32 minute read
Membership
Masons Help Others During COVID-19 Pandemic
Brother Biill Burns Pennsylvania Masons and their families have stepped up to help their communities during the coronavirus crisis, whether it be making face masks, delivering food, or donating money to community food banks. Read on about Masons and their “good deeds.”
Brother John Habel, Tri County Lodge No. 252, Donora,
and his wife, Ruth, have been delivering meals to individuals in need in southwestern Pennsylvania through Meals on Wheels four to six times a month, for the past five years. Their service is especially vital during the pandemic. “For some of these people, we might be the only person they see on a regular basis,” John said. “We make sure that they are doing OK. We know several people on our route that do not have relatives in the area. We give them our card and tell them if they need anything, to call us.” John has been a Mason for 50 years and enjoys the camaraderie, friendship and meeting new people. “There are a lot of people I wouldn’t know if it weren’t for Freemasonry,” he said.
Brother William “Bill” W. Burns, Christiana Lodge No. 417,
and his wife, Brittney, have been sewing face masks to distribute to first responders. To date, they have produced more than 150 masks.
“My wife is doing the stitching and I’m doing the cutting,” Bill said. “We are mostly giving them to Brother Craig Shaffer, D.D.G.M.-5, to give out to first responders. The plan is to keep making the masks. It feels good that it’s going to a good cause.” Bill, a U.S. Army veteran, has been involved with Freemasonry since 2017, and currently serves as the Senior Deacon of his lodge. “It [Freemasonry] has always interested me because I was very interested in history growing up,” Bill said. “Ben Franklin is my favorite person, and he was a Mason. In the Army, I knew a few people who were Masons, and they pushed me along. Eventually, I
decided to join.”
Brother Doug Robinson, Southampton Radiant Star Lodge
No. 806, Warminster, and his wife, Helen, are part of a church group making masks for first responders and others in need. “Helen came upon a website of this group that was making masks, so we decided to participate and received a starter set of fabric and started making masks,” Doug said. “When you finish your first bag of masks, you deliver them to Days for Girls, a worldwide charitable organization that makes sanitary products for girls in Africa,” he said. “Their local focus has shifted to making masks for police departments and hospitals in Pennsylvania during COVID-19.” As of May, the group had produced 9,573 masks for distribution. “We’ve been doing this for about a month and a half and plan to continue,” Doug said. When he’s not making masks, Doug donates items to his church’s food and supplies pantry. “That’s what Masons do, we help,” he said. Doug has been a Mason since 1975. “What Masons do, the world should do. It would make it a much better place to live.”
In just four hours on May 2, lodges in Mercer and Venango counties conducted a special socially-distanced drop-off event that raised over $7,000 in cash and food items to benefit the Community Food Warehouse in Mercer County. Brother Richard Yeager, D.D.G.M.-53, said Masonic lodges in West Middlesex, Hermitage, Sharpsville, Mercer and Sandy Lake raised over $4,000. Lodges in Franklin and Oil City raised
over $3,000. He said donation checks are still coming in to several lodges. “Masons care about our communities, and we want to assist our neighbors in need,” he said. “With the leadership and help of the Masters of each lodge throughout the district, our brothers were encouraged to donate money and non-perishable food items. I’m very pleased with the response. We sincerely hope that this helps relieve some stress caused by the current situation.”
Brother Bob Mente, Centennial-Lafayette Lodge No.
544, Carnegie, uses an amateur radio app on his iPhone called EchoLink. Every Sunday night, he participates in an on-air gathering called the Masonic Gathering, where he joins other brothers from around the globe to connect about their lodge activities in the wake of COVID-19. “Since the COVID-19 outbreak, our gathering has taken on a whole new meaning,” Bob said. “We now use this time as an opportunity to check in on each other every week. If someone has a need, someone on the radio may know of someone who can help fulfill that need.” EchoLink is run by a conference server, meaning it uses Internet-based technologies, and it requires one to have an amateur radio license to use it. Bob also participates in a daily “Western PA Health and Wellness Net.” Brothers meet on amateur radio to check on the health and wellness of amateur radio operators in the 33 counties of western Pennsylvania. There are at least four other amateur radio operators in the greater Pittsburgh area who are members of the craft. For more information, visit the Masonic Gathering website at www.masonicgathering.net/.
