Masonic Villages include locations in Dallas, Elizabethtown, Lafayette Hill, Sewickley and Warminster.
Published by Masonic Villages’ Public Relations Department Masonic Village, One Masonic Drive Elizabethtown, PA 17022
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BRIDGING Education & Employment
Masonic Village at Elizabethtown and Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 (IU13) collaborated to form a work experience partnership in 2017. Since then, it has evolved into a comprehensive internship program allowing students the opportunity to work in laundry, maintenance, environmental services, food services, landscape, central supply, housekeeping, dietary support, transportation, campus mail and the Masonic Village Farm Market.
“The program is for students ages 17 to 21 who need some extra instruction to improve their future employability skills,” Ally Devine, work immersion program instructor, said. “These students just need some guidance in social skills and soft skills that aren’t necessarily taught in a typical high school.”
While the students gain knowledge from hands-on experience in a workplace setting, the bigger lessons learned are through the use of intangible skills. Interns learn problem solving, communication, teamwork, work ethic, professionalism, adaptability and networking through the job-specific tasks they are assigned.
Students spend part of their day in a classroom on the ground level of the McKee South Apartments and then transition to their internships with Masonic Village staff.
“Several members of our Masonic Village team excel at mentoring and training students,” Ed Brown, former assistant director of facilities (who retired in April), said. “This program creates connections and relationships and teaches a lot about responsibility, respect and serving others. It is an opportunity to help others be successful in life no matter the circumstances.”
While the Work Immersion Program intends to focus on the students’ experiences, it has gone on to impact Masonic Village employees and residents. Mentors have the chance to work side-by-side with a student, watching them excel and progress from day one.
“Mentors get to have a first-hand account in helping interns take that difficult step towards adult life and really have an influence in making a positive impact that helps contribute to growth,” Ally said.
Masonic Village residents have positively contributed to the program through meaningful relationships. One resident, Linda, grew to know a student who regularly brought packages to her home.
She encouraged the student to apply for a position at her daughter’s deli shop in Elizabethtown, where he now works part-time.
“This intern is using the skills he learned at the Masonic Village Work Immersion Program and applying them to employment in the real world, all thanks to a Masonic Village resident and a connection that was built within our program,” Ally said.
Seth, a student intern with the Masonic Health Care Center Laundry Department (shown above), enjoys his time with his co-workers. His responsibilities include loading and unloading laundry machines, cleaning lint drawers, assisting with the air folding machine and helping with the dried laundry process.
“I have definitely learned a lot,” Seth said. “I’ve learned stuff like how to use products and ways to interact with residents who pass by.”
Through hard work and willingness to learn, Seth was encouraged to apply for a laundry aide position at Masonic Village. Following the interview, he was offered the job and will now be working full-time in the Laundry Department.
“The workplace environment seems really steady here,” he said. “I like working with the people here and using the equipment.”
Another student, Nico, has been working with the Landscape Department to help maintain the more than 1,400-acre campus. It was a good fit for him since he has lots of prior experience working outdoors.
“The people here treat you like family,” he said. “And Landscape is awesome!”
While the students gain valuable professional skills, Masonic Village is benefitting from hard-working, dedicated interns, and ideally, future employees.
READY AND EAGER
For What Comes Next
Four seniors at the Masonic Children’s Home are getting ready to spread their wings, leave the nest and explore new opportunities. They are primed for success, thanks to their time spent at the children’s home, made possible by generous donors who invested in their futures.
ANDREW is eager and excited to have completed his final year residing at the children’s home, a place for which he feels greatly appreciative. While his journey at the children’s home has come to an end, he is confident he is prepared for what’s to come.
“I am so thankful for all my time spent here,” he said.
As an only child with a single mother, Andrew transitioned into the children’s home by himself when he was 10 years old. His mom was growing restless over the idea of her son growing up in a busy city filled with many unknown possibilities. When she heard of the Masonic Children’s Home, she knew Andrew would have better access to educational support and the opportunity to play sports.
Andrew’s transition to the children’s home was not as smooth as he had hoped, as he had to adapt to an unfamiliar environment. However, with time and help from his house parents and housemates, Andrew adjusted and slowly began to enjoy the new freedoms he had.
“I have always liked hanging out with the other guys here in our cottage and other houses,” he said.
Along with his schoolwork, he kept busy playing football, lacrosse and wrestling. He was grateful to always have someone to play football with at the children’s home to improve his athletic abilities. One of his fondest memories is taking a trip to Disney World.
Andrew recently wrapped up his senior year at Elizabethtown Area High School. He is thankful for the encouragement he receives from the house parents.
“I get so much support here,” he said. “I am thankful for the tutoring that helps me study for tests during the school year.”
The children’s home offers kids access to in-house tutors who provide academic support in all areas needed. Thanks in part to this academic assistance, Andrew is now attending the Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn Tech) to study welding.
“I know there will be some challenges when starting my own life, but I know the children’s home has prepared me, and I am ready to do it,” Andrew said.
OTELIA said it feels like just yesterday when she arrived at the children’s home. While she has enjoyed her time here, she is excited to go out into the world and apply the skills she has learned to her future endeavors.
She appreciates the support of her house parents, especially Miss Hope, for helping and listening to her over the past four years.
“I am thankful for what I learned at the children’s home,” she said. “They taught me to be more patient.”
Moving from Philadelphia to Elizabethtown was a fairly easy transition for Otelia. She enjoyed living with the other girls and made a lot of friends. She will attend East Stroudsburg University, where she’ll study business.
While at Elizabethtown Area High School, Otelia participated in theater, working backstage to set up props for the productions.
“I just want to say a big ‘thank you’ to the donors,” she said. “Thanks for allowing me to make a lot of great memories and meet some great people. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to go to college and do good work.”
ANJELISSA called it an “honor” and a “privilege” to live at the children’s home over the past two years.
“I have lived, I have learned and I have come out the other side as an adult,” she said. “I lived with 16 of the most brave, loving, compassionate and hard-working girls I’ve ever met, and I have gained lifelong friendships.”
Anjelissa said she’s excited for what’s to come in her future. She plans to study communications and public relations at Pitt Bradford, a satellite campus of Pittsburgh University.
She came to the children’s home at age 17 and stayed for two years. During that time, she said she learned and achieved a lot.
“I learned about community living and how to live with other people,” she said. “I also liked having structure and organization to my day.”
She enjoyed the trips during the summer and all the good friends she made.
“It has been nothing short of an adventure,” she said.
