Local Masonic Lodge, Business Support Masonic Home for Children


Local Masonic Lodge, Business Support Masonic Home for Children

L-R: Chris Richardson, H & R Block representatives: Grace Costner, Rebecca Pearson, and Cathy McCarty and Shelby Masonic Lodge officers: Ed Burk and Greg McIntyre
For the seventh year in a row, members of Shelby Masonic Lodge #744 have worked with H & R Block Corporation to help the children served by the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, NC. 
During a special presentation, Rebecca Pearson, Grace Costner, and Susan McCarty, representatives from H & R Block, and the eight other Masonic Lodges in the county, Greg McIntyre, Worshipful Master, and Ed Burk, Lodge Treasurer, Shelby Lodge #744, presented a check for eight thousand dollars to Chris Richardson, Director of Financial Development, Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.
McIntyre stressed that one of the basic principles of the Masons is charity to those in need.  He explained that Lodge Treasurer, Ed Burk who also prepares tax returns for H & R Block has been working with the local H & R Block facilities in Shelby to take advantage of a program offered by Block since 2006.  In that time period the lodge has raised more than thirty-eight thousand dollars for the Masonic Home for Children.
Burk explained that each year he distributes information about the Nonprofit Referral Program to potential customers in the community.  Rebecca Pearson, H & R Block office manager shared that as individuals are helped in preparing their tax returns, they are given the opportunity to designate a donation to the Children’s Home.  Burk offered that it is an easy way for an individual to support the charity.
Richardson made a presentation about the purpose and benefits of the Masonic Home for Children which has been in existence for more than 140 years.  The Home located in Oxford, NC has been helping orphaned children by creating a positive home environment.  Children are housed in a cottage like life style with 6 to 8 children to a home and a set of house parents to work with the students in providing a positive, nurturing setting. 
Richardson pointed out that one of the unique features of the Home is that children can stay in care after age 18 and, upon graduating high school, remain on campus to attend community college and/or attend any public or private 4-year college in the state of North Carolina.  Children in The Home’s care currently attend Vance-Granville Community College and NC A&T, securing their undergraduate, masters, and PhDs while in the care and receiving full financial support from MHCO.
Following the presentation, the representatives from the nine Masonic Lodges of the 35th Masonic District had the opportunity to learn more about fundraising options to help the Masonic Home for Children and continue to support the Home’s mission and its long history of being privately funded through individual, corporate, and Masonic organizations.

Provided by Jack Weller