As the COVID-19 pandemic and associated quarantine affected more and more people in their community, members of Laurel Lodge No. 651, Uniontown, took action. Officers and members began making phone calls to see if members needed anything and to check on their well-being. Senior Warden Dale (Jack) Myers shared with Worshipful Master Gene Humbert his experience distributing boxes of food for his church in conjunction with the Fayette County Community Action Food Bank. Jack then made arrangements with the food bank to volunteer their services. On May 30, Brothers Jack; Neil Reddington II, Junior Warden; Edward Yauger, Assistant Treasurer; John Lewis, Jr., Senior Deacon; and Vincent Milsom, Junior Master of Ceremonies, packed delivery boxes at the food bank to be distributed to eligible senior citizens through the Commodity Laurel Lodge No. 651
Supplemental Food Program. The food bank distributes these boxes to some of the 48 food pantries throughout Fayette County. Approximately 250 food boxes were packed by these five officers in about 2½ hours, which was greatly appreciated by the staff.
Brother Tim Radtke and William L. Elkins Lodge No. 271,
Philadelphia, initiated several projects during the quarantine to help those in the community who are less fortunate. Tim, a 30-year member and fourth-time Worshipful Master, coordinates the lodge’s weekly donation to the food pantry at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, which distributes food to about 1,800 families a month. The lodge donates $300-$500 each week to purchase nonperishable food items, which Tim delivers to the pantry in his truck. “We buy loaves of bread, baby food, canned goods, Lipton noodle bags, Knorr rice sides, etc,” Tim said. “I get a really good deal from a guy who owns a local Shoprite, George Zallie. I’ll say, ‘I have $300,’ and ask him what I can buy. He’ll give me three loaves of bread for a dollar.”
Elkins Lodge No. 271
Lehighton Lodge No. 621
Brothers have also sponsored youth groups and cooked for residents at the Ronald McDonald House as part of their outreach. “We ended up adopting a whole troop of Eagle Scouts from an underprivileged area,” Brother Tim said. “We help them when they do Eagle projects and finance them. We’ll also supplement the cost of summer camp for kids who can’t afford it.” The lodge is currently supporting several brothers experiencing financial hardship due to job loss and other circumstances surrounding COVID-19. Tim said that giving back is something that comes natural to the brotherhood. “If we find something worthwhile that comes along, we do it. We’re very involved. I like to think outside the box. We find places that really have a need.” On a personal level, Tim, a retired correctional officer for 27 years, said volunteering his time makes him feel good. “It’s what I’ve done all my life. I just enjoy helping people.”
Lehighton Lodge No. 621 sponsored a free, to-go spaghetti dinner for the community north of Allentown on June 12. “I thought of giving something back to the community,” said District 59 Brother Robert Neff, D.D.G.M.-45. “We normally have six or seven fundraisers a year, and the community always supports us. With the difficult times (with COVID-19), we felt like we should give something back.” Robert placed a sandwich board advertising the dinner at two different locations and put an ad in the local newspaper. He set up a large tent in the lodge parking lot, where participants could drive up and pick up their meal of spaghetti with meat sauce and salad with a choice of dressing. The event ran for three hours. “We wanted to be safe, so the meals were boxed up to go,” Robert said. “The dinner was successful with 205 meals served.” Lodge members also raised $450 in donations, which they donated to the Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry in Lehighton. “It was a free meal, but people appreciated what we did and began donating money,” Robert said. “A lot of them were lodge members who support our local fundraisers.” There was no limit to the number of meals distributed per car. If five meals were requested, the driver got five meals, Robert said. “We had plenty of food – we could have served another 60 or 70 people. People couldn’t believe we were giving it out for free,” Robert said. “One couple returned to give us another donation because they were so happy with the meal.” More than 15 lodge members helped prepare the food ahead of time, wearing masks and gloves. Robert and the lodge spent about $300 in groceries for the dinner. Typically, the lodge sponsors several events a year, including two fish fries and two sit-down spaghetti dinners, but they were all canceled due to COVID-19. “We typically raise around $1,000 to $1,200 at each event,” Robert said. Robert is thankful that the lodge was able to do something for the community, despite the circumstances. A Mason for 44 years, he appreciates the fellowship aspect of brotherhood and “doing good
things for other people.”
