Not all Masons make their mark inside the Masonic Lodge. Most of us, in fact, put the Three Great Tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth to work in our daily lives and in helping our neighbors and communities. Such is the case with Brother Russell Beckner, a 50-year member of Melrose Lodge, No. 671 in Norwood, Ohio (Cincinnati).
Brother Beckner, his wife, Margy, and their grandson Ryland Beckner are advocates for farm safety, especially for young people. They direct Southwest Ohio Family Farm Safety. They take literature, coloring books, and the like to grain and equipment dealers, set up a booth at community events, and hold safety demonstrations. Brother Beckner likes to say, “If a picture is worth a thousand words, a demonstration is worth a thousand pictures.”
All of us (except farmers) like to think of farms in an idealized way – fields of corn and grain, green pastures, rising with the sun, and getting back to nature. In reality, while it is a way of life for farm families, it is also hard and dangerous work. Heavy equipment, grain storage, pesticides and chemicals, and even large animals all pose safety threats – especially for children and the elderly. According to the National Safety Council, agriculture is the most hazardous industry in the nation.
Brother Beckner saw a problem, and he put his experience in safety engineering to work. He did not do it for recognition. He is spending money, not making it. Nobody will realize he is a Freemason when he visits a farm show with his display. But he is living our values and making an investment in the future. Well done, Brother!
