As I
take up my pen once again (speaking figuratively,
of course, as I do use a computer), I am reminded of
the old Adage: “All good things must come to an end.”
This marks my fourteenth article in the Ontario Mason
on the activities of the Masonic Foundation of Ontario,
and last as a Director of this venerable charitable
foundation.I won’t say how long I
have served as a Director of the
Foundation, except to note that my first grandchild was one month old when
I received a phone call from M.W. Bro. N. R. Richards, then President of
the Foundation, enquiring whether I would allow my name to be put forward
for election to the Board of Directors – my grandson is now old enough to
apply for a driver’s licence! It has been a wonderful, rewarding and
satisfying experience, especially the past five years as President, but it
is time to pass governance on to others to carry the Foundation forward to
its next plateau.
The best remuneration for a job that is
coming to an
end is the memories that linger behind – and I have
many from my direct association with the Masonic
Foundation, beginning with my first Directors Meeting.
What an honour I felt, me a lad from the Valley, to
participate on the Foundation’s Board of Directors,
which then consisted of such great Masons as Rick
Richards, Bill Bailey, Lou Copeland, David Bradley,
Jack Arthur, Wallace McLeod, Edsel Steen, Frank
Bruce, Lorne Pacey, Alan Newell, Wayne Elgie and
John Woodburn.
The Foundation has grown significantly
during the time
that I have had the pleasure of serving as a Director,
beginning with the launch of the “Help Nip Drugs in
the Bud” Campaign, through “HELP-2-HEAR”, to the
present, as the Foundation encourages 46 individual
District Projects to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of
Grand Lodge under the “Sesquicentennial Program”.
The former two were financial successes and
have
resulted in program successes, bringing the problems
of drug and alcohol abuse directly to the attention of
youth in our schools, and supporting research that will
enable hearing impaired infants to better cope with
their affliction and, hopefully, one day eradicate the
problem. The latest initiative, fund-raising projects in
every District to address a locally identified need, will
also, without doubt, prove successful.
Notwithstanding the exceptional financial
support that
has been received over the years, both for the major
province-wide campaigns and through individual
donations such as from bequests and the Yellow
Envelope drive (which is gradually returning to the
annual level experienced prior to “HELP-2-HEAR”),
I continue to be surprised by the general
lack of
knowledge about the Foundation and the programs
that it supports, both by the general public and our
own Masonic membership. While the Foundation |
has
attempted over the years to address this concern
through regular articles in the Ontario Mason and
seminars for District/Lodge Representatives and others
interested in its work, a general knowledge void still
seems to persist. To improve its communication with
its donor base and others interested in the workings of
the Foundation, several important initiatives have been
launched: “A Planned Giving Program” brochure has
been in distribution since early last year; a dedicated
Web site has been established to outline the Masonic
Foundation and the causes that it supports – to learn
more, go to:
http://www.masonicfoundation.on.ca ; and a new brochure on the
Foundation has been produced – you will find your copy in this edition of
the Ontario Mason.These latest
initiatives at communicating the Masonic
Foundation story should answer questions that you
may have had. If you wish more information, or
clarification of some point, direct your query to the
Masonic Foundation Office, or to the e-mail address on
the Web site. “Ask the President” will be a prominent
feature of the Web site and, hopefully, a source of useful information
derived from good two-way dialogue.
Since that first auspicious meeting so many years
ago, I have had the distinct pleasure of serving the
Masonic Foundation in various capacities and with
many distinguished Masons, too many to name
individually. Each has contributed a unique quality
– each personifies the true meaning of Masonic charity.
Knowing them and having had the opportunity
to work
closely with them for the greater common good has
enriched my life.
While the Board of Directors steers the
Foundation’s
course, it is the Masons of Ontario who provide the
motivation and the financial means to achieve its
destination. The numerous successes achieved
during my association with the Foundation are yours to
enjoy, for it has been the individual Mason personally
supporting the work of the Foundation who has made it
happen. Take personal pride in what you have helped
to accomplish.
Another opportunity is now at hand to share
that pride
– an opportunity to let your Masonic light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works. Let
the members of your community know that Masons
are their neighbours – that Masons care – that
Masons share through their charitable acts to make
the community a place in which all can live better.
Get directly involved in your District’s project – it’s a
marvelous way for you to personally celebrate the
150th Anniversary of your Grand Lodge.
Remember, and don’t be shy to tell others,
that, in
our own quiet way through support of the Masonic
Foundation, the Masons of Ontario are changing the
world around us for the better, by helping those less
fortunate than ourselves – for the cause of good. |