The North Carolina Mason

July/August 2009 The North Carolina Mason Page 7 MiLepoSTS Senior MomenTS Your update from WhiteStone By Mark Kolada Administrator WhiteStone Let me help Masonry's charities ❍ e North Carolina Masonic Foundation ❍ WhiteStone (MESH) ❍ e Masonic Home for Children ❍ Send information about wills and bequests. ❍ Please have someone contact me. My name Address City State Zip Phone My lodge 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 e Grand Lodge of North Carolina, PO Box 6506, Raleigh, NC 27628. One of the significant challenges I face, whenever I am asked to give presentations to lodges throughout the state, is trying to convey how special WhiteStone: A Masonic and Eastern Star Community is. Invariably, the vast majority of Brothers have never had an opportunity to visit the campus in Greensboro and thus may have misconceptions about what we do, who we serve, and how it is done. Admittedly, it is often difficult to hear criti- cism or be with people who are apathetic toward the community, because it is, in my view, such a wonderful place to live and work and is an excellent example of Masonic values on display. So if you have never been to Greensboro to visit the community or are new to the fraternity, here are a few reasons to be proud of your home in Greensboro. History: Established in 1912, the community has been serv- ing its two fraternities for over 97 years, providing members a special place to retire. Proud of our rich history, throughout our administrative and residential buildings are various pictures of the original Masonic Home, portraits of all 13 administrators, as well as a beautiful historic display of Eastern Star Jewels, memo- rabilia, write ups on important fraternal members throughout history, and, in our library, Masonic literature, and numerous editions of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter Proceedings from as far back as the 1930s. Residents: Obviously, WhiteStone would not have survived this many years without the support of its residents. WhiteStone is currently made up of over 270 residents all of whom come from different parts of the state, and are retired from various pro- fessions. But for the vast majority who are fraternally connected, what makes WhiteStone truly special is the love and friendship they share with each other. Examples of the love shared are In- dependent Living residents who ensure that nursing home resi- dents get taken to and from the chapel for Sunday services, a special committee of residents who give their neighbor's birth- day and holiday cards spreading good cheer, and check in with each other when not feeling well. Our residents are also proud of "their home" and spend countless hours investing their time and money in making the community a better place to live, by doing things such as volunteering to help others, conducting special projects on their own like recently refinishing the chapel pews, planting flowers on campus, and serving on various committees so that they can help give feedback on how to improve services and amenities on campus. Care: One of the most important aspects of our community is the quality of care we provide to our residents in the Care and Wellness Center. anks to our knowledgeable and caring staff, state of the art equipment (much of which donated by fraternal members) and contractors, WhiteStone has an excellent reputa- tion in the Triad area for providing stellar rehabilitation, personal care services, and dementia care. is is verified by numerous an- nual inspections by state officials. Visitors often comment not only on how nice and clean the center looks but also how friendly and helpful staff is toward the residents and how content they are. One of the things that separate Whitestone's Care and Wellness Center from other nursing facilities is the continued emphasis on improvement in care and resident satisfaction. Charity: All Masons and Eastern Star members can be ex- tremely proud of the amount of charity WhiteStone provides each and every year. Thanks to the continued generosity of its f raternal members, WhiteStone is able to provide over $1.8 million worth of charity to almost 70 f raternally related resi- dents who would otherwise not have the financial resources to live at our community. Every penny of donations received are used to pay for such things as room and board, medical sup- plies, prescriptions, and required medical services. Know that, everyday, WhiteStone is committed to fulfilling its mission of providing f raternal support. Staff: A little-known fact about WhiteStone is that it is a great place to work and continues to exemplify Masonic and Eastern Star ideals by striving to be a caring employer. WhiteStone is for- tunate to have more than 180 employees who truly care about its residents and believe in our mission. WhiteStone is blessed to have experienced and caring staff led by a management team with over 50 years of