Masonic Home for Children in Oxford NC

Would you like to know more about how your Masonic Home for Children was operated in 2009? How did we handle the challenges of the economy? Who did we admit? How long did they stay and what were their outcomes? How much did Lodges give in 2009? What is the impact of planned giving? How does our Home plan to continue to help children in 2010?

These questions and more information are available as part of the 2009 Annual Achievement report from The Masonic Home for Children. Inside the pages of this report you will find very important information on this Home including statistics on admissions, financial figures, donation amounts, and a special pictorial section honoring friends of the Home in 2009. For extra copies to share with co-workers, friends, family, or childcare experts in your community contact the Home toll-free at 1-888-505-4357 or visit this link for a pdf copy of this year�s report. Know more about MHCO so that we can help more children in 2010!

Worthy Matron Vivan Oney and the sisters and brothers of Eastern Star ChapterNo. 94 had a plan for 2010 � to provide a number of special services for MHCO in the coming year. The group started out with a wonderful gift and tribute providing personalized baskets for Mother�s Day, hand delivered to female child care workers who, with their husbands, care for the residents of the Home. The Mother�s Day baskets included a flower, items from Bath and Bodyworks, a collapsable tote, and other special things for �moms�. Members of the chapter delivered the baskets to each home on campus the Friday prior to Mother�s Day. The chapter received help from another member of the Eastern Star over 300 miles away. Sabrina Cashion, from the Highlands Chapter No. 284 provided personally monogramed handtowels as an addition to the baskets. The Oxford Chapter of the Eastern Star has planned other activities with MHCO in 2010 including an

Ice Cream Social with the children, Father�s Day gifts, and a brunch with members of Orphans Lodge No. 761, the Masonic Lodge held at the Home. To find out more, visit the OES of NC website at www.oes-nc.org.

Members of the Oxford OES Chapter No. 94 prepare to deliver baskets to the Moms of MHCO. Worhty Matron Vivian Oney (center) has scheduled additional acitivites for the chapter and MHCO throughout 2010

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Eureka Masonic Lodge No. 283, Families Provide a Beautiful Landscape for MHCO

After another successful charity ride in 2009, generating over $27,000 for our children�s home, Brother Doug Earnhardt of Eureka Masonic Lodge No. 283 wondered �What else would help the Home and its kids?� For a Lodge that does so much throughout the year to assist the lives of our children and the operation of the Home, this was another in a series of wonderful contributions from the 142 year-old Lodge and a new opportunity to contribute to the care of the kids. With a generous donation given to purchase all the mulch and pine straw needed (also given by a Eureka Lodge member), the commitment of over twenty Lodge members and their families, and an army of rakes, hoes, and shovels, Brother Doug and his volunteers traveled to Oxford on a windy Saturday in March to help beautify the home of their MHCO children with a day of landscaping on campus.

Volunteers arrived to plant trees, spread mulch and pine straw, clean flower beds, and landscape the campus in preparation for spring and to help make the home of their MHCO family warm, beautiful, and friendly. �We wanted to find another way to help � to impact the lives of the kids in Oxford�, stated trip organizer Doug Earnhardt, a past master and member of Eureka No. 283. �I couldn�t believe the outpouring of support when I first mentioned this idea. Our Masons and their families volunteered or just showed up. The amount of help and assistance was a great gift from our members and their families.�

In addition to their annual September Charity Ride (www.eureka283.org), which will enter its 13^th year in 2010, the Lodge has held other fundraisers, had members donate items including shampoo, soap, and other daily needs, and have contributed by engaging the support of others, in their families and the community, sharing the Home�s mission and needs. Brother Earnhardt reflected on the day stating, �This is what Masonry is all about, finding ways to help others and getting the Lodge members and their families involved.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Thrill for the Grill Event, Born From Tour of Campus, Commitment of Special Donors

Involving Lodges, Masons, General Public, and Corporate Sponsors Chuck Coats and his �Grill Mates� Surpass $5,000 Goal

What started with a single campus tour in the fall of 2009, grew into a $7,500 project of Masonic devotion and care, as Brother Chuck Coats solicited the help of Lodges from around his district to provide for the children of MHCO. Specifically Brother Coats, a member of Granite Lodge No. 191. saw a need and thought of a way to fulfill that need. In organizing a tour of MHCO, Brother Chuck brought Masons, friends, and family to see the wonderful mission of MHCO and hoped by visiting the Home, they would see the great value of it and provide charitable support. Not only did the tour provide a great deal of information and interest, it presented a wonderful opportunity to help.

While touring with a resident, Brother Chuck learned of the great need for a new pig-cooker type grill on campus. Hearing this need an idea was born � �Thrill for the Grill� � a simple solicitation by Chuck and his friends, asking Masons throughout the 16^th district and beyond, for their contribution to purchase two (2) new cookers for MHCO. With assembled help in the form of labor from Brother Wayne Sasser and a great solicitor in Brother Virgil Yansom, the donations for this special project were more than they ever imagined. With one gift of over $1,800 and the contribution of over nine Lodges and twenty-five individuals, Brother Chuck not only met his goal, but surpassed it, raising over $7,500 for the project. With the additional monies raised, the Home will build a shed to store the cookers in near the picnic area. �The Chuck House� as it was appropriately named, will house the cookers, protecting them from the elements, insuring their use for the children of the Home for years to come. The total amount raised was announced at a special dedication luncheon on campus with the kids and all donors who contributed to the �Thrill for the Grill� project, including a special recognition of Brother Chuck and Brother Virgil for their dedication, time, support, and determination.

On Thursday, May 6 the staff of the School of Graphic Arts attended a luncheon in their honor where there presented with the 2009 Granville County Small Business of The Year award. The staff who were able to attend were Eddie Dickerson, Ann Short, Steve Bowman and Sharon Autrey. Unable to attend were Wayne Roberson and Faye Orr. The School of Graphic arts was honored for 135 years of service to the community and their constant participation in Chamber activities.

Pictured: Front row: Ginnie Currin, Director of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce; Ann Short, Sharon Autrey. Back Row: Eddie Dickerson, Larry Wilson, last year�s winner; Steve Bowman, Allen Hughes, Larry Lyles, Operations Manager of CenturyLink.