Military Moms-to-Be

home with two additional large gifts: a travel system and a $200 Target gift card!

Jennifer Duncan, a first-time mom-to-be, and her husband, Paul Hendrickson, are stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, where Paul serves in the Army Reserves Medical Command. Jennifer was very touched by the baby shower. “It was so cool! It’s amazing that now I don’t have to worry about spending money on baby things,” she said. “I enjoyed meeting people. I even met someone who lives on the base!”

Erica Webster, founder and CEO of Dub Fitness & Dub Wellness, was the Mistress of Ceremonies for the baby shower. In addition to managing both her companies, Erica consults with local businesses on employee health and wellness, women’s empowerment in the workplace and leadership development. She is active in the veterans’ community, serving on the Board of Directors for The Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network and as the committee chair for both Team Foster and the Veterans Business Referral Network. Previously, Erica was a Staff

Sergeant in the U.S. Army. Her eight-year career was spent in the Military Police Corps.

Amy Thomas, RN, MS and family advocacy nurse at Joint Base McGuire, spoke to the moms-to-be about maternal and baby health and the stress of having a baby. Teresa Rychlak, assistant director, child passenger safety, for the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, presented car seat information, demonstrating how to properly and safely transfer a child.

Special thanks to Brother Harry Rutter, Executive Director of Grand Lodge Operations; Brothers Mark Perlman, P.M., Secretary, and Sam Freeman, P.M. and D.D.G.M.-C, both of Richard Vaux Brotherhood Lodge No. 126, Philadelphia; members of the National Sojourners (Masons who have served in the military and dress in authentic military uniforms); Barbara Auteri, who provided the beautiful balloons and shower décor; Trish Vera, wife of Ricardo Vera, W.M., Richard Vaux Brotherhood Lodge No. 126, for providing the beautiful shower cakes; and Brother Robert Smoose, Richard Vaux Brotherhood Lodge No. 126, and his wife, Nancy, who worked behind the scenes preparing for the shower.

In addition to the baby showers, the Help for Our Heroes program has provided calling cards for Pennsylvania military members deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq and to injured soldiers in hospitals, as well as financial assistance for military members facing costly medical bills, job loss and home repairs, among other needs.

Please continue to support Help for Our Heroes at your next lodge event!

For Brother Bill Soloway, serving as executive director of the Masonic Blood+Organ Donor Program is not just a job, it’s a personal mission.

Every day, 20 people in the United States die while waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Every 10 minutes, a name is added to the national waiting list for organs.

Diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Bill received his own heart transplant in June 2015 and has been helping other Masons and their families through their transplant journeys ever since.

The Masonic Blood+Organ Donor Program promotes Masonic blood drives throughout Pennsylvania. It also heightens awareness and provides educational materials on blood and organ donation, including living donations. All Pennsylvania Masons and women’s Masonic groups are eligible for membership in the program. Widows are automatically granted free membership.

Today, 24 Masons in Pennsylvania are waiting for lifesaving kidney transplants, and three are waiting for a liver. Bill encourages those who are able and willing to come forward to donate an organ and help a fellow brother.

“We talk about Masonic charity … there’s nothing better than to be able to help a brother or a brother’s family member in need,” said Bill, a member of Frankford-Brown Lodge No. 751, Philadelphia.

Since starting to assist with the Blood+Organ Donor Program eight years ago, Bill has helped over 50 Masons