MANGAWHAI'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER
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Freemasons look to growing community supportWhile Lions and Jaycees are seen as community benefactors and fundraisers, Freemasons have had, to the man in the street, an air of mystique about them. A ‘secret society’ if you will. Call it fear of the unknown or call it ignorance but in fact Freemasons have been operating in a benevolent way for 300 years throughout the world. The history of Freemasonry is long and interesting and those may who may care to do a little research to dispel the myths will find that, for example, on a national scale the New Zealand Freemason’s Charity and associated Lodges last year donated over $10 million throughout our communities. Operating locally, the Wellsford Marsden Lodge was formed in 2013 from the merger of the Marsden Lodge in Maungaturoto (formed in 1910) and the Wellsford Lodge (formed in 1935). They meet monthly not only as a fraternal organisation for men but as a charitable provider of goods and services to schools, homes for the elderly, people in need and also in conjunction with other service clubs. Earlier this year they proudly donated new lounge furniture and a medication trolley to the Riverview Rest Home and Village in Maungaturoto. Further south Freemasons are also a regular donor to the Auckland School of Obstetrics to the tune of some $4 million annually. Such things cannot happen without friendship and co-operation. The Wellsford Marsden Lodge is currently on a drive to invite prospective new members to their monthly meetings to bring new ideas and expertise in ways of helping not just the less fortunate in the community, but also enhancing the growth of our local communities requiring more services in coping with the city migration which is taxing much of our infrastructure. They also seek to dispel some of the myths surrounding Freemasonry and educate on the traditions such as the ‘riding of the goat’ which emanates from the apparatus used by Greeks and Romans to lift heavy stones. Cranes are the modern version. After all, Freemasonry has grown from its base of Stone Masons and the basic principles of any building are not dissimilar to those of building a community. n For more information freephone 0800 To Find Out (0800 234 636). |
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