The North Carolina Mason

November/December 2017

North Carolina Mason

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Page 6 The North Carolina Mason November/December 2017 our masonic charities at Work see HOMECOMING, page 7 By Beth Grace Mason Editor omas Wolfe was wrong. You can go home again. is year's annual Homecoming festival at the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford is being praised as one of the largest ever. More than 3,000 people, including many onetime "Oxford Orphans," came to reunite with good friends, eat good food, and celebrate their beloved home. e weather started off a little chilly but warmed up into a crisp, sunny weekend, a stark contrast to the storms that hit in the wake of Hurricane Matthew last year, sending all of the festivities indoors and cancelling the parade. It was clear sailing this year as dozens of floats, Grand Line Officers and other Masonic person- alities, a race car and tiny Shriner- driven vehicles of all descriptions prompted squeals from the kids and smiles from the adults. Barbecue was back in a big way, as was Andrew Jackson #576's Bruns- wick Stew, along with countless hot dogs and burgers. e North Caro- lina Masonic Foundation donated cones and treats from Lumpy's ice cream truck on Friday night, while the barbecue teams worked their magic and early attendees danced to the music of Tim Cifers. By daybreak Saturday, staff and volunteers already were hard at work setting out chairs and pumpkins and flowers, and getting things ready for the crowd and the big parade. e fun began at 9:30 a.m. sharp when Eddie Dickerson, manager of the School of Graphic Arts and an MHCO graduate, welcomed the crowd. Before he announced the parade entries, he welcomed brethren and others who wanted to make some donations. Among them, Walnut Cove #629 with a donation of $13,218 and Keller Memorial #657, with a donation of $13,000. He was joined by MHCO Administrator Kevin Otis and board Chairman PGM Dewey Preslar, who accepted a $100,000 check from NCMF presented by NC Masonic Foundation board President Mike Faulkenbury and Chief Development Officer Jeff Hensley. e money will help fund Parade, food, fun come home to Oxford HOMECOMING '17 It's all for the children. Nobody has more fun at the Homecom- ing Festival at the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford than the kids. But the adults get their share of fun as well — joining in the big parade, cooking up some good eats and giving of themselves to keep MHCO a treasure of North Carolina Masonry.

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