February - Scottish Rite

More documents

Recommendations

Info

32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children, Inc. Whether operating a program such as the 32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children, tutoring at one of the facilities or donating your hard-earned money to assure their continued existence, the best feedback comes directly from those who benefit. For more than a decade the Scottish Rite Masons of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction have made it possible for more than 50 such centers to open their doors to those who have learning disabilities, but what are the results? Included here is a sampling of the tremendous progress that has been achieved. The correspondence clearly spells out the importance of the continued support of this worthwhile endeavor. The first set of letters comes from children at the Valley of Chicago center. Each has expressed gratitude and has briefly explained the positive outcomes of attending sessions there. One is written by a girl named Savana. She says, “Before I came here, reading was hard for me. I felt sad, mad, and embarrassed. Now I am getting better and it is easier to read.” Clay writes, “Dear board members, I thank you for helping me by letting me come to the center. In school I can now read chapter books out loud in class.” Brian adds, “I am so grateful that you have funded the learning center. You have given me a chance to get the help I need to learn more about the English language. My grades are up since I have been in the program.” Adam says “I would be nowhere without this program. It has helped me tremendously. My tutor is the best.” Maddy feels that the center “makes learning fun” while Fran, who pondered last Thanksgiving Day, very eloquently adds, “Thank you from my turkey-loving heart.” Positive results come not just to those in the program today, but they can and do affect children’s learning abilities for a lifetime. A New Jersey center recently received a letter from parents commenting about their son, who attended a learning center eight years ago. Although one of the earliest attendees, he is still benefiting from the services received from the Scottish Rite. Donald and Tammy Williams tell a little of their son’s past history and how he is doing today. “I am writing to inform you of the wonderful progress of our son Matthew Williams, a former student of The Scotch Plains, NJ Scottish Rite Learning Center. Matt attended the center approximately eight years ago when we were living in Plainfield, NJ. When he arrived at the center it was a wonder that he was able to make any progress in school at all. He was identified with a clear learning disability and the Plainfield school system just was not able to help. The guidance counselor and ESE teacher referred us to the learning center. “You should see Matt now. He is a junior at Charlotte High School in Florida, the one that was destroyed in Hurricane Charley. He attends school in trailers due to that hurricane and Making A Difference has been able to maintain a 3.6 GPA taking honors classes. “Since sixth grade he has consistently been on the honor roll and has even been the student of the year for grades 7, 8 and 9. In 10th grade he was nominated for the National Honor Society. “Because of Matthew’s academic success and athleticism, he is now being recruited for football scholarships at Dartmouth, Princeton, Cornell, Tufts and Carnegie-Mellon. To say that your program works and is successful is an understatement. Please keep up the good work.” 14 THE NORTHERN LIGHT / FEBRUARY 2007
Fleet Feet The running community has played an integral role in supporting the 32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children, Inc., for many years, and that presence has been on the rise recently. In the fall, six of the Walks to Help Children with Dyslexia added 5k road races to their programs and more may be planned for next year. The Pennsylvania Valleys of Reading, Allentown, and Bloomsburg are in the planning stages for a relay race. The mainstay, however, has been participation in the Boston Marathon. For five years our learning centers have sent representatives to take part in the 111- year-old spring classic, running from the small town of Hopkinton, MA, over the fabled “Heartbreak Hill” to the finish line at Boston. This year is no exception. Signed up and ready to go, raising funds for the operation of the centers, are 14 marathoners from all parts of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. Six participants are returning from last year’s edition and one is back after a two-year hiatus. Two of the learning centers’ entrants, Thomas M. McClintock, 32°, from Boston and Kurt A. Walborn, 32°, of Fort Wayne, IN, have participated during all previous years of learning center involvement. 2007 Boston Marathon Participants Thomas B. Beattie Sr. . . . . . . . . . . . .Indianapolis, IN John Bialiecki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wilmington, DE Todd Fiorentino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Milwaukee, WI Arnie Grot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Waterbury, CT David Ingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reading, PA Robert Polis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Burlington, NJ Kurt Walborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ft. Wayne, IN Loren Winn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Detroit, MI John Heycock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Harrisburg, PA Kimberly Emigh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Williamsport, PA Shiobhain Harding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lancaster, PA Thomas McClintock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Boston, MA Steve Buxton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nashua, NH Stephen Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .New Castle, PA The college of Freemasonry The Sovereign Grand Commander will be the featured speaker at this year’s session of the College of Freemasonry, hosted by the Scottish Rite Valley of Rochester, NY. The two-day event will take place at the Damascus Shrine Center in Webster, on March 30-31. Ill. John Wm. McNaughton, 33°, will deliver a keynote address following a dinner on Friday evening, which is open to Scottish Rite Masons and their ladies. Kicking off the program on Saturday will be Dr. William Cook, a nationally recognized Medieval scholar who is a member of the Department of History at the State University at Geneseo. His program will focus on cathedral building. Also addressing the group will be M.W. Neal I. Bidnick, Grand Master of Masons in the state of New York and author of The Masonic Compact and The Compleat Mason. Ill. Richard H. Curtis, 33°, recently retired editor of The Northern Light, will speculate on the future of Freemasonry, and Ill. Richard E. Fletcher, 33°, executive secretary of the Masonic Service Association, reports on the findings of the “About Time Task Force.” The success of a similar event last year, titled “Masonic Education Fair,” has encouraged the officers of the Valley of Rochester to make this an annual event. The Saturday event is open to all. For further information and reservations, those interested are urged to contact the Valley office at (800) 858-2320 or email them at wrl@rochester.rr.com. FEBRUARY 2007 / THE NORTHERN LIGHT 15
Page 1 and 2: THE A Window for Freemasonry Vol. 3
Page 3 and 4: “We must reexamine our effectiven
Page 5 and 6: are young.” She says the response
Page 7 and 8: IMAGE CREATED BY SHELI PETERSEN Whe
Page 9 and 10: Photograph of members of the Order
Page 11 and 12: Revere also made at least eleven se
Page 13: without its accompanying note (see
Page 17 and 18: Ill. Gerald R. Ford, 33°, was the
Page 19 and 20: Admittedly, I’ve never been big o
Page 21 and 22: Canada Post issued a setenant pair
Page 23 and 24: The novel implies that Freemasonry
Page 25 and 26: George Washington the Freemason STA
Page 27 and 28: CHANGE — The Only Constant We mus
Page 29 and 30: THE HERITAGE SHOP at the NATIONAL H
Page 31 and 32: Meet the New Boss . . . Normally wh

February - Scottish Rite

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?