Home rep report feb 2015 (2)

The Rep Report A publication of the Masonic Home of Missouri

February 2015

Armed Forces Program The Masonic Home of Missouri is excited to announce our ninth program ‌.The Armed Forces Program, which will honor our Veterans and Active Duty military.

This program will be multi-functional and will allow for Lodges and Chapters to participate in honoring our Armed Forces members (past and present) in partnership with the Masonic Home of Missouri.

Inside this issue:

Do You Know 2 Someone in Need

Creating-A2 Partnership (CAP) How to host a ladies luncheon

3

Representative Packets

3

Golf Tournament 4

Square & Compass Courtyard

4

Vincil Society

5

Publication Dates

6

Calendar of Events

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The Masonic Home of Missouri would like to compile a database of our veterans as the first phase of this new Outreach Program. This database will enable us to mail out veteran pins and special recognition cards (birthday, Veterans Day, etc.) through out the year for our honored veterans. If you are a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, please help us update our database by providing the following information; 1.

2.

3.

4.

Full Name Mailing Address Branch of Service Dates of Service

To become part of this Outreach Program, please call Chantana Irvin at (800) 4349804, email her at cirvin@mohome.org or fill out our on-line form at www.mohome.org/Veterans.

The second component to this exciting new program is called the Partnering to Honor Program. This is a matching funds program, much like the Creating-APartnership (CAP) Program. Lodges and Chapters will have the opportunity to sponsor and raise funds to send a Veteran and/or their traveling companion on the Honor Flight, with the Masonic Home matching up to $10,000.00 per fiscal year to assist in this. While Veterans fly free on the Honor Flight, someone or some organization must provide the funds for the ticket for the Veteran. Costs of tickets differ depending on the area.

Once a Veteran in the community is identified, the Lodge and/or Chapter can raise funds (if needed) and submit the application, along with the funds to the Masonic Home of Missouri to request the matching funds. The Veteran does not have to be Masonic affiliated. Once the application is approved, a check for the full amount will be sent to the Honor Flight organization depicted on the application. Lodges and/or Chapters will also be notified that the check is being sent.

The Masonic Home of Missouri does not make the arrangements for the Veteran or traveling companion to go on the Honor Flight and is not affiliated with the Honor Flight organization.

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The Rep Report

Do You Know Someone in Need?

The Masonic Home of Missouri provides charitable assistance to eligible Master Masons, their wives, widows, female members of the Order of the Eastern Star and children throughout the State of Missouri. If you know of someone in need, there are several ways to refer them to the Home:

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By calling us at 1-800-434-9804 (Toll free) and ask to speak to a Financial Outreach Caseworker.

By Email to rlightfoot@mohome.org Download, print and mail the application which is available at the above link or by request by calling the Masonic Home.

Talk to your Masonic Home Representative in your Lodge or Chapter to be referred.

Fill out an on-line referral card for yourself or someone else in need. This can be located at http:// mohome.org/Initial-Application.html or is available by request.

After staff receives the referral and makes contact with the person being referred (usually within 2 working days), the staff will gather pertinent information from the referred individual and makes an appointment to speak to them in person.

All referrals are confidential and although Staff cannot provide additional information to the person making the referral, we can notify them that we have made contact with the person in need.

More information on the Masonic Home of Missouri’s Outreach Programs is available on our website at www.mohome.org and through our Missouri Outreach magazine.

Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program Matching Increases!

The Board of Directors has voted to increase the matching limit for the Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program from $2,500.00 to $10,000.00 per Lodge or Chapter per fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).

The Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program was established by the Masonic Home of Missouri in 2003. The CAP Program is a matching funds program that allows the Masonic Home of Missouri to partner with Misssouri Lodges and Order of the Eastern Start Chapters in a community to help children in need. The Masonic Home of Missouri may match up to $10,000.00 per Lodge or Chapter per fiscal year. Lodges and Chapters can identify a child/children or projects within their communities through public charitable organizations or public entities, such as school districts.

In FY14, the Masonic Home of Missouri partnered with 74 Lodges to provide $142,051.79 to children in need throughout the state, and the Home partnered with 6 Chapters to provide $7,588.08. Through this partnership, Lodges and Chapters made a difference in the lives of over 7,000 children statewide by providing clothing, glasses, school supplies, and funding community-oriented projects.

You may find more information about the program and application on our website at www.mohome.org or by calling the Masonic Home of Missouri at (800) 434-9804 and speaking to Tisha Woodard, Social Services Caseworker.

If you have photographs of CAP program check presentations, please send them with contact information to Rhonda at rlightfoot@mohome.org for inclusion in future Missouri Outreach and Freemason magazines.