Brother Jeffrey Borosky, D.D.G.M.-59 and a member of
Valley Lodge No. 499, West Pittston, led an effort in May to provide donuts and coffee for the front-line workers at local nursing homes in the community. “We thought it was fitting to show our local nursing homes some appreciation for what they are doing during the pandemic,” Jeffrey said. “We thought it would be nice to help those workers.” One of Jeffrey’s brothers is a state policeman who knows the
owner of Currys Donuts in West Pittston. He got a good price on bulk donuts and boxes of coffee. Coffee and donuts were sent to four nursing homes closest to the individual lodges in the district. “I called them to see if they were willing to take our donation, and they were very thankful,” Jeffrey said. “The coffee and donuts went to employees on each shift. One place had 100 employees on one shift. Another place only had six. “All of the brothers met at one lodge, and everyone picked up what they wanted for their respective nursing homes,” Jeffrey said. “The nursing homes were very thankful that we were thinking of them.” Jeffrey said it made him feel good to give back to the community. “I’m always thinking of ways to help out, because I’m always encouraging people to join Freemasonry,” he said. “The first thing people ask me is, ‘What do you do for your community?’ This is a small way to give back, to show our appreciation for them being out in the front line for this nasty virus.”
Brother Tracey L. Minnich, P.M., Ashlar Lodge No. 570,
Lykens, had the idea to provide a free meal for those in need in his community. With the help of local businesses and his sons, Rev. Dr. Nathan Corl Minnich, P.M., Grand Chaplain and Ashlar Secretary, and Brother Mitchell L. Minnich, Worshipful Master, his idea turned into a successful reality. Members and friends of Ashlar Lodge distributed 300 free bags of food to people in need during two weekends in May. Boyer’s Food Markets, a local grocery store in Lykens, assembled a bag of groceries that would provide several meals for a family. Ashlar Lodge purchased the prepackaged food at a significant discount. Other businesses partnered with the lodge to help fund the project, including a State Farm Insurance office owned by lodge Assistant Secretary Todd M. Deiter, and Minnich Family Funeral Homes, Inc., owned by Brother Nathan. Under Brother Mitchell’s direction, Ashlar Lodge distributed 100 meal bags to families in each of the towns of Williamstown, Tower City and Lykens. Ashlar Lodge notified the community through Facebook that there would be a drive-in area where those in need could pick up the food while social distancing. “We had a range of people who were desperately in need of food, some of them elderly people who couldn’t easily get to the grocery store, so this project helped them,” Nathan said. “Our policy is we don’t ask any questions. We did not base the need on any criteria.” The project also gained attention from members of the community, who came out to help distribute food bags and share a “word of support and a smile” to those in need, Nathan said. “It worked out really well. We got a great response, and people were very appreciative. I think we made a big difference.”
Brother Michael Yovich, P.M., Corry Lodge No. 365, and his
girlfriend donated and assembled bird feeders for a local nursing home, so the residents could watch the birds from their windows, to help pass the time during these trying times. They also donated bird seed to give the residents a fresh start on viewing their new feathered friends.
Ashlar Lodge No. 570
THANK YOU From Masonic Villages Residents and Staff
Starting in mid-March, when the COVID-19 pandemic initiated its sweep across the nation, the Masonic Villages prepared to protect their residents and staff from the novel virus known to target the senior population in particular. While staff made plans and communicated new best practices and precautions based on continuously evolving directives from the Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control, vital supplies became scarce and in high demand. In an effort to ensure that staff could acquire the personal protective equipment (PPE) required to safely care for residents, Chief Executive Officer Bill Kingsbury, with permission from Grand Master Thomas Gamon IV, and the Grand Lodge officers, issued an urgent request to lodges for assistance. In response, 16 lodges donated a total of $27,442 (each contribution ranged from $100-$10,000) toward the purchase of masks, shields, gloves, gowns and hand sanitizer, for staff at all Masonic Villages locations. In addition, several lodges, individual Masons and Masonic-owned businesses came forward with whatever supplies they could spare. Others worked with their families to make cloth masks for residents and staff who provide indirect services. Having the necessary tools and support provided a level of reassurance and confidence to the brave, dedicated men and women serving our residents in various capacities during this pandemic. Thoughtful gestures, such as the delivery of a surprise lunch or treat, have provided meaningful encouragement and recognition over the past several months. Although staff found creative ways to provide recreational, social and spiritual services, many nursing and personal care residents who have had to remain in their rooms for months have suffered from isolation, depression and boredom. In an attempt to lift their spirits and provide activities they could safely enjoy, staff created the Sending Smiles program, which encourages the donations of cards, coloring books, crossword puzzles, word finds and other items to be shared among residents at each location. The initiative has been a wonderful success and will continue. For more information, visit https://masonicvillages.org/sending-smiles/. To show residents that Pennsylvania Masons care, in time for Easter, the fraternity raised funds to provide a potted flower for each resident or household at all five Masonic Villages locations. This effort was funded through donations ranging from $50-$1,000 from 181 lodges, one district, two schools of instruction, the PA Lodge of Research and 15 individuals. Residents and families from all locations flooded administration offices with cards, emails and calls expressing their appreciation for the thoughtful gesture. Delivering the surprise gifts offered staff great pleasure, as well. The steadfast support of the fraternity has been crucial, enabling the Masonic Villages to provide the highest quality of care for residents during this pandemic.
