Village Voice - Summer 2019 by Masonic Villages

VillageVoice

A World of Stories p. 7

Summer 2019 Vol. 29, No. 3

The Masonic Villages include locations in Dallas, Elizabethtown, Lafayette Hill, Sewickley and Warminster. Submissions for the fall issue of the Village Voice are due Sept. 18. Public Relations Department Masonic Village, One Masonic Drive Elizabethtown, PA 17022 For more information, call Masonic Village’s Public Relations Office at 717-367-1121, ext. 33383 or email pr@masonicvillages.org. The Masonic Villages is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Admissions to the Masonic Villages are approved or disapproved primarily on the basis of need. Decisions concerning admission, the provision of services and referrals of residents are not based upon the applicant’s race, color, religion, disability, ancestry, national origin, familial status, age, sex, limited English proficiency or any other protected status.

Inside this Issue 3 Helping Hands for Employees in Need

COVER STORIES A World of Stories

4 A Smile That Sells

8 A Life Well Traveled

6 Reflecting on 9/11

10 Home is Where Your Heart Is

16 A Thing Called Fear

11 Dr. Dhopesh’s Calling

19 A Lunar Legacy

12 At Home Abroad

21 Serving Our Neighbors: 2018 Community Report 24 Masonic Villages’ Wish List 25 Memorial Gifts 27 Honorarium Gifts

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On the cover: Ambassador John Craig (see his story on p. 12).

Helping Hands

For Employees in Need MASONIC VILLAGES’ MISSION OF LOVE ONLY TRANSFORMED FROM A VISION TO A REALITY BECAUSE OF EMPLOYEES. The work done, care given and services provided at Masonic Villages requires the tireless efforts of many. The hands and hearts of our employees make a difference in the lives of residents and their families each day. Therefore, the Mission of Love should also touch the lives of the employees who bring it to life. A new Helping Hands Fund has been established in honor of our retiring Chief Executive Officer of the Masonic Villages, Joseph Murphy. This fund will assist Masonic Villages’ employees across Pennsylvania who are experiencing personal emergencies/ hardships and/or natural disasters. Through a myriad of resources, this fund will remove the barriers that interfere with an employee’s ability to be present at work. These barriers could include the loss of a loved one, financial pressures, health issues, ability to afford food, caregiving responsibilities and other unforeseen circumstances. In the past, Masonic Villages has aided employees by purchasing Thanksgiving meals, paying mortgages for employees when they were about to be evicted and paying unexpected medical bills for employees or their children so they could make ends meet. Funds have been given to employees who were affected by flooding, and daycare expenses and groceries were paid for struggling single parents. Employees have been supported while

undergoing cancer treatment, and some were supported after a loss of a child or a spouse. Masonic Villages has paid for funeral costs for employee family members or auto bills after a significant car accident. The Helping Hands Fund will expand these efforts, making assistance available to more Masonic Villages employees in need. Joseph Murphy can provide a powerful witness to the significance of what employees have demonstrated to make our Mission of Love a reality for almost 45 years. It is his wish that these employees receive the support they need and deserve for decades to come. You can help make this initiative a success while honoring a man who has dedicated most of his life and heart to Masonic Villages. In order for this fund to be immediately viable for employees in need, the goal is to raise $250,000 by the end of November 2019. A first major gift of $30,000 has already been committed to get this fund established. If you would like to help fulfill Joseph Murphy’s retirement wish and positively affect the life of someone who has fallen on hard times, please consider a one-time cash gift, a cash gift from your IRA or appreciated securities, or a cash pledge for up to three years. To make your gift, you can complete and return the enclosed envelope or call the Office of Gift Planning at 800-599-6454.

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A Smile That Sells THE DRAWING OF A RED-HAIRED BOY, donning denim overalls and gripping a perfect head of lettuce, features a smile so big, it’s almost hard to believe it was based on a real boy. The real boy, now age 85, is Masonic Village at Elizabethtown resident Bruce Holran. While his hair is no longer bright red, his smile is still as animated. As was standard practice for advertising in the 1940s, Bruce was photographed for the ad (used by Hellmann’s mayonnaise on a billboard), and then an artist sketched his likeness. Many times, his actual photo was used. This made it easier for him and his family to identify which ads he was in, since he often had no idea what product, company or magazine he was modeling for. Bruce’s modeling career began in 1942 at age 8. His father was city editor of The Bergen Evening Record in Hackensack, New Jersey. A photographer on staff submitted photos of his 4

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own nephew and Bruce to two New York modeling agencies. “I had bright red hair and freckles at the time, which made me unique. I got jobs, and the nephew didn’t,” Bruce said. “I worked for both agencies, which was normally a no-no, but I was in demand because my hair made me stand out in photos.” Modeling is harder than it looks, especially for a child. First, Bruce had to get himself to studios in New York City for shoots. By age 10, he had mastered doing it alone with help from his mother or grandmother. “I traveled by bus and then walked across 42nd Street to studios mostly on the east side of the city,” Bruce said. “Nobody thought anything about it. Can you imagine letting a 10-year-old lad do that today?” Most shoots took almost a whole day, and he averaged 25-30 per year. For one photo, which was featured in a toothpaste ad, Bruce had to play hockey in a backyard scene for what seemed like hours. He and the other models kept slipping on the linoleum “ice” floor, so the director nailed their skates to the floor. Every five to 10 minutes, someone would give them a chair to sit on. It was an exhausting day! Other shoots had him traveling to New York City suburbs for an outdoor pool scene and his first visit to a large Long Island farm. For one ad, he had to swing a baseball bat over and over on a very cold January day on an island in the East River. Even eating pie wasn’t easy. He would spit it out after each bite to avoid getting sick while he was photographed dozens of times.

When Bruce looks through his portfolio of ads and magazine covers, he can recall details from almost every one. The images capture his youthful exuberance, as well as an era in America when World War II was the focus of the country’s and the world’s attention. Advertising was no exception. Automobile and other factories halted production to assist with military needs, and consumers limited spending to necessities. Companies that were advertising often took a patriotic position and promoted how they were contributing to war efforts. Even young students helped by raising money for war savings stamps and bonds, often leading to friendly competitions among classes. Bruce earned $10/hour early in his career, and by the time he was 13, he made as much as $25/hour, a very high wage for a teenager in the 1940s. As a news lover, he preferred to spend some of his money to watch 25cent newsreels, as well as contribute toward war savings stamps and bonds. “The kids were always happy when I wasn’t in school because it meant

I was out making money,” Bruce said. “My class was always ahead of other classes in buying bonds.” Bruce’s red hair earned him an invitation to audition for “Life with Father” on Broadway, but his parents decided it wasn’t for him. The play featured seven brothers (ages 7 to 14) – all with red hair. Bruce “retired” at age 14, after which he didn’t think much about his modeling career. His mother used his earnings to send him and his sister to college. He graduated from Colgate University in 1956 and, unexpectedly, was offered a job in public relations. That June day shaped his entire career, as he had planned to attend law school. He worked with Franklin & Marshall College for 18 years and Elizabethtown College for 10 years, among other organizations.

“Once in a while, I think about it,” Bruce said of his days as a model. “In 1948, television was becoming a lucrative new opportunity for models of all ages. Who knows what might have been if I had pursued it?”

