWS
The beachfront AMI Moose Lodge 2188 that sits along the Gulf shoreline was badly damaged in late September 2024 when Hurricane Helene’s powerful storm surge smashed through the lodge’s Gulf-front windows and doors and flooded the lodge. The lodge sustained additional damage during Hurricane Milton in early October.
The AMI Moose Lodge looked like this the morning after Hurricane Helene struck. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The lodge’s social quarters (bar area) reopened on May 1, 2025, and the repaired and restored dining room opened a couple months later.
“We’ve been very busy since we reopened after the hurricanes. It’s good to see all our members coming back, and signing up new Moose members,” Dalton said.
The Moose lodge dining room was full during the children’s Easter party. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The AMI Moose lodge’s next weekly Queen of Hearts drawing will begin on May 6.
Voting for the new Lodge 2188 board of officers will take place on Tuesday, April 14, from 3-7 p.m. At the end of the general membership meeting that evening the ballots will be counted and results will be announced. AMI 2188 member with a valid membership card are encouraged to visit the lodge that day and cast their votes.
Bradenton Moose Lodge 1223 will host its Thunderbolt 201 four-person scramble “three-club and a putter” golf tournament on Saturday April 25 at the Greens of Manatee Golf Course in Bradenton. For more information, call John at 941-504-1576.
On Tuesday evening, April 28, the AMI Moose Lodge will award scholarships to some deserving local students.
Become a member and learn more about the lodge acitivites, the weekly dinner specials and more at the AMI Moose Lodge 2188 website.
The Easter Bunny posed for a group photo with the kids. – Joe Hendricks | SunThe kids in the younger age group had their own egg hunting area. – Joe Hendricks | Sun This young lady had a helping hand guiding her toward a mostly buried purple Easter egg. – Joe Hendricks | SunThe hunt is on. – Joe Hendricks | SunThe kids received a free Easter-themed breakfast. – Joe Hendricks | SunThe youngsters scrambled to retrieve the partially buried Easter eggs. – Joe Hendricks | SunThe children guessed how many gummies were in the water bottle that hung from the Moose mascot’s neck. – Joe Hendricks | SunAMI Moose Lodge hosts beachfront Easter egg hunt
BRADENTON BEACH – Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge #2188 hosted its annual children’s Christmas party on Dec. 13.
More than 80 children were signed up in advance for the holiday event that started with the children receiving gift bags as they entered the lodge.
The Moose kids’ Christmas party drew a big crowd. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While enjoying French toast sticks for breakfast, the youngsters received a visit from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and later searched for the 10 homemade Christmas ornaments crocheted by Moose member Janet Curran and taped to the bottom of 10 dining room chairs.
Rudolph visited with Adam Rosbury, Joey Smith, Kai Rosbury and Natalie Rosbury. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Moose member and event organizer Sandra Zenzel read aloud her favorite Christmas book, “ ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” with the children reciting some of the more familiar lines. Zenzel said she still reads the book to her son (now in his 50s) and his family.
Just before 11 a.m., the children began singing “Here Comes Santa Claus” before Santa arrived on the beach as a passenger in a Bradenton Beach Police Department vehicle.
Santa received a warm welcome from the Moose kids. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The children enthusiastically greeted Santa as he made his way to the gift-laden Christmas tree inside the lodge, where he was joined by Mrs. Claus. Assisted by Rudolph and some Moose volunteers, Santa and Mrs. Claus gave a wrapped gift to each child as they were called forward one at a time by name.
Deklin Kuizon-Giasone visited with Santa and his helpers. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Santa Claus is here with all his helpers and this is our annual Christmas party for the local kids and Moose children,” Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton said. “There’s nothing better than making kids and families smile during the Christmas holidays.”