ANTHONY grew up at the children’s home, having arrived when he was only 8 years old. It was difficult at times being away from his family, but he found guidance through the friends he made and the staff who supported him.
“It has been one long trip to the finish line,” he said. “It wasn’t always easy, but I got through it because of the people who helped me grow. Adjusting to the area and being away from home was hard. I was lost at first but found my way through the people around me.”
Learning basic skills like table manners and organization became lifelong lessons, and he will never
forget the laughs, long talks and hours of games played with friends.
“The parent and son bond that was created between me and the house parents was unreal,” he said. “They truly have our best interests [at heart] and want to see us take advantage of every opportunity. They taught me how to take care of myself as a man and what to expect in the real world.”
Anthony plans to attend Central Penn College. He’s interested in becoming a surgical technician or pathology assistant.
He said he appreciated the trips and vacations he was able to take part in through the children’s home, especially visits to the Jersey shore. He also enjoyed playing football and track.
“I want to thank the donors for their generous support,” Anthony said. “We appreciate them because they help take us a long way, from going on trips to getting supplies. Because of them we have clothes to wear, food to eat and necessities without any expenses. It wouldn’t be possible without them.”
“I would like to thank the donors for everything they’ve done for us. You have truly made a difference in the lives of all the kids here, and without you, this place would not exist as it does today.”
- Andrew
The Perfect Blend FOR A HAPPY RETIREMENT
When Robert “Bob” Obee and his wife, Janine, moved to Masonic Village at Sewickley nearly two years ago, they had an ulterior motive in mind — to be closer to the Chautauqua Institution, a 750-acre community on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York where they reside part-time. Now, they have two homes they cherish.
Approximately 7,500 people are in residence at Chautauqua during a nine-week season that runs from June through September. More than 100,000 people attend scheduled public events and engage online via a streaming channel. Chautauqua “is dedicated to the exploration of the best in human values and the enrichment of life through a program that explores the important religious, social and political issues of our times” and promotes excellence and creativity in the appreciation, performance and teaching of the arts. The Institution launched its 150th summer program last June and is celebrating its sesquicentennial in 2024.
For more than 45 years, four generations of Janine’s family have assembled at Chautauqua. Janine’s parents purchased a home there, and the couple visit each summer with their children and other family members. This year will be the seventh year they have stayed for the whole season.
There’s even more of an impetus to visit Chautauqua now that Bob has been elected to the institution’s board of trustees. He was elected directly by the Chautauqua property owners and began his term on Oct. 1, 2023.
“I’m very honored,” Bob said of his new post. “It’s an opportunity for me to pay forward what Chautauqua has given me, and that is just this incredible sense of both relaxation and intellectual and cultural stimulation. It’s also the one place in the world that we can rely on our family getting together once a year.”
“For me, it’s also a very family-oriented place,” Janine said. “We have two children [a daughter in Boston and a son in North Carolina], both of whom went to Chautauqua for the first time as infants. They have wonderful youth programming. I have a grandchild who just went for the first time. In addition to the arts and education component, it’s about family and all the memories we’ve made and are making.”
When Bob and Janine lived in northeast Ohio, they’d spend one or two weeks in Chautauqua each summer. But after moving to Asheville, North Carolina, they found the 11-hour drive was too long. That’s what brought them to Pittsburgh, which is only a two-hour drive from the Institution. It also helped that they liked what they saw upon visiting Masonic Village at Sewickley.
“A lot of people from Pittsburgh have actually been involved with Chautauqua for a long time,” Bob said.
While searching for independent living communities within a three-hour drive of Chautauqua, three communities in Pittsburgh popped up, Bob said. The couple visited Masonic Village at Sewickley first and liked it so much, they never visited the other two locations.
“We have never regretted that decision, and we’ve been very happy here,” he said. “It’s a wonderful place to grow old. They do a great job with the landscaping and natural beauty of the campus, as well as the architecture with all the brick buildings. As we contemplated retirement – we’re on the younger end – we could see ourselves living here happily for the rest of our lives.”
Both Bob and Janine have led accomplished lives, with robust careers, education and interests. Bob is a founding principal of Businessolutions LLC, a boutique consulting firm established in 2008 and focused on profit improvement through business analytics, primarily in the transportation industry. Previously, he was an executive officer with Roadway Corporation in Akron, Ohio, leading mergers and acquisitions, information technology and operations planning and engineering.
Bob earned three degrees from Kent State University in Ohio: a bachelor’s degree, an MBA and a doctorate in business administration.
“I stayed put at Kent State for seven incredibly productive years, thanks to faculty members who took me under their wing while challenging me to go further than I ever thought I could go,” he said. “In retrospect, those years and those professors were the foundation for all the success I’ve had in my business career, plus Janine, of course!”
After retiring from her professional career in child development, Janine had the privilege of working at The Biltmore, billed as “America’s Largest Home,” located in Asheville, North Carolina. She helped decorate the large estate for the holidays each year.
“It took two years for them [Biltmore] to have an opening, and it was a wonderful experience to get the opportunity to help,” Janine said. “There were seven professional designers working in the floral department. Eight of us assisted the designers. Every year was a new theme and new decorations. I don’t have a design background, but I was very involved with another historic home, the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio. That experience and my enthusiasm helped me get the position at The Biltmore.”
Janine is most proud of her work as a child life specialist in several children’s hospitals, especially Akron Children’s Hospital for 10 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and psychology and a master’s degree in child development from Southern Methodist University of Dallas and University of Akron, respectively.
Janine said she and Bob make a good team, as he’s the analytical one, and she’s a “people person.” The couple have been married 45 years. At Masonic Village, Bob enjoys running the trails, utilizing the wellness center and playing table tennis or “ping-pong.” Janine volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House and the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital. They enjoy hiking together and exploring the burgeoning Pittsburgh restaurant scene.
In the near future, Bob plans to spend most of his time focusing on his new role and the finances of the Chautauqua Institution. The Board of Trustees meets four times a year, and committees meet more frequently.
“I’m very focused on making sure the financial condition remains as it has been for most of the 150-year history strong and vital so that we can support the institution for the next 150 years,” he said.
With Bob’s role at the Chautauqua Institution and their new home at Masonic Village, Bob and Janine are enjoying their ideal retirement.
Chautauqua Lake
A Long Life Well Earned
Emma Green celebrated her 106th birthday in January, and it was more than a commemoration of years lived, but rather years earned. The foundations of her life have remained constant over the last century: faith, family and hard work.