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Reflecting On 9/11 youngest person on board was age 21; the oldest was 72. Most of the pieces of the aircraft that were recovered could be mounted on a 3x5-inch index card. MAHLON “MAL” FULLER BELIEVES EVERYONE HAS A 9/11 STORY they should share with those who were born after 9/11 or were too young to remember the tragic events and their aftermath. However, most people’s stories won’t include the front line perspective Mal experienced on that unforgettable day 18 years ago. At the time, he was working as an air traffic controller and watch supervisor of the Pittsburgh International Airport’s control tower and radar room, commuting from Elizabethtown where he and his wife, Christine, and their two children lived. On his way to work the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, he remembers looking at the “crisp blue skies” and thinking, “What a great day it is to be alive.” However, when he got to work, it would be one of the most memorable and harrowing days of his career as an air traffic controller, if not his life. The break room TV was broadcasting unimaginable news: an airplane crashing into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Like many that day, he watched a second aircraft strike the south tower. 6

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“I was in denial that it was an airliner,” he said. He next heard about an attack on the Pentagon, which led to the FAA stopping all air traffic and forcing all planes in the air to land – something Mal had never seen before in his career. But it would only get worse. A controller who he trained in the late 80s yelled to him, “Mal, I need you here.”

“I could clearly tell by the sound of his voice that there was something very wrong,” Mal said. Mal quickly learned that a plane - later identified as United Flight 93 - had been hijacked and most likely had a bomb on board. Based on the data from the radar screen, they assumed the Pittsburgh tower was a target. This led to an evacuation of the building. Mal was one of the last to leave; there were several people using wheelchairs and he wanted to make sure they had gotten out. “When I returned to the radar room, Flight 93 had either crashed or was about to crash,” he said. Thirty-three passengers and seven crew members perished on that flight. The

Mal is a founding member of the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville and served on the organization’s board. “The memorial is a living thing. It is designed to promote healing,” he said. He made his first visit to the site in December 2001 and led a Masonic Village bus tour to see it last May. “I feel like there’s a piece of me in that field out there, and I go back and mourn it,” he said. “My prayer since then is that angels gather around my heart and help me understand.” Mal retired in 2002, and he and Christine moved to Masonic Village at Elizabethtown last year. Masonic Village was attractive to them because of its capabilities for longterm care and its proximity to their two children, one of whom lives just down the road in Maytown. As part of his healing process – and that of the entire country – Mal continues to tour the United States lecturing on “9/11 and the Heroes of Flight 93.” He feels compelled to ensure today’s youth know about and never forget that day.

A World of Stories Residents who have truly seen the world bring their stories and vast experiences to Masonic Villages.

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A Life Well Traveled VISITORS TO KAUB, GERMANY, find themselves immersed in what appears to be the setting of a fairy tale. The resort town (shown above in an old postcard) sits along the Rhine River, dotted with medieval castles. In the 1940s, Ruth Moos experienced a much different Kaub. There was nothing magical about growing up in the town during World War II. “It was not much fun,” Ruth said. “If you spend every night of every day in some kind of a shelter, that pretty much spells out how I spent my youth. We managed to do the best under the circumstances.” Even amidst the chaos, school was integral in Ruth’s life. “It was very rigorous,” she said. “I managed to enjoy school immensely. I had terrific teachers who were tough on us.” Knowing a good education could take a person anywhere, Ruth made learning a lifelong commitment. It’s one of the reasons she moved to the United 8

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States, and it’s what inspired her to travel all over the world. After two years of junior college, she passed the entrance exam for higher education but was not accepted into a program. At the time, priority was given to women who were widowed or displaced after the war. She saw a notice in the newspaper looking for young women who could speak English to provide translation services at an American military base. She was accepted for the role and moved overseas. The other reason that kept her in America? “One of the best reasons,” she said. “Falling in love with an American.” She met her future husband at the military base. They were married in Germany and moved to his hometown in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, not far

from Pittsburgh. Barely off the plane, Ruth had her first taste of American culture. Ruth’s husband had boasted how wonderful American drug stores were and how they served ice cream and soda at long countertops. She only knew of drug stores selling drugs, so she was intrigued. Right inside the Pittsburgh Airport, in blazing neon lights, she spotted a drug store.

“I said, ‘Let’s go there before we do anything,’” she recalls. “I, not being a full American, made a major faux paus and put my hands under the counter and found it full of gum. The great American drug store turned out to be a myth. I told my husband I didn’t want to go to another drug store.”

The drive from the airport was a little more pleasant. “It was all lit up and beautiful,” Ruth said. “I came from so many years of war, and it was dark everywhere.” Her father asked for a postcard with a picture of her new home. Turtle Creek was a small town without its own postcards, so she sent him one depicting Pittsburgh, which at the time was a sooty industrial city. “He said, ‘For this, you left your beautiful hometown?’” she recalls. “I said, ‘Yes, falling in love made me do it.’” Other unexpected encounters included when Ruth’s mother-in-law told her she couldn’t wear her hand-tooled leather boots. In America, her mother-in-law informed her, women wore galoshes, and she bought her a pair. Ruth was accustomed to the colder temperatures in Germany, where everyone wore leather boots and fur coats. “I would not wear galoshes,” she said. “Americans would eventually come around to leather boots.” Ruth was also taken aback when she saw people eating corn on the cob. “We were used to feeding this to animals,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d like it. Now I love it. I just had to develop a taste for it.” America grew to accept her leather boots, and she grew to love its corn on the cob. More important than fashion and food, though, the people she met made her feel at home. “I found American people to be very hospitable and very nice,” she said. “They were talkative and very accepting of a stranger who came from a country that used to be called an enemy.” It didn’t take Ruth long to find a job since she already knew the language. She quickly adjusted to nuances, like when someone said they’d call her later, it could mean a day or a week later. To her, later meant a few minutes, so she thought people were forgetting her. Almost every other year, she and her husband returned to Germany to visit her family. They have two daughters and a son, and she worked as a high school teacher. Knowing the benefits of travel, she took her students to Europe 18 years in row. They appreciated it so much, quite a few still keep in touch with her. “As far as I’m concerned, I can’t think of anything that’s more educational than taking a trip to some place foreign,” she said. “You have to experience it – the atmosphere, the people and the way they live. It’s as wonderful and as best

an education you could get. You become a different person and more tolerant of others’ habits and ways of life.” Once their kids were raised, she and her husband traveled whenever they had a chance. They took “umpteen” cruises (she’s racked up 392 days on the Holland America line) and a five-week railway trip, among other adventures. “One of my most wonderful trips was a 32-day trip to Alaska,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to ever take it again because it couldn’t get any better. I went to a salmon bake out in the forest in a huge park. The salmon was so tasty. Unusual for me, I went back three times to get more. Looking up from the table where we ate, in a tree, there was a huge bear. I asked the tour guide if we should be worried, and he said, ‘It’s the clean-up committee.’ That was just wonderful. Denali Park was a highlight of mine. I didn’t realize I bought so many presents for my children and husband – beautiful homemade items. I had to buy an extra suitcase to bring it all home.” After her husband passed away, Ruth had some hesitations, but she realized she didn’t want to stop traveling. She found after her children visited, she’d end up sitting at home alone and decided she didn’t want to do that anymore. Traveling on her own, she has met wonderful people from all over the world with whom she still corresponds. In February 2015, Ruth moved to Masonic Village at Sewickley. She visited a dozen different retirement communities and felt most at home at Masonic Village. Her days are filled with swimming, visiting the wellness center, doing yoga, attending lifelong learning programs and serving as the building representative for apartment buildings 1 and 2. “I love my people. I call them my sheep,” she said of the residents she represents. “They’re a beautiful flock of people. I enjoy working with them, visiting with them and listening to their problems.” Her desire to travel remains as fervent as ever. In October, she’s traveling to Germany with her three children, their spouses and her three grandchildren. In November, she’ll be on a cruise ship to the Caribbean Islands.