The dog park’s large dog area is covered by sand in some places and grass in others. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
When addressing the tree lighting ceremony crowd, Chamber President Terri Kinder was joined by Santa (Bill Romberger) and an elf (Katy Demick). - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Youngsters enjoyed the bounce houses and slides. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Holmes Beach resident and dog park advocate Renee Ferguson addressed the Parks and Beautification Committee. - City of Holmes Beach | Submitted
BRADENTON BEACH – The hurricane-damaged AMI Moose Lodge #2188 celebrated a joyous reopening on May 1.
Offering limited seating and no on-site parking, the lodge is now open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Offering a full menu and daily specials, the kitchen is open from noon to 7 p.m.
The lodge reopened Thursday morning at 11 a.m. with a short line of Moose members waiting in line outside the construction fence that still surrounds the lodge parking lot. A few minutes before parking lot attendants Jerry Wheeler and Eddie Huffsman opened the gate, Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton addressed the waiting members and said, “Thank you very much for being here.”
The social quarters barstools filled up quickly. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When speaking to The Sun, Dalton said, “This is a godsend. This is phenomenal. We’ve been waiting for seven months. The officers and employees have been busting their butts to get us open and now we’re here.”
The AMI Moose Lodge has more members than any other Moose lodge in the world and in appreciation of those members Dalton said, “Thank you for standing by us. Thanks for being a part of our fraternity. We missed you and we’re glad to be back.”
Inside the lodge, bartenders A.J. McGarvey and Linda Rosso waited for the first members to take their seats at the social quarters bar.
“I’m so excited. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. The community needs this,” McGarvey said.
“I am so excited. It’s been six-seven months and I just want to see it up and going again,” Rosso added.
Chicago natives and part-time Bradenton residents Deena and Richard Rush were the first in line, the first to enter the lodge and the first to be served drinks.
After receiving a draft beer, Richard said, “It’s wonderful. We’ve been checking Facebook for updates on when they’re going to open. Now that we’re here and seeing all these smiling faces, it made our day.”
After receiving a bloody mary, Deena said, “Everybody’s so friendly here and we’ve been looking forward this.”
While seated at the bar, Bradenton resident and longtime lodge member Bob Green said, “It feels good to be back.”
The social quarters offer 28 bar seats and 11 more stools by the large windows that provide a view of the beach and the Gulf of Mexico. When the bar seats were full, arriving members wandered upstairs to the upper deck that offers more than 100 additional outdoor seats and a stunning view of the Gulf.
Dayton, Ohio residents and Moose Lodge #73 members Nate and Kelly Climey were the first members to be served by upper deck bartender Nobel Ekdahl.
“We didn’t know if they were going to open. We got lucky today. Tomorrow is our last day here and we saw they were going to open this morning,” Nate said.
“This is awesome. We’ve been watching on Facebook, hoping it would open during our visit,” Kelly said.
The upper deck service window faces the Gulf. When asked if he’s glad to be back at work, Ekdahl said, “Hell, yes. Wouldn’t you with this view?”
As the reopening unfolded, Dalton said, “It’s phenomenal. The members are coming in and they’re happy to see each other again. We signed up a few new members too.”
Sitting in the main entryway, Ann Gezen checked membership cards, signed up new members and offered members discounted swag bundles that included a Moose Lodge koozie and T-shirts bearing the new lodge logo that emphasizes the letters “AMI” in the logo that says “2188 family.” Moose member Debbie Cnook’s adult granddaughter, Brittany Smith, designed the new logo.
Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton, left, greeted the returning members before the parking lot gate was opened. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Lodge status
The front door that faces Gulf Drive is currently the only point of entry and the interior stairway provides access to the upper deck. The back door that previously led to the beach is currently located on the other side of the temporary plywood wall that separates the social quarters from the dining room that suffered significant damage when Hurricane Helene’s storm surge burst through the Gulf-front windows and the west wall in late September.
The dining room remains closed for the foreseeable future but the new dining room floor installed in 2023 survived and Dalton expects the dining room to reopen by Christmas, maybe sooner. The ground-level deck area that faces the beach and the Gulf remains closed for now because that area is still being used to deliver and stage construction materials. For safety purposes, the fenced-off lodge parking lot remains reserved for construction vehicles and construction material storage.