tenure. WhiteStone works hard to provide competitive wage and benefits, but also believes in treating its employees well with special events such as health fairs, employee picnics, family day, and holiday gatherings. WhiteStone also believes strongly in making sure that all employees have access to training, education, and seminars that can help them do a better job. But, what truly makes our staff special are the relationships they develop with the residents to the point where many staff become extensions of our resident's families. It is not uncommon to walk around campus and see hugs being given, laughter shared, and tears shed between employees and the residents. Chapel: e historic Chapel, built in 1940, is the sentimental favorite building for residents, staff, and visitors alike and is one of the first buildings you see when you drive through the cam- pus gates. It is the oldest building on campus and is used daily for prayer, meetings, Sunday services, and Bible study. Musical chimes from the top of the Chapel fill the community air with hymns three times a day at 9:00 a.m., noon and 5:00 p.m. e Chapel front doors have engraved Masonic and Eastern Star symbols. e Chapel is adorned with several stain glass windows. Behind the pulpit is a beautiful mural of Christ praying, and was painted in 1942 by a 72-year-old resident named Paul Olson of Unanimity lodge in Edenton. Masonic and Easter Star Culture: The f raternal culture is still very much alive and flourishing on campus. Although there were concerns a few years ago when the community was opened to non-f raternal residents, that the Masonic and East- ern Star culture would some how be diminished, the reality is that the community is as "f raternal" as ever. Masonic and Eastern Star symbols are clearly evident and proudly displayed at our f ront gates, as well as our large eastern star on our f ront lawn. You can't walk past a common area or apartment with- out seeing a sign commemorating a donation f rom a certain lodge or chapter. Within the past year, an Eastern Star Chap- ter has been started on campus with more than 50 residents and staff becoming members. A weekly Masonic coffee club and monthly Masonic luncheon was started, at which Masons f rom the community and various lodges in Greensboro get together for good food and fellowship. As you can see there is plenty to be proud of at WhiteStone, however words do not do the community justice. If you are ever in the Greensboro area and would like a tour of the community to see for yourself how special it is, don't hesitate to give me a call at (336) 547-2992 or email me at mkolada@liveatwhitestone.org. SPRING HOPE — Central Cross 187 recently presented Dia- mond Jubilee awards to two members. Grand Master Dan Rice, cen- ter, gave the 60-year membership awards to Alvin Vick Edwards, left, and Roscoe Lee Joyner, right. — Clyde Best FARMINGTON — Wade Groce, right, of Farmington 265 was recently presented his Diamond Jubilee Award for 60 years lodge membership. The award was presented by Jimmy Myers, left, and Mas- ter Yoman Smith, center. Groce has been an integral leadership role in many civic organizations including the Grange, Yadkin Valley Tele- phone Cooperative, Farmington Fire Department, Farmington Baptist Church, and building the Farmington Medical Center. — Craig P. Steelman MOORESVILLE — Harry Moore, "somewhere north of 90 years," still attends Mooresville 496 regularly. On June 23, Moore, left, received his Diamond Jubilee for 60 years Masonic member- ship. Mooresville Lodge Master Richard Ferguson, right, presented the award. — Richard Ferguson BELHAVEN — On June 9, Belhaven 509 honored Martin Floyd Credle and Clyde Sutton with Diamond Jubilee Awards for 60 years Masonic membership. Sutton, left, is seen here with Belhaven Lodge Master Ricky Radcliffe. — Johnny Marvin Smith MURPHY — On June 1, Cherokee 146 presented service awards to several members. Veterans Emblems for 50 years membership went to James Franklin Smith, left, and Harry Howard Burgess, right. WENDELL — On March 7, Wendell 565 Master Rodney Brown received his Veteran's Emblem honoring his 50 years as a Mason. Grand Master Dan Rice made the presentation with the assistance of O. G. Spell who raised Brown in 1958. Seen here, from left, are Brown's wife Laverne, Brown, Spell, and Rice. — Ray Burch CHARLOTTE — Earlier this year, Jack Clifford Aus- tin Jr., right, was presented his Veterans Emblem for 50 years Masonic membership. He is seen here receiving the award from his father, Jack Clifford Austin, himself a 60- year Mason. Both are past masters of Steele Creek 737. — Wray Moxley AFGHANISTAN — Joshua Weaver is a member of Semper Fidelis 680 stationed in Afghanistan with the Second Marine Expedi- tionary Force. He recently found himself meeting former British Prime Minister Tony Blair at his base. Blair posed for a photo with the sergeant. — Howard Kahn

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