“Life is only what you make of it,” she said. “I’m going to be 92. As one gets older, it gets more difficult to travel, but there’s always another way. I know that you have to make room in your life for something enjoyable to experience. You always need to have something to look forward to.”

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from her current home in Dallas, Pennsylvania. Jennifer made it back to England twice through Ronald’s tours, but not in recent years. Through weekly phone calls, she keeps in touch with her family, who always alerts her to any news in England. Like most British people, she closely follows the Royal Family, and is happy to be a resource on anything related to her native land. “Several people in the apartments here love English plays and dramas and will ask me what certain words mean,” she said. She and Ronald moved to Masonic Village in 2018. She has some health issues, and they needed to be at a place with security and peace of mind.

Home is Where Your Heart Is JENNIFER PRUTZMAN HAD AN IDYLLIC CHILDHOOD growing up in the large market town of Wellingborough, in the county of Northamptonshire, England. She lived with her grandparents and played with her friends - doing “naughty things and good things.” The thought of leaving England never crossed her mind as a child. By age 21, Jennifer found herself in the United States after following her heart, which belonged to a young U.S. Air Force service member named Ronald who had been stationed nearby her home. The two met on a blind date and were married in 1971. For the next several years, Jennifer moved throughout the United States, from Northeast Pennsylvania, where 10

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she lived with Ronald’s parents while he was stationed in Thailand, to Las Vegas to New York, and most recently, to the Masonic Village at Dallas. “People here were very welcoming,” she said of her arrival in America. “They were accommodating. I was often the center of attention because I was foreign. As soon as I opened my mouth, I was an attention grabber. At military bases, I interacted a lot with other spouses. There was almost always someone else from England. “It was interesting to learn to drive, and people do eat differently. I was not a noodle person at all. You learn to adapt.” A mere 3,427 miles – and the Atlantic Ocean – separate her hometown

“Now we’re free to do what we want,” she said. “We’re planning to do a little more traveling. I want to go to the open markets and fairs in this area. We like to do some exploring.” Despite the many differences between her childhood home and her current home, Jennifer believes her relocation has positively impacted her. It has also influenced her son to travel. He just returned from teaching English in Thailand, and is staying with his sister in Las Vegas. “It has made me worldly,” she said of her move across the pond. “I feel as though I have a lot more knowledge. It’s given me a broader outlook and ability to adapt. The military family life did a lot of that, too. I can adapt to just about anything.” Jennifer would feel at home anywhere with Ronald by her side. “We have no complaints,” she said “Everyone is good here. They’re helpful. As far as living here, we’re doing brilliant. I’m just as happy here in the states as I would be in England. Plus, my husband loves it here.”

Dr. Dhopesh’s Calling GROWING UP IN INDIA, DR. VASANT DHOPESH DIDN’T HAVE RUNNING WATER or electricity, and the temperature was regularly 100 degrees or higher in summer months. Among the many differences between his childhood home and his apartment at Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill is his ability to keep his apartment as cool as he wants, no matter how warm it is outside, thanks to air conditioning. However, it wasn’t cooler temperatures Vasant was seeking when he left India more than 50 years ago; it was a drive to further his education. Vasant attended the Government Medical College in Nagpur, India. He decided to study psychiatry because he found the field interesting. In 1964, he moved to the United States and experienced a much bigger culture shock than one might today. “There was not much American influence or contact with America in India at the time. It was very isolated,

and we mostly followed the British education system,” he said. “Today, most people in India know what’s going on here because of TV.” He was introduced to the Philadelphia area during his residency when he worked in the neurology and psychiatry departments at the Temple University Hospital. This deepened his knowledge of and appreciation for both fields. Fortunately, he was able to pursue both in his professional life. Over the years, he worked at the Medical College of Pennsylvania (now the Drexel College of Medicine) and the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center. He specialized in the psychosocial and medical aspects of drug addiction. When he retired, he was a clinical associate professor in the psychiatry department of the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He taught medical students, residents and fellows when they rotated through

the VA hospital. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 10 years and retired as Lieutenant Colonel.

“The medical aspects of addiction were really fascinating, but not many treatments were available,” he said about challenges on the job. Two years ago, Vasant retired after 30 years at the VA. His wife had passed away several years before and they had no children, leaving Vasant concerned about how he would receive care if any medical issues were to arise. Fortunately, Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill was only five minutes from his home. He moved in September 2017 and has been enjoying more than just comfortable temperatures. “It’s a beautiful atmosphere here. The people – both staff and the residents – are very nice and friendly. I have a really nice apartment,” he said. “That is why I love it here.” MasonicVillages.org

At Home

Abroad AMBASSADOR JOHN CRAIG HAS A BEAUTIFUL COTTAGE at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown. He waited six years for the exact one he wanted to become available. His home showcases items from his travels around the world. His most prized possessions (aside from the photo of his late wife, Gerre Lee, with his two grandchildren) are his collection of American silver and eagle statues. His dog, Gabriel (named for the archangel), lets him know of visitors’ arrival. One thing you may not find in Ambassador Craig’s home is Ambassador Craig. He is likely driving to Washington, D.C., or on a plane to the Middle East. Connections he made in the Arab world while serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Oman, from 1998 to 2001, as well as an understanding of its politics and culture, enable him to help clients pursue the right business relationships. “There’s a lot of interest in the Gulf right now,” he said. One of his roles is as a senior partner with Manaar Energy Associates, 12

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out of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, serving as an oil and energy analyst. He is a go-to person for energy portfolio managers from major financial institutions. He has also been collaborating with a client on behalf of the plight of Christians in the Middle East. Since 2006, 1.45 million of the 1.5 million Christians living in Iraq have fled from a place they lived for centuries. “We’ve become extremely influential,” he said. “We’ve helped change policy regarding Christians in Iraq. In 2017, Vice President Mike Pence gave a speech, which I helped write, announcing help is on the way

with U.S. government support.” Ambassador Craig and other members of a working group were also able to gain approval of a U.S. grant to support a Christian church in Syria and its pilot project to assist single parent families, a feat many said could never happen. He took part in a summit on religious freedom on July 16 with Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State. WORLDLY AMBITIONS Ambassador Craig knew since 11th grade he wanted to work in the U.S. Foreign Service. Being accepted into the service is very competitive, so it wasn’t an easy path, especially at a young

“I put on my travel clothes, and I’m in another world.” Abassador Craig with Dick Cheney (top) and Sultan of Oman - Qaboos bin Said Al Said (bottom).

International Corporation’s regional vice president in the Middle East.

age. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from American University’s School of International Science and a master’s degree in international relations from the National War College at the National Defense University. At age 22, he was the youngest person to join the Foreign Service. He held assignments in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Egypt and Haiti, and he learned to speak Arabic, French and Spanish. He was deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria, and held a similar post at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia. He returned to the United States in 1995 when he was appointed to head the

Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs with the U.S. State Department. President Bill Clinton nominated him to be the U.S. Ambassador to Oman in June 1998, an accomplishment he considers the most rewarding of his career. With the limited number of appointed positions serving in a cabinet, the selection process is competitive. Following Sept. 11, 2001, he served as special assistant to the president and senior director for combating terrorism under President George W. Bush, a difficult job which was responsible for “preventing Sept. 11 from happening again,” according to Ambassador Craig. In June 2003, he was named Boeing

Ambassador Craig is also ambassador in residence at Elizabethtown College, where he received an honorary doctorate degree in public service and served as director of the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking. TIPS FOR TRAVEL The thought of foreign travel may sound draining to some, but Ambassador Craig finds it energizing. There are certain airports he dreads because of their disorganization, like Heathrow and Paris, and some airlines he avoids, but he’s learned to “turn off” the anxiety of a delayed flight. “I put on my travel clothes, and I’m in another world,” he said. “I pull out my iPod and read. Whatever happens, happens.”