A publication of the Masonic Home of Missouri

How to Host a Ladies Luncheon & Tea

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During the 2012 Masonic Home Representative luncheon, staff introduced a new way of reaching out to Widows List the Lodge members, wives, widows and Chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star. Replacing the ‘old’ Home presentations was the idea to hold Ladies Luncheons & Teas, with the area Lodge sponsoring the event and Staff from the Masonic Home of Missouri presenting the program. Since 2012, we have presented on our Outreach Programs to over 480 members, their wives, widows and many Order of the Eastern Star members all over Missouri.

The Masonic Home of Missouri fields many phone calls during the year, requesting information on our programs and how someone can be helped. With nine Outreach Programs, we have worked diligently to get the information out to the Lodges and Chapters about how the programs work, who they can benefit and how to refer someone in need. While we use a variety of ways to disseminate our information, our Ladies Luncheons provide a wonderful opportunity for the Lodges to have their wives, widows and even family members attend and hear first-hand information on the Outreach Programs and upcoming events. It gives the Lodge or Chapter an opportunity to re-connect with a widow, have her share remembrances of her spouse’s time with the Lodge and find out if there are any needs that she might have.

To host a luncheon, dinner or tea, the Masonic Home Representative and others within the Lodge need to identify a couple of dates and times and then contact Rhonda at (800) 434-9804 to get the event scheduled.

Then the Lodge needs to make it known to lodge members, widows and others you are wanting to invite.

There are many ways to hold a presentation. We have some lodges who do a dinner and allow the Home Outreach Publication Dates to have an actual tea with hot tea, cookies and the presentation and to present at thatMissouri time.

Some chose some Lodges have held it during a Lodge-sponsored Family Event. Others choose to do a District Meeting and have several Lodges assist with the event. It is up to the Lodge on how they wish to include everyone.

The presentation from the Home takes about 30-45 minutes depending on questions from the attendees.

We continue to book presentations and invite you to include this in your yearly meetings. By inviting wives, widows, family members and Lodge members to attend these important presentations, everyone can be educated about our Outreach Programs and history. Call Rhonda to book your presentation today!

A calendar of upcoming events in on the back page of this newsletter.

Representative Packets As part of our continuing education of the Outreach Programs and the Masonic Home overall, we will be introducing a Masonic Home Representative binder packet this year. This binder packet will include information on each Outreach Program, referral cards, updated brochure booklets and other needed items that all Representatives need to know. The entire packet can be put into a 1.5” binder in order for the Representative to keep everything together. Updates will be mailed periodically throughout the year for your use. We also hope this will be handy method to store notes, newsletters and other information for the Representatives.

Please be looking for this packet to be mailed towards the end of March and we hope that it will help with your duties as a Home Representative. Special appreciation to Dave Emring, St. Charles Lodge No. 241 for his idea and support of this project.

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The Rep Report

Golf Tournament Celebrate Cinco de Mayo a little early with the Masonic Home of Missouri at our 13th Annual Charity Golf Tournament! Registration fee is $125 per person ($500 per team) and includes cart, green fees, lunch, awards banquet, polo shirt, goodie bag and 2 drink tickets per player. The day will include exciting team and individual games, raffle, silent auction, awards banquet, and various themed activities throughout the course.

Download the registration form and send today… spots are limited!! Registrations, complete with payment, received by March 13th will be entered into the Early Bird drawing, so don’t delay!! Call or email Julie Kirchhoff with any questions at (800)-434-9804 or jkirchhoff@mohome.org.

Please consider becoming a sponsor for this event. Opportunities are available at a variety of levels. Funds raised during the 2015 Charity Golf Tournament will benefit children through two of our Outreach Programs: the Children’s Outreach Program and the Creating-A-Partnership Program. Over 7600 children were helped through these programs last fiscal year! Download the Sponsorship Form and make a difference in the lives of Missouri children today!! Call or email Jackie Walters with any questions at (800)-434-9804 or jwalters@mohome.org.

Forms are included in this mailing!

Square & Compass Courtyard Redesigned in 2014, the Masonic Home of Missouri’s Square & Compass Courtyard is a unique area located at the Masonic Complex in Columbia, where you, your Masonic Lodge or your Eastern Star Chapter can show your Masonic support by having a granite paver stone engraved.

When you make a donation to the Masonic Home, your high-quality granite stone will be personalized with laser engraving and become your permanent legacy at the Masonic Complex. Benches within the courtyard can also be engraved.

If you wish to have a stone or bench engraved for yourself, your lodge or chapter, or in honor or memory of a loved one, please contact our Annual Giving Officer at (800) 434-9804.

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The Rep Report

The MWB John D. Vincil Master Builder Society (Vincil Society) is a recognition program designed to recognize Lodges, Chapters and other organizations for cumulative giving to the Masonic Home of Missouri since January 1, 2014. It is a permanent and public way for the Masonic Home to say “Thank You� for your most appreciated support!

