VOLUME 18, ISSUE 1
WINTER 2011
BEACON A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF OHIO AND THE OHIO MASONIC HOME
Marathon
A Mom, a Marine and a M others and their adult
sons regularly get together for one of many different activities, like a family visit during the weekend, dinner out or possibly vacationing together. Nita Wilkinson, Director of Marketing at the Springfield Masonic Community, went a bit further. She joined her son Wesley and 28,000 other participants to run the 26-mile Marine Corps Marathon around Above, left to right: Suzann Barnard, Washington D. C. Sgt. Wesley Smiley (Nita’s son) and “I had been running for Nita Wilkinson; Right: Barbara Gainey about four years and had done a few five kilometer many mothers have their (3.1 miles) when I mentioned to sons invite them to run a Wesley that I would like to run marathon together?” the Marine Corps half marathon So Nita began the six-month (13.1 miles) in Washington,” Nita training process to prepare for the said. “He said we should do the race. Another Springfield employee full marathon together. I was was also training for the race. Barnervous because that was a big bara Gainey, the community’s jump in distance for me, but how Executive Assistant, had run in the
SMC Merits Top ODH Recognition Springfield Masonic Community (SMC) recently earned a deficiency free annual survey from the Ohio Department of Health for its skilled nursing facility and residential care (Assisted Living) facility. This makes SMC part of an elite retirement community group – less than 8% of Ohio Centers rate a deficiency free rating. “This continues our legacy of excellence, and allows us to maintain our Five-Star Quality Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. We are the only Clark County provider with that distinction,” said Brother Jerry Guess (Raymer-Covenant #683), SMC president. “Jerry and I attribute our success to an excellent professional team, a team with heart, soul, and care – and with a whole bunch of attention to the reason we are here – our residents,” said Vice President/Administrator, Iva DeWitt-Hoblit.
Columbus Marathon the year before. She wanted to run the Marine Corps marathon to try to improve her time. She was excited by the prospect of running a marathon in the capital city of both her state and country. Nita and Barbara found the training to be grueling, and both had thoughts of quitting. “During the last two and a half weeks, you just want it to be over,” Barbara recalled. For Nita, the high point of the race occurred as she was running in one direction past a park, and Wesley, who was ahead of her, ran past on the other side of the park. “He spotted me, and was so excited that he ran across the park, picked me up and whirled me around,” Nita said. “That was a very special moment for me.” In the end, Barbara improved her time by almost 40 minutes. Both she and Nita said that marathon running teaches you a lot about yourself. “When you do something like this, you realize that you are stronger than you thought,” Nita said.
In This Issue: Secretary of the Year ........................ 5 Brother Honored as Pioneer in Laparoscopic Surgery ....................... 6 Pen Pal Thanks ................................. 7 Community Involvement ...............8-9 Columbus Considers Forming a Daylight Lodge............................ 13 BeActive BeFriend .......................... 14