Brother Hosts Dinner for People Alone on Christmas
Twenty-six years ago, Brother Robert Bolus faced a dilemma. Bob, the owner of a Scranton trucking and towing company, received a call from one of his drivers that a grocery store had rejected an extra pallet of turkeys they said they had not ordered. Nobody else wanted them. “I told him to bring the turkeys back, and we’d figure out something to do with them,” Bob said. But what was he to do with 150 turkeys? Make a difference. Rather than trashing the order, Bob and some friends decided to host a free Christmas dinner for the community, namely for people who had no family and would spend the holiday home alone otherwise. “I was going through my own personal issues at the time,” Bob said. “We had lost our truck dealership. I didn’t want to be around anyone. The people who helped me had their own issues, as well. The guy above [God] put us on the same boat and gave us whatever it took to organize, put this event together and create something positive.” After trying numerous places to host this event, a local church that Bob attended as a Boy Scout agreed to let him host the event there on Christmas day and use the kitchen to make dinner. Bob spoke with a priest who was doubtful that anyone would show up. But Bob was determined. He put an ad in the local newspaper and continued to shop and plan for the dinner. More than 125 people attended the dinner that year. Bob donated the extra food to the Salvation Army. Since then, the annual event has grown significantly. It now takes place at St. Patrick’s Church in Scranton, with the help of more than 50 volunteers. This past Christmas, Bob fed about 3,000 people, including more than 600 meals he delivered to people who were homebound. “It has been phenomenal,” Bob said. “We light the place up. You couldn’t go to a place that is more decorated with lights and blownup Christmas ornaments. We have a disc jockey and a blessing by the priest. It’s like nothing you’ve seen before at any type of dinner.” The all-you-can-eat buffet dinner features turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and dessert. Participants are also offered to take an extra meal home with them. Bob said he has “no idea” what he spends on the dinner, but he doesn’t care. He receives some food donations from supermarkets, but primarily pays for the dinner out of his own pocket.
“It’s not about the money,” he said. “It’s about the camaraderie and the people who come there. There’s no place I’d rather be on Christmas. I plan on doing this dinner forever. When I’m no longer here, my stepdaughter, son and daughter will be responsible for holding it [the event] going forward.” Bob has fond memories of all the people who have attended the dinner over the years, including one family – a wife, husband and his sister – who all had cancer and had nowhere to go for Christmas. They saw the advertisement for the dinner and decided to attend. “The sister said, ‘This is probably my last Christmas.’ And she passed away two weeks later,” Bob said. “Her brother called to thank me and said, ‘Your dinner made it so much easier on her. She was so much happier being around people on Christmas day.’” When he’s not busy planning his dinner, Bob is a 30-year volunteer firefighter in Throop, PA. He’s also a member of Hyde Park Lodge No. 339, Scranton, for the past 50 years. “To say that I’m a Mason is one of the proudest things I can say in my life,” he said. “What we do for people … I can’t put it into words.” As a Mason, Bob believes in paying it forward. He received a medal from the American Towing Association and was honored by the Florida Highway Patrol for his heroic actions after he stopped a driver from going the wrong way on a state road about four years ago. While risking his own safety, he managed to stop the driver, assist her from her vehicle and move the vehicle from the roadway, preventing an accident from occurring.
