CHAPTER PURPOSE  

CHAPTER PURPOSE  

To preserve the proud legacy of the Purple Heart Medal.

2023

2023 Purple Heart Breakfast

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The Citrus County Building Alliance (CCBA) presented a donation of $5,000 from its 28th Annual Family Fishing Tournament to Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart as the tournament's charitable partner.

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PHOTO 1. Members of West Citrus Elks Lodge 2693 Veterans Committee who graciously volunteered as servers for the Purple Heart breakfast.


PHOTO 2. The Citrus County Building Alliance (CCBA) presented a donation of $5,000 from its 28th Annual Family Fishing Tournament to Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart as the tournament's charitable partner.  


PHOTO 3.  Left: Cdr. Richard with Department of Florida Patriot of the Year Curt Ebitz and Department of Florida Jonas Jacobsen Volunteer of the Year Troy Allen.


PHOTO 4.  Chapter officers with distinguished guests left: Cdr. Richard Hunt; Chaplain Troy Allen; Finance Officer Joe McClister; Staff Assistant to Congressman Gus Bilirakis Angel Os, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army Peter Tan; Citrus County Commissioner Diana Finegan; Citrus Co. Property Appraiser Cregg Dalton; Adjutant Curt Ebitz; Trustee Will Korber; Americanism Officer Chuck Kanehl; and Citrus Schools Coordinator of Special Academic Programs Darrick Buettner.  


PHOTO 5.  Peter Tan, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army with Associate Members Pat Michael and Shirley Platt.








The Citrus County Veterans Foundation (CCVF) and Chapter 776 recognized the Citrus County Tax Collector Office and its top three fundraisers for their recent fundraising campaign that raised $10,453.04 for the benefit of the CCVF.

Chapter 776 Cdr. Richard Hunt presented Citrus County Property Appraiser Cregg Dalton a Purple Heart coffee mug for his presentation on property tax exemptions and discounts for disabled veterans.

Citrus High School graduating senior , Evan Jones was recognized as the 2023 recipient of the $1,500 Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 MOPH College of Central Florida Endowed Scholarship.  Left: Darrick Buettner; Kathy Tomposelli, grandmother; Richard Hunt; Evan Jones; Dr. Scott Hebert.

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Crystal River High School graduating senior, Austin Edwards was the 2023 recipient of the $1,500 Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 MOPH Sergeant Dennis J. Flanagan Memorial Scholarship.  Left, front row: Kent and Julie Edwards, parents; Richard Hunt; Austin Edwards; Patricia and Dennis Flanagan; Dr. Scott Hebert.  Back row: Darrick Buettner.

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Marleigh Miller, a Crystal River High School graduate now enrolled at Florida Gulf Coast University, was the 2023 recipient of a $1,000 Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 MOPH Special Scholarship Award for her exemplary support of Chapter 776 and the Citrus County veterans community.  Left: Darrick Buettner; Joni Miller, mother; Richard Hunt; Marleigh Miller; Dr. Scott Hebert.

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During The Chapter 776 Annual Armed Forces Day Picnic, Chapter 776 Patriot of the Year Curt Ebitz was recognized for his exemplary contributions to Chapter 776 and our community.

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During The Chapter 776 Annual Armed Forces Day Picnic, Chapter 776 Associate of the Year Sandy Cross was recognized for her exemplary contributions to Chapter 776 and our community.

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During The Chapter 776 Annual Armed Forces Day Picnic, Chapter 776 Volunteer of the Year Troy Allen, Chapter 776’s chaplain, was recognized for his exemplary contributions to Chapter 776 and our community.

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Armed Forces Day Picnic

 Chapter 776 hosted its annual Armed Forces Day picnic May 20 at Bicentennial Park, Crystal River.  Among the 54 Chapter members and guests in attendance were honored guests Dennis and Patricia Flanagan, Gold Star parents of Fallen Hero Sergeant Dennis J. Flanagan; Crystal Lizanich, Inverness City Councilwoman; Dr. Scott Hebert, Asst. Superintendent of Citrus Schools; Darrick Buettner, Coordinator of Special Academic Programs for Citrus Schools;  Barbara Mills, Operation Welcome Home and Chapter 776 Honorary Member; Chapter 776 2023 scholarship recipients Evan Jones, Austin Edwards and Marleigh Miller. 