Recognition Levels - Through the Vincil Society, your organization will be recognized in various ways based on the giving level achieved. The Vincil Society recognition levels are as follows:

Annual Recognition - In the fall of each year, the Home will recognize new members and those who have achieved a new society level within the current year. Gifts can be made to the Home any time during the year; however, gifts received by August 31st each year will be included for recognition purposes within that year. Gifts received after that date will be included for recognition purposes the following year. New Vincil Society members and those who have achieved a new level during the year will be formally notified and invited to attend the fall recognition event.

Joining the Vincil Society - The Masonic Home of Missouri appreciates all of the ways you financially support this great charity! Aside from continuing this support, there is no action required on your part to join the Vincil Society. Once your cumulative giving has reached a qualifying amount, we will notify you and invite you to join.

Qualifying Gifts – Gifts that will be included in calculating your cumulative giving include, but are not limited to, the following: Penny-A-Day, memorial and honorary gifts, paver stone donations, event sponsorships, and any other general contribution. Gifts that do not qualify when calculating the cumulative giving for an organization include: Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) and Partnering to Honor (PTH) donations matched by the Home, Per Capita, event tickets or registration fees, purchase of items, and gifts to other Masonic Charities.

Spread the Word! Please encourage your lodge, chapter or other organization to participate in the Vincil Society and help spread the word on how your support of the Masonic Home can help assist our Brothers, Sisters, widows and deserving children across the state.

To learn more about the Vincil Society and MWB John D. Vincil himself, please visit our website at www.mohome.org or contact our Annual Giving Officer at (800) 434-9804.

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Publication Dates MASONIC HOME OF MISSOURI

6033 Masonic Drive, Ste A Columbia, MO 65202 Phone: 573-814-4663 Toll-Free (800) 434-9804 Fax: 573-814-4660 E-mail: rlightfoot@mohome.org

We’re on the Web! Mohome.org

The Masonic Home of Missouri has its own magazine, the Missouri Outreach that is published four times a year, with the fall edition being an Annual Report. This magazine focuses on helpful tips, resources and interest stories that assist Missouri Master Masons, honored widows and Order of the Eastern Star Chapters. It is mailed three times a year to approximately 46,000 people. The Annual Report is available at Annual Communication, Ladies Luncheons & Teas, our website or can be mailed upon request.

Some of our recent articles have been designed to help Lodge members showcase their Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program efforts, get ideas for raising funds for the CAP program, or identifying ways that our Outreach Programs help in your communities. If you have an idea for an article or would like to showcase your Lodges participation in our Outreach Programs, please contact Rhonda Stone Lightfoot at (800) 434-9804 or email the article and any photos to rlightfoot@mohome.org.

Calendar of Events (as of February 20, 2015) Friday, March 13, 2015

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Canopy Lodge No. 284 Ladies Luncheon & Teas @ 6 p.m. at the Lodge (Verona, MO)

Saturday, March 14, 2015

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Blackwell Lodge No. 535 & Dillon Chapter No. 16, OES Presentation @ 5 pm at the Blackwell Lodge. (De Soto)

Thursday, March 19, 2015

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Ray Lodge No. 223 Ladies Dinner @ 6:30 pm at the Lodge (Camden)

Monday, April 13, 2015

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Bee Hive Lodge No. 393 @ 7 pm at the Lodge (Lawson,)

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

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Poplar Bluff Lodge No. 209 @ 6 pm at the Lodge (Poplar Bluff)

Saturday, April 18, 2015

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Butler Lodge No. 254 @ noon at the Lodge (Butler)

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Board meeting in St. Louis, MO

Saturday, March 21, 2015 All publications, including widows lists, Representative Newsletter, Missouri Outreach magazine, and Annual Reports are available through electronic means.

If you would like to receive your information from us by email, please email the request to rlightfoot@mohome.org to be added to our electronic database.

A confirmation email will be sent to inform you that you have been added (and to make sure the email was entered correctly). Please check to make sure your Spam email folder will allow mail from us.

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Board meeting in Columbia, MO Office

Monday, April 6, 2015

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Clay Lodge No. 207 @ 6:30 pm at the Lodge (Excelsior Springs)

Please check that an event is still scheduled during this time of the year due to inclement weather by contacting the Lodge that is hosting the event or the Masonic Home of Missouri.

Please make sure we have the current Masonic Home Representative on file. We understand that appointments may happen throughout the year and we wish to maintain contact with the correct person.

If you are no longer your Lodge’s appointee for Home Representative, please contact Rhonda at (800) 434-9804 or rlightfoot@mohome.org.