BEACON May/June 2009
VOLUME 16, ISSUE 3
A JOINT PUBLICATION OF THE GRAND LODGE OF OHIO AND THE OHIO MASONIC HOME
Statewide Open House Creates Excitement and Positive Publicity E
Toledo Masonic Helping Hands employee Joel McConnell looks over a photo with Stephanie and Karl Denniss, residents at Browning Masonic Community in Waterville he works with. Joel and Karl are both former Marines, helping the men form a bond.
Putting Heart into Masonic Helping Hands Joel McConnell’s heart is in Toledo Masonic Helping Hands. As
such, his companion hours at Browning Masonic Community feel like spending time with family. Joel works four days a week for the Masonic Senior Services organization with Stephanie Denniss and her husband, Karl. But he never thinks of it as work. “It’s been so rewarding, I’m very attached to Karl and Stephanie and enjoy getting to know everybody at Browning,” said Joel. Masonic Helping Hands is a paid hourly service that helps seniors and disabled adults stay independent in their own homes through non-medical personalized care services. There are offices covering the Toledo, Cincinnati and Dayton/Springfield areas. Working as a companion for seniors may not seem like an obvious career move for a former U.S. Marine and law enforcement officer, but family history says differently. Joel’s mom has been a nurse for 30 years, and he recalls going on home visits with her, stirring his interest in the field. Continued on page 6
“ xcitement” and “success” were two of the often repeated words as reports of the Statewide Masonic Open House were received. Many Lodges reported large crowds, substantial local publicity, and new interest in the Fraternity. The results were not universally positive, according to Grand Master Charles R. Murphy, but successful in an overwhelming majority of the locations. Here are a few comments from reports: • Our Lodge had around 436 come through for the breakfast, and well Carter Mattix, 3, tries out gavel in over 300 took a tour Warpole Lodge, of our facility. Upper Sandusky • We had 276 in total head count. • Our estimates are approximately 800 guests. We had several folks escorting our guests about the building. We had groups of 10 to Continued on page 8
In This Issue: Generations Come Together Through Art ..................................Page 5 I-CARE Set For Summer Season ....Page 7 Open House Photos. ................. Page 8-9 Masonic Model Works. ................Page 12