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PHOTO 1. Citrus High School graduating senior , Evan Jones was recognized as the 2023 recipient of the $1,500 Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 MOPH College of Central Florida Endowed Scholarship.  Left: Darrick Buettner; Kathy Tomposelli, grandmother; Richard Hunt; Evan Jones; Dr. Scott Hebert. 


PHOTO 2. Crystal River High School graduating senior, Austin Edwards was the 2023 recipient of the $1,500 Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 MOPH Sergeant Dennis J. Flanagan Memorial Scholarship.  Left, front row: Kent and Julie Edwards, parents; Richard Hunt; Austin Edwards; Patricia and Dennis Flanagan; Dr. Scott Hebert.  Back row: Darrick Buettner.


PHOTO 3. Crystal River High School graduating senior, Austin Edwards was the 2023 recipient of the $1,500 Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 MOPH Sergeant Dennis J. Flanagan Memorial Scholarship.  Left, front row: Kent and Julie Edwards, parents; Richard Hunt; Austin Edwards; Patricia and Dennis Flanagan; Dr. Scott Hebert.  Back row: Darrick Buettner.


PHOTO 4. During The Chapter 776 Annual Armed Forces Day Picnic, Chapter 776 Patriot of the Year Curt Ebitz was recognized for his exemplary contributions to Chapter 776 and our community.  


PHOTO 5. During The Chapter 776 Annual Armed Forces Day Picnic, Chapter 776 Associate of the Year Sandy Cross was recognized for her exemplary contributions to Chapter 776 and our community.  


PHOTO 6. During The Chapter 776 Annual Armed Forces Day Picnic, Chapter 776 Volunteer of the Year Troy Allen, Chapter 776’s chaplain, was recognized for his exemplary contributions to Chapter 776 and our community.     

2022

Richard “Bud” Allen was presented the Chapter 776 Commander Emeritus plaque.

2021

The 2022-2-23 newly elected officers and appointed officers were sworn in by Mike Lobo, Chapter 776 Patriot.  First row, from left; Leo Stockmaster, Trustee, 1 yr.; Bud Allen, Sgt-at-Arms; Mickey Hunt, Welfare Officer.  Back row, from left; Joe McClister, Finance Officer; Bob Gibson, Trustee, 2 yrs.; Bill Merryman, Sr. Vice Cdr; Gary Bain, Jr. Vice Cdr; Richard Hunt, Cdr; and Curt Ebitz, Adjutant and Historian.

Patriots Chuck Kanehl, Joe McClister and Curt Ebitz accepted the first Purple Heart motorcycle tag issued in Citrus County and the State of Florida on behalf of Chapter 776 “Snowbird” Patriot Glenn Beaulieu.  Glenn’s personal five-year crusade was singularly responsible for the passage of the law by the Florida Legislature authorizing the tag. 

The Citrus County Tax Collector Office and its top three fundraisers were recognized for their recent fundraising campaign conducted in partnership withthat raised $12,111.64 for the benefit of the Citrus County Veterans Foundation (CCVF).

Chapter 776 Patriots and Associates received the Board of County Commissioners Proclamation recognizing August 7 as “Purple Heart Day” in Citrus County.    

The Citrus County Building Alliance (CCBA) presented a donation of $5,000 from its 26th Annual Family Fishing Tournament to Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart as the tournament's charitable partner. 

U.S. Representative Daniel Webster, Congressional District 11, presented Chapter 776 Associate Sandy Cross with the prestigious President of the United States Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteering over 4,000 hoursof service to her community.

Chapter 776 Associate members (former Unit 776 members) met for lunch at Cavallo Farm & Market, and had the opportunity to purchase fresh picked blueberries afterward.  Masks were worn in but removed for lunch.


Everyone enjoyed a very good lunch and some had left-overs to take home.  Conversation was full and interesting, as some had not seen each other in more than a year.  From left; Joann Allen, Annie Fair, Linda Schladrauff, Nancy Laska, Pat Michael, Sandy Cross (Official instigator, who coordinated the lunch) and Mickey Hunt.  Mari-Elain Ebitz took the photo.

Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart, P.O. Box 1345, Lecanto, FL 34460-1345

Tel:  352-637-3265 or 352-382-3847               Email:   info@citruspurpleheart.org