Masonic Lodge Toy Drive Charity
Featured above, some of the members of Hillcrest Masonic Lodge do it again for their masonic charity. For the 5th year in a row, Hillcrest Masonic Lodge has banded together in an effort to raise contributions for the children who are battling illnesses in the Children’s Medical Centers Plano Campus. The Lodge found this charitable opportunity 5 years ago, when the members were looking for a new outlet in which they could provide the most impact. Brother Lee King (pictured second from the left above) initially made the recommendation for the Children’s Medical Center Toy Drive.
Hillcrest Masonic Lodge, for their seasonal masonic Charity, raised over $1500 in contributions to put towards donations for this cause. Every toy that is donated is going into the hands of a child fighting an illness. While shopping for toys, we kept in mind our aim, that every toy would bring light and hope to those receiving them in their time of struggle. While they are individually small tokens, Hillcrest believes that it brought joy to many of the Children this holiday season, in their time of distress.
Pictured to the right, Junior Warden Jake Golvach and Chaplin Kyle Wahlquist are waiting through the checkout process. “It was very rewarding being able to shop for so many kids” says Brother Wahlquist. “… It was also a lot of fun going around the store and piling in whatever looked like a lot of fun!” he said with a smile.
“When shopping for toys, we tried to be well rounded” states JW Golvach. “We divided up pretty evenly between toys for boys and toys for girls, and while we definitely included the Barbies and Hot Wheels, we also put specific focus on creative or artistic toys and games that encouraged learning.”
To the left you can see Worshipful Master Ken Knotts, Secretary Greg Yates, and Lee King finishing up the checkout process, as we try to keep up with 5 full carts in the busy shopping season. Other shoppers often yielded to us, and asked what we were shopping for. There were a lot of positive comments encouraging our activity, and thanking us for our charitable actions.
Thanks Toys R Us!
Through the kindness of the management of Toys R Us, we were able to donate more toys to children that needed them. They provided Hillcrest Masonic Lodge with an additional discount, that allowed the lodge to donate a couple hundred dollars in additional toy contributions to the children who need them.
Children’s Medical Center Plano
Below is a picture of the contribution box at Children’s Medical Center Plano. That box, and everything around it is the result of Hillcrest’s Masonic Lodge’s contribution. In addition to the toys from Toys R Us, we also received a large donation from Past Master Stuart Mason, who contributed a sizable amount of board games that his company had acquired. Thank you Brother Mason, and thanks to all the brethren of Hillcrest Masonic Lodge who dedicated to this cause either with their time or their money. Your dedication to our lodge and the craft are always valued, and we hope you enjoy giving to those in need as much as we do. Together, we are making the world better for others.