“When a door closes in my life, it seems another door opens,” Bob said. “It instills my faith in being a good Mason. We were put here [on Earth] to help people.”
l - r: Louis P. DeNaples, Brother Robert Bolus and the late Father Joseph Sica
A PA Mason Grew the Official 2019 White House Christmas Tree
Late last November, Brother Larry Snyder, owner of Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pitman, PA, received some great news. He had earned the honor of presenting a tree from his farm to the White House after winning an annual contest held by the National Christmas Tree Association. Larry harvested a towering 18½ foot tall Douglas fir that was presented to First Lady Melania Trump and became the official Christmas tree in the White House Blue Room. The tree was beautifully decorated with lights and paper flowers bearing the name of each state and its state flower (Pennsylvania’s flower is the mountain laurel). “It was as honor to be able to transport and present this tree to the First Lady,” Larry said. “It was quite an exciting, rewarding experience. I took my whole family. We got a tour of the White House. We met with Melania, took photos and were served treats and coffee with a White House guide.” In keeping with tradition, the tree was brought up to the White House portico by a horse-drawn carriage, while a Marine band played Christmas music. Then, the First Lady came out of the door and greeted Larry and his family as he presented her with the tree. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Larry said. “After years of growing trees for Christmas, it [this achievement] was a highlight for me and a special time for my family.” Larry purchased his farm in 1978 and has been raising Christmas trees since the 1980s. He won his state association tree contest after several tries, making him eligible to compete in the
national contest, a tradition since 1966. Next, his tree was selected grand champion by a two-tier voting system involving a panel of industry judges, then voted on by all the growers attending the national contest. White House staff visited Larry’s farm in October to select the tree for the Blue Room. “Most farms don’t have trees that large [18½ feet], but we had several to choose from,” Larry said. “The tree was actually 23-feettall, so they had to cut it down several feet to fit in the White House.” Larry said the publicity surrounding the entire experience was “unbelievable,” and he felt like a celebrity. “We had so many calls and emails and requests for interviews. It made me feel good,” he said. “All the years of hard work paid off. We got to share the tree with the United States and the world. People come from all over the world to see the tree.” While he has been a farmer all his life, Larry is also a retired special educator who taught elementary school in the Upper Dauphin School District for 31 years. When he retired from teaching in 2005, Larry purchased two additional farms, for a total of 150 acres. While predominantly selling Christmas trees, Larry also raises some produce. “We do a little bit of retail, but are mostly wholesale,” Larry said. “We supply trees all over Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York.” Larry raises a variety of exotic trees that are not common to most tree farms, including the Turkish fir, Nordmann fir, Korean fir and the Corkbark fir. “It’s an endless list of trees from other parts of the world,” he said. A member of Herndon Lodge No. 702, Larry has been a Mason since 1979 and considers it an honor to be part of the organization. He also is a proud member of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon Forest No. 125, Millersburg. “I think it’s a very positive activity in anyone’s life to be a Mason,” Larry said. “You learn to be a good citizen and promote unity among mankind. It’s an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie and associate with people of like minds, who are interested in making themselves and society a better place.”
The White House Blue Room
Brother Lodges Help One Another Through Hard Times
Galeton Lodge No. 602, located within a small community in Potter County, has suffered financially due to the pandemic. The lodge relies heavily on fundraising efforts to pay the bills and remain solvent, but that was not possible with the continued shutdown of lodge activities. With the cancellation of the upcoming Fourth of July celebration in the town, and therefore, its annual funnel cake sale, the lodge was set to lose 80% of its yearly funding. Brother Robert Putman, W.M., contacted Brother Steve L. Gee, DDGM -17, with the ominous prediction that without some help, Galeton Lodge would most likely have to shut its doors by the end of the year.
During a virtual meeting of the Grand Lodge Officers and District Deputy Grand Masters in May, Steve mentioned Galeton Lodge’s predicament and was excited when R.W. Grand Master Thomas Gamon IV announced that a “Brother Lodge” program was in the works. Steve was connected with Brother Marvin Mandel, D.D.G.M.-B, who assured Steve that he had a lodge that was excited to become a “Brother Lodge” with Galeton Lodge No. 602. Immediately following a virtual meeting of its officers, Shekinah-Fernwood Lodge No. 246 stepped forward with the decision to send a sizable donation to Galeton Lodge. On May 21, the generous brothers of ShekinahFernwood Lodge invited the brothers of Galeton Lodge to join them in a virtual gathering, where they announced their support. “It was fantastic to meet (at least virtually) with the generous brothers from Shekinah-Fernwood Lodge and to share in their excitement for reaching out to Galeton Lodge with their help,” Steve said. “The spirit of Freemasonry was palpable, even over the internet connection. The Brother Lodge program, even in its infancy, has again proved that Freemasonry is the greatest fraternal organization in the world. I know that the brothers from Galeton Lodge No. 602 will be forever grateful, and I feel certain that the friendship of the two lodges will endure and grow even stronger in the future.” “I am extremely pleased to be a member of a wonderful fraternity comprised of such great and caring men,” Grand Master Gamon said. “This program was meant to generate bonds of brotherhood across the state between lodges that may be very different in some ways, but fundamentally similar. Lodges that may not have had a connection otherwise, are building lifelong friendships through this opportunity to help one another during this challenging time. This is truly what Freemasonry is about!”
