Masons Sponsor Back to School Fun Fair

Back to School Fun Fair. The Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master and Grand Secretary join hands to assist Naval Lodge No. 4 members David Johnson (L), WB Dalton West (C), and Michael Webb (R).

by Dalton West ,

P.M., Naval Lodge No. 4

On Friday, September 29th, 2006, Naval Lodge No. 4 and Washington Daylight Lodge No. 14 sponsored their first “Back to School Fun Fair” for several schools in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The effort was a resounding success and plans are now being made by other lodges in the jurisdiction to hold similar events. The lead organization for the affair was the Capitol Hill Cluster School (CHCS) Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), an association in which some members of Naval Lodge hold membership. This first Fun Fair was a community event that offered fun, food and amusements for about 2,000 Cluster School children and parents. The goal of the effort was to create awareness of the importance of public education in the neighborhood as well as to cultivate an environment which will encourage parents to take more active roles in the education of their children.

The Fun Fair also sought to engage Naval and Washington Daylight Lodges in an effort that would establish the concern of Freemasonry for the community. Specifically, these lodges sought to undergird public education and child safety by raising funds for the school libraries and by implementation of Freemasonry’s CHIP (Child Identification Program) program. More than $5,000.00 was raised during the fair for the libraries of the eight public elementary and middle school libraries in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Businesses in the local community and the greater metropolitan DC area were contacted for sponsorship opportunities (monetary or in-kind donations). The bulk of the funds necessary for the project, however, was provided by sponsoring lodges and by the Scottish Rite bodies of Washington, D.C. The Fun Fair took place on the campus of Watkins Elementary School, located at 420 12th St., SE, on Friday afternoon, opening after the close of school and ending at sundown. Gratefully, mother nature, after some initial threats, became benevolently tolerant, and splendid weather was enjoyed all afternoon and evening. A variety of foods and fun activities were offered to the children. There were two moon bounces, one for children ages 1-5 and another for older children. Other amusements included a dunk tank, pony rides and an assortment of small carnival games with prizes. Tables were set up for a book exchange, the School Libraries Project, PTA, CHIP and other volunteer organizations that elected to share information. The Shrine clowns were also on hand to bring laughter, smiles and happiness to the young and the old.

The entrance fee was $10 per family. Each CHCS student received a hand stamp to acquire refreshments that included hot dogs, water, soda, chips, and popcorn, with cookies for dessert. More than 1,000 hot dogs, 1,500 sodas, and 500 bottles of water were served. Naval Lodge, one of the District’s oldest and most respected Masonic bodies, has adopted three schools (Watkins Elementary, Peabody Elementary and Stuart Hobson Junior High School) in our Capitol Hill neighborhood. This is a continuation and expansion of the community engagement outlined in the pages of a previous edition of this publication. The guarantee of children’s safety and the improvement of the public schools in our city are fundamental challenges in the city in which we live. Hence, when it comes to Masonry and community relations, we are either relevant to the needs of our community or we are not. As far as the lodges that meet on Capitol Hill are concerned, that decision has been reached. They are exceedingly relevant!

Our Grand Lodge CHIP program is up and running, well-organized and financed, and a vital adjunct to school-based security thinking where our children are concerned. As part of adopting the CHCS, Naval Lodge will continue to actively collaborate with the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) as well as other Masonic bodies within the District of Columbia to help our community where it needs it most. Many Masons participated in this fair, more than twenty in all, including a number of Grand Lodge officers, who not only attended, but also took an active part in serving the food, manning the CHIP program, and contributing to the operation of the games included in the program. Special recognition is due, however, to Brothers Mike Webb, Junior Warden of Naval Lodge, and Alex Olbrich, Worshipful Master of Washington Daylight Lodge. By their labors they proved that Masonry is relevant in this day and in this city. ■

• The Grand Lodge CHIP Program was in operation at the fair.

• Weird Wally (aka WB Walter Simon) had fun entertaining the young.

• Brothers David Johnson and Alan Patterson, of Naval Lodge No. 4, manned the grill and fed the hungry.