The North Carolina Mason

July/August 2021 The North Carolina Mason Page 9 MORE WICKER, from page 8 addition, there were seven jurisdic- tions that had both homes for the aged and a children's home. But unlike North Carolina, every other jurisdiction funded their homes by assessing a special per capita tax against its members. Of all the Masonic jurisdictions in the United States, only Kentucky has a home older than North Carolina. eir home for the aged and orphans was started in 1871, just a year before we began construction of our home in Oxford. History shows that the Freemasons in North Carolina have always been the trailblazers of this fraternity. As the years passed, MESH campus grew from its original 25 acres to approximately 50 acres. Buildings were replaced when needed. e Chapel was constructed in 1941, Latham in 1949, Setzer in 1962, the dining hall in 1966, Bennett in 1967, the Care Center in 1970 and replaced in 1999 and Linville in 1975. Phase I of the Independent Living Units began construction in 1979 and was completed in 1999 with 45 apart- ments and 64 homes. Phase II was completed in 2012 with an additional 46 apartments and six homes. We went from caring for 41 residents in 1914 to almost 350 today. e original concept for the funding of MESH was through a program of assigned assets. Incoming residents would assign their assets to the home and the cost of their care would hopefully be oset from the sale of those assets. Any shortfall in the cost of operations was to be made up through the donations of the Craft. Unfortunately, this business model did not keep up with the work being done at MESH. Originally, we were able to operate with a few cows and chickens along with the limited donations by the Craft. However, almost 100 years later, the assignment of assets model MESH was using could not support increased numbers of residents nor could it pay for the escalating cost of skilled nursing care. Residents long outlived their assets and the Craft failed to make up the shortfall with donations. rough the 1980s and 1990s, MESH had operational losses that averaged in the hundreds of thou- sands of dollars every year. By the early 2000s, the operational losses of MESH exceeded $1 million dollars a year. MESH was simply providing more charity than it could aord. As a result, MESH was close to depleting the nancial reserves that had been accumulated in the previous 90 years. As a result of nancial constraints, in 2005, MESH was forced to suspend new admissions to anyone who needed to rely on charitable subsidies. Because MESH had fallen below minimum reserves required the North Carolina Department of Insur- ance (DOI), MESH was in a situa- tion where the DOI could have seized the assets and taken over operational control of the home. To prevent that, Grand Master Gene Jernigan called an emergency meeting of the board of directors to determine how to salvage our home. To meet the DOI's minimum reserves, the North Carolina Masonic Foundation stepped up and trans- ferred $2 million to MESH. It was obvious to the board that it did not have the expertise to oversee the daily operations of a community the size and complexity of MESH. We were no longer operating a home out in the county, but an entire retire- ment community. As such, the board concluded that it was time to hire professionals to see to the day-to-day management of MESH. After careful consideration, Life Care Services was retained to provide for the daily management. LCS is the second largest provider of senior living communities in the United States. Although LCS would be managing the operations, oversight and control of the MESH remained with the 20-member board of directors. In addition, the employees remained with MESH as did ownership of the real property. Brother Mark Kolada came to MESH from LCS as our new admin- istrator. After assessing the situation, it was determined that the home needed to take several steps to survive. First, all expansion projects were delayed. Second, in 2006, MESH was opened to the general public, who would pay the retail costs of care. is gave MESH the cash ow to pay the ongoing costs of operation. ird, the restrictions on admissions for those who needed subsidized care remained in eect until we were in a better nancial condition. At the same time, MESH was rebranded as WhiteStone, a Masonic and Eastern Star Community. e name WhiteStone is taken from Brother M.W. White, the rst administrator at the home and from Brother and Mrs. F.M. Stone, our rst residents. Over the next several years, Whit- eStone was able to hold on, survive and then prosper. With the help of LCS and through the professional management they provided us, rst by Brother Mark Kolada and now by Brother Mark Lewis, WhiteStone has the nancial stability to once again open its doors for the admission of Masons, Stars and their families who need charitable help to live on campus. In 2012, the North Carolina Masonic and Eastern Star Founda- tion LLC was established to receive donations from the Craft for the support of the fraternally related resi- dents at WhiteStone. Because there are no administrative costs associated with this foundation, 100 percent of every dollar donated goes directly to the care of a Mason or a Star. WhiteStone was able to establish an outreach program, now called the Fraternal Friendship Program, to provide assistance to Masons and Stars who could otherwise stay in their home. Although the operational budget of WhiteStone is now $16 million per year, we are again able to provide in excess of $1.6 million per year in charity care. e need for WhiteStone is as great today as it has ever been. e home exists to provide a stable, caring, loving home for elderly Masons and Stars who need assistance in the twilight of their lives. In many instances, this extends their life and makes their life more fullling. ose who were once living alone with only the occasional contact with others now have a home where they can enjoy the company and companionship of new friends. Although we would love to do additional charity, what we do is in direct relation to what our Craft provides us in support. As I did with the MHCO, I oer a two-part challenge to each Masonic lodge and to every Mason in North Carolina. First, visit WhiteStone. Come to Greensboro and see for yourself the work that is being done. Visiting WhiteStone at least one time is not such a burden that cannot be endured. If delegations of Masons can endure a drive of over 150 miles in 1915 to see the home, you can do it today. I encourage you to bring your wives and children. Let them experience rst-hand the good you do. Bring your lodge and have a meeting on campus. I guarantee you that the Grand Master will grant you a dispensation to do so. Second, support WhiteStone nan- cially. We are in a capital campaign to raise funds to help with the next phase of expansion. ese funds will not be used for the Independent Living portion of the project. Inde- pendent Living supports itself. Funds donated by Masons and Stars will be used to help pay for the Memory Care Unit, which we are doubling, or for the Care and Wellness Center that is being updated after more than 20 years. Although it was requested in 1915, our home is still not blessed with a permanent endowment. e words of Brother Tommy Jones still ring true today. "I'm afraid far too many of our Brethren have been or are raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason and remain forever on the brow of the hill. ey do not under- stand our mission because we have failed to give meaning to the ceremo- nies and rituals of the three degrees." My brothers, if we all do a little, much will be accomplished. If you are undecided, remember "what, my brethren, can be the reason for this indierence and apathy? … An opportunity of doing great good is at hand." We need your support. e amount of support you give does not matter as long as we all oer such support as our cable tows will allow. As you continue on your Masonic journey through life, remember to reect upon the question of "What came you here to do." e answer to that question can help determine the future of tomorrow's children and the elderly members of our Fraternity who so need your assistance.

• Cover