The North Carolina Mason

Page 6 BENEATH THE OAKS Seeing is believing By Allen Hughes Administrator Masonic Home for Children at Oxford Twenty-three articles in the books, and now I have this and one more to write before I pass the mantle of administrator to someone else. Although I announced my planned June 30, 2011 retirement to the Board of Directors and staff more than ten months ago many of you still are not aware that I will be retiring this summer. I considered my decision long and thoroughly before announcing it, but I have come to the realization that I no longer can maintain the pace or continue the demanding travel schedule necessary to be effective in my position. My goal now is to prepare for a smooth transition. Te Board and staff are working toward that end and are looking into the future before committing to a long-range plan. Tis is an opportunity to consider other ways our Home can help more children and their families. Our Board of Directors has appointed a committee which is actively review- ing many different options by which our Home can help more deserving children and families even if it means bringing different programs to the campus to better utilize all our facilities. My main regret throughout the period of my employment and now as I prepare to move on is that the number of children in our care has continued to decline, and we have not been able to reach the families who need our help. It is true that there are many more sources of support for families in need, but we’d be naïve to believe that there are not children living in unsafe conditions. Just as frustrating, we have not been able to get many of our Masons and their families to visit our campus to see our Home and bet- ter understand what we provide for the children. Many who have visited and met some of the children left with a renewed passion and have been actively involved since their visit. Tey are able to speak from experience when they tell others about the wonderful opportunities we offer and the difference we are making in the lives of children who cannot live safely with the own families. Tey can recall the faces and remember the stories of hardships the children have had to overcome. It becomes reality rather than a vision when we see firsthand what our Home is doing to help children in need. I have heard several first time visitors say they had been donating to the Home for many years but had no idea of how their money was being used, but after seeing the children they pledged to do more. In many of my articles and visits to your lodges, I have asked for your help in spreading the message about our Home to the leaders and families in your communities. I often have said there is nothing anyone can tell you about our Home that will have as much impact as a short visit with the children. It is hard to be convincing to others in telling about something we haven’t expe- rienced. Tis is the 139th What can we say or what can we do to get you to visit our year of operation of our children’s home, yet its existence or the availability of the care we provide is not well known, even to some of our Masons. We have been offered plenty of advice on how to spread the word about the Home, but much of the advice involves spending a lot of money to get oth- ers to tell our story, with little assurance that the information will reach those who need to hear it. I still am convinced that our most effective means of getting the word out about our children’s home is through caring Masons in each community who are willing to extend a hand to the families in need. Tere assuredly are many children in all sections of the state who need our help. Yet, we have to get the adults in their lives to understand and accept what is best for the children and put the needs of the children first. Tat is not easy. Personal efforts by our staff, Masons, alumni, and friends of the families have met with frustration when we have tried to explain the benefits offered by MHCO. It is hard to overcome the perception connoted by “children’s home” or similar names unless one has seen what is being offered. Many times during pre-placement visits by applicants for admission the children are against coming to live here until they have met some of the staff and have seen where they might be living. What they see usually changes their perspective and they can make a decision based on fact rather than perception. A true case of “seeing is believing.” campus and gain a better understanding of why your help is important? You can make a difference not only for the children who are here but also for many children in your own commu- nities being deprived of a safe and happy childhood. We con- tinue to encourage lodge visits, and several lodge