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“I see no barriers to continuing what I’m doing.” allow it to be an impediment to travel. Accommodations, such as scooter tours, are available. He encourages people to look close to home, too, for opportunities. “America is a great travel destination,” he said. “There’s the National Parks in Utah and Arizona, Louisiana, Williamsburg [Virginia] and much more.” LOCAL ROOTS Ambassador Craig was born and raised in Philadelphia. In 1908, his great-grandfather built a home in Elizabethtown, which was Ambassador Craig’s and his family’s home while he worked overseas. The home will remain in his family after he passes it onto his son.

Ambassador Craig with Colin Powell (top) and attending a camel race in Oman (bottom).

He finds time to travel for leisure, too. His family, including his son and two grandchildren, have a trip to Ocean City, New Jersey, planned this summer. They’ve been to Hawaii and on a Disney cruise. Internationally, he’d love to see Turkey for its biblical history and St. Petersburg to visit the State Hermitage Museum. Of all his destinations, one of his favorites was Damascus for its beauty and history. “All of Syria is a history lesson with every major empire occupying it through World War II,” he said. “Unfortunately, I’m not sure what it looks like now.” On the opposite end of the spectrum is Dubai, which “is just a 21st century city and totally different than Damascus. The only city close to it is Hong Kong,” Ambassador Craig said. For someone who hasn’t had the chance to travel worldwide, but is able to find the time after retirement, he recommends traveling with a small group of five to 10 people. A good introduction would be a river cruise or any type of adventure travel. He also advises that anyone with a disability shouldn’t 14

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In 2017, he moved to the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, a place he already knew well. His father had resided in the Masonic Health Care Center, and his mother-in-law lived in one of the memory support neighborhoods. Both Gerre Lee and Ambassador Craig received short-term rehabilitation at Masonic Village, and it was always part of their long-term plan to move there. Unfortunately, Gerre Lee passed away suddenly in 2016. “I’m in a circumstance where I don’t have anyone to care for me. Here, I know I’m going to be taken care of for the rest of my life,” Ambassador Craig said. “I don’t have to do anything but live. Just the beauty – it’s a pleasure to drive out of my garage every day. The programs and attention to residents – there’s nothing equal to it anywhere. “As ambassador, you’re used to everybody wanting to do things for you. It’s like that here. It’s the Cadillac of retirement facilities.” Knowing his home will be taken care of by Masonic Village while he travels allows Ambassador Craig to focus on his work abroad and whatever else his future holds. “I see no barriers to continuing what I’m doing,” he said. “Christians need me. My clients need me. I plan to just keep going.”

small steps leading to a

GIANT LEAP ON JULY 20, 1969, an estimated 530 million people watched Commander Neil Armstrong’s televised image and heard his voice describe what it felt like to step onto the moon. His words, “... one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” have rung in the ears of Americans for 50 years. According to NASA, Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin spent 21 hours and 36 minutes on the moon’s surface. Decades of contributions from hundreds of individuals led to those crucial hours, which strengthened human unity and changed the way we see Earth and the boundless possibilities of human engineering. Each new discovery led Amstrong and Aldrin to the moon on that fateful day. Upon the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing, two Masonic Village residents, Herb Ridyard and Ken Bleiler, share their contributions to this event - a few of the small steps that led to a giant leap for mankind. MasonicVillages.org

A Thing Called

FEAR

HERB RIDYARD’S SEVENTH GRADE REPORT CARD FROM 1937 is riddled with the letter “E” for “exceptional.” While he excelled in nearly every subject (besides swimming), math and science had always been his passions. As a first generation American, Herb’s success as a student came from knowing the value of hard work and “making a go at it,” as his parents did when they moved from Scotland to America for a better life. As a teenager, Herb’s dream was to attend college to study engineering, although he was never sure how to afford it. Herb may have been a good student, but he wasn’t built like his two older brothers and had no chance of obtaining an athletic scholarship. During Herb’s high school years, America entered World War II. When recruiters came to speak to his senior class, Herb’s interest piqued when he heard the word “college.” 16

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“They told us if we enlisted, took a test and completed basic infantry training, they would send us to college,” Herb recalls.

received a life-changing letter in the mail, telling him when and where to report for duty. He would be serving his country overseas in World War II.

Standing at five-foot, eight inches tall and weighing a mere 121 pounds, Herb enlisted in the U.S. Army upon the promise of a free college education.

“D-Day was coming,” Herb recalls. “They wanted to have as many guys as they possibly could to fight.”

After high school graduation, Herb was shipped to Texas and then to Mississippi to complete his heavy machine gun squad training. He’d never seen a rifle before but learned to be a U.S. soldier just the same. Upon completing his training in 1943, he’d gained 15 pounds of pure muscle.

At 19 years old, on a ship destined for Europe, Herb remembers fearing what he would soon be experiencing when the ship came to port. It was three months after D-Day, and there was talk about how tough other soldiers had it.

A new man, physically and mentally, Herb began his studies at the University of Florida. He adjusted well to the college life and found a whole new sense of freedom and opportunity. However, it didn’t last long. After three months, Herb

A GOOD STUDENT ON A MISSION

“My biggest concern was that I might run away, be a coward,” Herb recalls. “I didn’t think about getting shot at, but I knew my training in America was preparing me for something much worse.” Herb's instincts were accurate. During his eight months overseas, he endured

the hardships of war that changed him forever. Herb was part of the 94th Infantry Division under the command of General George Patton. While he and his fellow soldiers chipped away at the Nazi occupation of Europe in the winter of 1944-1945, Herb fought fear as much as the enemy. The 94th Infantry Division broke through what remained of the German lines. Hitler’s military engineers had designed and constructed some of the strongest and most detailed structures ever known to defend them from the enemy, including minefields and concrete barriers used to trap enemy tanks into killing zones. Herb recalls feeling hopeless when he looked down at his machine gun, realizing it was dated 1916 and wouldn’t stand a chance against the Germans’ machine guns that dated 1942. During his time at war, he had a close call with a German sniper, lost friends in battle and remembers riding down a German road and seeing rows of body bags. German rocket fire sounded like “a giant that had two railroad tracks and was banging them together.” At one point during the war, Herb vividly remembers digging a foxhole in the freezing ground to hunker down in the fighting. He squatted down, covered his head with his hands and prayed. “I asked God to save me, and I told him I'd do anything he wanted me to do,’” Herb said. Herb faced emotions that he didn’t know he had. “I was angry. I had hate in my heart,” he said. That winter, Herb wrote letters to his mother. “The snow is mighty cold on the feet,” he writes. “We have to curl our toes to keep the blood circulating. I guess things

A drawing of the North American X-15 from one of Herb’s NACA reports.

