CHARITIES
a Center 2,000 nter
by Bridget Steele, Manager of Research and Grants
Builders Council Tie Gets a New Look
by Darien Koons, 32˚ Manager of Donor Relations
The Scottish Rite Valley of Cleveland and its members are avid supporters of their local Children’s Dyslexia Center. This has never been more apparent than this spring when Illustrious Brother Gregory Kita, 33°, who serves on the board of the Cleveland Center, recruited 12 Brothers from the area to become the newest members of the Children’s Dyslexia Centers’ Builders Council—a recognition society for those that commit to donating $10,000 over the course of 10 years.
of his efforts, he and his family turned to social media to share his letter. The response was overwhelming. “People in the community were probably our biggest supporters—people who knew Sam and knew about his reading difficulties,” his mother said. Sam’s work raised $2,000 for the Nashua Center. When he paid a visit to the Center to present staff with the funds he had raised, Center Director Aileen Cormier said she was incredibly impressed. “Not only did he raise money for our Center and for a very worthy cause, but he went a step further to help increase awareness about a disability that I think so many people misunderstand,” she noted. Sam said his life has changed a great deal since going to the Center. Besides being more confident in his reading, he received all A’s this past semester and is even taking honors classes. When it came time to present his project at school, Sam said his teacher was blown away by his work. “He thought I did one of the most impactful sophomore projects he’s seen,” Sam beamed.
August 2021
However, when Brother Franck Kakou, 32°, Sovereign Prince for the Valley of Cleveland, was approached to join with his Brothers in making this commitment, he had a different plan. He informed Brother Kita that he would not be making a $10,000 pledge over 10 years. Rather, he wanted to make a greater impact by contributing an immediate gift of $20,000. In return, he asked only a small favor— that his Builders Council tie be made pink in honor of breast cancer awareness and as a way to display his affinity for both of these important causes. In honor of his generosity, Brother Kakou was presented with his oneof-a-kind pink Builders Council tie by Sovereign Grand Commander, David A. Glattly, while attending a special event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Commander
Glattly later remarked, “Franck is an inspiration to all of us—not only because of his generous gift, but because of his big heart which he showed in his incredible support of the children of the Cleveland Dyslexia Center.” It is truly a fitting recognition for a dedicated Brother and supporter of the Cleveland Center.
Commander Glattly poses with Brother Franck Kakou, 32° who proudly wears his new pink tie.
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