As digital photos of her life flash by on a screen she keeps on in her room at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, she recalls her childhood in Columbia, Pa., her first job, meeting her husband, adopting her children and the many tales woven in between.
“Whoever thought you’d see digital photos?” Emma said. “It’s really neat to see.”
Emma has witnessed a lot in her lifetime, starting with the 1918 flu pandemic, World War II, the Great Depression, the moon landing, the advent of the internet, the COVID pandemic and plenty more events and innovations.
As for her childhood, it was somewhat typical for her and her three siblings and four half-siblings.
“There were picnics in the summertime and family time together,” she said. “Church was a big part of my life. We were poor and never had a lot of anything. There weren’t more than two cars on my block. Nowadays, everyone has a car.”
While her family didn’t have a lot of money, they always had something to eat. They had a little garden but no refrigerator, using ice boxes instead. Their home was located behind a butcher shop and grocery store, and they were fortunate to sometimes receive unsold meat that would have otherwise spoiled over the weekend.
Emma began working at a young age (as early as 10 she thinks) cleaning floors. She was one of two Black students to graduate from Columbia High School in 1936. After graduation, her options were limited. She earned credits at Millersville University to work as a teacher’s aide, which she did for a few years.
“I enjoyed children,” Emma said. “I always let my neighbors’ kids play in my backyard to give them a safe place to go. Once my children were out of the house, we always had room for someone to stay – a clean, happy place.”
She spent a lot of time working as a housekeeper, including living on the property of a wealthy family near Philadelphia.
“There wasn’t a lot to do when you aren’t like everyone else,” Emma said, referring to her race. “Anything I could find to do – cleaning houses, doing laundry or scrubbing floors – I did. You had to work to make a living. Left over from slavery, if you worked, you felt fortunate to have decent people to work for who treated you like a human being. I didn’t always work for nice people. You learned to take care of yourself and your family.”
The only other job she held was during World War II, when she worked in an Armstrong factory assembling airplane wings.
“Women didn’t work in factories then,” she said. “But all the men went to war, and they needed help.”
At age 27, she met her husband, Walter, who was a farmer. Emma has always loved all kinds of music, and she especially loved to dance to it.
“We used to go to dances in Harrisburg,” she said of her and Walter, who passed away in 1979. “They were all-night dances in ballrooms with big orchestras. It was so nice.”
Emma and Walter adopted two children, Marvin and Dorcas. Each of them had health issues growing up, and Emma spent time in the hospital with them.
“I took my time,” she said, referring to adopting her kids at a later age. “I did it right and took pride. Just like people expect you to do your job carefully, it’s the same way with raising kids.”
Her days of hard work are behind her, and now Emma enjoys simple things like seeing her family, doing puzzles, going outside, taking part in music therapy sessions at Masonic Village and relaxing. She has several grandchildren and nieces and nephews who visit. Two of her siblings are still living.
“I like it here,” she said. “It’s nice and quiet.”
As Emma watches a lifetime of photos on the screen in her room, from ones of her as a 2-yearold to ones of family gatherings in the 70s and 80s, she is at peace with her accomplishments.
“At 106, a lot of times I’m asleep,” she said with a smile. “I didn’t expect to live to 106. I’ve been awake a long time.”
Editor’s note: Emma passed away on June 4, 2024, several days after the magazine went to press.
Emma in 1920
Emma’s high school graduation photo, age 18
Making Technology Easy and Accessible
It can be a challenge to go an entire day without encountering some form of technology. From the moment many people wake up, they check their phone, power on their tablet or utilize a voice command device, such as Alexa or Siri. They may use selfcheckout at the grocery store, order a prescription online or have an appointment via video chat.
Residents and staff across Masonic Villages embrace the potential of technology to make life more convenient, connected and, in some cases, safer. While embracing too much change all at once can be overwhelming, assistance is available to help residents learn to use technology as much or as little as they want.
Bill and Sandi Hathaway
Sandi Hathaway, a resident of Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, volunteers on the Resident Technology Council and helps with monthly resident technology support sessions. With her past career as a teacher, she views helping people navigate technology with the same lens.
Her husband, Bill, however, views technology as a burden that is distracting younger generations. The two recently hosted a program at Masonic Village exploring these opposite viewpoints, called “I Hate Tech and You Can’t Make Me Use It!”
Bill and Sandi agree that many people hate technology for several key reasons: they may have physical
conditions that make it difficult, such as arthritic hands or trouble seeing or hearing; they don’t understand the vocabulary; or they can’t keep up with the changes.
“I encourage everyone to try one thing or explore one app, like a weather one,” Sandi said. “Ask someone – who has no expectations and won’t pressure you – to show you some basics. Explore devices that are more accessible if you have physical limitations. Expect problems because there’s always something that goes wrong.”
Masonic Village at Elizabethtown and Sewickley have Resident Technology Councils, which work with Masonic Villages’ Information Technology (IT) Department to develop a vision for resident technology. Residents, who have a variety of backgrounds and skills, provide recommendations and assist with implementing projects and providing education to other residents.
In 2016, Masonic Village at Elizabethtown launched Village Connect. The online portal, using the K4Connect application, includes dining menus, dining dollar balances, directories, events, maintenance work order forms, news and games, as well as access to smart home features. In Sewickley, K4Connect is referred to as MVSLink, and at Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill, it’s called Village Connect. Certain features vary by location.
“We work directly with K4 to influence enhancements to their products and integrations with our administrative systems to ensure accuracies and to keep systems updated,” Megan Caldwell, innovation project director, said.
NAVIGATING NEW TECH TOGETHER
Through recent surveys, the IT Department learned the biggest thing residents want is education.
In addition to the monthly resident technology support sessions offered in Elizabethtown, Mark Eyer, resident technology coordinator, hosts a bi-monthly Village Connect Workshop to demonstrate how it can help residents. He works with the Resident Technology Council to host informative programs, like the basic functions of an iPad or how to use a Smart TV.
“My goal is, every way I can reach people, I want to reach them,” Mark said. “I introduce Village Connect to every new resident. Smart home technology might seem unnecessary, but as residents age, they may have issues with their eyesight or arthritis, and it makes it easier for them to live longer in their apartment or cottage.”
In Sewickley, residents may attend Tech Support Sessions the first and third Saturday of each month, where their neighbors and two high school students will help guide them and answer their technical questions. More than 130 residents have received assistance.