can’t get much tougher … We’re hoping to end this thing soon.” “There was no way I was telling her what was really going on,” Herb said. “I wasn’t telling her that my feet were already frozen.” He had a brief hospital stay while suffering from the effects of trench foot. After a long winter of battle, Herb felt alone. “I remember standing on a hill with 12 other guys thinking, ‘There are 16 million Americans in this war; where are they?’” he said. Coming home, Herb’s ship docked in New York. He felt fortunate to be one of the “lucky ones” who came home without sustaining any lifealtering injuries. By the end of the war, Herb found forgiveness for the German people and felt like fear would never again have a hold on him. “I look back, and I know it was that prayer,” Herb said. “I said I would do anything for the Lord to stay alive, and I still practice that

grateful attitude today. We felt like a million dollars coming home after what we’d been through.” THE NORTH AMERICAN X-15 Herb learned that he could take advantage of the GI Bill and applied to Lehigh University two weeks later. There, he studied mechanical engineering and graduated with honors. His education and military experience allowed him to leave Pennsylvania and become an aeronautical research scientist at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in Hampton, Virginia. NACA was established by the government during World War I to work on war-related projects and was eventually absorbed by NASA in 1958. Herb was employed at NACA from 1949 to 1957. In the first few years of his employment, Herb attended night school at the University of Virginia to earn his master’s degree in aeronautical engineering. This

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Herb remembers the first time the X-15 took flight with a human inside. A lot was riding on this, including a human life, but Herb felt confident in his contribution. “I used the mathematics that were available to me at the time and did my part,” Herb says. In 1957, Herb left NACA to pursue an opportunity at General Electric, where he helped design a missile that carried America’s nuclear weapons. His largest contribution to this project was designing a nose cone to protect the missile's warheads upon re-entry into the atmosphere. THE POWER OF HUMAN ENGINEERING Herb was one of the 530 million people watching Neil Armstrong’s televised moon landing. While most were in awe of seeing an American step onto the moon, Herb was thinking about gravitational pull, and wondering if it was as much or as little as NASA anticipated. He was also thinking of the X-15 and its contribution to the monumental event. “I thought it was an amazing triumph,” Herb recalls. He believes that the accomplishment came from the small contributions of thousands of people.

allowed him to take on more advanced projects within NACA. His proudest accomplishment was conducting aerodynamic research on the North American X-15. The X-15 was a hypersonic rocket-powered research aircraft operated by the U.S. Air Force, NACA and later by NASA as an experimental aircraft. The X-15 set speed and altitude records that still stand today and was used to reach the edge of outer space and return with valuable data used in spacecraft design. “The aircraft helped us understand what materials a spacecraft should be made of,” Herb said. It also told researchers if a human could withstand the force it took to return from outer space.

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“It’s one person building on someone else’s discoveries,” he says. “Think of Newton and his laws of motion. People thought that was all that needed to be done, then Einstein came along. The human mind can do unbelievable things.” In 2016, Herb returned to Germany and retraced his wartime steps 72 years later. On his trip, he was surprised to receive a medal presented by Helen Patton, the granddaughter of George Patton, the general who’d commanded the 3rd Army in which Herb served. Although Herb was proud of his service, after the war, he went on with his life. He married his wife of nearly 70 years, who resides with him at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, and is proud he turned his fear on the battlefield into an opportunity to succeed in a career that allowed Americans to believe in achieving the impossible.

A Lunar

LEGACY

KEN BLEILER WASN’T ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO SPENT HOURS GAZING UP AT THE STARS, so he never imagined as an adult he’d play a part in humans landing on the moon. On July 20, 1969, as the Apollo 11 touched down on the moon and much of the world watched, Ken sat in front of his television knowing first-hand the hours of research, innovation and determination that went into such a feat. Ken’s journey into space exploration started with his interest in chemistry. As a child, he had three chemistry sets and went on to study the subject at Kutztown University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree (and met his wife, Elaine). He earned his master’s degree at Temple University. He had enough credits for a Ph.D., but never pursued it. One of Ken's first jobs was with PennSalt Chemicals, where he conducted research on zinc and used a Geiger counter to check for radioactive rocks among crops. In 1955, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was ordered to go to Korea, but because of his upcoming wedding, he was re-assigned. Instead, he served in Germany for 18 months as a radio operator. Elaine finished her college degree stateside and joined him.

FROM OUTER SPACE TO THE DEEP SEA Soon after returning to the United States, Ken interviewed with General Electric (GE) and was hired as an analytical chemist with the Space Division, which worked closely with NASA. His job was to take samples of the environment of capsules prior to their launch into space and upon their return. This included, at times, having to climb to the top of a fully-fueled, ready to launch rocket, and gather his sample. Among the capsules he analyzed were ones containing plants, insects and a monkey, as researchers worked their way toward a human launch. The goal of sending a monkey into orbit was to study the effects of 30 days in space on a mammal. Prior to launch, the monkey had been trained to play games in order to get food and water, but the room he was trained in also included a television. Once inside the capsule in outer space, the monkey had no TV (which provided an audio and visual distraction), so after several days, he stopped playing the games and, therefore, stopped eating and drinking.

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sea program. Four aquanauts spent 58 days 50 feet below sea level in two 19.6 by 13-foot silos, so NASA could conduct research on how crews would behave during long-duration space flights. Ken’s role was to test air samples that were brought to the surface.

One morning, after celebrating the Fourth of July with family and friends, Ken awoke to a call at 3 a.m. ordering him to Hawaii immediately. The monkey and capsule had landed, and he needed to take an air sample when the capsule was opened. After he completed his work, since he’d already made the long flight to Hawaii, he invited Elaine to join him for a vacation. Although he, Elaine and their daughter, Debbie, lived near Philadelphia, he spent a lot of time in Cape Canaveral, Florida, home to the Kennedy Space Center. He, and thousands of visitors to the town, watched dozens of rocket launches from motel balconies. During the moon landing, like millions of Americans, he was glued to his television.

“It was very interesting work and very rewarding,” Ken said of his part in America’s mission to reach the moon. “There were some 23-hour days. Whenever there was a landing, I got a call.” Ken also worked on a project known as the Tektite habitat in Great Lameshur Bay, Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands. It was the country’s first scientists-in-the-

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He holds a patent through GE for coal desulfurization using microwave energy (to reduce sulfur dioxide released in the air from coal combustion) and was involved with the advancement of a super laser designed to shoot Russian satellites out of the sky. “That laser could put a hole through a cinderblock,” he recalls. Among the souvenirs he was able to take home from his job were a piece of moon rock and a piece of insulation from one of the capsules, which he and Elaine used in Debbie’s crawl box. Ken retired after 33 years with GE Space, which was later purchased by Martin Marietta and now known as Lockheed Martin. A resident of Masonic Village at Elizabethtown since 1999, he spends his time golfing, bowling and playing bocce, but his work with GE is never far from thought. “I’m just about 86 now, and I often think about things,” he said. “I saw some crazy things.” Ken’s work, and those of thousands of others, are a reminder the sky is not the limit when it comes to humans’ capabilities.