Dalton said the weekly Queen of Hearts drawings will resume soon and he invites non-members to become Moose members. The annual dues are $60, plus a one-time $20 enrollment fee. Moose Lodge #2188 is located at 110 Gulf Drive S. and the lodge website is www.mooselodge2188.com.
Deena and Richard Rush were the first to enter when the lodge reopened. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Bartenders Linda Rosso and A.J. McGarvey appreciate being back at work. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
A temporary plywood wall separates the social quarters from the dining room that remains closed. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
When working upstairs, bartender Nobel Ekdahl’s view includes the beach and the Gulf. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The new Moose T-shirt logo highlights the “AMI” in family. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The Gulf-front deck remains closed for now as the dining room repairs continue. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The dining room is expected to reopen before Christmas. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Eddie Huffman and Jerry Wheeler manned the front gate on opening day. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
AMI Moose Lodge #2188 has the largest membership of any Moose lodge in the world. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
BRADENTON – Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge #2188 and Bradenton Moose Lodge #1223 teamed up to bring holiday joy to area children on Dec. 14.
As was the case with the AMI lodge’s annual kid’s Halloween party, the Christmas party was again held at the Bradenton lodge because lodge #2188 in Bradenton Beach suffered significant damage during hurricanes Helene and Milton and remains closed for the foreseeable future.
The lodges also joined forces for the 2023 kids’ Halloween party while the AMI lodge’s dining room floor was being replaced.
One of these youngsters correctly guessed how many pieces of candy were in the tumbler. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Eliana, 2, received a visit from Rudolph. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
42 children attended Saturday’s party. Upon arrival, each child was asked to guess the number of candies contained in a tumbler sitting on the table. Malcolm Riti hit it right on the head when he guessed 30 pieces. The kids also received gingerbread-themed stickers and sticker sheets. They were treated to a breakfast of French toast sticks before Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer arrived, which led to the children singing Rudolph’s theme song.
Sandra Zenzel read “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When Natalie later opened her present, she discovered a My Look sparkling gem hair styler. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Before Santa arrived, AMI lodge member and event volunteer Sandra Zenzel read aloud “ ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The kids were then asked to sing “Here’s Comes Santa Claus” to greet Santa as he and Mrs. Claus arrived. After taking his seat, Santa visited with the children and each child received a gift selected specifically for them.
Amani, 7, received a gift from Santa. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Seven-year-old Amani received a makeup kit. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As the festivities wound down, AMI lodge Administrator Byron Dalton noted the annual children’s parties are part of the Moose organization’s mission to serve the community. Dalton expressed appreciation for the Bradenton lodge’s partnership and the teamwork shared with lodge administrator Wanda Ayers. Ayers tended bar during Saturday’s party and served Bloody Marys and other adult beverages to some of the parents and grandparents in attendance.
Henry, 8, received a Terra remote-controlled spider. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
These Women of the Moose members helped organized the party. Shown from left to right are Kathy Blair, Sandra Zenzel, Terri Dalton, Linda Rosso, Joanne Eyester. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Regarding the damaged lodge in Bradenton Beach, Dalton said the plan is to soon wall off the south end of the lodge so the social quarters (the bar area) and the upper deck can be used while waiting for the dining room to later be restored or reconstructed.
BRADENTON BEACH – The Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge #2188 has won a Premier Lodge Award for a second consecutive year.
The honor was bestowed upon the AMI lodge and several other qualifying lodges nationwide during the annual International Moose Convention that took place June 20-23 in Reno, Nevada.
Byron Dalton is the administrator of the AMI Moose Lodge. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Byron Dalton became the AMI Moose Lodge administrator in mid-2019 and Patrick Kane has been the lodge president for two years.
Dalton said the lodge has earned the premier lodge honor for the past two years, but he’s not sure if or how many times the lodge earned that honor before.
