Page 2 The North Carolina Mason May/June 2016
OXFORD — e weekend of April
23 marked a new era for your Masonic
Home for Children. Twelve Master
Masons from across the state gathered,
most with their spouses, to experience
life on campus and learn more about
the operation, programs, and plans of
the Home. ey are the first Ambas-
sadors of the Home commissioned by
Grand Master Bryant Webster with
the goal of carrying the message of
the Home to families in need. Alumni,
many of whom are Masons, have been
instrumental in helping bring this no-
tion to reality. In 2014, the Marketing
Coordination Group including alumni,
Robert Batchler, Billy Willis, and John
Belk met and proposed a plan to some-
how involve Masons with the Home in
a more personal manner. is idea de-
veloped into the Ambassador Program.
On Friday evening, April 22, Grand
Master Webster welcomed the inaugu-
ral class of Ambassadors to the Home.
ey had games in the gym with three
of the cottages. e class was then di-
vided into groups of three for dinner
in different cottages. After dinner, they
toured a cottage and the Cobb Center.
It was then off to the York Rite Cha-
pel for reflective activities. Older resi-
dents, including 1968 Alumnus Dan
Rice (PGM), shared their experience at
the Home and its importance in their
lives. ey discussed the difficulties of
being raised out of one's home, having
to abide by campus rules, and the per-
spective of guardians having to let go of
their children and trust them to others.
Saturday's working breakfast was
conducted by Marketing Chair and
Board Member Phil Johnson. ey
talked about the role of the ambassador,
governance of the Home, discussion of
its current programs and procedures
(including the referral process), and the
different departments and services of
the Home. It provided a well-rounded
understanding of the operation so it
could be shared with others. Each per-
son developed an action plan to begin
connecting with lodges in their dis-
trict, identify community groups to ap-
proach, and to reach families in need.
One important message is a familiar
one: the Masonic Home for Children is
in need of house parent couples to work
as child care workers. If you know any-
one who would be good house parents,
have them contact MHCO at (919)
693-5111 or visit the website at .
At the graduation ceremony, each
Ambassador received a certificate, pin,
and a walking stick. PGM Preslar pre-
sented the walking sticks and explained
that they were hand-crafted by David
J. Stapleton of Greenville 284 and Dan
River 129, for the ambassadors to em-
body the strength, support, and impor-
tance of their work. Each cane is unique
and made from 1930s white pine tobac-
co sticks cut in Pitt County, NC. ey
represent the journey of taking the light
of the Home to those in dark times.
Grand Master Webster commis-
sioned the class by presenting the
Ambassador Charter, which currently
hangs in the Home's York Rite Cha-
pel. A class photo each year will be
hung next to the charter. Ambassadors
are asked to provide a three-year com-
mitment to the program. Additional
classes each year are planned. Within
three years, every Masonic District in
North Carolina should have its own
ambassador. ey will work with lodges
to help provide information, make con-
tacts, assess their relationship with the
Children's Home, and develop action
plans. ey will also present programs
and information to various groups and
help take the Home's message of hope
to families in need.
e inaugural class of 2016 includes
John and Heather Harrelson, District 6;
Joe and Barb Fuller, District 9; Hubert
and Pat Williamson, District 13; David
and Gwen Nyce, District 15; David and
Julie Parde, District 16; Tommy and
Annie Greene, District 21; Todd and
Alicia Smith, District 22; C. Ray Hall,
District 23; Doug Earnhardt, District
28; Chris and Liz Wilhoit, District 34;
Kenneth Sudderth, District 37; and
Wiley Kessler, District 38.
The Home for Children Ambassador Class 2016 seen here, from left, includes David and Julie Parde, Grand Master Bryant
Webster, Chairman Dan Rice (PGM), Gwen and David Nyce, Marketing Chair Phil Johnson, Annie and Tommy Greene, Chris
and Liz Wilhoit, Vice Chairman Dewey Preslar (PGM), C. Ray Hall, Doug Earnhardt, Hubert Williamson, John and Heather Har-
relson, Wiley Kessler, Kenneth Sudderth, and Alicia and Todd Smith. Barbara and Joe Fuller, and Pat Williamson are not pictured.
e Masonic Home for Children
continues to be a great place to be a kid,
and the impact of our work together
reaches for generations. ank you all
for helping bring this program to light
to be shared brightly across the state.
If you are interested in the Ambassa-
dor Class of 2017, please contact your
district deputy grand master who may
make a formal nomination.
Home for Children taps first ambassadors
Holiday joy delivered from one
Home to the other
GREENSBORO — In the holiday spirit, more than 20 carolers, including of
children and staff, from the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford delighted resi-
dents of WhiteStone: A Masonic & Eastern Star Community with good old fash-
ioned Christmas tunes. In addition to singing, the group also took time to visit
with Independent Living and Care and Wellness Center residents. The WhiteStone
residents felt abundantly blessed and filled with Christmas spirit after the visit. This
was the second year in a row for the carolers to visit, and they were encouraged to
make this an annual tradition between the two Masonic Homes. — Richard Spivey