“Students who have completed a nurse aide course within a clinical setting are found to be more successful and higher quality registered nurses in the future,” said Theresa Cairns, BCCTC health occupations program instructor. “They are achieving professional critical thinking skills, working alongside professionals in the industry and enhancing their education. In addition, these partnerships also promote professional networking and the development of relationships with the residents.” BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT

(L-R): Cindy Phillips, executive director, Masonic Village at Elizabethtown; Michelle Balliet, Elizabethtown Area School District superintendent; and residents George Mehaffie and Patricia Horn present a check for the Elizabethtown Area Education Foundation

Serving Our Neighbors 2018 Community Report MASONIC VILLAGES IS HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 3,000 RESIDENTS and employs more than 2,400 staff. The Masonic Children’s Home provides care for up to 40 youth; the Bleiler Caring Cottage is home to eight adults; our Adult Daily Living Center serves more than 30 clients; and our outreach, home and communitybased services touch thousands more. Countless donors and volunteers make our Masonic Villages family whole. In 2018, Masonic Villages provided charitable care and community services worth $45.5 million across the state. In addition to these life-changing services for those unable to afford the care they need, we reach beyond our walls and family to those in local communities who can benefit from our Mission of Love.

PARTNERSHIPS Masonic Villages works with other organizations to help fulfill needs in the community. We open our facilities to assist various efforts, whether it is a charity run, health fair, blood drive, fitness class, conference or educational opportunity, some of which also benefit our residents. Staff partner with local schools for mutually beneficial intergenerational programming among senior residents and youth at all our locations. Masonic Village at Sewickley established a partnership with Beaver County Career and Technology Center (BCCTC) in 2018, which allowed 30 students to gain nurse aide clinical experience. Following the completion of their certification, 14 accepted employment offers at Masonic Village.

As a not-for-profit organization, Masonic Villages is not required to pay real estate taxes; however, we value municipalities’ services and understand their plights, as costs impact local taxes. Through Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements signed in Dallas, Elizabethtown, Lafayette Hill and Sewickley, we paid $2,157,932 to local boroughs, townships, counties and school districts in 2018. Supporting the local economy is also a priority. Through contracts with 398 businesses in the Dallas, Elizabethtown, Lafayette Hill and Sewickley areas, Masonic Villages generated expenditures of $5,866,924. Implementing eco-friendly operations and initiatives is an important investment in our community’s and planet’s future. Masonic Village at Elizabethtown and Penn State University established a mutually beneficial partnership that allows students to gain practical experience and complete academic requirements, while working to advance Masonic Village initiatives such as sustainability and improved use of technology. In 2018, these initiatives included investigations of the Conoy Creek restoration project. “The Conoy Creek stream is an excellent example of a flood plain reconnection

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stream that flows through both agricultural and industrial areas,” said Dr. Jennifer Slik, Geoscience, Civil Engineering Program – School of Science, Engineering and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg. “Being just over a decade old, the site at Masonic Village allows us to compare water quality and ecosystem health with relatively new restoration projects and ones that are several decades old. This site is a great example of a ‘living lab’ that I can show my students and undergraduate research assistants when discussing how a stream can be restored to a more ‘natural’ state.” DONATIONS Masonic Villages seeks ways to support other charitable groups whenever possible and contributed more than $37,600 to fire and EMS companies, three libraries and other causes. Residents donated clothing and books to Salvation Army, Goodwill, libraries and other local thrift stores. The Masonic Village Farm Market donated food and gift certificates to local food banks, Meals on Wheels and local civic, scout and religious groups for fundraisers. At its Elizabethtown and Sewickley locations, Masonic Villages awarded $20,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors who volunteered at least 100 hours with us during their high school years. In lieu of printing its Community Reports in 2018, Masonic Villages decided to “go green” and produce only a digital report, and donated the money budgeted for this project to charitable organizations serving local seniors. Donations totaling $15,300 were made to Weinberg Regional Food Bank in Luzerne County, Northwest EMS and the Community Cupboard in Lancaster County, The Christmas Gala in Bucks County, Colonial Neighborhood Council in Montgomery County and Allegheny County’s OPTIONS program.

Summer 2019 Issue

BCCTC nurse aide students visit with Masonic Village at Sewickley residents

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Masonic Villages is proud to offer resources to help young students build a foundation for a bright future. Working with local schools and universities, staff welcome students seeking internships and job shadow experiences. In 2018, across the state, interns joined Masonic Villages in the public relations, marketing and maintenance departments and at the Masonic Village Farm. In clinical settings, including the Adult Daily Living Center and wellness center, and in the nutrition services, nursing, pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, music therapy, food services, social services, hospice, environmental services and health care administration departments, staff supervised 270 students for more than 11,589 hours. Students from universities, colleges and career and technical schools across the state completed public health clinicals with Masonic Villages. Masonic Village at Elizabethtown offers internships and real world job experiences for LancasterLebanon Intermediate Unit 13 students. Four Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Life Skills students worked with Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill’s food services and environmental services departments

at the start of the fall school semester. Masonic Village at Dallas collaborates with the physical therapy department at Misericordia University on a Balance & Fall Prevention Program, which benefits students and residents. Emilee Krasson, a 2018 Misericordia University graduate, interned with Masonic Village at Dallas last spring. She majored in health care management with a minor in marketing. “I had completed an internship for health care management but didn’t have any marketing experience,” she said. “The career center suggested Masonic Village, which offered experiences in both. I worked closely with Joy [Hubshman, director of sales and marketing] and Noah [Davis, executive director]. I learned how to have more confidence in myself to express ideas and make important decisions and enhanced my people skills. Joy’s bright personality and Noah’s helpfulness made the experience 10 times better. Their teamwork is great, and I enjoyed interacting with the residents.” OUTREACH Community members at any stage of life can find assistance at Masonic Villages. In Elizabethtown, they are invited to

participate in the monthly Dementia Family Support Group or Bereavement Support Group. Masonic Villages’ Outreach Program runs a Medical Loan Closet which provides equipment to families on a short-term basis, free of charge. It supplied wheelchairs, walkers, canes, shower chairs and other equipment to 10 individuals in 2018. Funded through generous contributions, the Masonic Children’s Home in Elizabethtown does not charge individuals, organizations, or the state or federal government for its services. It provides a home for up to 40 youth who are orphaned, being raised by aging grandparents, or who come from various social or economic environments which do not provide necessary security and support. Children do not need to have a Masonic affiliation in their family to be eligible for services. RESIDENT CONTRIBUTIONS Many Masonic Villages residents are active in the community. Last year, residents contributed to service projects that benefited children, students, older adults, emergency service providers, the homeless, those with food insecurities and international humanitarian efforts. Masonic Village at Sewickley residents contributed 576 hours of their time to sorting and folding clothing donations at World Vision, and the Woodworking Club crafted wooden toys and raised money for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Masonic Village at Dallas residents participated in an Adopt-a-Road project to help clean up nearby Country Club Road and collected and donated toys for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. In Lafayette Hill, residents donated puzzles and books to Fox Chase Cancer Center and clothing and other miscellaneous items to Whosoever Gospel Mission, the Salvation Army and the National Federation for the Blind.

Students from Prism Career Institute complete their clinicals at Masonic Village at Warminster

Residents, family members and staff at the Masonic Village at Warminster provided donations to the Salvation Army for those affected by hurricanes. Residents of the Bleiler Caring Cottage in Elizabethtown participated in bi-monthly community services projects, including cleaning up the Elizabethtown Amtrak station, collecting food donations for Conestoga Valley Christian Community Services and donating to Toys for Tots. Through the Congregation of Sell Chapel’s Community Outreach ministry, members donated $44,000 in offerings toward Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS), The Children’s Playroom of Lancaster, Clare House, Hope Within Ministries and Communities That Care. To assist with the growing demands for the services of the United Churches of Elizabethtown, which oversees a child care center, Meals on Wheels, Community Cupboard of Elizabethtown, a clothing bank, family support and more, the Congregation also donated $15,000 to the community organization and its new home, the Community Place on Washington. “Sell Chapel’s donation sends a clear signal to the community and other congregations that this is an important project, and

Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill residents, including Helen Mifflin, enjoy visits from students at Prodigy Learning Center

Masonic Village residents are behind it!” Pastor Doug Lamb, president of the Elizabethtown Ministerium, said. “The need for support systems in our town to help people get back on their feet is so crucial, especially for younger mothers and families. Sell Chapel is helping to pave the way for long-term assistance options.” View our full Community Report online at https://masonicvillages. org/about/community-report/.

