Dear Brethren,
I hope you and your families have enjoyed the holidays and are well in this New Year! We are off and running in 2017 and very busy in continuing our unwavering focus of ensuring we are serving the needs of our Fraternity in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Recently, we held additional training and are continuing to grow our District Ambassador Program to better serve the Fraternity. In January, we welcomed 12 new District Ambassadors to our team whose sole purpose is to visit Masonic Lodges and appendant bodies to educate the Brethren about the services available to them via the Ohio Masonic Home Resource Center.
Speaking of the Resource Center, we continue to receive calls from worthy and distressed Master Masons, their wives, widows and children on a daily basis, and our Aging Service Representatives are traveling the state to meet the needs of the Fraternity through this outreach. Remember, it is through your generous support and donations to the Ohio Masonic Home that allows us to offer care and assistance to our Brothers in need, and as you will read later in this edition of the Beacon, one simple call to the Resource Center can truly mean a world of difference.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting 200 Masons and their Ladies at the 2017 Florida Grand Master's Reception speaking to many Ohio Brethren now residing in the Sunshine State. What a remarkable opportunity to work alongside many officers of the Ohio Grand Line, delivering news from our Home and spreading the word about the OMH Resource Center and the many success stories that we have helped make happen along the way. As we know, Hurricane Matthew ravished many parts of Florida during this past October, and many of the Brethren in attendance at this year’s reception were contacted by our very own OMH Resource Center during this time to offer our assistance and support should they need it. I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to the Ohio Grand Line Officers for allowing me the opportunity to present at this year’s reception, and I thank all those who attended.
2017 is also proving to be a very momentous year for our Home as we begin celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the Ohio Masonic Home back in 1892. Our Home has seen and done great things in 125 years, and I look forward to the year-long celebration honoring those who have come before us and given us this wonderful opportunity to serve you, the Brethren. As always, make sure to visit www.ohiomasonichome.org for any and all updates regarding this year’s celebrations.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the raising to the sublime degree of Master Mason of our very own Springfield Masonic Community President, Brother Tony Berardi. I was very honored to be able to attend Tony’s Master Mason Degree in January, and welcome another fellow Brother to our great Fraternity. If you get the chance and are on our SMC campus, make sure to stop in and congratulate Tony on his accomplishment.
Brother Scott Buchanan, CEO
Ohio Masonic Home