Pictured above, l - r: Brothers Randy Goodreau, P.M.; William Pinney, Secretary; Michael Mathis, P.M.; Robert Putman, P.M., WM; and Christopher Morrett, S.W., thankfully receive the check from Shekinah-Fernwood Lodge No. 246.
Giving What Money Can’t Buy
The late Brother Ed Budman presenting Brother Oscar Smith with his 10-gallon pin.
On June 16, Brother Oscar Smith, Boyertown Lodge No. 741, made his 109 th blood donation at a Miller-Keystone Blood Drive in Boyertown. His dedication to helping others began in 1992, when Lucent Technologies transferred Oscar from his home in Virginia to Orlando, Florida. “From time to time, I would hear an announcement at work that there was a blood drive that afternoon. After a while, I decided to give it a try,” Oscar said. “Everything went fine, and the Florida Blood Bank notified me that my blood was good and that my blood type was O+. So, I started attending every blood drive.” Oscar continued to donate when he was hired by the Florida Safety Council to inspect the Cumberland Farm stores. In 2005, Oscar and his wife moved to Boyertown, PA, where they both had relatives. There, he became aware that the MillerKeystone Blood Center sponsors drives every other month at three different churches, twice each year at each church. He transferred his 34 previous donations from other locations and continued adding to them. “When I have been asked why I have donated regularly for so long, I have the same reply,” Oscar said. “Where can you go and purchase a pint of blood? Blood only comes from one place: US! It is needed at hospitals and in time of conflict or war.” According to Miller-Keystone Blood Center Account Manager Carol Graves (a former Rainbow Girl), the center is the exclusive supplier of blood products to 29 local hospitals in 12 counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The center began collecting Convalescent COVID Plasma (CCP) when the Mayo Clinic discovered the positive effects of the COVID-19 antibodies on active COVID-19 patients. CCP can only be obtained when a patient has recovered from COVID-19. This experimental treatment has proven successful. “We have Masonic Blood+Organ Donor Program members who have had COVID donate for this program,” said Brother Bill Soloway, Co-Chair of the program’s eastern region. Most recently, the center received a request from the Armed Services Blood Program for CCP supports and shipped 142 doses of convalescent plasma to McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey for military personnel suffering from COVID-19. The center also provides Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with platelets for veterans. Platelets are commonly used for cancer patients and have a five-day shelf life. Oscar implores his brethren to join him. “Brothers, if you are able, I hope you will consider donating! It is an easy process, and with the equipment available today, it doesn’t take long!” Oscar wears his Masonic Blood Donor hat every time he donates in memory of Brother Ed Budman, who gave it to him, along with a 10-gallon pin and blood drop pin, in October 2013. Ed was a former chair of the program, and although he is gone, his spirit and vision live on through the selfless acts of members like Oscar.