“Our goals are to give residents tools that will allow them to get information in a more timely manner, to simplify certain tasks and to help them learn to use the tools available to them,” Eric Gross, executive director of Masonic Village at Sewickley, said.
Sewickley resident Susan Bikowski, who has owned several software companies, leads the Resident Technology Council and has provided feedback to K4Connect.
The council is working to digitize the campus library on MVSLink, so residents can browse the entire library; read descriptions of books, DVDs or audiobooks; and check out/in or reserve items. They’re also adding “yellow pages,” which are resident referrals for restaurants, shopping venues, physicians/specialists, dentists, etc.
In the future, the council is also planning to host interactive lectures with step-by-step instructions introducing the basics and building residents’ knowledge on how internet connections work, how apps are used on their own devices and how to find the information on MVSLink.
“Who knows what they will come up with next, but we are always open to great ideas,” Susan said. “The grandest reward is being able to fix a
problem, help the resident understand what we did and why and that they did nothing wrong!”
In Lafayette Hill, Melissa Lindsey, recreation coordinator, offers a tech skills lab every month for retirement living residents. A 15-person Communications Committee is working to enhance overall communications for residents, so they’re notified of event cancellations and program updates in a timely manner, said resident Bill Franks, committee chair. Executive Director Carl Tarbell attends the committee meetings, as does resident June Knight, a member of the group.
June can often be found in the computer lab, helping residents print something or showing them how to install contacts into their cell phones. She has a knack for understanding technology, and she uses a laptop, an iPad, an Apple watch and a smartphone at different times throughout the day. She also knows there are health benefits to technology, which is why she purchased a smartwatch.
“If I fall, and I need help, the watch can do an ‘SOS’ and call people for me,” June said.
June worked in IT for many years, and it’s easy for her to pick up new skills. Her last job was at the PQ Corporation, where she was promoted to the IT department.
“At 52, I was the oldest person to get the job out of everyone who applied,” June said. “I’ve always been interested in computers. I liked learning how software worked, how to test things and help people when they were having problems with their computers or needed upgrades.”
Future focuses for technology include voice command and increased compatibility between K4Connect and Masonic Villages’ systems. Most of all, staff and residents who’ve already embraced technology want to see increased usage.
“We want to make life easier and give residents a good experience,” Mark said.
June Knight
“MR. FIX IT” Makes Technology Look Easy at Dallas
Allen Henninger has made quite a name for himself at Masonic Village at Dallas.
Allen has been working with computers for 50 years. He knows how to take them apart, put them back together, program and update them. He has been helping other residents to problem solve for years, with everything from how to connect a printer to how to delete emails properly.
“I’ve sort of become the go-to IT person unofficially up here when a resident has an issue,” Allen said. “Typically, I work with the Windows operating system, but that doesn’t preclude me from helping someone with their iPad or iPhone. I’m always more than willing to learn something new.”
Allen, 76, spends most of his time in his computer room in the three-bedroom villa he shares with his wife, Helen.
There, he’s surrounded by three desktop computers, two laptops, two printers, two tablets and two smartphones (one is for his wife, who never uses it, he said).
“It’s just that thirst for knowledge, and for me, it’s so interesting,” he said. “If I see anything related to technology, I’m going to read in depth about it and experiment with it. It keeps me going with the times. I’ll buy a new computer, and then I’ll dig into it. I must have eight hard drives here from different computers over the years. Before I recycle them [the computers], I’ll take the hard drive out and use it as a backup or external drive.”
Allen spends hours a day working with residents who request his assistance through the front desk. Typically, he’ll fix the main problem quickly, but then discover they have additional issues he needs to troubleshoot. This gives him a sense of accomplishment and pride.
During his many years teaching Industrial Arts and Technology Education at a public school in central Pennsylvania, Allen caught the “technology bug” and wanted to learn more and more. He would seek out any books and magazines related to computers. During the 1970s, before the internet really came to be, he started teaching himself basic programming, which led him to better understand how to fix something if it wasn’t working right.
“I got to a point where I started building my own computers,” Allen said. “I gathered spare parts and started putting them together and learned how to build them.”
Now that he’s retired, Allen notices that many residents at the Masonic Village are technologically challenged. He can solve most problems by taking over their computer screens remotely through a program called Quick Assist, without even having to leave his home. If he can’t figure something out, he’ll call Microsoft Support.
“One of the support staff said, ‘I’d put you up in the top 5% of people I ever talked to about computers,’” Allen said. “I thought that was nice to hear.”
“My best friend just moved to Florida he calls me frequently and I connect to his computer and take it over from Pennsylvania,” he added. “I tell him not to click on too many emails he seems to be too trusting with emails, and in this day and age, that’s not a great thing to do.”
Allen uses one of his own laptops to operate a bingo program for residents. He’ll remotely take over the Smart TV in the residents’ lounge and pull up the bingo numbers on the screen. “It’s fun for me. It’s interesting,” he said.
Allen earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial arts from a small college in California, Pa. (He said his “claim to fame” is that he lived in Jersey Shore, Pa., attended college in California, Pa., and retired in Dallas, Pa.)
“When I left for college, people asked me what it was like ‘out west,’” he joked, “or how it was at the shore this time of year. Jersey Shore, California and Dallas are all cities in Pennsylvania. I’ve been all around the U.S. and never left the Keystone state.”
Allen owns an Android Samsung flip phone, not an Apple iPhone. He doesn’t like that cell phones keep getting larger and larger. He mainly uses the phone for group text messages to family and friends. A judge at one of the precincts during local and national elections, he keeps in contact with his poll workers through group texts.
The Social Committee at Masonic Village often asks Allen to send out group emails when they want to notify residents about upcoming events.
“They like that I’m able to hide the individual email addresses,” he said. “I don’t like group emails where you see everyone’s email address, and someone wants to send the latest joke they just heard.”
Allen has seven or eight email addresses that he uses for different purposes. He has more than 50 different folders in Outlook, where emails are automatically sorted, so he can look at them at his leisure.
While most of the residents have smartphones or iPads, Allen said, they only know how to use it for basic things. As they start to work more with the devices, they run into hiccups and look for help but don’t want to spend a lot of money. That’s where Allen comes in.
“I never charge anyone anything,” he said. “Sometimes they’ll [residents] give me cupcakes or
cookies, and that’s appreciated. But I’m always learning something, so it’s a pleasure really. It keeps my brain active, and I love it. I just enjoy doing it and helping people.”
Allen’s wife of 52 years graciously tolerates his compulsion to spend hours away from home helping others in the community.
