Brethren,
September 8th is the last day thatwe will be collecting school supplies for The Villages Elementary School at Lady Lake. it is also the last day for our eyeglass and hearing aid drive. Please remember to take time and pick up school supplies for The Villages Elementary School at Lady Lake. We will be presenting these supplies the middle of September. . Thank you for your generosity in supporting our adopted school/teachers at The Villages Elementary School at Lady Lake.
We also will be presenting the donated eyeglasses and hearing aids the middle of September.
If you recall this year I requested members of the lodge who were able to volunteer to bring our Brothers who are not able to drive
themselves to doctor appointments and shopping. I would like to expand that program to include Brothers who would be willing to
be part of a telephone tree. I have mentioned in the past that a number of our Brothers are residing in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and skilled nursing care facilities. I was informed this month, my closest friend is planning on moving from his house to an assisted living facility. This information has caused me to consider the impact of such a move upon both my Brother and myself. I understand the reasons for such a move. I understand the difficulty and risks of living by yourself and the loneliness inherent in that situation. I also understand that a significant influencing factor in the decision to move to an assisted living facili-
ty includes other considerations such as personal safety which results from the fear of falling and not being able to get up and move around your house.
Having conversations with a number of our brothers over the past few years who are living in assisted living facilities, I have found that many lose contact with their Masonic Brethren. The needs of these brothers has been resting heavily upon my mind for the past few months. Far too often when a Brother moves to an assisted living facility or is transferred to Hospice care we lose track of them. We move on with our lives. We reach out far less often to make sure that they are both OK and that they know we are thinking of them. We take an oath to help aid and assist distressed Brothers. Losing ties to our Masonic lodges, being removed from Masonic activities that we have enjoyed and reducing our interactions with our Masonic Brethren creates a significant distress. This distress is one that we may be able to minimize by simply calling and talking with these brothers. This simple act can reduces stress and distress.
I am requesting two things from the members of The Villages Masonic Lodge No. 394. First we do not know where many of our brothers are in this later stage of life. Some are still at home living, mobility impaired, living by themselves ... lonely and in fear and distress ... some may be in care facilities ... some may be with family living in other states, and while they may be developing new social interactions ... they no longer have the fellowship of the Masonic Lodge. If you know of any brother living by themselves or in a retirement facility please forward their names and contact information to our Lodge Secretary ... so that we may reach out to that Brother. Secondly, many of us are less mobile than we used to be and as a result are less able to participate ... joining in fewer Masonic activities. If you find that you are able and willing to assist in this outreach system by manning a telephone tree to these Brothers by making regular telephone calls of fellowship and love calling up and talking to these brothers on a regular basis demonstrating that that of which we are known and obligated, please, contact me or any of the other officer with your contact information so that we can begin this outreach program to our Brothers as soon as possible.
My last comment is that for the next few months we are going to move from esoteric Masonic education program to a more practical Masonic education program during our stated communications. We will begin this change in September. The topic of Masonic education for our September communication is a better understanding of the petition process. We need a better understanding of the process and our responsibilities when bringing both new men into Masonry and associating with enlisting plural/dual transfers of brother Masons.
May God light your path,
Jeffrey P. Lessard, Worshipful Master, jplbbu@rit.edu (352) 430-8040