“The last two years we were eligible for it, we received it. It’s truly an honor to get this. Out of a hundred or so lodges in Florida, only about half of them received this. A lot of lodges don’t get this,” Dalton said.
A lodge must satisfy a long list of criteria to win the award. The criteria includes increasing active membership during the annual fiscal year that ends April 30 and increasing total giving to Moose Charities for the fiscal year. A lodge can also win the award if its per capita contributions to Moose Charities equal or exceed the fraternity-wide per capita average of $6.51 per member and additional criteria are also met.
“We met everything on that list. We busted our butts,” Dalton said.
The AMI Moose Lodge features a patio area and deck face the Gulf of Mexico. – Joe Hendricks | Sun“The lodge earns the recognition because of the hard work of the lodge officers that are the leadership of the lodge. Patrick was the lodge president last year too, so this is his second time earning this honor. We also have a phenomenal crew and a phenomenal staff that work together to make the lodge as good as it is,” Dalton said.
“All lodges were expected to attend the convention and roughly 2,300 Moose members attended.
Attendance was really good and we believe every lodge was represented,” Dalton said.
Patrick Kane is the AMI Moose Lodge president. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Dalton, Kane, Past President Steve Boniberger, Vice President David Shevchik and lodge officer Kip Altman attended the convention. Altman also received his fellowship degree of merit.
“There’s four degrees and he just hit the third degree,” Dalton said of Altman’s accomplishment.
When a lodge achieves premier status, the lodge administrator and the lodge president also receive Moose Leadership awards.
“We’ll receive framed certificates when we go to the annual Florida Moose Association convention in September,” Dalton said.
Located on the Gulf of Mexico and boasting more than 17,000 members, the AMI Moose Lodge has the largest membership of any Moose Lodge in the world. Funds raised and donated by Moose Lodge and its members help provide care for children and teens in need at Mooseheart Child City and School on a 1,000-acre campus 40 miles west of Chicago. The funds also provide care for senior Moose members at Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville.
The Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge has more members than any other Moose lodge in the world. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The AMI Lodge also supports the Bradenton Beach Police Department. Over the past two years, the lodge has made two donations, including $2,000 in June, to the police department to help purchase computer simulation programs used for firearm training.
The lodge’s biggest fundraiser is the weekly Queen of Hearts drawings that take place on Wednesdays. No one pulled the queen on June 28 and the jackpot for the Wednesday, July 5 drawing will be $157,396 if a lucky member pulls the Queen of Hearts.
BRADENTON BEACH – Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge #2188 celebrated Halloween with a children’s party Saturday morning and an adult party that evening.
The Women of the Moose organized the children’s Halloween festivities that included a costume parade, games, Halloween music, candy, gifts and a free lunch consisting of chicken tenders and fries.
Aurora Kelley, 6, and Adalee Kelley, 4, dressed as policewomen, accompanied by Kevin Kelley, who dressed as an inmate. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We’ve got lots of games for the kids. We’re going to be playing musical chairs, hangman, hot potato and we’ll ask them to guess the number of candies in a jar. We’ve got lots and lots of fun,” Moose Regent Joy Shames said.
Brody Miller, 3, came to the party as Buzz Lightyear. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Accompanied by his daughter, Julia, and son, Jaxson, Jonathon Spence said, “We’ve come here two years in a row and the kids absolutely love it. They have so much fun and we look forward to it each year.”
AMI Moose Lodge Administrator Byron Dalton said, “It’s another great event by the men and the women of the lodge – doing things for the community. We’re making the kids happy and we hope they don’t forget about the Moose lodge when they grow up.”
When asked how the Halloween party ties into the Moose lodge’s overall mission, Dalton said, “Children and seniors are the number one priorities of our fraternity.”
Joy Shames, Karen Paul, Sherry Fragapane, Sam Watters, Donna Hale, Chris Mignogna and Pam Constantini were among the Women of the Moose who helped organize the children’s Halloween party. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
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