“One resident had 28,000 unopened emails, and their computer was running slow,” he said. “We did some sorting and mass deletions. I helped him set up another email address just for junk emails. Sometimes you need to help people with their organizational skills.”
Another resident didn’t realize she had 50 websites open on her computer, with every one of them fighting to continually update, Allen said.
“We spent the next four to five minutes closing down all the pages,” he said. “Amazon Support couldn’t figure out what the problem was, but I did, and it worked.”
Allen enjoys his time at Masonic Village, where he has lived since 2012. He said he considers everyone part of a big family, and they all help each other out. Allen is also a longtime Mason and Past Master of Jersey Shore Lodge No. 232.
Not only can he fix computers, but Allen was a licensed projectionist for many years. He assisted a multiplex theatre with removing their 35 mm film-based projector system and then installing and setting up the processing and projection equipment for digital content. He also worked as an automotive service advisor and licensed inspection mechanic.
“I always get a lot of questions from residents about cars and tires,” he said with a laugh. “I just like helping people any way I can.”
GOOD SPORTS
For those who live and breathe their favorite team’s every win and loss, it’s a way of life. It may even influence their home décor or wardrobe choices. Across the state, residents of Masonic Villages represent various teams and sports, some of which have a personal connection or just illicit pride when their team brings home a win.
“PLAYING” FOR KEEPS
Earlier this year, when the University of Michigan won its first national football title since 1997, Betsy Lexa was beyond excited.
The news tugged at the heartstrings of the Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill resident, an avid Michigan Wolverine sports fan who met her husband on the Ann Arbor campus back in 1954. The two were introduced by Betsy’s sorority sister.
“He was a senior, and I was a sophomore,” Betsy said. “We went to all the sports games, even ice hockey. After college, we started following the [Michigan] teams all over the country, especially when they played football or basketball.”
Although her husband, Frank, passed away in 2018, Betsy keeps all the Michigan memorabilia they shared, from jerseys to a flag that currently hangs off her balcony. She proudly displays a miniature football stadium and other
items on the shelf outside her front door. She purchased a Michigan license plate holder for her car. Even her dog, “Blue,” is named after the college’s signature colors, maize (a specific tone of yellow) and blue. A Maltese rescue puppy, Blue roams the apartment with a blue Michigan scarf around his neck.
Betsy and Frank were lucky enough to attend the 1990 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., where the USC Trojans upset the then third-ranked Michigan Wolverines football team.
They also attended the 1993 NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship game in New Orleans, where the North Carolina Tar Heels won their third NCAA game, defeating the Wolverines.
Betsy enjoys watching games on TV and will tell you all about the big rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State, referred to as “The Game” by some fans and sports commentators because of the annual competition between the Wolverines and the Buckeyes.
Even though she doesn’t attend games in person anymore, Betsy still remembers what it’s like to see and hear thousands of people cheering for the same team, like she has experienced at the University of Michigan. “It can be kind of overwhelming, but it’s fun and exciting, too,” she said. “The Michigan football stadium is huge.”
Betsy grew up in both Michigan and Washington, D.C. She enjoyed attending high school games and played on both the women’s hockey and basketball teams. “I was OK — not a superstar,” she said.
Betsy and Frank traveled to 70 countries and all but one continent (Antarctica) over the course of their marriage, and their family includes four children and 12 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They moved all over the country, from Detroit to Toledo to New York, for Frank’s job as a computer technician, before ending up in
Philadelphia. When Frank began having health issues, they decided to move to Masonic Village.
Betsy has lived here for eight years now and really enjoys being part of a tight-knit community, although she has yet to meet another Michigan fan, she joked. Her dog keeps her company, which makes her happy.
Betsy plans to continue cheering on her Michigan teams for as long as she lives, as it still makes her happy all these years later.
“I’m a fan forever. Why wouldn’t I be?” she said.
A SPORTS FAN THROUGH AND THROUGH
Rosalie Kasperik is well-known at Masonic Village at Sewickley for being a sports fanatic. When you see her coming down the hall with her walker, you’ll notice the feet of the walker are covered with sports emblems — one for the Pittsburgh Penguins, one for the Pittsburgh Steelers and one for Penn State University’s Nittany Lions.
“These are my three favorite things,” she said about hockey, football and college football.
Rosalie especially likes the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. She often attends home games because her son has season tickets.
“My son is a big hockey fan. We’ve attended three ‘Night of Assists’ fundraisers, where we get to meet a lot of the players,” she said. “That’s why hockey is my main thing.”
The Penguins didn’t end their last season on a high note.
“They had been on a winning streak, and then they lost,” she said. “If they had just won a couple more
games, they would have made the playoffs. I went to the last game of the season, even though it was an away game. I didn’t want to miss it. I really enjoy it.”
Rosalie grew up in New Jersey and was only interested in baseball and football. Her mother, who was not a big sports fan, used to follow the New York Yankees because they were always in the World Series.
Rosalie came to Pittsburgh to attend Duquesne University, where she met her husband, Robert, who was a big sports fan.
“We started going to the Civic Arena to watch the old hockey team [the Pittsburgh Hornets] back in the mid-60s,” she said. “They would later become the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
When Robert passed away in 2014, Rosalie stayed in her house for a few years before coming to live at Masonic Village in 2019. She previously explored other long-term care facilities that were near where she lived, but she ultimately chose Masonic Village because it was closer to her children and to Pittsburgh, “where the sports are.”
Rosalie’s daughter went to Penn State University, which is how Rosalie became interested in college football. The two still attend games together today.
“Some sports are violent at times, and I don’t want to see anyone get hurt, but it’s so cool and fast-paced. It keeps you on your toes watching it,” she said.
Rosalie has not been focused on baseball this year because the Pirates are in a “slump,” she said. However, she plans to take advantage of one of Masonic Village’s group outings to a game. “I hope they don’t fall apart and disappoint us.”
Rosalie insists she’s a true sports fan, not a “fair-weather fan.” If she doesn’t attend an in-person game, she’ll watch it on television, dressed in her favorite team jersey.
She said Pittsburgh is a good town to be a sports fan.
“I like the competitiveness of it, and the pace,” she said. “It’s fun rooting for a certain team or person.”
HIGHLIGHT REEL OF A LIFETIME
Renie Logan’s earliest memories of following sports are from a time before every game and team at every level was broadcast on television. Her father was a Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers fan, and they’d listen to the games on the radio.
“My first memories are of the static on the radio,” the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown resident said.
