Masons Provide Funds to Help Eliminate Student Lunch Debt

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Published on December 20 2022 10:18 am
Last Updated on December 20 2022 1:51 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

(AREA MASONS PRESENTING A CHECK TO DEFRAY MEAL DEBTS TO BENEFIT THE UNIT #40 SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LOCAL STUDENTS. UNIT 40 BOARD PRESIDENT ROBIN KLOSTERMAN IS SEEN ACCEPTING A CHECK FROM RANDY MILONE {3rd from right}. ALSO SHOWN LEFT TO RIGHT ARE ANDREW EVANS, JUNIOR WARDEN OF WATSON LODGE #602 AND HEAD OF THE STUDENT DEBT COMMITTEE; RYAN ELSASSER OF UNIT 40 SCHOOLS;  MATTHEW HAGENSEIKER OF WATSON LODGE #602;  AND WATSON LODGE #602 WORSHIPFUL MASTER NICHOLAS WEBB. MILONE IS A MEMBER OF ALTAMONT MASONIC LODGE #533 AND SERVES ON THE IMCAP BOARD WITH ILLINOIS GRAND LODGE)

 

Junior Warden of Watson Lodge #602 and head of the student debt committee, Andrew Evans, stated, “Our Lodge talked about the possibility of providing a donation like this toward meal debt a couple of years ago. Then the pandemic hit, schools started receiving state and federal help and all lunches were paid for. I reached out to the district and started working with Mr. Ryan Elsasser. I was shocked to learn the problem had ballooned to the point of over 325 families being affected, and the meal debt for students was on pace to surpass $12,000 by the end of this semester.”

Andrew Evans submitted a Youth Organization Connection proposal to IMCAP for a grant to help the student debt. IMCAP approved $6,500 in grant funds towards reducing the student meal debt in the Unit 40 school district.

Worshipful Master of Watson Lodge #602, Nicholas Webb, added, “The grand aim of the Masonic Lodge, worldwide, is to provide relief and support to our myriad communities and their members. Watson Masonic Lodge #602 and the Grand Lodge of Illinois are both humbled and elated at the opportunity to provide some assistance in tackling the school lunch debt issue affecting so many families and children in our own district.”

Junior Warden Andrew Evans continued, “Our fraternity has two main functions, simply: self-improvement and charity. It’s a very fulfilling thing to get to be a part of.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Illinois Masonic Lodges and their efforts in their communities, consider joining the Fraternity and remember: “To be One, Ask One”.