April 2016 - Masonic Home For Children at Oxford

6^th Annual Event Witnesses Again the Beauty of Gifts Given Through Skill, Time, and Care as part of the MHCO Great Landscape

The service project of a young Girl Scout continued in its sixth year as The Masonic Home for Children celebrated the “Great Landscape” March 19, 2016. What began with a single Girl Scout Troop six years ago included two new Troops, eleven Lodges, Oxford Orphanage Alumni and their families, two Board Members, and a host of friends and family. The day continues to feature a number of projects and maintenance, performed by volunteers, readying the Home and the grounds of the children for spring and summer. With threatening weather donors once again traveled to Oxford as over 100 volunteers descended on campus.

This year’s event featured several major projects including the construction of a Garden Shed, donated in 2015 by Masonic Lodges from District 21 for the Children’s Community Garden on campus, mulching campus, with over a ton of mulch donated by Mebane Shrubbery of Burlington, NC (www.mebaneshrubberyinc.com), landscaping of the Home’s main building, chapel, and recreational areas and several painting and planting projects. The beauty of the day comes not only in the from the freshly manicured grounds or newly painted wood, but from the efforts of the volunteers, many strangers before this day, that are brought together and work together for one common goal: to make the home and grounds of the children of The Children’ of the Masonic Home for Children the best they can be.

This day embodies one of the truly valuable contributions that are now a part of the environment of giving at MHCO. “Events such as this not only provide valuable work, resources, and help”, stated Chris Richardson, Director of Financial Development. “These events bring awareness to the Home and engage people, many for the first time, in the mission and value of our charity. This day can serve to not only give, but to inform and connect a new group of supporters and friends”, said Richardson. “We are so thankful for what is giving by all of our donors on this day and for what remains that continues to give.”

In addition to these donors, many on campus give in preparation of the day. Breakfast and Lunch are provided to the participants, who came from as far as Charlotte, North Carolina to participate. We send our thanks to these group leaders, friends, donors, and supporters, who participated and involved the participation of others in the Great Landscape of MHCO in 2016.

Dewey Preslar and members of Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 576

Rich, Ethan, and Alex Weaver of Oxford Lodge No. 122

Tommy Keith, Charles Phipps, and members of Creedmoor Lodge No. 499

Mark Carroll of Adonarium Lodge No. 149

Kathy and Ed Johnson and Family

Terry Washam, Scott Sholar, Tom Fahnestock and the members and families of James B. Green Lodge No. 735

Mrs. Mary Williford and the members and families of Girl Scout Troop No. 1119

Howard More, Chris Hedrick and the members of James A. Johnson Lodge No. 413

Doug Logan, Tim Lumpkins, and the members of Henry F. Grainger No. 412

Frank Wanko, Jim Kennedy, and the members of Southern Pines Lodge No. 434

Alumnus Charles Everitte and the members and families of Lebanon Lodge No. 391

Bryant Webster – Grand Master of Masons in North Carolina, 2016