Her sister went to Penn State University, so Renie began following the Nittany Lions. Together, they attended the “coldest football game I’ve ever seen,” she said. “It was a big game on Thanksgiving weekend. It snowed. It rained. It sleeted, and it blew. We were pretty miserable, but they won, and it was a good game. The happiest game I attended was when we took our son to his first game at age 7. He didn’t know what to look at — the cheerleaders, the band, the crowd or the game. He had a ball.”
As a young adult, Renie added Kansas teams to her roster of who she follows. Her husband, Lonnie, had a scholarship to the University of Kansas, where he played football for a season with a young man named Gale Sayers, nicknamed “the Kansas Comet,” who later played seven seasons for the Chicago Bears. Gale is also well-known for his friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo, which was showcased in the famed made-for-TV
movie, “Brian’s Song.” Renie and Lonnie remained Jayhawks and Kansas City Chiefs fans for life.
“I still watch the Chiefs’ games, but I wish they’d get over this whole Taylor Swift thing,” Renie said, referring to tight end Travis Kelce’s wellpublicized relationship with the popular singer.
She enjoys watching sports so much, she sometimes watches the Pirates and the Phillies at the same time, flipping between the two. She prefers to watch at home, since she’s been known to be passionate and loud at times.
“I try to keep it under control,” she said. “If we were out, my husband would hold my hand under the table and give it a big tight squeeze to keep me from yelling.”
Overall, her loyalty still lies heavily with Pittsburgh teams. Her son, Paul, his wife and his four children are all Phillies fans.
“Where did we go wrong?” Renie jokes.
Her son has four children, and Renie loves watching their athletic pursuits as much as the professionals she follows on television. She’s attended their baseball, football, lacrosse, field hockey and track and field competitions.
“I enjoy the memories associated with watching sports the most,” Renie said. “Watching games with my dad and then my husband and now my grandkids.”
Her favorite player to watch was Roberto Clemente, who played 18 seasons with the Pirates. She was a big fan of Franco Harris, who played for Penn State and the Steelers, and she is excited to watch former Nittany Lion Saquon Barkley in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The most memorable play she ever saw was the “Immaculate Reception,” when Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass which bounced off the helmet of the opposing Raiders and was caught by Franco just before it hit the ground. He ran it in for a game-winning touchdown.
Renie and Lonnie moved to Masonic Village at Elizabethtown seven years ago. Before his passing in 2022, they traveled a lot together and took a few trips with the campus Travel Club. Renie also enjoys knitting and reading and the educational programs and special events on campus, like the luau held on the Trexler Terrace.
“There are so many advantages to living here,” Renie said. “Even if there are a lot of Phillies fans.”
Lonnie and Renie (front) with their four grandchildren
RACING FOR FUN
Marvin Stuart had a need for speed.
The Masonic Village at Warminster resident spent his 20s, 30s and some of his 60s competing in drag races with a number of different automobiles, including a beloved Chevy Monte Carlo.
Competitive drag racing is a sport in which two vehicles compete to see which can travel a specific distance the fastest from a standing start. Drag racing is known for its intense speed and quick acceleration, testing the limits of both the vehicle’s performance and the driver’s skill in controlling it.
Marvin, now 84, remembers attending drag races every Sunday. He competed in races all over the east coast, at the Pocono Raceway, Numidia Dragway, Langhorne Speedway and the York Raceway, all in Pennsylvania, as well as the ATCO Dragway in New Jersey. He won the stock elimination championship at Numidia in his 30s and had a Trophy Eliminator win at Numidia in 1999. He also won many other championships.
“I liked the adrenaline pump that racing gave me,” Marvin said. “I enjoyed watching it on TV and listening to it on the radio, too.”
Two days after winning the stock elimination championship in Numidia in 2002, Marty suffered a massive stroke, effectively ending his racing career and leaving him paralyzed on the left side.
He still has a 1970 red Corvette convertible ( pictured top right) sitting in his garage at his home in King of Prussia, where his wife, Priscilla, and daughter, Leigh Anne, look after it. A union carpenter by trade, Marvin built the home for Priscilla after they were married in 1964. Before he got married, Marvin served in an Army reserve unit. The couple have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Growing up in Dallas, Pa., Marvin never attended college, but was self-taught in automobiles by reading books and studying engineering. He used to build his own cars and engines. His first car was a 1949 Ford two-door business coupe.
“That car today wouldn’t take 1/10 of the beating I gave it,” he said. “I liked speed. It had to go fast, or I didn’t like it. Speed got me into trouble a few times. One time a man running a red light hit me broadside. I still carry the scars today — it tore my face up.”
“He had a lot of family members who were into cars, and they worked on cars together,” Priscilla added. “He did very well for not being college educated. He even made the front cover of Engineering magazine back in the 1990s [as the bridge structural superintendent for the Vine Street Expressway in Philadelphia].”
Marvin returned to racing in his 60s after retiring from his job, and made it to three finals, winning one of them. “I may have been an old man with a Corvette, but I cleaned their clocks,” he said. “It’s quite a thrill making it to the finals in the championships, especially when you’re racing against people 20 years younger than you. It’s fun, and you meet a lot of nice people.”
Marvin came to Masonic Village about a year ago. He was living in Norristown in 2020 when he fell and was hospitalized. He stayed at several communities before ultimately choosing Masonic Village.
It’s a “lovely facility, very clean,” Marvin said, and he has his own room, which makes him happy. A longtime Mason, Marvin belongs to the Irem Temple, is a Knights Templar and Past Master of Lodge No. 620 in Norristown.
“The good Lord left me a sense of humor, and that has pulled me out of a lot of what I went
through,” he said. “I
have a strong spirit.”
A Legacy WELL KEPT
At 95 years old, Jean Ross is ready to pass on her family legacy to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A resident of Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill, Jean is grateful her mother was able to trace her family roots back to 1066.
Jean learned her grandmother, Edith, was a childhood friend of P.T. Barnum’s daughter, Phineas Taylor Barnum. Barnum was an American showman (1810-1891) and Mason who was known for founding the renowned Barnum & Bailey Circus with James Anthony Bailey.
“When P.T. Barnum brought [singer] Jenny Lynn to America for her first concert in 1850, he gave tickets to his daughter and my grandmother to go to New York City and see her,” Jean said. “He also gave [my grandmother] a pair of binoculars to watch the show with if they weren’t close enough.”