groups visit throughout the year and share a meal or other activities with the children. Some have scheduled a special lodge meeting in our lodge building on campus and then toured the campus. Others have scheduled a special workday to help with maintenance or landscaping of the grounds. In almost every case, the contacts and renewed awareness gained during those visits have led to other visits. You will be hearing in the coming months that we are trying to revive the St. John’s Day activities in a different format and at a more comfortable time of the year to encourage more of our Masons and supporters to visit our Home. We have a home for children of which we all can be proud. Te campus is beautiful and peaceful, the facilities are in excel- lent shape, and staff members are well qualified and dedicated. More importantly, we provide a safe, caring, and nurturing home for children who cannot live safely with their own families, with- out relying on money from the government. We need someone to help those children and their families find their way to us. If you see and know what is available here you will be able to help us reach the families who need our help. Seeing the Home will help give confidence in describing it and the care we offer. Please take the time to visit our Home so you can tell your friends and community leaders about what we’re doing to help children and families. Tis also is a good time to help our pub- lic leaders recognize the quality care that our Home provides for neglected or abused children at a time when the state and county budgets are decreasing. You can help the children by spreading our story and by getting families with children in need to contact us for assistance. Tere are many families who need our help, and you can make them aware of our services. Help can start with a call to (888) 505-4357 or (919) 603-3948. Let me help Masonry's charities ❍ Te North Carolina Masonic Foundation ❍ WhiteStone, a Masonic & Eastern Star Community (MESH) ❍ Te Masonic Home for Children ❍ Send information about wills and bequests. ❍ Please have someone contact me. My name Address City Phone A Hurricane to look forward to RALEIGH — Hiram 40 and CARQUEST Auto Parts hosted residents and staff from the Ma- sonic Home for Children at a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game December 19. The kids saw the game from CARQUEST’s luxury suite. The suite was fully equipped with a full buffet of snacks kids enjoy. Other special treats included a visit from Hurricanes mascot Stormy and souvenirs of the night including a Hurricane puck. CARQUEST Senior Vice President Chuck Henline, a member of Hiram 40, was there personally to host the youngsters. It was the second year that this special treat has been offered especially for the children who are not able to leave the Home for Christmas. In memory of (optional) Address To assure that your gift is properly credited to the fund of your choice, please make the check payable to that charity. Mail to Te Grand Lodge of North Carolina, PO Box 6506, Raleigh, NC 27628. WELCOME OUR NEW BROTHERS 1 .................................Jason C. Harris 4 ...................Willie Dennis Manning 8 .................................Mark Bergman 8 ........................Todd Justin Muench 8 ...........................Kyle James Nelson 13 ................... Rollie Stewart Dutton 17 ................Richard Wesley Spradlin 19 ........................Rickey Lane Ashby 19 .................... Joseph Edward Major 27 ..............Dwayne Steven Christian 27 .....................Timothy Paul Craver 27 .....................Justin Dean LaCount 27 ...........................Troy Dean Miller 31 .....................Eugene Lowell Poore 32 ................. Lucas Tomlinson Baker 32 .................. Jarrod Mitchell Howell 45 ............Isaac Lee Phillips Shumate 58 ..........William Brandon Anderson 76 ...................Edison Tomas Brown 81 ....................Michael Andrew Kirk 83 .....................Noah Chad Shannon 84 ...................Samuel Clayton Taylor 85 ........................Phillip Lynn Briggs 98 ........... Christopher Michael Avritt 106 .......... Clyde Winford Overton Jr. 106 ..............William Harrison Toney 109 ................William Carl Kahle III 109 ......................Brian Keith Munro 117 ............. Glenn Tomas Blackwell 117 ..................... Aaron Edward Ellis 117 ............Nickolas Haywood Green 122 ...................... Carl Edward Hann 125 .....................Eric Brooks Jackson 125 ............... John Ashley Westbrook 129 ................... Joshua Green Sharpe 134 ................Travis Matthew Bradey 137 .................Richard Darrell Gettys 143 .............Randy Everette Gilliland 