Learn More at MasonicBloodAndOrganDonors.org
PMYF Assists Families, Youth in Need During COVID-19
Since the beginning of the the stay-at-home order for COVID-19, the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation (PMYF) delivered care packages to families in need nominated by the various Masonic youth groups through the Food for Friends Initiative. Over the past few months, the foundation has provided more than 8,000 meals to children and adults in need across Pennsylvania, through in-person or mail delivery. The care packages are filled with non-perishable food items, as well as essentials like paper towels and laundry detergent. “Everybody we have delivered to in person has been really grateful,” said Angela Blaisdell, a volunteer and program coordinator. “Everyone has been positive, receptive and grateful that we provided a service like this right now.” Angela, an advisor for Pennsylvania DeMolay and The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, explained the impetus for the program: “We recognized that some people within the Masonic fraternity were having difficulty with food security and needed assistance.” Since the foundation has not had any in-person programs since March, Angela said, the funds saved went toward the care packages. “WGC Catering (the foundation’s caterer) has been phenomenal,” Angela said. “We supply the orders to them and the list of who is receiving the items. They purchase all the food and assemble the care packages.” One recipient of a care package, who preferred to remain anonymous, wrote in a letter to the foundation: “I don’t know why I am still so shocked at the generosity of the Masonic body, but to say
I feel blessed is beyond words. These are scary times, and having to choose between essentials like food and rent can be stressful. The care package we received certainly has eased that burden.” In addition to the care packages, Brother Alex Fizz, Executive Director of PMYF, reached out to the Youth Development Center in York, PA, a home for at-risk and homeless youth, to see if the youth would enjoy having a special meal this past April. “He wanted to do something special for the youth in the center, since we had extra funds,” Angela said. “We provided a BBQ meal and other good food that the children had never had before. They are still raving about how good it was. We left them with leftovers to enjoy, as well.” Angela said she is grateful that she was involved with Rainbow for Girls as a youngster, because it led her to do the type of outreach she’s doing today. “If I wasn’t part of that organization, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be a part of the community and assist in this capacity,” she said.
Online Workshops Grow in Attendance During Pandemic
Leslie Schlosser is a school counselor at the Mount Joy campus of the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center (CTC), a full-service career and technical school dedicated to preparing high school students and adults for careers. She has attended several training workshops sponsored by the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation (PMYF), in partnership with Pennsylvania Masons and the PA Department of Education’s Student Assistance Program (SAP). These workshops help identify alcohol, drug and other issues that pose a barrier to a student’s learning and teach educators how to deal with them more effectively. During the workshops, conducted by Deb McCoy of Educational Development Services, LLC, educators are also given methods to confront social norms that may encourage aggression and bullying. “These workshops provide additional tools for your tool bag in terms of working with any student,” Leslie said. “If I’ve been dealing with an issue, I know I can ask Deb at the program or connect with her personally if I’m stuck and need a consultation. A lot of times, she’ll say, ‘You already knew the answer,’ but it’s nice to have reinforcement, because you don’t want to be wrong.” Traditionally, the workshops have been held in person at one of four venues: the Masonic Conference Center in Elizabethtown, IU10 in State College, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit in Norristown or Behavioral Health Training & Education Network (BHTEN) in Philadelphia. Instead of canceling the workshops in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have instead been moved to a virtual format via Zoom. In doing so, organizers have been able to significantly increase the capacity of the programs, which were typically limited to 40 people due to space constraints. The May 8 webinar, “The New Bullying 101: Cyberbullying & Online Harassment,” presented in partnership with BHTEN, had more than 260 attendees. “The virtual format worked better than I anticipated,” Deb said. “We are seeing a larger number of people show up because we’re not constrained by physical space. There’s a chat feature which I monitor. People post questions, and I answer them.” Over 200 people attended the July 2 webinar, “Empathy & the Teenage Brain.” Additional workshops are scheduled several times a month through the end of the year. Deb has been leading workshops for the past 23 years and has worked with PMYF for even longer. She began working with the Masonic fraternity when she worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, in the Safe Schools division. The foundation gave scholarships to students who had gone through the SAP in their local schools, and she served on the foundation’s committee that reviewed the scholarships’ applicants. She left the Department of Education in 1997 and began working with the foundation as a consultant. That’s when the workshops started, but they have grown over time. “The Masons have always been so very generous,” Deb said. “They provide funding for the trainings. For a number of years, they have provided scholarships for students who graduated high school and wanted to go to college. These kids have some kind of barrier to their education, whether it’s mental health, academics or family life. Sometimes, they have an extra hurdle to access scholarships and funds (on their own).” Deb anticipates the educator workshops will continue to grow and be held online in the near future and may incorporate content pertaining to COVID-19 and its impact on kids and families. “We’d also like to do more outreach to parents, and I’m going to be doing a series of webinars for youth leaders through the Pennsylvania Masonic organizations,” she said. “I think we’re really going to expand. With COVID-19 and its effect on kids and families, there is a real need.”
To register for the following workshops at the Masonic Conference Center in Elizabethtown, contact Amy Nace at 1-800-266-8424 or ALNace@PMYF.org. Format will be virtual or a hybrid, with some participants in the room and others attending virtually.