Jean held on to the binoculars and gave them to her daughter-in-law. She also has her mother’s wool caplet from when she was baptized in 1892.
In 1066, during the Norman invasion, her family moved from France to settle in England. They eventually moved to America with Samuel Fletcher Pratt, her sixth great-grandfather, who became one of the most notable businessmen in Buffalo, N.Y.
“He opened a general store to trade with the Native Americans,” Jean said. “He was the first white man to settle there and open a store. He started the legacy of the Pratt family in Buffalo.”
The wheel of Pratt’s wagon is currently on display in a historical museum. Jean also has a newspaper article detailing the story of Pratt’s settlement in New York and the subsequent development of the city.
Jean’s mother spent 10 years researching the family’s history and writing it down. Jean’s son, Samuel, took an interest in the family history and has since brought it up to date.
“It’s not nearly as detailed as my mother’s was she went back to many relatives in Buffalo and has all the marriage and death dates written down,” Jean said. “But it’s my life, my history, my legacy that I’m passing down to my children. I think it’s important they realize they have a long history of being Americans before the Civil War.”
Jean was born in Bellevue, Pa., and grew up in Brookville, Pa. She has incredible memories of growing up, including being 13 years old when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor to start World War II.
“I can remember it as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. I also have artifacts in my house, including a thermometer from my grandmother’s house in 1934 that my dad gave me. It still works. I’ve never had to fix it.”
Jean graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a home economics degree and received her master’s degree in elementary education from West Chester University.
She retired after teaching fourth grade in Springfield, Pa., for 23 years, including a unit on poetry, which she has always enjoyed. Every time a teacher would retire, she would write them a personal poem.
Jean is a Past Matron and a longtime member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Her husband, Sam, was a Mason and an Eastern Star member for 66 years.
Jean and Sam retired in 1989 and moved to the North Carolina coast, where they lived for 10 years. From there, they moved to Arizona and then Colorado, but ultimately decided to move back to southeastern Pennsylvania to be closer to family.
After a short stint in another retirement community, the couple bought a townhouse in upper Chichester, where they stayed for 11 years until Sam passed away in 2020. The couple was married almost 68 years. Jean stayed for two more years before deciding to look at retirement communities. She discovered Masonic Village in a magazine, and the rest was history.
“We came and looked at the facility, and when we drove away, my son said, ‘Mom, that’s a no-brainer. Don’t let that go,’” she said. “I applied the next day and got in a few months later.”
Jean said coming to Masonic Village was the best decision of her life, other than marrying her husband. She spends a lot of time teaching residents how to play dominos in the library. She even brought a radio to play music in there.
“I’ve
been so happy,” she said. “The people are wonderful. I’ve made such wonderful friends. I have a book of poetry that tells the story of my life from 1983 until now. Every Christmas, I do a letter to family summarizing my year.”
When she has free time, she enjoys spending it with her two sons and a daughter, as well as six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She looks forward to sharing a lifetime of memories with her family through the oral history she has inherited.
“I have incredible memories of the war and the things we did without,” she said. “I’ve had a wonderful life, and I’m hoping to share it with others.”
Poem by Jean Ross, 1983
I looked into my heart And what did I see Twenty-two children depending on me For guidance and direction For learning and for fun, Please reassure me heartbeat That I’ll reach each and every one.
PLAYING IN CLAY for Fun and Charity
The Masonic fraternity has a history of giving back to those in need, and this was part of what attracted Masonic Village at Elizabethtown resident Pam Warren, and her husband, Kelly, to move in two years ago. Her arrival was fortuitous for a group of residents who worked on ceramic pieces in a small studio on campus and needed someone to run their kiln.
Pam’s experience as a professional potter for 40 years, molded with her generous spirit, led to the formation of the new Masonic Village Ceramic Clay Studio.
“I had a dream of a clay studio where anyone and everyone would be welcome, regardless of ability level,” Pam said.
Front (l-r): Mil Mealey, Pam Warren and Pat Reed. Back (l-r): Jennifer Stuckey, activities supervisor; Mike Rowe, executive director; Lisa Livingston, director of retirement living and community services; Janey Potter; Edith Kane; and Bianca Hemsch, recreation program coordinator
“Fortunately, the small group embraced my dream of expansion that included hand-built clay and giving back to our campus charities.”
Using hand-built clay means the studio does not have a wheel, so everyone uses their hands to form their creations. Pam finds most people jump right in and experiment, much like a child with Play-Doh.
She has traveled the Midwest and East Coast participating in juried art shows and was a Pennsylvania Guild Artisan in the 80s and 90s, winning several recognitions. Her sister, Paulette Tranquilli, who
also lives on campus, was an elementary school art teacher for 30+ years and owned a clay studio. Together, they help students achieve their goals. Some students, who are now knowledgeable enough, aid “newbies” with their projects.
The studio is open Fridays, from 10 a.m. to noon, for people to explore and visit its small gallery. Classes are held Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to noon, and the first and third Wednesday, from 4 to 6 p.m. There are various open studio hours to stop in and glaze pieces. Most projects are $5, which includes a class, glazing and all firings.
Last year, the group made donations to the Masonic Children’s Home, Bleiler Caring Cottage, Employee Appreciation Fund and Tree of Life Fund through the sale of its items.
The group also worked with the marketing department to create a Tree of Life magnet, which is included in every gift bag for new residents. The Tree of Life Fund partially or fully subsidizes retirement living residents’ monthly service fees for those at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown whose funds have been depleted.
“I find great peace and calmness when ‘playing in clay,’ and that is something I want to share with others. It’s just as much fun watching someone find their own way with clay for the first time. This studio gives my life purpose to know that I am helping others, and it is amazing how many students have embraced this goal and joined the effort.”
Call 717-367-1121, ext. 33762, for more information. Email the studio at MV.Ceramic.Clay.Studio@gmail.com, or check out their Facebook page: www. facebook.com/mv.ceramic.clay.studio.
Warming THE HEARTS of Heroes
Many veterans are recognized with medals and pins upon their return home from overseas or soon after their service ends. A nationwide program, whose mission is “to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor,” seeks to award each veteran with a homemade quilt to say, “Welcome home and thank you for your service.”
Jo said. “Each stitch in the quilt represents the love and gratitude and sometimes tears of the maker. The batting is the center of the quilt. It’s warmth. It represents the hope that this quilt will bring warmth, comfort, peace and healing to the individual who receives it.”