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QTY ITEM UNIT COST Bleiler Caring Cottage 10 Folding chairs $30 2 Sharp sweepers $225 Wi-Fi (semi-annual fee) $480 Camping trip $5,000 Masonic Children’s Home 1 Indoor flag stand $300 1 Electronic equipment $500 1 Sports equipment $500 Masonic Village at Dallas 1 Gazebo $5,000 Masonic Village at Elizabethtown Tickets to local baseball game $13 for hospice patients 50 Special meal service events for $15 residents who exhausted funds Mobility shuttle rides $15 Fluoride treatments $20 Hair care service gift certificates $25 Clothing gift certificates $50 Home Care gift certificates $50 Massages for Healing Touch for pain $65 20 Wheelchair ponchos $75 12 Portable CD players $80 Transportation for hospice patients $100 Wellness center memberships $120 Special events trip for $150 hospice patients 10 Jigsaw puzzle spinners and stands $200 3 Wheelchairs $400 8 iPads $500 Week at the shore for hospice patients $1,500 2 Blanket warmers $2,800 1 Health Services Response team vehicle $15,000 Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill Winter Ball event $1,250 Drama lessons/activities for residents $3,000 Masonic Village at Sewickley 7 Trash/linen carts $350 10 Beds and mattresses $2,500 1 It’s Never 2 Late (computer system) $9,000 Masonic Village at Warminster 1 1 1

Wheelchair scale Stand-up/Hoyer lift with scale Enlarge small pond in courtyard

MASONIC VILLAGES’ WISH LIST You can make a difference in the lives of our residents! Thank you to the following contributors: Bleiler Caring Cottage Anonymous: Activities Elaine K. Bleiler: Activities Masonic Children’s Home Ronald A. and Judy A. McKnight: Various items Christian B. Reynolds: Various items Timothy B. and Marcia L. Spangler: 2019 Beach Trip Masonic Village at Dallas Masonic Village at Dallas Residents’ Association: Awning Masonic Village at Elizabethtown William J. Clayton: Hair care service certificates Anne K. Gratz: Piano for solarium Sherwood L. and Jean A. Kneebone: Baseball tickets for Hospice Retirement Living Residents’ Association: Hospitality cart supplies for Hospice Walter C. and Judith A. Rockey, Jr.: Transportation for Hospice Peter G. and Jane L. Shaub: Hospitality cart supplies for Hospice Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill Anonymous: PVC carts, blood pressure cuffs and pulse oximeter Richard Vaux-Ivanhoe Lodge No. 384: Defibrillator

$2,500 $9,600 $35,000 There is an all-inclusive wish list posted on MasonicCharitiesPA.org, or feel free to contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-599-6454. Please note that if funds donated for any item listed are over-subscribed, the funds will be used for additional wish list items or needs in the same service area.

Summer 2019 Issue

Thanks to Our Donors Memorial Gifts The following memorial gifts were made Feb. 1 - April 30, 2019. Below is a list of individuals (names shown in blue) whose loved ones have made a gift in their memory to one of the five Masonic Villages. We have taken great care to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the names listed below. If an error has been made, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-599-6454; 717-367-1121, ext. 33430; or by emailing giving@masonicvillages.org. Thank you. John Adkinson Cheryl Adkinson Elizabeth “Betty” M. Andren Friends and Neighbors of Elizabeth M. Andren Betty Ashenfelder Capital City Chapter No. 146, O.E.S. Williard-Waterman Court #54, Order of the Amaranth, Inc. Vincent W. Attaviano Marion Attaviano Herbert Barg Hackenburg Mount Moriah Lodge No. 19 Annette Bauer Anthony DiBattista Clifford T. Bauer McKinley-Stuckrath Lodge No. 318 Terry Beckley Carol Beckley Marsha Ziegler James E. Bohr Peter and Darlee Bohr Myer G. Borish Neil and Mary Lou Borish Evelyn L. Briel Thomas and Claudia Stephens “Bumper” W. E. Roth Betty C. Burgess Ronald Burgess Nancy Burkett Burkett and Blizzard Families Frank Busch, Sr. Frank W. Busch, Jr. Nancy C. Cargas Kay Gable Ken and Helene Smith Philip Chamberlin Alice Chamberlin Howard Clark James Clark Ruth Anne Conn Richard Conn Carolyn A. Connor Vincent Connor Edith M. Cook Friendship Chapter No. 551, O.E.S. Mary Reeser Preston and Brenda Van Deursen Idris Davies Noel Laubenstine Thomas P. DeFroscia Pattie DeFroscia Walter and Nancy DePrefontaine Walter & Leslie DePrefontaine Becki Dolhanczyk Timothy and Robin Gruber PJM Interconnection Laura W. Dove Albert Dove M. Manon Duck Don and Shirley Miller John R. Duskey Sunset Lodge No. 623 Joseph Ebersole Nancy Prichard James T. English Margery English

Yvonne Fafata Robert Fafata Kenneth R. Faux, Sr. Beatrice Faux Nicholas Felegi Perkiomen Chapter No. 318, OES Ed Firth William and Nancy Jo Marsden Mr. and Mrs. George Fishel, Sr. Bill and Carla Fishel Barbara L. Frantz Robert Frantz Robert B. Friend Franklin-St. John’s Trinity Lodge No. 221 Mary C. Garrison David and Debra Rosensteel Russell and Mary Gehris Marilyn Sheldon Bennett Goldstein Hackenburg Mount Moriah Lodge No. 19 James Graveline Rutheda Graveline Glen Griffith Bertram and Patsy Griffith Despina (Dessie) Grimes Robert Grimes Edward Wayne Harding Bonnie Riegel Edward and Joyce Harding Mike and Joan Kauffman Carol M. (Doll) Hartman Scott and Lynn Easton Robert and Carol Serafini Ruth H. Hasenauer Mary Jane Keim Barry Lee Hassinger Joan Hassinger Sterling P. Hepler Duane and Nancy Hepler E. Edward Hill Patricia Hill-Kaplan Burton and Grace Hineline Todd Hineline and Cynthia Bartynski Delmer Hoover Dallas Hoover Wilmer (Bill) A. Hoover Betty Hoover David and Alicia Hunsberger Timothy and Fay Pletcher Irene Jochen Al Jochen Alan D. Johnston Sunset Lodge No. 623 Sheldon Kaplan Patricia Hill-Kaplan Alan Karr Beverly and William Bowman Roy L. Knauth Houseman Lodge No. 211 George and Douglas Krissinger Ann Krissinger Richard M. Landis Houseman Lodge No. 211 Susan White and Family L. Sherwood Lennartson Carl Lennartson John H. and Irma B. Lewis John and Carolyn Lewis John W. Lindley Sunset Lodge No. 623 Harry William Locke Lee Locke Neil and Anna Lohoefer Craig and Barbara McCollum Harry K. Longenecker Doris Longenecker

