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# Elks get creative with buns By Daily Press staff
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/elks-get-creative-with-buns-by-daily-press-staff/
- Published: 2003-12-11T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T03:19:11.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Health, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

WEST L.A. — Santa Monica Elks held a hamburger and hot dog picnic at Wadsworth Veterans Hospital on Veteran’s Day for hospitalized and homeless veterans. Eighteen Elks and five members of the “Emblem Club” hosted over 350 veterans with hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, coleslaw and soft drinks.

Robbie Robinson, chairman of the event, said the Elks got creative with supplies. “We had 350 plates,” he said. “When we ran out of plates, the veterans used hamburger buns as plates. When we ran out of hamburger buns, they placed a hamburger patty on a hot-dog bun. When we ran out of hot-dog buns, they used their fingers on the last few hot dogs.”

Raedean Kiesz, the group’s leader, said the event had multiple purposes. “This is a continuing event,” Kiesz said. “For the hospitalized veterans, it was a change of pace from the hospital food. For the homeless, it was a feast.”

Doug Randall, an Elk and employee at the hospital, said, “There are many homeless veterans that live on the grounds. They prefer the outdoors to hospital discipline.”

Bob Jacobs, president of the Board of Trustees for the Elks, said, “It is a very satisfying event to bring a little cheer into the lives of these veterans, who have given so much of their lives in service to our country.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 11, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/121103.pdf?ref=smdp.com)