Masonic Village at Elizabethtown residents, led by veterans Barbara Zitrick, Tim and Mary Lou French and Grayson Koogle, have been coordinating several presentations each year. The most recent one on April 25, featured 15 resident veterans representing various branches who served during various conflicts and locations.
Jo Garvin, from the Middletown PieceMakers and the volunteer group leader for Quilts of Valor, has worked with Masonic Village for several years. “We try to hold presentations at different times of the year. Being close to those people who served our country and brought us our freedom is important to me,” she said.
Every quilt is a unique pattern, often featuring patriotic colors and symbols. Each quilt can take upwards of a month to complete if the quilter can work without interruptions. A label is placed on the quilt, which lists the recipient’s name, date of presentation and who sewed it.
“The top of the quilt, with its many colors, shapes and fabric, represents the communities and the many individuals we are,”
More than 50 quilts have been awarded to veterans at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown since 2014. Many of the quilts were made by the Masonic Village Piece Makers quilting group (shown above), which has about 25 members, with some also coming from the Middletown PieceMakers Quilts of Valor group. Both groups rely on generous donations from members and others to create the quilts.
“It takes many hands,” Sylvia Mitchell, Masonic Village Piece Maker president, said. “Many of us have family members who are veterans and know they gave so much to protect us. This is a way to say, ‘thank you’ and recognize what they’ve done for us.”
In 2015, the quilts made included 250 blocks of fabric signed in memory or in honor of veterans, which quilters collected on Autumn Day in 2014 during the Eternal Flame dedication.
Since 2003, volunteers from the Quilts of Valor Foundation have presented 382,765 quilts to veterans nationwide.
“Like a quilt binds all the pieces together, what veterans have done binds us all together,” Barbara said. “They’ve traveled the world and have served the world. They’ve protected democracy no matter where, why or when.”
Fred Kaylor
A WINNING STRATEGY
Yvonne “Yonnie” Kauffman set records on the court as a coach and made her mark off the court as a leader for future generations of female athletes. She continues to impact others today as a donor and supporter of the Masonic Villages.
Sports have been a part of Yonnie’s life since her childhood, playing baseball or any other outdoor activity with her older brothers and the boys in her neighborhood.
“I’ve always been competitive and loved sports for as long as I can remember,” Yonnie said. “My favorite sport was always whatever I was playing at the time.”
By middle school, she was playing softball, intramural basketball and field hockey. Her teammates knew she was talented, and her softball team even waited to start their season until she recovered from having her appendix removed. She was introduced to tennis by a local senior who was going to college to be a physical education teacher, which inspired Yonnie’s future career aspirations.
Yonnie attended Bridgewater College, where she played tennis, basketball and field hockey.
After graduating, she worked as a physical education teacher and later full-time professor and associate athletic director at Elizabethtown College. She coached the varsity and junior varsity field hockey, basketball and tennis teams.
In tennis, she led the team to two national NCAA Division III championships in singles and doubles. The field hockey team was ranked fourth in the nation. The basketball team won two national championships. Her proudest moment came when her field hockey team helped her achieve her 1,000th win.
“They played so hard and so well for me to win,” Yonnie said. “They did it for me.”
But it wasn’t just about winning for her.
“You learn more from losses than wins as a coach,” she said. “I love interacting with young people, teaching them and having an influence on their life.”
EQUAL PLAYING FIELD
Some of the biggest opponents she faced were her coworkers after Title IX was signed into law in 1972, stating, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
For a small school with a small budget, Elizabethtown College faced challenges becoming compliant, which included offering fair practice time, more women coaches, athletic scholarships to women for the first time and equal budgets for women’s sports.
“Title IX meant equalizing things for women, but we didn’t get more money. The school had to take from the men to give to the women,” Yonnie said. “There’s a time when the men in the athletic department wouldn’t talk to me, but I had to push forward. I fought hard so other women didn’t have to.
“It’s unreal seeing people pay to watch women’s teams today. There were a lot of headaches to get where we are today. Going through Title IX was not easy.”
According to an article in LNP|LancasterOnline, Yonnie is one of the top winning coaches in the country, having led basketball, field hockey and tennis for a combined total of 89 seasons with 1,143 wins. She is in six Halls of Fame.
She received the George W. Kirchner award, a lifetime achievement award, in 1997 from the Lancaster Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association. The original plaque recognized Yonnie “for his contributions,” which she quickly had them change.
A LASTING LEGACY
Always an athlete herself, Yonnie played tennis and golf well into retirement. Following several surgeries, she knew she needed a place that would take care of her. She was familiar with Masonic Village, given its proximity to Elizabethtown College, and moved in May 2021.
“I love it here,” she said. “It’s like college all over again. There’s security, great neighbors and lots of activities. I feel like it’s the best move I could’ve made. When I walk around, all I hear is laughter.”
Thankful for the friends she made at Masonic Village, Yonnie made a gift in memory of two of them to the Tree of Life Fund, which partially or fully subsidizes retirement living residents’ monthly service fees for those whose funds have been depleted.
With the assistance of staff from the Office of Mission Advancement and Development, she has also left a bequest to Masonic Village. Staff can provide donors and their advisors with accurate names to include in their Will, descriptions of charitable programs and sample language to help ensure their bequest does what they want it to do.
Yonnie is also a member of the Franklin Legacy Society, which recognizes individuals who establish a planned gift for any one of the Masonic Charities.
“I want to pay back to what is important to me. People help people here. I’d encourage others to donate to Masonic Village to help others,” she said. “They can make improvements that are vital to people living here today and down the road. This place is giving so much to me in my final years.”
Yonnie knows a thing or two about winning at life and enhancing the future for others. Her impact will be felt for years to come by female athletes at Elizabethtown College and residents of Masonic Village. Her legacy in the community is about more than wins and losses. It’s about helping and improving the lives of those around her.
For more information on making a gift to Masonic Villages, leaving a bequest or joining the Franklin Legacy Society, return the enclosed business reply envelope, call 1-800-599-6454 or email giving@masoniccharitiespa.org.
Reinventing How
We Say “Thank You”
In 2024, the Masonic Charities made a shift away from its past practice of publishing donor memorial and honorarium gifts in our publications. The rising costs to print, mail and produce these sections was impacting the dollars available to provide charitable care and services. The costs to produce these publications decreased, and those dollars can now be used to support the mission directly. More cost-effective and accessible, memorial and honorarium gifts are shared using the Masonic Charities website: www.MasonicCharitiesPa.org/news/gift/may-2024/.
View our charitable solicitation disclosures by scanning the QR code.