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Anna M. Lubic Joyce Bodlovich Orlando and Caroline Donato Chris Krnjaic Dorothy Krnjaich Sandy Marijan Jill Lubic Swartz Pat and Mabon S. MacDonald George MacDonald Horace L. Mann Camilla Anderson Suzanne Anderson Richard and Jean Balderston Conny Barker Norman and Rosemary Bell Diane Brokenshire Ronald Coder Jules and Patricia Garfunkel Anne Gratz David and Nancy Halliwell Jim Heckman JoAnn Keller, Mary Murphy, and Ruth Koch Shirley Leisure McLean Asset Management Corp Arthur Nesbitt Nancy Neusbaum Elizabeth P. O’Callaghen and Marla Aizenshtat David Peiffer John Phillips Bob and Alice Pinnock Jack and Kathy Ross Lynne Seachrist James and Susan Snyder B. J. Turgeon Arthur and Dorothy Wert Timothy and Mary Weston John and Vera Wolf Carolyn Wright Barbara Zell Michael S. Marrone Romaine Edwards Mary E. and Frank S. Matesevac Thomas Matesevac Don and Lois McCulley Andrew and Susan McCulley Erma J. McCurdy Ralph and Renna Sherriff Vicki Zimmerman Harry E. McMinn, Jr. McKinley-Stuckrath Lodge No. 318 Mildred Mervine Friendship Chapter No. 551, O.E.S. Victor F. Messinger Whitfield Lodge No. 622 Dolores Metzger Ken Mugler Patricia Ann Miller Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. Sara M. Miller Tom and Marilyn Batz Nelson and Mary Ann Beidler Barry and Geraldine Seidel

Summer 2019 Issue

Jeanne Moore Bruce Moore “Flo” Hazel Morrison Margery English Jane Mullin Friendship Chapter No. 551, O.E.S. Gertrude Myers Charles Myers James C. Nickle Terry Kamerzel Thomas and Terry Kamerzel William A. (Bill) Northey Suzanne Anderson John Brodrick Robert Emberger Robert and Marilyn Forney Jim and Betty Gotta Jim Heckman Ray and Pat Horn Edna Jones Jerry and Pat Kemmerer Tony and Susan Lauri Richard Mauro Carol Northey ODU-USA, Inc. Carl and Dorothy Shull Stifel O’Leary Piccolo Wealth Mgt Group Sunset Women’s Golf Assn. Shirley Lou Thomas Whitey and Arlene Von Nieda Raymond and Ethel Waltenbaugh Elvin and Jestena Yeagley Sylvia Parks Martha Major Donald G. Peters Franklin-St. John’s Trinity Lodge No. 221 Jim and Anne Phipps Demas McVay Lisa A. Pottgeiser Ann Dinsmore George D. Powell Franklin-St. John’s Trinity Lodge No. 221 Hugh J. Purnell, Sr. Hugh and Shelagh Purnell Ron Reibie Jeff, Kay, Lee, Maria, and Elaina Ziesche Leah Renner Kathy and Scott Wade Raili Wrenner Joan Reynolds Nelson Williams Joyce B. and Almore G. Robb, Sr. Almore G. Robb, Jr. LuLu Roberts Tom and Carol Mercer John J. Robinson Sunset Lodge No. 623 James (Jim) R. Rodisch Dennis Beahan Susan Casey Dor DeLong Jim Heckman Julia Linn Lynda Rodisch, Karl and Ruth Knudson William and Kathryn Sundermeir Preston and Brenda Van Deursen Charles E. Rose Donna Rose John W. Sanders Sunset Lodge No. 623

Alice P. Schaller Clear-Com John Kowalski Ken and Betsie Walter Eric Warholak William A. Schultz, Jr. Whitfield Lodge No. 622 Mary Ann W. Schwaderer Schwaderers and Peggs of Lakewood, CO Jack, Dawn, Judy and Bob Clair and Steven Schwalm Joan Schwalm Robert L. Sharpnack Elaine Sheehan Leon Shawin Sunset Lodge No. 623 Donald A. Smith, Sr. Barbara Smith Sally and Don Sowden Willard Carey Robert and Catherine Spangenberg Larry and Carol Wolford Richard P. Stuncard Harry and Jean Metcalfe Gwen Phillips Linda Stout James and Jen Stuncard Wilson L. Sturgeon Bill and Mary Gamble Mary Carol Koscelnak Joseph Matheny Dawn Ostrander Thomas and Joan Sturgeon Richard and Veva Tessmer University Drive VA Hospital Staff in the SDDU and PACU Herbert M. Swisher Beryl Swisher

William J. Tangalos Franklin-St. John’s Trinity Lodge No. 221 Mary Fager Tapasto James and Cathryn Appel William and Julie Dine Deborah Everett Dan and Marilyn Jones Peter and Patricia Kleine John and Carol Long Sallie McMinn Samuel and Joyce Nolt Carol Peters Barbara Piersol David Weiss Charles Teada Andrew and Doris Zelez James A. Thompson Whitfield Lodge No. 622 Gertrude Tyler John and Linda Rutt Morton Uchitel Hackenburg Mount Moriah Lodge No. 19 Fred P. Vandegrift Houseman Lodge No. 211 Miriam S. Waller Lynette Waller Rheba and Vincent Webb Janice Myers Vincent C. Webb Design Centre, Inc. Prospect United Methodist Church of Gatchellville Robert P. Weismantel Virginia Weismantel Robert (Bobby) E. Werner David and Helen Hughes David Winter Loretta Winter Rudy Yaksich McKinley-Stuckrath Lodge No. 318 Henry Youngblood Andrew and Doris Zelez Jeanne Zellers Preston and Brenda Van Deursen

Honorarium Gifts The following honorarium gifts were made Feb. 1 - April 30, 2019. Below is a list of individuals (names shown in blue) whose loved ones have made a gift in their honor to one of the five Masonic Villages. James V. Andrews Betty Deibert Daniel Hoover David E. Keesey

Ginny Andrews Norman and Deloris Stein Dallas Hoover Sophia Miller

Jerry and Pat Kemmerer Noel Alan D. Saylor

Michael and Carmen McKee Noel Laubenstine Carolyn Longo

Financial information about Masonic Charities can be obtained by contacting us at 1-800-599-6454. In addition, Masonic Charities is required to file financial information with several states. Colorado: Colorado residents may obtain copies of registration and financial documents from the office of the Secretary of State, (303) 894-2680, http://www.sos.state.co.us/. Florida: SC No. 00774, A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-HELP-FLA. Georgia: full and fair description of the programs and activities of Masonic Charities and its financial statement are available upon request at the address indicated above. Illinois: Contracts and reports regarding Masonic Charities are on file with the Illinois Attorney General. Maryland: For the cost of postage and copying, documents and information filed under the Maryland charitable organizations laws can be obtained from the Secretary of State, Charitable Division, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401, (800) 825-4510. Michigan: MICS No. 11796 Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of Masonic Charities may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167. New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BY CALLING (973) 5046215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ocp.htm#charity. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT. New York: A copy of the latest annual report can be obtained from the organization or from the Office of the Attorney General by writing the Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 1-888-830-4989. Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Masonic Charities may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: Financial statements are available from the State Office of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. Washington: The notice of solicitation required by the Charitable Solicitation Act is on file with the Washington Secretary of State, and information relating to financial affairs of Masonic Charities is available from the Secretary of State, and the toll-free number for Washington residents: 1-800-332-4483. West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. REGISTRATION IN THE ABOVE STATES DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION OF MASONIC CHARITIES BY THE STATE.

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