143 .......................Robert Payton Lee 143 ......................Neil Ashley Wrenn 145 ..............Richard Eugene Cassady 147 .......................Dean Roy Wilkins 165 ................Stephen Vernon Driver 165 .....................Richard Owen Pack 170 ..........Chad Christopher Penland 170 .......................... Jason Ryan Rash 170 ........................Eric James Rogers 176 ........................Kevin Neil Parson 176 ...........Dusen James William Van 181 ..................... Billy Dean Leonard 191 ......................Richard Alan Haag 198 .................Michael John Orlando 198 ..................Andrews High Parker 198 ...................John Robert Ruark Jr. 205 .................... David Jason Woodle 214 ...................... Eric Scott Osborne 217 ...............Jon Andrew Dominique 217 .........................Cory James Kilby 217 ...............Timothy Bryan Kincaid 217 ................ Chad Phillip Robinson 217 .................David Brian Whisnant 218 ..........Joseph Preston Wofford IV 243 ...................Roger Dale Carroway 243 .............. Justin Durward Johnson 249 .......................Mitchel Alan Lane 259 ................... Jeremy Tre Ledbetter 262 ................Derek Jordan Dellinger 262 ...................Wesley Adam Teague 267 ..................Daniel Eugene Prince 282 ................................ Justin Brown 282 ..........Christopher Neal Connelly 282 ..................Charles Nicholas Falk 282 ...........Randy Mitchell Privette II 283 ..................Taylor Bryant Deyton 289 ........ Johnathon Andrew Beddard 289 ........................Joseph Gray Davis 289 .............Billy Jack Weber Morgan 289 ................... Keith Bolling Pranke 289 ..............Benton Walter Williams 296 .........Daniel Arrington Robinson 301 ..................... David Robert Craig 301 .................. Gary Edward Hanold 319 ..........Willard Jackson Blanchard 319 ................Jeffrey Eugene Watkins 322 ........................James Ray Horton 322 ................Dennis Wayne Sechrist 340 .......Durwood Douglas Lancaster 344 ....................Charles Max Graeub 344 .................William Andrew Gray 344 ...................Bradley Keith Russell 344 ..................Tyler Jonathan Varney 359 .................William Glenn Patton 369 ..........Robert William Biggerstaff 369 ....................Daniel Logan Jacobs 381 ....................Daniel Curtis Elliott 381 ................Andrew Bostic Millard 384 ............ Jonathan David Brown Jr. 384 ............... Johnny Richard Hoover 384 ...............Heath Lynn VerHoeven 391 ......................Travis Lee Blundell 395 ................Dallas Langston Hardy 395 .....................Joshua Ethan Hines 403 .............. Alfred Forrest Denise Jr. 404 .............Charles Dave Sofinowski 404 .................James Edward Tomas 407 .............................Troy Glen Bell 407 ........... Reginald Clay Shumate Jr. 407 .....................Matthew Lee Staley 407 ...........Charles Robert Tornburg 408 ................ Teodore Smith Ebner 408 .....................James Preston Lilley 408 ....................... Peter Adam Schad 413 .............. Jeremiah Eugene Swann 428 .......William Edward Blanchfield 428 ................... Richard Lee Murphy 429 ............... Rickie Clemwood Riley 431 ......................John Wade Duncan 431 ................. James Lonnie Peacock 431 .....................Corey Austin Sasser 431 ..............William Sherrill Weaver 433 ..... Raymond Anthony Arrington 434 ..............Nicholas Evan Sizemore 435 ...................... Brian John Stiehler 437 ....................Kevin Lane McNeill 454 ....Anthony Christopher Pometto 454 ..................Darrin McDale Reece 459 .............Steven James Lashbrooks 459 .........................Steven Javan Rice 484 .....................Paul Owen Blake Jr. 484 .................Patrick Ronald Wilson 491 ..................Marvin Jeffery Keener 492 ..........Charles Samuel McFalls Jr. 498 ...............Mark Anthony Howery 499 .......Tomas Randolph Compton 499 ...................Ronald Gary Rhoden 500 ..............David Aaron Culbertson 500 ....................Gregory Joel Griffith 500 ...................Eric James Sepulveda 509 ............Christopher Daniel Lamb 515 ........................Jarrod Scott Tyson 519 ................ Matthew Wayne Porch 521 ...............William Tomas Ackiss 521 ........ Jeremy Michael Christensen 521 ..................... James Lloyd Farlow 521 ...........George William Holcomb 521 .........Danuel Elwood Midgett Jr.. 521 ...............Ronald Joseph Seidman 521 ....................... David Alan White 529 ..............William Andrew Cathey 534 ...................Michael Ray Fletcher 542 ........Edwin Cacundangan Hojilla 544 ............Winslow Hubert Cannon 552 ............Zakary Donald Berckman 552 ......................Terry Silas Gauldin 552 ...................Brandon Edward Lee 552 ......................... Bryant Allen Lee 554 .....................Tracy Lee McIntyre 554 .................. Joseph Michael Street 556 ............George Halford Coleman 556 ......................John Seth Coleman 558 ...............................Daron Atkins 562 ...........Robert Andrew Dussinger 562 ................ Timothy Shawn Lyons 564 ........................Erik Travis Hodge 573 ................ David William Hollars 576 ..............William Trippe McKeny 579 ..................Warren Charles Julian 579 .......................Eric Wade Tomas 589 .....................Gregory Scott Giles 596 ....................Giles Cameron Byrd 598 ....................Roy Leonard Maltba 613 ............Christopher Shane Smith 616 ................. Robert Stanley Brintle 616 ....................Dustin Blaine Lyons 617 .......................Craig Johnson Lee 617 ...................James Allison Walker 650 ...............Adam Voorhees Jackson 650 ...........Anthony Joseph Rathbone 657 .................Joshua Matthew Brady 657 .................... Ronald Tracy Lundy 657 .................William Michael York 663 .....................James Farrell Austin 663 ......................Dennis Ray Bishop 663 .................. Ronald Ward Shelton 669 ....................Bruce Kevin Butcher 669 ...............Donald Mitchell Fowler 670 .......................Kevin Scott Boyles 670 ...................... Joshua Calvin Paris 670 ............ Darren Thomas Summers 672 .................... James Mack Phillips 672 ..............................Ronald Sparks 676 ....................Jeffrey Martin Berlin 676 ...................... Eric Andrew Cable 676 ...........William Anderson Cather 676 ...................Todd Curtis Freeland 676 ..................David Ronald Hedges 676 ...........Randall Stephen Hoose Jr. 676 .................... Spencer Alton Moss 678 ...................... Alan Ray Phelps Jr. 678 .................Algon Keith Sawyer II 679 ...............Lonnie Felix Griffin III 680 ....................Michel Travis Bissell 680 ...........................Erik Jason Copp 680 ..Pena Christopher Dollente Dela 680 .......................David Paul Donley 680 ....................... Bill Anthony Frost 680 ......................Adam Westley Hay 680 ................Patrick Eugene McGirl 680 ....................Joseph Allen Murray 683 ........................ Gary Dean Acord 683 ......................Steven Allan Acord 686 ......................... Roy Delane King 687 .................Adam Duane Quimby 688 ..................Darien James Garland 688 ................ Jeffrey Eugene Jones Jr. 690 ............................ Shad Ray Foley 694 ............Austin Bernard Campbell 694 ...................Robert Elwood Flynt 694 .......................Justin William Kay 694 ....................Clay Green Kennedy 694 ............................Ian Blake Tuten 699 .............................Thomas Denny 699 .................. Stephen Neal Springs 703 ......................Joseph Allen Burris 703 ........Gregory Lamar McCollister 704 ...........Howard Nicholas Franklin 709 ...........Eddie Franklin Mathis III 713 ........................ Ricky Lee Wilson 722 ..................Mark Douglas Thorpe 722 ................ Matthew Brian Torpe 723 ...................Steven Robert Harris 725 .............Peter Christopher Gartin 727 .................Joshua Daren Hopkins 727 ...................Herbert Boyce Lynch 727 .......................Harold Dave Tripp 732 ..................William Dean Frazier 732 ......Robert Christopher Lockhart 732 ....................Robert Steven Smith 733 ..............Cameron Lee Waggoner 734 ..............Michael Milton Criswell 734 ..................Larry Clayton Wilson 737 ..............Leslie Howard Flanagan 737 ...................Richard Allen Morris 737 ..................Paul Clayton Watkins 753 ..... Christopher Matthew Rhodes 753 ................... Lee John Sweeley III 754 ................Daniel James Cashman 755 ...............Dennis James Robinson 758 .................. Joseph Shelton Myers 759 ....................Steven William Fink 759 ......Christopher Frederick Griffin 759 ............. Keith Charles Moynihan 759 .....................Doyle Leroy Nichol 759 ... Christopher Gregory Robinson 759 .................... Charles David Ward 759 .................Peter Arthur Yacavone 762 .....................Albert Fleming Bell 763 ................Joseph Dean Buchanan The North Carolina Mason March/April 2011 State My lodge Zip 

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