North Carolina Mason
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1207467
T
he very best stories, I have been told
by the experts, have these essential
elements: great characters, a strong plot,
action, conflict and ultimately, a resolution.
anks, experts. I am sure you know your
stuff, but in my experience, the best stories
begin with "Hello."
Story is part of everything we
do. When you meet someone, you
exchange stories. Where do you
live? What do you do? Are you
married? Kids? You golf ? Me, too!
Tell me more.
When you read the paper, you
read the story. When some guy
cuts you off on the drive home, you
charge into the kitchen, ready to tell
the tale. A friend does something
stupid and you can't wait to tease
them by telling everybody in your
circle all about it.
I want to tell you a great story
… and it's about you. Seri-
ously. Without you, this story couldn't have
happened.
e North Carolina Masonic Foundation in
recent weeks shared some interesting numbers
with the NCMF board and others, showing
how things have progressed in the three years
since the board created a plan to restructure
and strengthen the way Masons raise money
for our charities.
You'll see a full roundup of this information
in the next NCMF annual giving report, due
out this spring.
But I thought you might want to see how
you made a difference in the life of our
charities – the Masonic Home for Children
in Oxford and WhiteStone: A Masonic and
Eastern Star Community in Greensboro.
Why you? e foundation works with
Masons to raise the funds that support opera-
tions and other costs at our charities every
year, freeing those entities to pursue their
work, rather than spend 24 hours a day raising
funds to stay afloat. Both charities are privately
funded … by you, by brothers who have come
before you, going all the way back to 1929,
when the NCMF was formed.
Here are some great stats to
prove my point. Let's start with the
best.
Between 2017 and the end of
2019, your gifts – from checks to
annuities to bequests to gifts in
memory of someone who changed
your life – have grown funding
to the foundation by 105 percent.
Giving to MHCO and WhiteS-
tone was up as well, at a time when
money was tight for everyone.
e NCMF was once the silent
partner of our charities. anks to
dozens and dozens of lodge visits
and other appearances by the foundation staff
and board members, many of you have a better
understanding of what the foundation does
and why.
You quadrupled your giving to the Historic
Masonic Properties Fund and almost doubled
your giving to youth scholarships! You gave
generously to the MHCO pool project and are
already giving to the Campaign for WhiteS-
tone!
is is a great story. It's YOUR story, and
every last brother (and Eastern Star sister)
who has given what they can to support these
worthy services and causes are the true hero.
anks to you, we get to add another
element of exceptional storytelling: a happy
ending that leads to a new beginning, a
renewed Craft-wide dedication to financially
supporting our charities.
Page 4 The North Carolina Mason January/February 2020
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of North Carolina, 2921 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608.
ird class postage paid at Oxford, NC 27565.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to e North Carolina Mason,
School Of Graphic Arts, Masonic Home for Children, Oxford, NC 27565.
Grand Master
P. Shaun Bradshaw
Board Of Publication
Kenneth Wayne Lambert, Chairman
Adam Cloninger
Dwight Decoskey
Stan Dodd
omas VanEtten
Editor
Beth Grace
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